IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Gadget-shy? Make your life better with Bluetooth

Looking to live more efficiently? From printing cell phone pictures to talking on the phone hands-free, here's what you can do with Bluetooth-enabled devices.
/ Source: TODAY

Ah, Bluetooth! The name is rumored to have spawned from a Danish king who was supposedly really great at bringing people and deals together. Unfortunately he had a blue tooth, so they called him Harold Bluetooth. Fast-forward hundreds of years and this silly name was adopted for one of the coolest file transfer protocols of our time. Bluetooth is a cheap way for all kinds of devices to communicate without being in eyesight of one another, and is commonly used today in wireless cell phones and headsets. This alone is huge because it's so much safer to drive a car and talk on a phone using one of these — it's even the law in many states.

But Bluetooth technology can do so much more than that.

Here's how it works: When you want two devices to "talk" to each other you have to "pair" them up. To do this, press the button on each device that says either "menu" or "settings." Look for the word "Bluetooth," then set your device to "pairing" mode. Then, on one of the devices — doesn't matter which one — select "search for new device" and watch in amazement as your two devices "see" each other. You may even be surprised to see that more than one device in your immediate area shows up! Select the proper device and now use this connection to transfer pictures, files, even music from one device to another. Hint: Sometimes a device will ask for a password to connect. This is for security reasons so that someone can't do what's called "BlueJacking" and make a copy of your contacts list or steal your camera phone pictures. If you don't have a password or can't remember what the manual said, try hitting "0000" (these are zeros) as this is a general code that is often used.

Here are some Bluetooth-enabled devices to get you started:

Pixma iP90v Photo Printer by Canon, $249 This is the slimmest and most portable photo printer I've ever seen. It's only a few inches thick and can truly function without wires. Charge up the battery, pair it with your Bluetooth camera, camera phone, computer, or whatever else you want and print away. It's so tiny you can even fit it in your computer bag and print out full 8x10 color documents on the road! The older version, the Pixma iP90, was great as well and can be picked up on eBay for a steal.

E90 "The Communicator" by Nokia, $1,099.89 There's a reason this phone sets you back a grand. You can literally run your entire business from this phone as well as take pictures, watch videos, listen to music, make video calls, and send content from the phone right to your Bluetooth printer. The full QWERTY keyboard feels great on your fingers when you're trying to edit those Word documents in a hurry.

XPS M1330 Laptop by Dell, $1,299 Bluetooth is a great way to get the pictures off of your cell phone and onto your computer. This Dell has every cool feature you'd want in a laptop, including HDMI (high-def) inputs, on- board memory card reader, supercool slim design, is very lightweight and so much more.

Calisto Hands Free Phone System by Plantronics, $279.95 I don't know about you, but my phone situation is out of control! I use my cell phone, my home phone and my Internet phone. This means that when I'm at home I can literally be listening for three different phones to ring at once! This device takes away the need for three hands and allows you to combine all of these phones into one headset. 

Virtual Laser Keyboard by Think Geek, $149 This matchbook-size device pairs up with your PDA or cell phone to give you the freedom of using a full-size QWERTY keyboard anywhere you are. The device projects the keyboard via red laser onto the surface in front of you and will actually make the little clicking sound as the key is stroked and sent to your device. Type away!

BlueAlert Bracelet by BlueAlter, $49.99 Never miss a call again with this bracelet that vibrates when a call is coming in. The blue light will also flash, making this the most perfect silent alarm ever. 

Phoneo by Superior Communications, $149 This device really packs it in, making it an essential desk accessory for anyone who houses MP3s on their cell phone. This device acts as a speaker system, charger, computer syncing tool and hands-free calling system.

Retro Handset via Think Geek, $29.99
This thing just cracks me up. It's a retro phone handset that can be paired with your phone!  How funny would you look in a business meeting, or just walking down the street?

Maestro 4250 by Magellan, $499.99 As I mentioned above, many states require that you use some sort of hands-free device to talk on your cell phone while driving, and every state in America is sure to follow. If you're not into the little headset with a flashing blue light, then here's an option for you. This GPS device makes your life a little less cluttered by combining a hands-free calling option built right in. If your phone is nice to the GPS, it can even share your contacts and will take voice commands to activate calls for you. 

MiniUFO by Iqua, $49.99 Here's another option for chatting hands-free in the car: Clip this right to your visor, pair it up and go, go, go!