Saturday, January 5, 2008

Limited capabilities of Iphone's bluetooth

Iphone has a very limited bluetooth functionality. It can only connect with bluetooth headsets and supposedly with bluetooth speakers. It cannot connect to other bluetooth devices like other mobiles. You will not be able to transfer files between your iphone and other bluetooth capable devices. You cannot share even business cards. I see this as a very bit limitation. I share a lot of ringtones and business cards over bluetooth with my friends. Sharing files/ringtones/business cards over bluetooth is very common practice. The irony is that iphone cannot connect with other iphones also. It will not even show other bluetooth devices except headsets in its vicinity. I read in other places that it cannot connect with macbooks also. Read a related review.

Atleast the process of pairing with bluetooth headset is very smooth. Just put your headset in discovery mode and turn ON the bluetooth in your iphone (at Settings->General->Bluetooth). Your phone will automatically detect the headset. Once iphone finds the headset, tap on the device. It will try to pair up with it. Give the PIN if asked for (generally the default PIN is 0000). You are ready to use you bluetooth headset.

It seems like apple wants everyone to come to them for any ringtones and music. Ofcourse, why will apple want to loose a cent in itunes business. On second thoughts, keeping the business aspect aside, this is in line with model in iphone. Iphone never exposes its files and the directory structure directly to the users. So, if I have to transfer a file to the iphone where should iphone keep it ? If all the files are kept in a single location, how will the users tell the applications to use then when they are not aware of the directory structure. Having said all this, I personally did not like this limitation.

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