X-Micro's Bluetooth USB dongles are a bit of alright

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Manufacturer: X-Micro
Price: Search for prices here
Requirements: A spare USB hole
Web Site: WWW.X-MICRO.COM

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X-MICRO SENT sent us two Bluetooth dongles just before we headed off for Computex and Old Taipei some days back - a Class One and a Class Two model. We packed them in our luggage just in case we might have to use them with our notebook in the country, but broadband in Taiwan was fine, so they came back unpacked.

But now we're reviewing them, after their marathon 15,000 mile journey (they came from Taiwan originally).

No, we just don't know what makes people build Bluetooth availability into TV sets - as in our popular story here. And it's true, as Burt C pointed out, that Wil Harris and myself went through incredible convolutions in Old Taipei trying to swap the phone number of a missing hack. ( Here).

But what Bluetooth ought to be good for, is when you can't get near a broadband or wi-fi network, you need to connect and you've got a Bluetooth enabled phone.

And for other stuff too, if you're a Bluetooth-head.

That's what the X-Micro dongle seems to excel at. Not only can you bung it into your notebook, but the Widcomm software that comes with the CSR-based device lets you do a heap of other things too, including connecting to audio gateways, Bluetooth networks, Bluetooth headphones, PIMs (you remember, personal information managers), faxes and the like. No TV link in there though.

And file transfers...

Once you've plugged the little Bluetooth dongle into the side of your machine, and bunged the CD into the slot, the thing sort of configures itself, although - it must be said - you still have to fiddle round with your mobile phone to make it "discoverable".

Windows in its XP revision doesn't seem to like Bluetooth - you get an irritating notice from Volesoft during the installation process. Just click "ignore", and it all works, however.

You can also irritate other Bluetooth users by sending your business card over the B'T network - we've found this is an excellent method of annoying the few people in the world who leave Bluetooth switched on.

When you set up the Widcomm software, it gives you the choice of searching for all the devices we've mentioned above. We just chose the dial up option, because that's the one we're likely to need most of the time.

We've got a GPRS phone, but quite honestly the networks rip you here in the UK if you avail yourself of their "services".

Also, at CeBIT earlier this year, the organisers would happily charge you €10 an hour to use the wi-fi network there. Well sod that for a game of soldiers when you've got a notebook, a mobile phone, and a little dongle to dangle at the SnoBIT crew!

Rather have a cheerful little Bluetooth dongle stuck in the side of our PC, and dial away happily wherever O2 or the other networks roam.

X-Micro does two versions of this dongle - we've tried them both and they work. If you are desperate to connect - like online hacks often are - the dongles add to your armory and the software is both easy to use effective.

If you need one, go buy one! If you've got two, you can have a Bluetooth network rather than any other boring old kind of network - that's what we did to move the file from notebook to desktop, anyroadmap! X-Micro also sent us a Bluetooth modem - we'll open that Pandora's Box soon enough. The dongles are fine - they alluringly wink at you with their little blue LEDs, making the whole place a sight more colourful than the boring red and green LEDs we've all grown to dislike... µ