In the two decades since it was first included in products （which/that are）available to the general public, Bluetooth has become so widespread that an entire generation of consumers may not be able to remember a time without it.
- available to 对…可拥有；对…可获得的
- general public 平民大众
- so that 太…以至于
ABI Research estimates that 5 billion Bluetooth-enabled devices will ship to consumers this year, with that figure expected to rise to 7 billion by 2026. Bluetooth is now in everything from smartphones to refrigerators to lightbulbs, allowing a growing number of products to connect to each other seamlessly — sometimes.
- estimate [ˈestɪmət ]估计；估算
- -enabled 能与某一系统(或技术)使用的
- device [dɪˈvaɪs]装置；仪器；器具；设备
- figure 数字
- refrigerator 冰箱
- lightbulb 电灯泡
- a growing number of 正在增长的大量…
- seamlessly （seamless [ˈsiːmləs]）无缝地
Despite its pervasiveness, the technology is still prone to headache-inducing issues, whether it's the struggle to set up a new device to connect with, switching headphones between devices or simply being too far out of range to connect.
- pervasiveness （pervasive[pəˈveɪsɪv]）无所不在；普遍存在
- be prone to 易于…的；容易导致…
- headache-inducing 令人头疼的
- switch between and 在…和…中间切换
- be out of range 不在范围内
"I have a very love-hate relationship with Bluetooth," said Chris Harrison, a professor of Human-Computer Interaction at Carnegie Melon University. "Because when it works, it's amazing, and when it doesn't, you want to rip your hair out."
- love-hate 既爱又恨；爱恨交加
- rip hair out 头发扯下来
"The promise was to make it as seamless and easy as possible," he said. "Bluetooth never quite got there, unfortunately."
- as as possible 尽可能…
- get there 到达；成功
The reasons for this go back to the very foundation of the relatively low-cost technology.
- go back to 回到（原来的话题等）；回归到
- foundation 基础；基本原理
- relatively 相对地
- low-cost 低成本的
Bluetooth is said to borrow its name from a ninth century Scandinavian king, Harald "Blue tooth" Gormsson, who was known for his blueish-gray dead tooth and also for uniting Denmark and Norway in 958 AD. Early programmers adopted "Bluetooth" as a code name for their wireless tech that connects local devices, and it eventually stuck.
- be said to 据说
- Scandinavian [ˌskændɪˈneɪviən] 斯堪的纳维亚的；斯堪的纳维亚人的；北欧日耳曼语系的
- be known for 以…出名/为人所知
- blueish 带蓝色的；有点儿蓝的
- programmer 程序员
- adopt as 采用…当作
- code name 代号
- stick（stuck）被接受
The technology was differentiated from Wi-Fi by being "inherently short range," Harrison said. It's still the case today that the Bluetooth options many consumers are accustomed to in their phones and portable speakers function at lower power and can only connect at limited distances.
- differentiate from 区分
- inherently 天性地，固有地
- short range 短程；短距离
- it's the case that （it 形式主义，that 句子是真主语）情况是…
- option 选项
- be accustomed to 习惯的；习以为常的
- portable 可携带的
- function 运转
Bluetooth signals travel over unlicensed airwaves, which are effectively open to the public for anyone to use, as opposed to privatized airwaves that are controlled by companies like AT&T or Verizon. This may have eased its development and broader adoption, but it came at a cost.
- unlicensed 无执照的,无许可证的,无牌,未经授权的
- effectively 事实上
- as opposed to 和…相反
- privatized 私有的
- ease 使…容易
- come at a cost …是要付出代价的
Bluetooth must share and compete with a slew of other products using unlicensed spectrum bands, such as baby monitors, TV remotes, and more. This may generate interference that can disrupt your Bluetooth's effectiveness.
- compete with 和…竞争
- a slew of 大量；一系列；许多
- spectrum band 光谱带
- baby monitor 婴儿监护器；婴儿监听器；婴儿监视器
- TV remote 电视遥控器
- interference 干扰；冲突
- disrupt 扰乱
Harrison cites other reasons why Bluetooth can be "unusually painful," including cybersecurity issues that can arise when transmitting data wirelessly.
- cite 引用（为证）；列举论证
- cybersecurity 网络安全
- arise 出现
- transmit 传输
Despite its flaws, Harrison doesn't see demand for Bluetooth dying down and admits he himself uses it seamlessly — some "70% of the time."
- flaw 缺陷
- die down 逐渐消失
"Bluetooth hasn't seen it's pinnacle yet," Harrison said, predicting the widespread adoption of the Internet of Things, or smart devices. Working together in close range will only add to its growth. "Bluetooth will be the glue that connects that all together."
- pinnacle [ˈpɪnəkl] 顶点；顶峰；鼎盛时期
- Internet of Things 物联网
- add to 增加
- glue 粘合剂
