Bluetooth is the standard for wireless personal area networks, and is included on all current Macs. It is the best way to wirelessly synchronize your computer with your cell phone, to transfer small files between computers, and to connect wireless devices such as printers, headsets, mice and keyboards.
Set up a New Device
One of Bluetooth’s most convenient features is synchronizing wirelessly to a cell phone or PDA. To do this, enter the “Devices” pane of Bluetooth’s section in the System Preferences application. Then, select “Set Up New Device….” This brings up the Bluetooth Setup Assistant, which is pretty intuitive.
At the first screen, press “Continue.”
To synchronize with your mobile or PDA, select “Mobile phone” on the second screen and press continue. Make sure Bluetooth is enabled by checking the Settings pane of the Bluetooth preferences. Then, make sure that your phone’s Bluetooth is activated too.
On the third screen, OS X should now search and find your phone.
Select your phone and press continue once again. OS X will then gather information about your device to “determine how it can interact with it.” Press continue again once it turns blue.
Now, OS X needs to pair your computer up to the phone. It shows you a passkey, which you should then be prompted to enter on your mobile.
Now, the Setup Assistant will ask you how exactly you will be using your phone. To sync contacts and events with Address Book, check the first two boxes. Your phone may also allow you to access the Internet, and it may also be possible to use the phone as a remote. If you want, check these boxes as well. OS X then configures the services and you’re good to go!
Use Apple iSync to synchronize calendars and contacts to and from your phone.
Setting up other devices should be very similar, and probably even quicker.
File Transfer
Transferring small files from your computer to another Bluetooth-enabled computer or device is often very useful. Although large files take forever via Bluetooth, the transfer of a document typically takes only a second or so.
Start by entering the “Bluetooth” window of System Preferences and selecting “Show Bluetooth status in the menu bar,” in the “Settings” pane. Then, look for the Bluetooth logo in your menu bar at the top of the screen. Click on the symbol, and select “Send File….” OS X will then bring up a window asking you which device to send it to, from a given list of available devices. Select which device to send to, then which file to send, and the file should transfer.
Additionally, one can browse another’s Public folder by selecting “Browse Device…” instead of “Send File….” This should bring up a very clunky browser of the devices files. This browser was really not well thought out, and hopefully Apple will upgrade it to a full Finder browser in the near future.
Technorati Tags: Synchronize, File Transfer, Address Book, Wireless Keyboard, Browse Device, Wireless Headset, Wireless Mouse, Bluetooth, Send File, Cell Phone Sync
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