It’s been a while since we last looked at Bluejacking, but it’s alive and well and seems to be going from strength to strength. At least, that’s what I deduce from a look round BluejackQ, which is the spiritual home of the movement.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check out my post in June 2004 for a definitive guide. But essentially, it involves ordinary mobile phone users (as opposed to commercial organisations) sending unsolicited messages (text and pics) by Bluetooth. The messages range from harmless and childish (in a good way) pranks – such as “your shoe lace is undone” – to perhaps initiating a friendly contact.
As Bluetooth messages aren’t trackable, unlike say, an sms, no one can say how popular Bluejacking is. But anecdotally, I’d say it’s big and getting bigger – perhaps even now crossing the chasm from early adoption into the early majority, if you know your Moore.
MobiLuck have clambered on board this bandwagon and just released version 3.5 of its short range, Bluetooth messaging system. This takes Bluejacking, which is actually rather a clumsy interface, involving using the entries in your phone’s address book, and makes the whole thing that much slicker and easier to use.
It automatically searches for other Bluetooth devices and alerts you when they’re found. This casting process is still quite a hassle using the normal method. It also has built-in virus protection, as playing around with Bluetooth messages from strangers’ mobiles is the digital equivalent of unprotected and promiscuous sex.
The interface is a lot easier to manage as well.
The app costs Euro 14.95 ($17.96) a year and is currently only available on Nokia Series 60 phones, although you can send to any Bluetooth enabled phone, providing that Bluetooth is in discoverable mode, obviously.
Apart from Bluejacking, there are MoSoSo applications, to find other people you might want to meet or network with in the immediate vicinity.
But also if you study kids, you’ll find that they quite often sms their mates who are in the same room – messaging is often a parallel communication channel, as opposed to an alternative one. For instance, they may want to take the piss out of someone else in the room, share a joke, communicate a private message or exchange those icky love notes that we’ve all sent back when we were teens (“i luv u” “i luv u more” “no u dont” “yes i do” kind of thing).
Of course, the great thing about Bluetooth is that it’s also a completely free-to-use channel, so you can send as many messages as you like, without paying a penny to your operator or anyone else.
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