Yeah, Rondevouz is a technology that promises to connect things like printers, cell phones, PDAs, and other peripherals without the need for drivers, or even configuration-- it will figure out which service (USB, Bluetooth, Firewire, Airport, Ethernet) it's using, and automatically set up your computer to work optimally. It makes plug-and-play technology look passive by comparison. In the near future, look for things like PDAs that, when in Bluetooth range, automatically connect and sync with your computer. Or cars that automatically transfer the built-in phone system to your handheld cell-phone. Or car strereos that automatically access your MP3 player when it's in range.
Someone correct me if i'm wrong, because i've never played with Rondevouz at all, and it's applications are probably best seen first-hand.
As you said, bluetooth is very similar to wireless USB. it has a range of a few feet, and can connect slower transfer devices like input, PDAs, etc. Airport has a much larger range and is faster, so it's good for things like personal and commercial networking, it's ideal for sharing files and internet connections. Airport (or 802.11b, as it's known to PC's) is starting to show up in places like airports (get it?), city parks, and coffeehouses. With rondevous, your computer would automatically detect Airport connections and try to establish connections. So you might soon carry your iBook to the park on a nice day, open it up, and surf the web immediately.
802.11b is also being used for larger applications, like establishing city-wide networks for ISP's... instead of worrying about buying a cable modem, and wiring your computer up, you can just plug in a card, and aim an antenna towards the nearest tower. These services are generally not free; it costs approx. the same as a cable modem...
Lastly, as you may have heard, there is a new technology called Airport Extreme, which in PC lingo is 802.11g. It's about 5 times faster, which is currently only useful for large file transfers between computers (internet connections simply aren't fast enough to take advantage of speed improvements here). It's backwards-compatable with 802.11b, simply reducing the connection to the slower speed.
pnw
