AirMate 32MB Bluetooth USB Dongle with 32MB Flash Memory

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.affiliatesexcel.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=44&products_id=87' target='_blank'>http://www.affiliatesexcel.com/cata...&products_id=87</a><br /><br /></div>I saw this product appear in a Google AdWords advertisment, and thought it looked pretty cool (See? Ads aren't all bad!). What would make this even more useful would be if Windows XP included native Bluetooth drives, and an easy auto-setup routine so you could walk up to any PC, plug in the Bluetooth adaptor, and within a few seconds be able to connect to it from another device. Bluetooth could be so powerful if it was only done right (think WiFi zero-config).<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/Airmate1jpeg.jpg" /><br /><br />"Airmate™ is Bluetooth-based wireless communication solution. It is a tiny dongle you can easily carry with you and plug in to the USB port of any Laptop or PC to instantly upgrade to Bluetooth functionality. If you have a mobile phone, PDA, Headset, keyboard, mouse, printer or any other Bluetooth enabled device, they will instantly recognise each other as you enter the room and will be ready to communicate and share files and applications wirelessly when you start your laptop or PC."

[nirav28]

Hmm..the site doesn't specify if its a class 1 or class 2 device.

Anyone know?

I got a belkin class 1 device usb dongle. gives me about 30-40 feet range without any problems.

Although I do like the idea of instant plug & play without installing drivers and configuring it.

[nirav28]

Nevermind..I found it..its a class 2.

[dhettel]

Does this come with Widcomm software, and if so what version?

Thanks
David

[whydidnt]

Although I do like the idea of instant plug & play without installing drivers and configuring it.

I don't think this gives you instant plug & play, since Bluetooth is not natively supported within Windows. I agree with you and Jason, it would be great if we could get ZWC for Bluetooth.

However, I suppose you could keep a copy of the drivers on the included memory and install from there (assuming you have access permission). These don't cost much more than a standard Bluetooth Dongle, so the memory is a nice little bonus.

I'd buy one if I didn't already have a dongle-- why do I feel weird typing this? :oops:

Whydidnt

[CR]

Sweet!

I just have one question: what's a goole? :D

[Ainvar]

What is the diffrence between Class 1 and a Class 2 BT device.


Also I wonder if this would let me do GPRS with my Tmobile phone and my laptop.

[nirav28]

However, I suppose you could keep a copy of the drivers on the included memory and install from there (assuming you have access permission). These don't cost much more than a standard Bluetooth Dongle, so the memory is a nice little bonus.

I'd buy one if I didn't already have a dongle-- why do I feel weird typing this? :oops:

Whydidnt


Ahhh..but you see, now we have a chicken and the egg type of question, if you had the bluetooth drivers on the storage side of the dongle..where do the drivers for the storage device come from? I don't think windows has native support for plug-in thumb drives or usb storage devices. So you still would need the drivers on a cd or will have to download them to install the storage device to access the bluetooth drivers withit it.

[Jason Dunn]

..where do the drivers for the storage device come from? I don't think windows has native support for plug-in thumb drives or usb storage devices.

Anything after Windows 98 will have support for mass-media storage. You can take any of those thumb drives and connect it to Windows ME, 2000, or XP and it will work in about six seconds. :mrgreen:

[beq]

Wish we can combine the best of MS WinXP SP1 Bluetooth stack with Widcomm's for broader "legacy" profile support...

For example the latest Thinkpad laptop ships using MS BT by default. Changing to Widcomm driver gives you support for headset profile et. al, but IBM says you'd then lose support for BT keyboards/mice. Hrmph...

Weird though, I thought I could recall connecting to BT keyboard/mouse w/ my old D-Link DBT-120 BT USB dongle (that uses Widcomm)...

P.S. The perfect all-in-one combo dongle I suppose is to mesh together the Creative Muvo and Sandisk Cruzer and the BT (heck why not throw in WiFi), spiffy it up w/ USB 2.0... Also instead of SD only, make it one of those multi-format universal slot... And have recent Win/Mac/Linux already offer built-in drivers...

[clinte]

......What would make this even more useful would be if Windows XP included native Bluetooth drives.....

Isn't this a Microsoft issue? Maybe some of the Microsoft MVP's or other Microsoft/PPC related people could ask them about it? What do they say????

Microsoft's Windows Mobile 2003, Windows Automotive CE, Windows XP, SmartPhone 2003 Platform (soon) and Windows CE .NET have all Bluetooth support, native or not. Next step could be to make Bluetooth (even) more useable!? I hope the Windows Platforms (especially XP) get's better Bluetooth support (XP > SP2/3?), Bluetooth drivers and updated Bluetooth profiles (see CE. NET 4.2) so Bluetooth will be more easy to use. How long will it take for Microsoft to add the PAN profile?

I als wonder.....How can it be that a small private co (backed by some big co's e.g TI, Philips) like Widcomm has better Windows Bluetooth support (drivers, profiles etc.) then Windows inventor Microsoft?

Widcomm recent qualified Bluetooth Windows Software BTW stack (Windows 98 SE / Me / 2000 (SP 2) / XP) has the following supported Bluetooth Profiles (BQP 2003-03-31):

- LAN-DT
- FT-Server
- FT-Client
- Fax-GW
- Fax-DT
- Serial-DevA
- Serial-DevB
- PAN-AP
- PAN-Group
- PAN-User
- HCRP-Client
- HID-Host
- Generic Access
- Generic Object Exchange
- Headset-AG
- Headset-HS
- Sync-Client
- Sync-Server
- OPP-Client
- OPP-Server
- DUN-GW
- DUN-DT
- LAN-AP

Widcomm Bluetooth for Windows CE (BQP 2003-01-27):

- Generic Access
- Generic Object Exchange
- Headset-AG
- OPP-Client
- DUN-GW
- DUN-DT
- LAN-DT
- PAN-Group
- PAN-User
- HCRP-Client
- BPP-SenderDev
- FT-Client
- Serial-DevA
- Serial-DevB

Microsoft Bluetooth support for XP (BQP 2002-10-18):

- Generic Access
- DUN-DT
- HID-Host
- Service Discovery
- HCRP-Client

Microsoft Bluetooth Stack for Windows CE (BQP 2002-11-04):

- Generic Access
- OPP-Client
- OPP-Server
- DUN-GW
- DUN-DT
- LAN-AP
- LAN-DT
- FT-Server
- FT-Client
- Serial-DevA
- Serial-DevB

Microsoft has add 4 new Bluetooth Profiles to there CE. NET 4.2 OS (Why no PAN profile?)
http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/Embedded/ce.NET/evaluation/whyupgrade.asp

[kfluet]

Ahhh..but you see, now we have a chicken and the egg type of question, if you had the bluetooth drivers on the storage side of the dongle..where do the drivers for the storage device come from? I don't think windows has native support for plug-in thumb drives or usb storage devices. So you still would need the drivers on a cd or will have to download them to install the storage device to access the bluetooth drivers withit it.

XP actually does have built-in drivers. At least my SanDisk USB CF/SD reader didn't need any drivers. You just plug it in and XP sets it up.