Bluetooth Better on a Mac

Posted Mar 27th 2004 5:11PM by Sean Bonner

PC World's Senior Editor Rebecca Free who writes a column called Mac Skeptic took a look at all the Mac+Bluetooth hype and put the claims to the test. Guess what? It turns out the claims are more than just hype.

"When it comes down to it, there are still too many seams showing in Bluetooth on Windows. Sure, if you're a savvy user you can make it work. But unless you're really phobic about a few cables, why spend the time? And in this case, the Mac mystique has some substance behind it. Setting up my whole Bluetooth network on the Mac was quick and painless from start to finish—and truly wireless, unlike the Logitech DiNovo set."

Of course to anyone using Bluetooth on a Mac, this is old news. I'm using just about every bluetooth device I can get my hands on with my powerbook and it works like a dream. In a very unscientific test I did where I asked a PC friend who'd been talking about trying bluetooth how it was working out, his reply – "Not so hot."

Reader Comments

(Page 1)

1. I have been using BT on my PCs for a while and it took me a bit to have it working smoothly. It's not intuitive at all to have end users setting up COM ports to make a BT connection work. When my wife got a Powerbook I decided to help her to connect to my devices and it was better than easy. It was already working without any human intervention.

Posted at 5:37AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Alberto Escarlate

2. You hit on a good point Alberto. Bluetooth on PCs generally map to a serial port. That becomes a big problem when trying to get different apps to use a bluetooth device. The program has to look at the port that the bluetooth device is emulating. What's worse, most BT devices on PCs are mostly USB dongles so you have to deal with USB to serial settings.

The only easy way to use bluetooth on a PC is to have an application that supports it directly. I have a mapping program for a bluetooth GPS that works great directly. And transferring contacts to my BT phone works great cuz the installer set it up for me.

But when I try to use bluetooth for other apps, it crosses into the "not worth my time" zone.

Posted at 5:37AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Mike Outmesguine

3. So this confirms it. I feel really bad for all the PC people, seemless BT is out of control cool.

Posted at 5:37AM on Dec 19th 2005 by sean bonner

4. Am a bluetooth convert and intrigued by the Mac OSX features. Unfortunately, like everyone else's experience above, making it work with the MotoV600 is a PAIN. I would especially like it work with Romeo - a bluetooth app for remote control of Mac apps. Has anyone tried it with the Moto?

Posted at 5:37AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Mike Gonz

5. I have been using BT on my PCs for a while and it took me a bit to have it working smoothly. It's not intuitive at all to have end users setting up COM ports to make a BT connection work. When my wife got a Powerbook I decided to help her to connect to my devices and it was better than easy. It was already working without any human intervention.

Posted at 5:37AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Alberto Escarlate

6. You hit on a good point Alberto. Bluetooth on PCs generally map to a serial port. That becomes a big problem when trying to get different apps to use a bluetooth device. The program has to look at the port that the bluetooth device is emulating. What's worse, most BT devices on PCs are mostly USB dongles so you have to deal with USB to serial settings.

The only easy way to use bluetooth on a PC is to have an application that supports it directly. I have a mapping program for a bluetooth GPS that works great directly. And transferring contacts to my BT phone works great cuz the installer set it up for me.

But when I try to use bluetooth for other apps, it crosses into the "not worth my time" zone.

Posted at 5:37AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Mike Outmesguine

7. So this confirms it. I feel really bad for all the PC people, seemless BT is out of control cool.

Posted at 5:37AM on Dec 19th 2005 by sean bonner

8. Am a bluetooth convert and intrigued by the Mac OSX features. Unfortunately, like everyone else's experience above, making it work with the MotoV600 is a PAIN. I would especially like it work with Romeo - a bluetooth app for remote control of Mac apps. Has anyone tried it with the Moto?

Posted at 5:37AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Mike Gonz

9. I have been using BT on my PCs for a while and it took me a bit to have it working smoothly. It's not intuitive at all to have end users setting up COM ports to make a BT connection work. When my wife got a Powerbook I decided to help her to connect to my devices and it was better than easy. It was already working without any human intervention.

Posted at 5:37AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Alberto Escarlate

10. You hit on a good point Alberto. Bluetooth on PCs generally map to a serial port. That becomes a big problem when trying to get different apps to use a bluetooth device. The program has to look at the port that the bluetooth device is emulating. What's worse, most BT devices on PCs are mostly USB dongles so you have to deal with USB to serial settings.

The only easy way to use bluetooth on a PC is to have an application that supports it directly. I have a mapping program for a bluetooth GPS that works great directly. And transferring contacts to my BT phone works great cuz the installer set it up for me.

But when I try to use bluetooth for other apps, it crosses into the "not worth my time" zone.

Posted at 5:37AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Mike Outmesguine

11. So this confirms it. I feel really bad for all the PC people, seemless BT is out of control cool.

Posted at 5:37AM on Dec 19th 2005 by sean bonner

12. Am a bluetooth convert and intrigued by the Mac OSX features. Unfortunately, like everyone else's experience above, making it work with the MotoV600 is a PAIN. I would especially like it work with Romeo - a bluetooth app for remote control of Mac apps. Has anyone tried it with the Moto?

Posted at 5:37AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Mike Gonz

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Bluetooth Better on a Mac

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