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bluetooth dongle for a newbie

B

boathead

Android Enthusiast
my laptop doesn't have bluetooth natively.

does it matter if i buy a $1 dongle or a $20 dongle? i have no experience with bluetooth, and would like to pair my laptop music with a bluetooth speaker i just bought. i am not an audiophile, and so while i like things to sound nice, ease of use and stability are more important to me.

lastly i have no idea what version of bluetooth i'm running. i suppose i should have the latest bluetooth gadget, as i understand it is backwards compatible anyway.

if anyone has a specific dongle they've used with success/quality/ease of use, i'd appreciate a link.



thanks in advance.

edit: while i'm at it, if someone could as well recommend a reasonably priced bluetooth speaker that has a rechargeable battery AND permits direct power thru an ac power cord.
 
Hey there, boathead. I know zip about Bluetooth, so I can't help you AT ALL. :eek: But I didn't want you to think your post was being ignored. :) Hopefully, someone who can help will pop in soon.
 
boathead said:
my laptop doesn't have bluetooth natively.

does it matter if i buy a $1 dongle or a $20 dongle? i have no experience with bluetooth, and would like to pair my laptop music with a bluetooth speaker i just bought. i am not an audiophile, and so while i like things to sound nice, ease of use and stability are more important to me.

lastly i have no idea what version of bluetooth i'm running. i suppose i should have the latest bluetooth gadget, as i understand it is backwards compatible anyway.

if anyone has a specific dongle they've used with success/quality/ease of use, i'd appreciate a link.
Click to expand...

AFAIK USB Bluetooth dongles are pretty much generic, plug it in and it should work. Pair with your BT speakers or headphones, and you'll be in business.


boathead said:
thanks in advance.

edit: while i'm at it, if someone could as well recommend a reasonably priced bluetooth speaker that has a rechargeable battery AND permits direct power thru an ac power cord.
Click to expand...

I bought a rechargeable BT speaker in Shenzhen, sounds OK, I use in the classrooms for lessons.
 
The two main differences in adapters by price are the quality of components used (you can always buy junk that won't last) and the class. BT devices are broken into 3 "distance" classes. For a speaker that will be near the computer, it doesn't matter, but if you're going to use BT headphones to walk around the house it does.

That's for USB 2.0. A USB 3.0 adapter is still going to be at the top of the price list for a long time.
 
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