OT "Bluetooth used to catch dealers"

[Ericp]

From Teletext

"Police in Bradford are using Bluetooth technology to try and catch drug dealers in the city.

Officers are using the system to send messages to residents mobile phones asking them for information about drugs in their communities.

The messages will also be sent to peoples laptops."

Obviously a powerful transmitter can send something to a suitable receiver, but how can a laptop be used to receive messages. Surely all they could do is dump a file somewhere on the machine? And what is the legality in doing that? If people can just dump what they choose on phones and laptops then it opens up a whole range of abuses to peoples equipment.

Posted here because it is the only place that seems likely to ellicit a decent answer.

[Graham.]

Ye of little faith, I've x-posted this to uk. telecom mobile

Forget the powerful transmitter, it will be un-licenseable This is likely to be a system such as already commonly used for marketing purposes in shopping centres, railway stations etc. Range is only a few tens of meters, so it will be strategically placed to catch lots of foot traffic. Many Laptops and PDAs will be able to display the text and images, I imagine the target audience will have the device in there pocket with BT on standby ie. phones.

[Adrian C]

It's probably kit from this bunch.

Midlands Police have used them before.