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View Full Version : Do you use Bluetooth?



aysiu
July 31st, 2009, 06:15 PM
I have never used Bluetooth. And my wife doesn't use it either.

Is it really that great to have?

How many people here use Bluetooth or would like to use it?

I'm just curious. Am I missing out on something great, or is it overrated?

MikeTheC
July 31st, 2009, 06:25 PM
Well, actually Bluetooth can be either awesome or horrible depending on the installation and the equipment used.

I bought my mother a pair of Logitech Bluetooth headphones to use with a living room sound system. I've listened to them and, frankly, the audio quality was awesome. No, they won't ever beat a dedicated wired pair of headphones (especially the higher-end type) but they sound really great, and while you have to recharge them and the transmitter, the benefit of not having cables all over is significant.

On the other hand, I have a Jawbone unit for my cell phone, and I find when I use it with my cell phone to have kind of mixed results. I also paired it with my MBP to use when I video chat with my girlfriend, but the audio range is so limited I just couldn't stand it! Whenever there's any background noise on her end, the entire audio stream gets compressed over Bluetooth to such an extent that it becomes difficult to hear her voice, and it's also loud, too!

I've tried a couple different Bluetooth mice, but I found the tracking to be horrible, response time resuming from an idle state was positively irritating... no way I would recommend them.

What is it you want to try out, aysiu?

JohnFH
July 31st, 2009, 06:26 PM
I used it recently to backup the contacts from my mobile phone. I couldn't be bothered searching for the lead so bluetooth came in handy. Easy enough to use in Ubuntu as well. I've also used it as a remote control for my linux media centre in the past as well.

As for it being over-rated, I'm not so sure, simply because it doesn't get a big mention as far as I can see. Rightly so I think because it's not that big a deal, but like I said, I have made good use of it.

Maheriano
July 31st, 2009, 06:27 PM
I would like to, I use my Blackberry as my camera and my media player so transferring music/pictures on/off it would be a breeze but unfortunately my stupid cellular provider blocked OBEX on it so I can't transfer anything. I got into an argument with the Office Of The President over that a few days ago.

Merovius
July 31st, 2009, 06:29 PM
I started to use it when I got tired of the huge receiver for my wireless mouse on my laptop. I got a Dell bluetooth mouse on Ebay and a cheap bluetooth usb reciever about the size of a dime and have used it since. Works well and I'm not worried about breaking it off. :D

FuturePilot
July 31st, 2009, 06:39 PM
I use to to transfer files to and from my phone and to sync contacts and whatnot. I also use my phone as a remote control for my computer over bluetooth. Personally I love the functionality bluetooth brings.

aysiu
July 31st, 2009, 06:41 PM
What is it you want to try out, aysiu? Actually, nothing.

I was just curious about it, because I made this Ubuntu remix for compatibility with the HP Mini 1000 series, and apparently I didn't account for Bluetooth functionality. So one person who used my remix complained that Bluetooth still didn't work... since I don't have Bluetooth, it just slipped off my radar... and I didn't feel I had an appropriate way to test it.

Then it just got me thinking "Is Bluetooth widely used? Is it a great thing? Am I missing something?" so I started this poll.

Eisenwinter
July 31st, 2009, 06:46 PM
I used Bluetooth a few times to transfer information between mobile phones, but that's it.

I don't find this technology exciting, and don't normally use it.

SuperSonic4
July 31st, 2009, 06:48 PM
No, bluetooth is slow compared to other forms of mass transfer.

meeples
July 31st, 2009, 06:52 PM
use it with my mobile if i cant find my cable.

its good for people who use there mobile phones as dongles, so they dont have to have a cable hanging out of theyre laptop.

actually. anythign to do with mobile phones and its v. useful lol

MikeTheC
July 31st, 2009, 06:55 PM
I was just curious about it, because I made this Ubuntu remix for compatibility with the HP Mini 1000 series, and apparently I didn't account for Bluetooth functionality.
Oh, ok. Well, while it's kind of neat for certain uses (data synchronization with a cell phone, for instance) generally it's nothing I find critical.

SuperSonic4
July 31st, 2009, 06:55 PM
use it with my mobile if i cant find my cable.

its good for people who use there mobile phones as dongles, so they dont have to have a cable hanging out of theyre laptop.

actually. anythign to do with mobile phones and its v. useful lol

I use my micro SD card as mass storage and transfer data onto it when I put data on my phone

LowSky
July 31st, 2009, 06:56 PM
I use it with my Lenovo S10 Netbook, I have a bluetooth Razer mouse, and my Verizon blackberry both work with it. The blackberry does have some issues, Like but its verzon's fault for blocking some abilities, the mouse works great.

