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There are hundreds of little USB dongles that provide a bluetooth radio connected to the USB port of a host computer. This isn't that.
This would be a little box which accepts standard USB HID devices (keyboard, mouse, etc) and enables them to be used as Bluetooth HID devices, wirelessly.
Why?
There are hundreds if not thousands of USB keyboards and mice, many of which are pretty good. The number of Bluetooth devices available on the market is fleetingly small, and it probably doesn't make sense for some smaller manufacturers to sell both, nor would it make sense to abandon a perfectly functional keyboard or mouse just for a different link topology.
"What about power?," some will ask - fair question. I expect this box to be plugged in to a DC adapter to power the USB devices. I'm not interested so much in the portability aspects of the keyboard and mouse - they're staying put - I want to plunk down my Bluetooth-savvy laptop and have it automatically pair with my keyboard and mouse without fiddling with wires. Bluetooth speeds are plenty for as fast as I can type and mouse.
Implementation should be relatively straightforward, as it appears the Bluetooth HID profile is a simple wrapper around the USB HID profile (see link).
So, the logic in this device basically comes down to the Bluetooth functions (e.g pairing), detecting the attached USB HID devices, replicating them on the Bluetooth side, and passing the data back and forth across the bridge. I would be surprised if this needed to be more than a few COTS parts glued together for $50 or less.
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia...e_Profile_.28HID.29 USB and Bluetooth HID Profile Relation [bill_mcgonigle, Jul 24 2007]
[link]
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How would that be different from the USB-to-bluetooth adapters currently on the market? |
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[jutta], I think this is a bluetooth transmitter that is attached to the input device and not a USB port, rather a USB cord. Turn your USB keyboard into a bluetooth capable HID with this adapter..... right? |
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If so, I'd buy at least 5. [+] |
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Ah, okay. Thanks for explaining! |
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To me, plugging something into the USB slot is pretty easy, but maybe I'm just bad at using bluetooth. |
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That's what I thought, too, but you still have to plug that into the laptop when you plonk it down. |
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