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Bluetooth Phone as remote: Activation required?

B

bmelon

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 3, 2004
21
0
California
I can't find any info on this in the forums...
I'm looking for a cheap bluetooth remote for my powerbook. My plan was to buy a non-activated bluetooth phone from craigslist or ebay. Anyone know if activation would be required to use that phone as a remote?
thanks!
Also, any suggestions about which phones to look for?
 
bmelon said:
I can't find any info on this in the forums...
I'm looking for a cheap bluetooth remote for my powerbook. My plan was to buy a non-activated bluetooth phone from craigslist or ebay. Anyone know if activation would be required to use that phone as a remote?
thanks!
Click to expand...

I can't imagine activation would be required. BT should work separate from the service. I would recommend Sony-Ericsson if you just want it for a remote. The best would be the k700i because it has an HID which allows for an actual remote interface. That model isn't really cheap, however.
 
It depends upon both the carrier and the phone, a lot refuse to do anything unless they ahve a valid SIM in them, anyway I wouldn't call a bluetooth phone a cheap remote not by a long shot...
 
You should be able to use it as a remote. All you will probably have to do is find a SIM card. Even a blank one will do. I used to put a blank sim in my t68i to use bluetooth features. As for getting a SIM card, that is up to you. I don't know if Cingular (or any other phone company) will hand one to you, although they are pretty useless without their activation so they might.

jon
 
I have a K750i, and I cant make it work with Salling Clicker.
Do you know the 700 work, or is it just me?
Sorry for the hijacking:eek:
 
jaseone said:
It depends upon both the carrier and the phone, a lot refuse to do anything unless they ahve a valid SIM in them, anyway I wouldn't call a bluetooth phone a cheap remote not by a long shot...
Click to expand...

I would call my t610 a cheap bluetooth remote. I got it off of craigslist for 50 bucks.
 
yoak said:
I have a K750i, and I cant make it work with Salling Clicker.
Do you know the 700 work, or is it just me?
Sorry for the hijacking:eek:
Click to expand...

Have you been to the site lately? salling 3.0 has support for k750i.
 
Get a Verizon phone, or one that isn't GSM and doesn't use SIM Cards. They work with no activation.
 
ITASOR said:
Get a Verizon phone, or one that isn't GSM and doesn't use SIM Cards. They work with no activation.
Click to expand...


Verizon's Bluetooth is crippled at best, can't do much with it besides sync and headset. The remote softwares wont work
 
mkrishnan said:
Just out of curiosity, what does "HID" stand for in this context, and what does this mean? Thanks! :eek:
Click to expand...

HID = Human Interface Device

A fancy microsoft word that simply describes a device that can take human input, like a keyboard.
 
khisayruou said:
HID = Human Interface Device
Click to expand...

Thanks...I'm familiar with that usage of HID...but every cell phone has an HID. What's special about the K700i, though? It isn't touch sensitive, is it? Is it that it has a built-in remote control program? I'm under the impression that some Sony-Ericssons do.

P.S. #1...I suppose there are no super-cheap BT PDAs available out there, but a touch screen would be gangsta' for this application. :)

P.S. #2...Does MS really get credit for coining "Human Interface Device?"
 
dan-o-mac said:
Have you been to the site lately? salling 3.0 has support for k750i.
Click to expand...

No, so I took a look this morning. After downloading latest version I´m up and running. Very cool little app.
Thanks for reminding me
 
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