According to the Bellevue, Wash.-based Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), yesterday was the 10th anniversary of Bluetooth technology, the short-range wireless standard that has people looking like their talking out of their ears.

In 1998, it was still innovative to simply have a mobile phone, but wireless Bluetooth headsets were already in existence.

According to the Bluetooth SIG and research firm Millward Brown, 85 percent of consumers recognize Bluetooth compared with 53 percent for Wi-Fi.

Bluetooth SIG also reports that 2 billion devices now incorporate its technology, a staggering number.

But where does the tooth come into play? Well, according to Bluetooth SIG, Bluetooth is the name of a Danish king from the 10th century, King Harald Blatand (Harold Bluetooth in English).

The company says King Blatand united factions in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, just as Bluetooth technology fosters connectivity for the computing, mobile phone and automotive markets.

A stretch? Maybe. Although its known mostly for the wireless headsets, Bluetooth can now be found in games, cars, clothing -- even toys.