Few other technologies in recent times have really caught on like Bluetooth has. Wondering if your computer has this amazing technology, or how you could get it on your PC? Here’s something that might interest you.
Just the word Bluetooth sounds so modern and futuristic, it kind of gets you to think of a cute little blue alien, almost like E.T! It’s a far simpler yet an extremely useful little invention (from our very own planet Earth!), that has in many ways made our lives a lot easier. Since its conception way back in 1994 by the giants in communication technology, Ericsson, it has found its way into almost every gadget conceivable. Bluetooth is essentially a wireless technology which enables you to transfer data seamlessly between two compatible devices (newer versions support more devices) over short distances (most effective within the line of sight of the devices). Over the years, this revolutionary technology has been tweaked and refined further, and is almost a standard feature in even the most basic phones and other gadgets in the market. The Bluetooth chip itself is extremely small, but has many diverse applications. This is the main reason most electronic companies, and mind you not just the big names, have received this invention with open arms, and have incorporated it into their many devices.
Uses in Computers
Bluetooth also finds its many uses in the modern computer, mainly to transfer files and other data, to-and-fro from the computer to another Bluetooth-enabled device like another computer, a microphone, a smartphone, music player, television sets, and many such devices. For instance, if both the devices have a compatible Bluetooth chip, you can easily stream movies and other images from your computer onto your TV, all with the touch of a button. You can even make calls or listen to music wirelessly using a Bluetooth headset, without the world around you knowing what’s happening (although your loved ones might just get a little worried when you waltz around the house without any music playing!). You can also spook your friends by having them believe that your computer has been possessed, as you secretly control your computer with your smartphone. With the many Bluetooth-enabled mice and keyboards available in the market today, you can choose to sit in one corner of the room and access your computer wirelessly (although you might want to get yourself a pair of binoculars or a giant computer screen!). The applications are almost endless, and it’s up to you what you choose to use them for.
Is My Computer Bluetooth-enabled?
Although most personal computers do not come with an on board Bluetooth receiver, you can easily get yourself a Bluetooth dongle and plug it into your computer’s USB slot and you’d be good to go. To check if you in fact have a Bluetooth-enabled PC, here’s what you could do.
Read through the specifications of your machine in your computer’s user manual (the big encyclopedia-esque book that came along with your computer!)
Check with the computer store you picked your PC from
Look it up on your computer manufacturer’s website
Follow the undermentioned path to navigate through your computer’s Control Panel
Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Bluetooth Devices
If you see a device listed here, felicidades!, yours is amongst the few computers in the market that come with Bluetooth on board.
If you are a Mac user, you could check to see if you have Bluetooth on board by following the path mentioned below.
Apple > System Preferences > View > Bluetooth
If you have a Bluetooth device showing here, you have the Bluetooth hardware in place (which can be enabled from the Bluetooth Preferences tab).
Most modern laptops have Bluetooth on board, but to make sure, you could follow the same path as mentioned above, depending on the operating system you are running on your machine.
How to go Blue!
If you too want a piece of all the Bluetooth action going on, you could always get yourself one of the many Bluetooth devices available in the market today. These are extremely small, and real cheap plug-in and play devices easily available in the market, or you could even pick it up online. Once you have the hardware in place, you need to install the Bluetooth drivers and software. These usually come in the CD that comes along with your Bluetooth dongle. If you can’t find your software CD, you could always download the software from the Internet. One of the best Bluetooth software in the market today is BlueSoleil, which offers you multiple functionality with the way you use your computer via Bluetooth. These software are very easy to install, and more often than not come with a step-by-step guide on how to proceed with the installation, and go about using the software. Once you have all these in place, you’d be all geared up to do some serious data transferring (although you cannot hope to get the same speed as you would get with a wired connection).
At the risk of sounding melodramatic (and overtly so!), we could say that men were always meant to be free, never to be tied down by anything; Bluetooth technology or rather the Bluetooth revolution has set us free of our WearI(RE)some shackles (well at least the wires don’t show anymore!) that bound us to our machines.