Franklin, known for electronic dictionaries and PDAs, is looking...

Franklin, known for electronic dictionaries and PDAs, is looking for distribution in the Bluetooth world, CEO Barry Lipsky told us. At the recent Bluetooth demo event in New York, Franklin showed the Bluetooth Devin bracelet ($79) and two Bluetooth portable speakers called Typhoon ($39) and Tornado ($59) that also pack near field communication. The Tornado offers longer run time of eight hours versus five hours on the Typhoon. Franklin missed the deadline for the 2013 U.S. holiday sales season and hopes to sign retailers early in 2014, Lipsky said. The products are being sold in Europe, a spokeswoman said. The bracelet works via Bluetooth with a user’s phone, vibrating when a call comes in and displaying the number. Users can also answer an incoming call on the bracelet if the devices are paired. A notification buzz is sent when the bracelet is beyond the phone’s Bluetooth range to help users keep tabs of their phone. On the limited functionality of the iOS and Android-compatible bracelet, Lipsky said, “I've never wished I could read my emails on my wrist.” The Franklin speakers have a pop-up feature that’s used to turn on the speaker by pressing on the top. The speakers’ microphones can be used for Skype conversations, he said. Commenting on Franklin’s product segue from dictionaries to Bluetooth devices, Lipsky said, “It’s all about communication.”