In my recent trip to northern California a few vendors told me they were integrating bluetooth into their products for the home market. Generally until now most bluetooth applications have been of the mobile variety. Sure, you have some bluetooth options from GN Netcom and Plantronics for the office but Bluetooth generally is found in cars and headsets which allow mobility.

Some exceptions are stereo speakers and headsets but it doesn’t seem like stereo Bluetooth has lived up to its potential yet.

As further evidence of how the Bluetooth market is looking to become more embedded into home automation, today Broadcom put out a press release explaining how their Bluetooth technology is going to be embedded in LGE (LG Electronics) TVs.

This means you can now listen to TV with wireless headphones so you don’t disturb others. You can also sync music and view large-screen photos and videos.

Perhaps the most exciting part of this news is the ability to add accessories to TV like a wireless keyboard, mouse or even game controllers. The TV now has the capability to become the video game player – imagine a partnership between TV manufacturers and game companies.

You can now potentially use a TV as a videoconferencing screen for truly HD quality video communications. Coincidentally there will be some big news soon about consumer HD video but I can’t share the specifics as of yet.

The timing of this news couldn’t be better as you may recall I was in the Samsung Experience store a few weeks back and when I was using the YouTube widget to watch videos I asked why the remote control didn’t have a keyboard. The answer? Well the widget was developed after the remote control.

Seems like Bluetooth would solve these chicken and egg problems and to my wife who just thought I was procrastinating and that is why I haven’t bought a new TV – actually I must have subconsciously been waiting for Bluetooth. 🙂