June 26, 2001 (TOKYO) -- Nippon Ericsson KK, Marubeni Corp. and Handspring Inc. said they would begin a set of tests of Internet connections and content delivery using the Bluetooth wireless communications protocol in late July.

In the experiment, called Bluetooth Launch Trial, the participants will use Bluetooth modules in personal digital assistants (PDAs) such as Visor of Handspring and notebook PCs, and verify connection of the Bluetooth at Internet cafes, PC retail shops and in Shinkansen bullet trains.

The three companies also will design the content and conduct a survey on details regarding use of the service by participants. The experiment will be conducted for three months.

In the experiment, they will install Linux-based Bluetooth Local Infotainment Point (BLIP) local servers and provide Bluetooth access points at each experiment site. Participants in the experiment will access the Internet using terminals with the Bluetooth module and receive streaming animation and content, such as shop information.

Nippon Ericsson will provide the local servers, Handspring will supply Visor personal digital assistants, and Marubeni will be responsible for the planning.

Bluetooth technology can automatically recognize a user located within 10m from an access point, has push-type content delivery, and suits PDA use because it is less power consuming, a Nippon Ericsson spokesman said.

In the test, Bluetooth will automatically recognize a user visiting a shop at an experiment site or in the Shinkansen, and make automatic push-type content delivery appropriate for the particular experiment site.

However, at the press conference, details of content were not disclosed. The spokesman from Nippon Ericsson announced the objective of the experiment, which is to develop attractive content, to seek contents vendors and to verify the effectiveness of content delivery that changes depending on the place.

The experiment will be conducted at Marunouchi Cafe, retail shops of Sofmap Co., Ltd., an Internet cafe called www.so-net./cafe, and in the Hikari Rail Star of Sanyo Shinkansen train. The three companies will recruit about 100 participants at a Web site for the experiment and through other ways.

After the experiment, the companies will commercialize the service as an Internet service to deliver automatically tailored content related to Internet cafes, hotels, stations, convenience stores and other places.