Sony announces Bluetooth-ready camera

Sony this week announced one of the first digital still cameras to use a Bluetooth wireless connection to transmit images to a PC and other devices. The DSC-FX77 camera will include a built-in Bluetooth transmitter that will allow users to transmit images from as far away as 30 feet to other Bluetooth-equipped devices, such as laptops and cell phones. A low-resolution photo can be can be transmitted in less than two seconds, Sony's European subsidiary said in an announcement. The camera is scheduled for release in Japan and Europe in November. Sony had no comment on North American availability for the camera. Sony already offers two digital camcorders with Bluetooth connections.

Touted for years as the next big thing for simplifying short-range transmission of data, Bluetooth has taken off slowly because of factors ranging from expensive equipment and competition from technologies such as 802.11b networking. A recent report from research firm IDC predicted that revenue from Bluetooth-related products, such as chips and memory used in devices, would grow from $76.6 million in 2001 to $2.6 billion in 2006, with widespread adoption beginning next year.