Did you know that the Bluetooth feature that came with your
new cell phone has a lot more uses than just hooking up to
a wireless headset? With a Bluetooth enabled cell phone,
you can access the internet with a secure connection on
your laptop - wherever you get a cell signal, use your
phone as a digital camera, mp3 player, or just share your
favorite files with friends and family. Now, it’s
true that you can do these things before, but Bluetooth
allows you to do it all wirelessly – without the need
for messy cables and connectors.
However, not all Bluetooth phones are created equal. In
order to do any of the cool stuff mentioned here,
you’re mobile phone has to support OBEX, which stands
for Object Exchange. You see, the Bluetooth specifications
allow for many different functions, such as connecting to
headsets, sharing data, etc. One function – the one
we’re discussing here, is OBEX, which allows your
phone to exchange data wirelessly with other devices. Now,
a certain cellular carrier (whom we will simply refer to as
V), along with a few other manufacturers, have chosen to
cripple the functionality of their phones by deliberately
disabling OBEX. They do this for a number of reasons, but
the end result is, if your phone doesn’t support
OBEX, you can’t do any of these cool things. So, the
next time you shop for a new cell phone, you may want to
first check to make sure your Bluetooth is not crippled in
any way before making a purchase. (By the way, even if the
manufacturer has disabled OBEX, it may still be possible
for users to enable it – try Googling to see if you
can find a patch for your phone. Of course, be aware that
you may void your warranty if you screw up, so be careful!)
The top 5 coolest things you didn't know you could do with
your Bluetooth cell phone.
1) Use your phone as a wireless modem for your laptop -
surf the internet by connecting wirelessly through your
cell phone. This is my top pick. Why pay for a separate
account and a cellular modem to stay connected when you
could use your existing cell phone as a wireless modem?
Most carriers offer an unlimited use data plan - for around
20 bucks extra a month, you can get unlimited data access.
So, by installing the right scripts in your laptop, you can
configure it to connect to your cell phone with Bluetooth
for instant, wireless internet access. The real beauty of
this setup is that, since most people already carry their
cell phones with them, they can get a secure internet
connection wherever they get a signal, and not worry about
carrying adapters or having a special modem card. Also, I
feel much safer using my own connection anyway, rather than
rely on open public hotspots especially when I want to
access my bank accounts or other private sites. Every cell
phone is different, so if you want to find out how to
connect with yours, just google it. Try using the terms
"how to use my (phone model) as a Bluetooth modem".
2) Take pictures on your camera phone and download it to
your computer - without having to search for a cable or
adapter. With today's camera phones packing as much as 3 or
more megapixels, you may find it to be a very credible
alternative to a standalone digital camera. So, the next
time you're on vacation, or out with friends, and you just
happened to forget to pack your camera, chances are you
probably have your cell phone. Just snap away, and when
you're done, use Bluetooth to download those pictures onto
your laptop wirelessly.
3) Synchronize your contacts list with your computer -
tired of manually entering all your names and numbers into
your new cell phone? Type them into your Outlook or address
back, then use Bluetooth to automatically synchronize your
phone with your computer. No more having to use your
phone's keypad to enter all that tedious information.
What's more, your phone probably comes with software to
automatically keep your contacts list up to date whenever
phone is placed near your computer
4) Use your phone to play music, with stereo Bluetooth
headphones - don't have, or don't want an IPod? Why bother
carrying yet another piece of electronics with you just to
listen to music, when you can use your phone? The latest
models have removable memory cards and built in mp3
playback capability. Just pop a 4 or 6 GB memory card into
your phone, and start downloading all those mp3s stored in
your computer wirelessly, right to your phone. And, some of
the newest phones also support stereo Bluetooth playback,
allowing you to listen to your tunes with wireless stereo
headphones.
5) Share your favorite pictures, songs, games, and
ringtones stored in your phone with your friends by sending
them wirelessly to their phone. Have a great ringtone, or
some pictures you just took on your cameraphone that you
want to share with a friend? Send it to them via Bluetooth,
and never have to think about having the right cables to
connect. Just make sure your friend's Bluetooth is turned
On and Discoverable, and start sending.
So, there you have it. Some of the most useful and fun
things you can do with your Bluetooth cell phone. And
remember - you can't do any of these things unless your
cell phone supports the Bluetooth OBEX, or file transfer,
protocol. So, if you're in the market for a new phone, make
sure you check first before making your purchase. It's time
for savvy users to demand that manufacturers stop crippling
their Bluetooth phones so we can get the most from our
purchase. Have fun!
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ZipZone Media is a leader in Bluetooth Marketing - send
branded multimedia content to the Bluetooth enabled cell
phones of customers in your proximity. Please visit:
http://www.ZipZoneMedia.com for more information.
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