Bluetooth card

Posted by: msaeger

Bluetooth card - 08/02/2008 21:41

I am looking for something to add bluetooth to my laptop that I can just leave in and doesn't stick out. I have one pcmcia slot and one sd card slot.

It's a Panasonic R5 I do not believe there is anything internal that can be done.

Any one know of something ?
Posted by: tfabris

Re: Bluetooth card - 08/02/2008 21:56

When I was shopping for bluetooth mice, I saw one at Best Buy, I forget which company made it, but it was a very tiny USB nub, it hardly stuck out at all.

If I didn't have built-in bluetooth already, I probably would have gone that route.

Wish I remembered it or had a link to it. frown
Posted by: tfabris

Re: Bluetooth card - 08/02/2008 22:00

ah, here you go:

http://www.newtonperipherals.com/mogo_dapter.html

Posted by: msaeger

Re: Bluetooth card - 08/02/2008 22:02

This one Link

It does look pretty tiny I will have to give it a look.

Posted by: tfabris

Re: Bluetooth card - 08/02/2008 22:03

That'll do, too. smile
Posted by: msaeger

Re: Bluetooth card - 08/02/2008 22:05

That one looks pretty tiny too.

If I can't find a sd or pcmcia card one of those would probably be ok.

Thanks
Posted by: CrackersMcCheese

Re: Bluetooth card - 08/02/2008 22:49

I had one of these: http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/detail.jsp?pathtype=purchase&tab=features&sku=3CRWB6096

Worked fine.Nice retractable antenna
Posted by: Dignan

Re: Bluetooth card - 09/02/2008 14:35

I would strongly recommend those USB adapters (probably the one Tony recommended - it looks less likely to snag on your laptop bag if you keep it plugged in), but if you're set on PCMCIA, I have one of these. The only protrusions are the parts at the bottom, one of which is the tip of an antenna that you can pull out for extra range (I've never needed that within six feet, though).

The only problem I have with it is that it doesn't appear to work under Linux. I'm probably just not familiar enough with Ubuntu, but that's what my laptop is running right now, and I'd love to get my mouse working with it. If you're looking for a bluetooth mouse, I highly recommend this one. I prefer my black model, but it seems a little harder to find these days. That's the smallest portable mouse that I've seen that is still usable, even for my huge hands.
Posted by: msaeger

Re: Bluetooth card - 09/02/2008 14:56

I'm not set on pcmcia so much I just want something that doesn't stick out if possible. That one looks good too.

I want it because I can use the Sprint Blackberry 8830 I got from work as a modem and I would be cool to just leave the phone clipped to my belt and get on the internet with my laptop.
Posted by: Dignan

Re: Bluetooth card - 09/02/2008 15:16

Definitely a good use. I can vouch that this one doesn't stick out too much. I can say that even though mine doesn't work with my laptop right now, I still never take it out, so it doesn't stick out too much. But I don't put my laptop into my bag adapter-side first, just in case.
Posted by: CrackersMcCheese

Re: Bluetooth card - 10/02/2008 10:50

The 3com one sits flush with the laptop - nothing to snag.
Posted by: Dignan

Re: Bluetooth card - 17/02/2008 17:29

Originally Posted By: msaeger
This one Link

It does look pretty tiny I will have to give it a look.

I just went out and bought one of these and it's working just fine for me (in Ubuntu, but I'm sure Windows will be fine too, if not better). I was disappointed, though. From looking at it, you might think that only the black part sticks out of the USB port, but actually twice that does. I wasn't happy about that, but it works so I'm happy enough.

I just saw this story so maybe you want to wait for that one. It's less expensive, supposedly.
Posted by: mlord

Re: Bluetooth card - 17/02/2008 17:32

Both of those still look to be too square on the end, the edges are likely to catch on things.

I'm sure I've seen a better one, with a tiny rounded end that just barely protrudes. There was a link to it from one of the ASUS EeePC forums somewhere. It looked much better than those other two.

Cheers
Posted by: mlord

Re: Bluetooth card - 17/02/2008 17:35

Originally Posted By: mlord
Both of those still look to be too square on the end, the edges are likely to catch on things.

I'm sure I've seen a better one, with a tiny rounded end that just barely protrudes. There was a link to it from one of the ASUS EeePC forums somewhere. It looked much better than those other two.


Ahh.. that would be the MoGo Dapter.

EDIT: possibly vapourware..

Cheers
Posted by: msaeger

Re: Bluetooth card - 17/02/2008 20:35

That's disappointing. It looks like the one tony linked is flush in the pictures they show anyway. I wonder if it would stick out more or less depending on the laptop.
Posted by: Dignan

Re: Bluetooth card - 17/02/2008 21:05

Originally Posted By: mlord
Originally Posted By: mlord
Both of those still look to be too square on the end, the edges are likely to catch on things.

I'm sure I've seen a better one, with a tiny rounded end that just barely protrudes. There was a link to it from one of the ASUS EeePC forums somewhere. It looked much better than those other two.


Ahh.. that would be the MoGo Dapter.

EDIT: possibly vapourware..

Yeah, that's the one Tony linked to earlier in this thread. I'm worried about the edges as well (I have no idea why they flared it at the ends like that - probably to make it easier to remove).