IOGEAR USB 2.1 Bluetooth Micro Adapter (GBU421)
by IOGEAR
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List Price: Our Price: $9.99 You Save: $6.96 (41%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of IOGEAR USB 2.1 Bluetooth Micro Adapter (GBU421)
Customer Review: Great adapter for a laptop
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great bluetooth adapter. I got tired of using my BlackBerry's USB cable to sync, but my laptop did not have a built-in bluetooth adapter. I looked at a number of options and found this item. The high rating it has is well-deserved.
As odd as this may sound, the size and shape of the adapter were really important considerations for me as I did not want a bulky USB dongle that was at risk of being snapped in half. (I've done this with USB memory sticks before and know just how easy it is to do.) The rounded shape is great because it never gets caught on anything. The size is great because it only sticks out about 1/4 of an inch from the side of my laptop (though the USB slot is slightly recessed into the casing of my Dell Latitude D620, so it gets a little help there).
Functionally, the drivers were easy to install. If you have a slot optical drive, you'll need to download the drivers since the the provided driver CD is a mini-CD. (I recommend downloading the drivers anyway since you always get the latest version that way.)
I only have had two issues with the adapter, neither of which warrant lessening the rating:
-The manufacturer's drivers did not work with my BlackBerry, but that isn't really the fault of IOGear. The built-in Microsoft drivers work fine with the adapter, so I think the manufacturer's drivers may never actually be needed. I recommend not installing the manufacturer's drivers unless something doesn't work with the default Microsoft drivers.
-Because the adapter is so small, it can be difficult to remove. BUT since it is so small anyway, I only remove it when I fly (since transmitting on an airplane is just a bad idea and potentially dangerous).
Anyway, 5 out of 5. I've used the word many times in this review, but it is worth repeating: great!
Customer Review: Works 100% in Ubuntu 9.10; PITA in Windows Vista, but works now
Summary: 5 Stars
The first OS I installed it on is Ubuntu 9.10, which it worked right out of the box. Ubuntu 9.10 has built-in Bluetooth support, so it immediately recognized the device. I was able to pair my headset without issue, and Ubuntu even automatically made a PulseAudio sink (made it so the sound actually works for playback and record).
Then I decided to try to get it to install on Vista SP2. First Vista automatically installed its own drivers, which did not work. I went to the IOGear website and downloaded the latest drivers and installed them. Once they were installed I was able to sync my headset. Windows recognized it as both an audio playback and input device, however it would never actually capture sound (like it was mute), and playback sounded really bad (crackles, etc..).
I uninstalled then reinstalled the drivers. This time playback sounded great, but it still wasn't properly capturing sound. After reinstalling the drivers for a second time, everything works great, including audio input. I have no idea why I had to keep installing the drivers, but I'm 99% sure it was a Windows problem and a conflict with the original Windows drivers - and not an issue with the device or IOGear's drivers.
Overall, the one thing to consider is that this device is small and technically designed for laptops where the signal will be largely unobstructed. I had some signal problems having it plugged in the back of my desktop under a desk - in the headset you'll notice crackling and people who hear you speaking will say you sound like you're talking through a fan. If this is the case, I recommend buying a USB A Male-to-Female extension cable. I saw one on Amazon.com for just about $5. This will let you actually place the Bluetooth Adapter somewhere on your desk for best reception.
Customer Review: First time using bluetooth, so far happy.
Summary: 5 Stars
Alright, first thing I should say is this is my first bluetooth device, ever. I kinda stayed clear due the the security of the things, but decide to go the bluetooth route when my mic died and I decided to replace it with a bluetooth cellphone headset.(Work works great in skype so far).
But enough back story, on to the topic at hand. The adapter as you can see in the images, is fairly small and compact. I like this since I use a usb hub for most things connected. This fits snug to the unit, and doesn't get in the way when I connect other devices. So in terms of that, I give it a +.
Installation was a snap as well, on the site you can get the latest drivers for whichever OS you are one(I am on Windows 7 64bit.) To install the drivers, you need the unit to be plugged in first. But after that the set up is a breeze and you will soon have the bluetooth icon in your taskbar.
Now for use. I have only had it for the day, but so far I synced two devices to the unit. One being my cellphone, and the other being a bluetooth headset I recently purchased. the device discovery is rather painless and can be done by adding a new device and having whatever you are trying to sync to find your pc. For your cellphone you may need to use a security code on the computer end as well(Usually 0000), but it will tell you this with a popup, so there is nothing to worry about.
On the testrun I was using this with skype to play an online game with some friends. The convo lasted over and hour and the device didn't drop out once, granted I was close to it the whole time, but still. Things worked well.
Overall I am happy with the unit, and glad I bought it.
Customer Review: Works Great on iMac G5 With Apple's Magic Mouse
Summary: 5 Stars
I have an iMac G5 (with isight) which supports bluetooth but it didn't come with the bluetooth chip built in. I bought this USB adaptor as it was listed as being Mac compatible and I wanted to use it with the extra Magic Mouse I had (after upgrading my mini to a magic trackpad)
The first thing I noticed is the tiny size. This thing is seriously really tiny. So I proceed to plug it in to an available USB port on the back of my iMac. It fits snuggly into the USB port leaving only a tiny bit of the adaptor exposed in the back. There's no way this is interfering with any other USB devices you may need to plug in...but it also makes it easy to grasp when you need to remove it. So the fit is perfect.
The installation was a breeze on my iMac. It first wanted to set up the unknown USB device as a keyboard. I exited out of the keyboard setup since that's not what I'm doing here. I went to System Preferences and VOILA! I now have a setting for Bluetooth. Like I said, my Mac did support Bluetooth, however it was an optional add-on at the time and was not included. Through the Bluetooth setting, I was able to get my magic mouse paired and it was up and running relatively quickly. I was even able to download the magic mouse driver from apple's website and can even use the magic mouse's special scrolling/swiping settings.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised. I was happy to achieve wireless mouse capabilities through a third party USB adaptor...and on top of that, at such an affordable price point. I highly recommend this solution for anyone else that may need to add bluetooth capabilities to their Mac.
Customer Review: One of those "perfect" accessory gadgets that works!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the little gadgets that you find out that and wonder "why doesn't everybody do this?" In fact it's so simple that it's hard to write a review for it! Perhaps an explanation will help demonstrate.
So far, I have added this handy little gadget to two of my computers, one a windows XP system, which didn't come with Bluetooth, and a Vista equipped laptop, which came with Bluetooth but which I inadvertently uninstalled, then could not reinstall.
Both were a snap. For the XP system, I plugged it in and the system selected the drivers. After a few minutes of fooling around with the Bluetooth setup, I now have Bluetooth on my XP system. Same thing for the Vista system.I had simultaneously purchased Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10, with the wireless microphone version, because I did not want to be tied by a wire to the computer. Rather than using the much larger USB connector for Bluetooth which comes with the wireless microphone, I used this tiny little gadget. It's so small that with my notebook, I was able to insert it permanently on the far side of the laptop, where it does not interfere with using the mouse or plugging in other USB devices on the right side, or a larger device interferes with using the mouse.
So, for all the gadgets you can buy to add Bluetooth to a system which did not come with it already, this is my choice. In fact I plan on buying a couple more for use at the office.