Since the America shipped S10 didn't come with Bluetooth I had to buy and install the module myself, cost me under $25 from some place in China and it worked just fine with Ubuntu, but oddly gave me a hassle with Windows XP... go figure...

I also have an Asus R300 GPS (also acts as speaker phone) that is supposed to connect to my phone but it wont share my contact list, which my old phone would. personally I find it odd that manufactures dont give better access for its customers as a selling point, why block features?

RiceMonster
July 31st, 2009, 07:06 PM
I have never used it in my life. I actually disabled it in the bios of my laptop.

heroidi
July 31st, 2009, 10:48 PM
i use it for my mobile and use it for a gps device with witch i used to map my town's streets

Sublime Porte
July 31st, 2009, 11:32 PM
I use it on my netbook, to pair with my phone, to use it as a 3G modem. However the default bluetooth applet in Ubuntu isn't good for this, so you need to install an alternative bluetooth manager, which lets you setup paired phones in network-manager.

Also use it on my desktop to transfer images/videos from my phone and to transfer java apps/ringtones to my phone.

benerivo
July 31st, 2009, 11:34 PM
I'm not sure if i'd use it that much. I've tried to connect my phone as a trial, but it won't work. I don't think i'm missing anything, plus i know when i connect my phone to the pc via a usb, there aren't any security issues, and transfers are fast.

lisati
July 31st, 2009, 11:37 PM
I have no pressing need to try bluetooth at the moment, but might look into it one day.

Joeb454
August 1st, 2009, 12:57 AM
I do have bluetooth - but it's very rare that I ever use it.

It's nice to have the option there I guess :)

wirepuller134
August 1st, 2009, 01:40 AM
We use it almost every day. It's a lot easier to walk up to the panel and blue tooth with it, than to open it and hook up a cable when we need to change settings.

RJ12
August 1st, 2009, 01:59 AM
I use it with my wii remote

Dullstar
August 1st, 2009, 03:49 AM
I don't have anything worthwhile to use Bluetooth on, so I voted other.

papangul
August 1st, 2009, 03:56 PM
It's crucial for me, since I use ubuntu exclusively, I don't have other means to transfer files between my computer and my mobile phone.

GeorgeVita
August 1st, 2009, 05:28 PM
I have never used Bluetooth. And my wife doesn't use it either.

Is it really that great to have?

How many people here use Bluetooth or would like to use it?

I'm just curious. Am I missing out on something great, or is it overrated?

Hi aysiu, my main use of Bluetooth is to tranfer photos from cell phone to my EeePC. Then they could just displayed/cropped/edited (GIMP) and/or uploaded to the internet. My GSM phone is 3 years old (1,3Mpixel) but it is OK to show system stucked (http://www.acomelectronics.com/GeorgeVita/froz_26_1.jpg) or multiboot options (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=7434581&postcount=29) when printscreen cannot be done.

Click to share into 3 minutes.

Regards,
George

alexandari
August 1st, 2009, 05:47 PM
I use it for my phone mainly. To transfer stuff :)

starcannon
August 1st, 2009, 06:09 PM
I use BT with Linux, some devices can be a bit of a problem; most times its easy enough though.

Dimitriid
August 1st, 2009, 07:08 PM
I never use it for my pc at all or any wireless device. I only use it to transfer data to other cellphones and to use my car stereo as both mp3 player ( can read off the cellphone via bluetooth ) and a handsfree ( can't dial though )

Overall works ok for my purposes however it is kind of annoying that the car deck won't display mp3 tags so Ive switched to mp3 cds instead for the most part.

Superkoop
August 1st, 2009, 07:16 PM
I have it, and I've used it once but didn't find any advantages over a cable which takes 10 seconds to use.

khelben1979
August 1st, 2009, 07:27 PM
My vote: I used to use it, but I don't now.

I have been using bluetooth together with an Nokia phone in the past, when I had one, and it synced excellent! Bluetooth has been a relief in this regard and people which are struggling with usb cables, well, poor them.

I know that bluetooth isn't excatly fast, but does it really matter? If I would like to transfer a large hunk of files I could start it before I go to bed and in the morning it's all fixed, no messing with cables anywhere.