Did you know that the Bluetooth feature that came with your new cell phone has a lot more uses than just hooking up to a wireless headset? With a Bluetooth enabled cell phone,
you can access the internet with a secure connection on your laptop – wherever you get a cell signal, use your phone as a digital camera, mp3 player, or just share your favorite files with friends and family. Now, its true that you can do these things before, but Bluetooth allows you to do it all wirelessly without the need for messy cables and best planar magnetic headphones.
However, not all Bluetooth phones are created equal. In order to do any of the cool stuff mentioned here, youre mobile phone has to support OBEX, which stands for Object Exchange.
You see, the Bluetooth specifications allow for many different functions, such as connecting to headsets, sharing data, etc. One function the one were discussing here, is OBEX, which allows your phone to exchange data wirelessly with other devices. Now, a certain cellular carrier (whom we will simply refer to as V), along with a few other manufacturers, have chosen to cripple the functionality of their phones by deliberately disabling OBEX. They do this for a number of reasons, but the end result is, if your phone doesnt support OBEX, you cant do any of these cool things. So, the next time you shop for a new cell phone, you may want to first check to make sure your Bluetooth is not crippled in any way before making a purchase. (By the way, even if the manufacturer has disabled OBEX, it may still be possible for users to enable it try Googling to see if you can find a patch for your phone. Of course, be aware that you may void your warranty if you screw up, so be careful!)The top 5 coolest things you didn’t know you could do with your Bluetooth cell phone.1)
Use your phone as a wireless modem for your laptop – surf the internet by connecting wirelessly through your cell phone. This is my top pick. Why spend extra for a cellular modem and separate data plan when Bluetooth lets you use your cell phone to connect wirelessly to the web? Many cellular companies offer some sort of data usage plan – for just a few bucks extra per month, you get unlimited data transfers. So, by installing the right scripts in your laptop, you can configure it to connect to your cell phone with Bluetooth for instant, wireless internet access. The real beauty of this setup is that, since most people already carry their cell phones with them, they can get a secure internet connection wherever they get a signal, and not worry about carrying adapters or having a special modem card. Also, I feel much safer using my own connection anyway, rather than rely on open public hotspots especially when I want to access my bank accounts or other private sites. Every cell phone is different, so if you want to find out how to connect with yours, just google it. Try using the terms “how to use my (phone model) as a Bluetooth modem”.