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How do you use bluetooth?

W

walkerIV

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 24, 2004
31
0
Toronto, Canada
Hello all,

reading about ibook it seems that often people recommend getting one with a bluetooth module. Personally I can't thing of any use for it of the top of my head.
What do you use yours for?
 
Bluetooth is one of those things where if you invest a little, you should invest a lot. There's no use for bluetooth module if you don't have bluetooth something else. Bluetooth replaces wires - not for power - but for input. You can get bluetooth printers and bluetooth mice and keyboard. Beyond that there isn't much that is very well publicized.
 
I use it to connect with my T68i. I'm currently waiting on MacMice's bluetooth TheMouse. And they're only waiting for the modules to stick inside, as there's a rather large waiting list for those little buggers.
 
I use bluetooth for my mouse & when I get it my keyboard. It's excellent, not having all those wires everywhere
 
I use it to upload files to my T608 phone also i could use it as a modem but my cell provider would cut off my unlimited net access and i could probably crash the network since they really dont have a good one in place. :D
 
walkerIV said:
Hello all,

reading about ibook it seems that often people recommend getting one with a bluetooth module. Personally I can't thing of any use for it of the top of my head.
What do you use yours for?
Click to expand...

Mostly with my phone:

- To transfer pictures taken with the built-in camera from the phone.
- To transfer pictures & ringtones to the phone (a LOT cheaper than the download services)
- To install games and other software onto the phone.
- To send text (SMS) messages from the Mac, faster than using the phone's keys.
- To backup my contacts from my phone, in case the phone gets lost/damaged (Has already saved my bacon once).
- With Salling Clicker, as a remote control.

Of course, I'm also doing Bluetooth development, so I guess I kind of need it! ;)
 
walkerIV said:
Hello all,

reading about ibook it seems that often people recommend getting one with a bluetooth module. Personally I can't thing of any use for it of the top of my head.
What do you use yours for?
Click to expand...

I use mine with my PDA, PC, iBook, and printer. It is true though that if you dont have bluetooth something else there really is no point unless you are just curious and want to play around with it.
 
whooleytoo said:
Mostly with my phone:
- To send text (SMS) messages from the Mac, faster than using the phone's keys.
Click to expand...

Bluetooth is on the Powerbook (new 17" with 10.3.3)
Bluetooth icon is on my phone...
but the Bluetooth icon in Address Book wasn't selected...(turned on in the Address Book)

Now it works!
Cheers
 
I use it for:

Apple Wireless Mouse
Microsoft Wireless BT Mouse
Motorola V600
Bluetooth Printer connection

I'll tell you why a Bluetooth printer connection is good if you're in range...Its cause it can print wirelessly to WINDOWS too! Not just a mac, like an AE base.
 
I use it to synchronize data from iCal and Address Book onto my SE T68i with iSync.

It's great to have all my appointments at a glance on the phone, and it's much easier to manage calendars in iCal then directly on the phone (adding the odd appointment on the phone is ok, but I wouldn't manage the calendar on the phone, that's just to tidious). To have the entire Address Book on my phone is also great, as I can even lookup someones e-mail address even if i don't have access to my iBook...
 
I think it would be worth the investment to get built-in bluetoooth. You don't know what the future holds with it... much like WiFi cards of a few years back. Everybody who bought a computer and saved a couple bucks by keeping it tethered has to go out and get a USB adapte. For now, I only use bluetooth for my mouse, but I know when I get a new phone (and far in the future when I get a new digital camera) I'll be using it for a lot more data transfer. Personally, I'm not a fan of the huge stack of USB cables with silly connections on my desk.
 
I use the apple wireless mouse with my iBook. It feels so good when someone says... "But how does it work?". I reply with bluetooth and I almost always get the response "but wheres you usb plugin thingy?". At some point it will become common place with everyone (as with wireless networking) but at the moment it has a real wow factor.

Also I personally think that no wires is good wires! :D
 
While we are on the subject of Apple's Address Book ;)

I hope that Tiger will add the following:

SMS Templates and Long SMS's. EMS or MMS would be a great addition also.
Perhaps .mac should have an SMS Server to save on SMS costs?
 
upperblue79 said:
Does your Motorola V600 sync with your mac? I have the V400 and I purchased a usb cable to hook it up. My mac sees the phone when I look in the system profiler but that is it.
Click to expand...

How is the v400 connected to a mac working for you? I would love to be able to buy the cable, and download my own ringtones, But I wasn't sure if it would work. Have you had much luck?
 
Kingsnapped said:
I think it would be worth the investment to get built-in bluetoooth.
Click to expand...

Absolutely great advice. Your Mac will last for many years. BT costs $50. Good investment.

I use BT for:
  • keyboard
  • mouse
  • phone - synching
  • phone - SMS via Mac
  • phone - wireless modem
  • phone - data transfer
  • wireless headset (from phone, originally)
 
Koodauw said:
How is the v400 connected to a mac working for you? I would love to be able to buy the cable, and download my own ringtones, But I wasn't sure if it would work. Have you had much luck?
Click to expand...

My v400 does not work, that is why I was asking if his v600 did. When I look in the system profiler it shows it as a usb device but it doesn't come up on the desktop or sync with my address book or anything, it is basically useless at this time. I'm hoping to see an update to correct that. I thought that since the v60 worked that this would too, but I was wrong :(
 
BT works, just get it.

I use Bluetooth for my wireless mouse and keyboard, and I use it with my SonyEricsson T610 and Salling Clicker. This is such a cool program, you can use the phone as a remote for iTunes, as a mouse, as a remote for Keynote or Powerpoint, etc. If you are playing music on iTunes, it mutes the song when your phone rings. I also use my phone as a modem when I'm out in the field and need a quick bit of data, so I dial into my account using the phone while it's sitting in my pocket.
Get it installed, its only 45.00 and you will find many interesting uses for it, you can get a phone w/ bluetooth later or a PDA, or even use it to connect it to other Macs or devices.
And having the dongle uses up a USB port and is yet another thing to have around.
 
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