03-15-2002, 10:37 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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BlueTooth - AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!
I have been hearing about how BlueTooth is going to revolutionize our lives for quite some time now, and finally we have products. Well, I have been spending the last hour configuring, tweaking, rebooting, resetting and generally mumbling trying to get ActiveSync with my 3875 iPAQ and Anycom BlueTooth card with XP Pro working - and yes - I have the new Anycom drivers. I just downloaded them, never actually bothering to load the ones from the CD. The best I've done so far is to get my iPAQ to start the ActiveSync process and the orange light on the Anycom BlueTooth to blink for a few seconds, but ActiveSync on the desktop never formally starts the connection process, and this despite following the simple 1.5 page "ActiveSync for iPAQ 3870" directions that came with the card.
It isn't just this though. I spent 30 minutes with Dale Coffing last week trying to transfer a file from my iPAQ to his - both 3870 iPAQ's. After half an hour, we gave up. We actually got the process started, but the signal kept dropping. The distance? He was in the front seat of the taxi, I was in the back!
I guess I'll bang on it for another few hrs and if all else fails, email Anycom on Monday. Anyone else having some realworld seamless scenarios working with BlueTooth?
UPDATE! Well, I gave up and took the kids to the park. Came back, ejected the card, rebooted, reinserted, configured it up for the eleventeenth time, rebooted again (required) and it worked. Yahoo! I still question the technology. I think 802.11 will ulitimately replace BlueTooth, but I hope in the mean time, the configuration software becomes much more user friendly. I guess like all new technologies, you have to put up with the teething pains.
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03-15-2002, 10:58 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 18
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I've been using Bluetooth (using the Socket BT card) to connect my iPaq to my cell phone (Ericsson R520m) for data calls with no problems. It was pretty trivial to setup. On the non-PPC side I occasionally use my laptop in a similiar mode (with Toshiba PC cards), and I also have an Ericsson BT headset.
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03-15-2002, 11:32 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 7
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I use an HP/3Com Bluetooth Card to connect my Sony Vaio Laptop to my Ericsson T39m Bluetooth enabled phone. It works flawlessy now... Installation and setup on Windows XP Pro was quite a pain , however. Just ordered an HP/Lucent 802.11 PC Card for my laptop/pocket pc via PC Card Adapter... again hoping for a smooth setup with windows xp and ppc2002 (yeah right)
-Brian
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03-15-2002, 11:55 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 355
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hp 568, anycom, ericsson t68, moto headset
i've got a hp 568, anycom bt card, ericsson t68, moto bt headset. all works seamless, and i use WAY too much :-] it wasn't like installing software, but it wasn't difficult.
cheers,
pt
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03-16-2002, 12:04 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 556
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BlueTooth - AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!
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Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
I have been hearing about how BlueTooth is going to revolutionize our lives for quite some time now, and finally we have products. Well, I have been spending the last hour configuring, tweaking, rebooting, resetting and generally mumbling trying to get ActiveSync with my 3875 iPAQ and Anycom BlueTooth card with XP Pro working
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I feel compassion and I can feel your pain. Been there, done that. If you want to connect PDA with Bluetooth to cell phone with Bluetooth -> no problem. But if you want sync, connect to LAN, etc. the hell begins...
I myself dumped Bluetooth (sold the damn card) for the sake of WLAN (=WiFi=802.11)...
I think that we need native support for Bluetooth in PocketPC and in XP before we can say "the technology is mature, the pieces are working flawlessly". "Native" meaning: built-in into OS, Bluetooth stack and drivers from Microsoft, not from third companies which has limited resources...
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03-16-2002, 12:32 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 123
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Bluetooth in XP
If they ever get bluetooth working in XP as well as 802.11b works now, it would be awesome. I've used 802.11 on Linux, Win2k, XP and PPC2002 and I would tell anyone using 802.11 to switch to XP, hands down the best wireless OS on the market.
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03-16-2002, 03:50 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 8
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Replacing Bluetooth
Ed I have to mention that to think that 802.11b will replace BT doesn't make any sense to me. I don't really see these techonologies as a competing technologies. They both have there place. Although the original purpose of BT might have been to connect to a network. I see it as more of a replacement for IR and making some devices wireless like maybe a mouse, speakers and local printers. Just my 2 cents worth.
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03-16-2002, 04:07 AM
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Mystic
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,768
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Replacing Bluetooth
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Originally Posted by Snickers
I don't really see these techonologies as a competing technologies. They both have there place. Although the original purpose of BT might have been to connect to a network. I see it as more of a replacement for IR and making some devices wireless like maybe a mouse, speakers and local printers.
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Bluetooth has the automatic connect and sync stuff... and WiFi is strictly a LAN interface. If WiFi could bring down the size and battery req. to that of BT and on top of that, integrate some of the untethered wire connectivity without LAN infrastructure, it wins. WiFi is a much faster and wider range technology. For as much as the technologies are meant for different purposes, perception is reality and the current perception in the market is that they compete.
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03-16-2002, 04:42 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 8
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Replacing Bluetooth
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Originally Posted by JonnoB
For as much as the technologies are meant for different purposes, perception is reality and the current perception in the market is that they compete.
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Well then maybe we could all do ourselves a favor and change the current perception. To lose BT technology just because people don't understand what it can be and should be used for would be a damn shame. It is a great technology and we should do what we can to promote it whenever possible.
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03-16-2002, 05:39 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 31
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Bluetooth suffers from the same problems that Linux does, in my opinion... Initial Configuration Problems (ICP is in da hauugh :twisted: ).
Linux suffers big time because it's not easy to install (although recent distros make it much easier than the past), and installing hardware can also be a painful process if there aren't tried and tested drivers for the device. I've been using Linux for a while, I know some things are very hard to do.
With these configuration problems at hand, the only way BT can really open up, in my opinion, is if it's shoved down our throats while we're screaming. And I just don't see that happening. Companies are just getting their feet wet, and waiting for others to test the waters before they drop the cash.
Until BT is pervasive (and once again, I mean in EVERYTHING that needs a wire (or would be cool to have one)... from your GPS to pager) and the users revolt and demand it gets fixed, it's just not going to happen.
Just my drunken ramblings :roll:
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