Advantages of Bluetooth?

What are the main advantages of having built-in Bluetooth in a notebook? What are some examples of the purpose of Bluetooth?

I'm looking to buy a notebook but many of the models I'm looking at do not come with built-in Bluetooth. I know I can always get a Bluetooth adapter, but I would prefer if it was built-in. I started this thread to decide whether or not I should eliminate a few models because they lack Bluetooth.

Thanks.

 

Some examples: bluetooth mouse (dongle free for better form factor), Bluetooth headphones/headset, bluetooth connection to your other mobile devices (eg:cell phones and PDAs).

 

How about video game controllers? Do wireless video game controllers exist for pc's? If so, do they use Bluetooth?

 

BT is a short-range communications protocol. It is most often used for headsets, phones, GPS devices, PDAs and such.

I had BT capability (via a PCMCIA card) on my last notebook and opted to not include it on my latest notebook.

I still find BT useful for tethering my PDA with my cell phone to provide an anywhere connection for email and web browsing (with a data plan on my cell phone), but decided I would never do that with my notebook again since I have the PDA. Likewise, BT headsets on PDA/cell phone converged devices are an excellent application for BT.

It would still be useful, now and again, for small file transfers, such as ring tones and wallpapers, the same sort of transfers that could be IR transfers.

 

My cell phone came with a USB data cable so I don't NEED Bluetooth there.

What about the video game controllers?

 

The advantage of built in bluetooth is not giving up a usb port for the external adapter.

I've been checking out the bluetooth PAN scene and it isn't perfect. Having an idea of what you want to do with bluetooth and researching whether your OS bluetooth stack supports it is important. I set up a bluetooth audio gateway so I could listen to tunes and route audio into the stereo without wires - Asus W6f worked right off the bat, Vaio FE w/ dongle and a little bit of work no problem. Brand new Macbook w/ bluetooth 2.0 - no go {and more of a hack than I could devote time to get to work}{and sure I could do it with windows but that sorta defeated the point of a Mac}. So certainly not a utopia.

My bluetooth mouse is sluggish, too.

I want to like bluetooth it is just a matter of getting the right realistic expectations going and still worth buying built in but I wouldn't make it a 'must have' with any laptop now.

 

The thing is Bluetooth adapters are pretty cheap when you think about it. Why don't laptop manufacturers just stick it in every laptop? Some very expensive notebooks don't even have Bluetooth. This makes me raise questions on the purpose of Bluetooth and if it's really that great.

 

I use it alot, but its not for everybody. Still its like one fo those things.. .why not??

Sure you can get a cheap external adapter but that takes up one of your usb ports or card slots. May as well get everything internal that you can.

FYI I use it for my cell phone alot to send data between my phone and computer. I use the computer to format video for my phone and send it that way, and also to trade mp3's (sony w600) I do have the usb cord for this, but I never carry it on me, its at home with my desktop.

I also use it to syn with my bluetooth headset to listen to music and things with.

I cant say I know any controllers that use it, and if they did they may be pretty limited and of poor quality. Best get a wireless xbox 360 controller for that.

 

Yup, I have two $20 BT USB Sticks/Dongles. Works fine. I use it for my BT headphones.

Bluetooth IMO serves a greater purpose for Cell Phones and similar Devices.

Trust me....after using Bluetooth to connect to PC, you will not want to use the data cable again. I SYNC and beam pics/data to my PC via Bluetooth. Bluetooth gives you more & quicker options.

I also Pair my Laptop with my Desktop PC via Bluetooth, instead of setting both of them up on the same network.

 

Other than the obvious lack of a dongle, I guess you have less to lose... not like you will lose the dongle, unless u lose your laptop lol... I added to my Laptop because it was only 20 bucks, And things like my cell phone can use BT, but don't have a dongle with them. I guess 20 bucks isn't to much to pay over 1000$ bucks for the ease of having BT built in

 

Yes, that's just it. Why don't many notebook manufacturers just stick Bluetooth in? I wouldn't mind paying the extra few bucks (honestly speaking, I WANT to pay the extra bucks) to get built-in Bluetooth but I don't have the option to get Bluetooth. If I want Bluetooth, I'll have to settle for a lower processor.