TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- Technology has changed tremendously since the 1990s.
Gone are the days of Discman and Palm Pilots, but the thing that's actually gotten better with age?
Bluetooth.
"It has come a long way in 10 years because now it is the go-to," said Jeanne Dowling of Aegis Business Technologies.
Telcommunications company Ericsson created Bluetooth back in 1994, naming its creation after King Harald Bluetooth of Denmark.
Bluetooth uses radio waves to connect your devices, without needing to plug in.
"It allows freedom of motion and freedom of use, whether you're in your car, at the office, at home, etc.," said Blake Dowling of Aegis Business Technologies.
Before cellphones, you could only go as far your cord would let you. But now, we have the freedom to unplug and take our calls on the go. Bluetooth is helping us bring all our other gadgets along as well.
"People are moving away from the tower PC to the mobile tablets and laptops. When people have all these multiple mobile devices, it's just much easier to have Bluetooth," said Jeanne Dowling.
From headphones to speakers - and even cars - more and more things are taking advantage of Bluetooth technology, and tech experts predict a we'll see even more, thanks to Bluetooth 5, debuting early next year.
It's said to increase the range of signal by four times, meaning you can stay connected even if your devices are nowhere in sight. Bluetooth 5 will also double speeds, letting you transfer data even faster.
"From a business standpoint, maybe where you have bigger events and you want to have music played or anything streamed - video or audio - being in the big location that might get rid of that obstacle of, oh I can't walk this far away from whatever with my device," said Matt King of Aegis Business Technologies.
According to Bluetooth, more than 8 billion products feature the technology, and by 2020, it's expected to be installed in more than one-third of all devices.
While security is top of mind with all forms of technology, officials say Bluetooth's use of radio waves help create a safe connection that isn't targeted by hackers.
