Comments on: Small Inexpensive Bluetooth Device?

Question: Small Inexpensive Bluetooth Device?

aberrant — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 16:20:01 -0800

Looking for a small battery-powered bluetooth device that does... nothing in particular.

I'd like to use Home Zone to automatically lock my computer when I step away, and unlock it when I return. It can do this by sensing bluetooth pairings. However, I don't have a phone that actually pairs correctly with my MacBook Pro, nor do I have any other bluetooth device.

I'd like something that can fit on a keyring, that's small enough to attach to a lanyard, that will provide pairing. It doesn't have to do anything but pair with my laptop, and it should be as inexpensive as possible. Any ideas?

By: gergtreble

gergtreble — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 16:31:28 -0800

You can find some particularly cheap bluetooth headsets. Would that work for you? They are pretty small too.

I don't have one to recommend though sorry.

By: devilsbrigade

devilsbrigade — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 16:48:22 -0800

Depending on how adept you are at electronics, I'm sure you could sample a bluetooth module at zero cost, buy a little battery, figure out a way for it to all go together and be on your way. If you're lucky, you'll even be able to find a bluetooth module that has enough other stuff that it turns itself on automatically ;)

By: The Deej

The Deej — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 16:50:30 -0800

Depending on how brave you are, you can get a headset, as gregtreble suggested, and repackage it. Take it entirely apart and you might be able to put the guts into a thinner protective case (making sure you can still access the charger port) and then out the whole thing into the pocket of this kind of key case.

By: rhizome

rhizome — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:33:23 -0800

It'd probably be easier and cheaper to use a 1st generation Apple BT mouse (the no-button one).

By: Eringatang

Eringatang — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 18:22:04 -0800

Some GPS systems work with bluetooth keyrings. I found this one but it costs $99.99. It is exactly what you want, though...I think...

By: Eringatang

Eringatang — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 18:30:08 -0800

I searched "bluetooth receiver" on Amazon and this one is $58 and got good reviews. Also fits in your pocket and reviewers say it connects to anything easily. You'll have to make your own keyring, though.

By: WCityMike

WCityMike — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 18:52:25 -0800

Previously. Hey, I finally got to do a "previously"! Yippee! I have no life.

By: birdsquared

birdsquared — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 22:30:32 -0800

I have a Samsung WEP 200 bluetooth earpiece - I know you can pair it to a Mac, because I have done so in the past. It is very small... Since I traded up to a stereo Motorola H820, it is sitting in my drawer. If you are interested, paying for postage will get it to San Fran for you... (email in my profile).

By: bkudria

bkudria — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:45:05 -0800

Grr, WCityMike, I was hoping to do that!

Anyway, yeah, a headset is probably your cheapest/easiest bet. Make sure you get one without the power-saving feature. So it doesn't turn itself off after 15 minutes, you see.

By: aberrant

aberrant — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 22:22:21 -0800

OK - followup time. First off, thank you, birdsquared, for the generous offer. I borrowed a friend's bluetooth headset and discovered that homezone doesn't work properly with it - the pairing doesn't seem to be recognized, even though it's paired (and usable) in OSX, so I think I'm gonna give up until the program gets a bit more stable.