Wireless Technology Journal

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) today opened nominations for its 5^th Annual Best of CES 2010 Awards. The program will feature the most innovative Bluetooth enabled devices of the year with one overall winner unveiled at an awards reception held the evening of Friday, January 8, during the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

The SIG’s Best of CES Awards is a revamped version of the organization’s annual Best of CES contest. The new awards program was designed to create a simple and flexible nomination process to better shine a spotlight on the year’s most exciting Bluetooth devices. Submissions must no longer fall into a product category and can be entered when nominated by a member company or the SIG itself.

“The SIG’s theme at CES is ‘Bluetooth evolution’ so it’s fitting to see a new and improved means of showcasing the very best of the most recently released Bluetooth products,” said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director of the Bluetooth SIG. “During CES, the SIG will have much to say about the evolution Bluetooth technology is currently undergoing. With the new Bluetooth 3.0 High Speed (HS) and forthcoming low energy versions, new markets like home entertainment and health and fitness will enjoy the benefits of Bluetooth technology ensuring growth of the wireless technology well beyond the nearly three billion devices available worldwide today.”

The ten finalists will be announced on Tuesday, December 8, and promoted by the Bluetooth SIG prior to CES and throughout the first half of 2010. Non-disclosure agreements will be honored for any finalists with products announced later than December 8. Member companies and media alike will be able to view the featured devices firsthand at the SIG’s awards reception and hear the announcement of the overall winner.

Each product entered must meet the following criteria:

• Uses Bluetooth technology
• Qualified under Bluetooth qualification PRD 2.0 or later
• Introduction/launch date between July 1, 2009, and January 8, 2010
• Manufacturer is SIG Promoter or Associate level member

Products will be judged based on interoperability testing, containing expected profiles and ease of use. Bonus points will be awarded to products which include Experience Icons on packaging or product website. Products which have a confirmed issue on the SIG Issue Tracking System, are not qualified properly or do not include instructions for use will be automatically disqualified.

Products must be nominated by Friday, November 20, and review units received by the Bluetooth SIG no later than Tuesday, November 24. The online nomination forms can be accessed at http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB229QWQVGRK2. Questions about the contest can by directed to Lindsay Peattie, Bluetooth SIG member relations manager, at lpeattie@bluetooth.com