It turns out there’s a weird link between dental discolouration and digital design. Here’s the history of Bluetooth — in more ways than one.

For starters, you’ve probably never heard of RadioWire or PAN (Personal Area Network) but each almost became the name of the system you use to connect your devices with others, before the more unusual name took hold.

In 1997, big firms like IBM, Intel, Toshiba, Ericsson, and Nokia developed the new technology. Engineers from those last two companies sat in a Toronto bar one gusty night, trying to find a name for it.

When their shared love of history came up, one of the two guys mentioned he’d just read a book about a Viking king called Harald Bluetooth. The ruler’s story inspired the moniker.

Known as Harald Bluetooth Gormsson, the king ruled Denmark between 958 and 986 after inheriting the throne from his father, Gorm. Chroniclers say a remarkable faith and mind were among the many strengths of Gorm’s son (hence, his surname).

As for the name Bluetooth, the king evidently had a rotten tooth and, in Danish, the term used can mean black-blue.

Among other things, Harald established a network of round fortresses across his kingdom. But he’s best known for becoming Denmark’s first Christian king, and for helping unify Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.

Like those ho came before him, Harald worshipped the Norse gods of the Vikings. But in the early 960s, he converted to........

© Sarnia Observer