Verizon has disabled most Bluetooth protocols ?!!

[spamwax]

I just got a new droid. and I was hoping that I can do a simple Bluetooth pairing with my computer to browse the memory card using Bluetooth.
It seems Verizon has disabled all the protocols except for:

Object push
audio remote control
target (?!)

I was hoping to be able to freely access my droid using Bluetooth. Even simple browsing of file system doesn't work, let alone DUN, serial port, HID, ...

I am very new to Android, is it possible to enable these by rooting the phone ?

 

[icstars989]

I havent received my Droid yet, but these are VZ tricks of years past I remember. Back then it was as simple as using a program called bitpim, with these new series of phones Im not sure. That is if in fact they actually are locking down bluetooth on these sets.

 

[someguy9]

They do the same thing on Blackberrys

 

[dbarrett480]

I don't think it is a verizon thing, I think it is android. I don't even have as many available as you do on my MyTouch.

 

[icstars989]

I don't think it is a verizon thing, I think it is android. I don't even have as many available as you do on my MyTouch.

I know for a fact Verizon used to limit your BT functionality, weather or not your service provider does I dont know. But I always remember getting that next great phone from VZ and them always limiting BT and laying their crappy UI on what was a great phone. They were a stickler for stuff like that, I'm constantly amazed they seem to be pretty open with Google, although at this point in time they need something big to liven up their smart phones, and if I were them, I'd bend pretty far to accommodate Google as well.

 

[spamwax]

This sucks, they announced that they are not gonna touch anything on Droid. I can live without DUN/tethering for now , but come on.... a simple file browsing through BT won't do any harm to Verizon...

 

[johnlgalt]

I tend to agree that there is more to this than Verizon, b/c I too read about how this is an untouched phone....

I found a link in the Motorola DROID faqs link that says you need to use their Motorola USB software, but I have yet to try it on Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit. See USB and PC Charging Drivers - Motorola USA (this says it is for charging but at the same time the actual page states the following:

MotoConnect is a PC application that keeps your Motorola device drivers up-to-date. Additionally, on supported phones, MotoConnect can launch the owner support page for your phone giving you easy access to user guides, FAQs, tutorials, videos and more.

Since this is android, though, I do to see how this is going to be applicable - but I have still asked in the Motorola forums jic.

 

[milrtime83]

Motorola USB software would't have anything to do with Bluetooth

 

[OctoMom]

I tend to agree that there is more to this than Verizon, b/c I too read about how this is an untouched phone....

I found a link in the Motorola DROID faqs link that says you need to use their Motorola USB software, but I have yet to try it on Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit. See USB and PC Charging Drivers - Motorola USA (this says it is for charging but at the same time the actual page states the following:

Since this is android, though, I do to see how this is going to be applicable - but I have still asked in the Motorola forums jic.

You should be good to go w/o needing to download the drivers.

I am running Windows 7 64 bit and it found the Droid drivers by itself as soon as I plugged it into the computer and recognized it as a Motorola A855 in Devices and Printers.

 

[johnlgalt]

Yeah, I plugged the USB / charging cable and it recognized it perfectly fine - mounted the device, copied some music, and away I go. However, I still have no BT connectivity...

 

[nesl247]

This is not Verizon's problem. Android has never come with anything but a2dp, and the bluetooth handset profile (among another profile or two that I cannot remember - not a bluetooth expert).

 

[spamwax]

This is not Verizon's problem. Android has never come with anything but a2dp, and the bluetooth handset profile (among another profile or two that I cannot remember - not a bluetooth expert).

not sure but I remember reading posts that people were saying they were using BT to tether on their G1 handsets after they had rooted their phones, so I don't think it's Android's shortcoming.

 

[nesl247]

the people who rooted their phones were probably using cynogenmod which probably added the Bluetooth functionality

 

[Redflea]

This is not a Verizon issue from everything that I have read...the Droid is a "Google experience" phone and has not been mucked about with by Verizon.

 

[spamwax]

the people who rooted their phones were probably using cynogenmod which probably added the Bluetooth functionality

well, that means I have to wait till someone figures out a way of rooting Droid

 

[spamwax]

Well, it's a sad they for me:

Bluetooth FAQ (Android Open Source Project)

Based on the answers provided there, a lot of BT profiles don't even have an official release time.
For me, file transfer through BT and tethering using DUN are the main reason for having a BT enabled phone.

 

[shaggymatt]

Checkout the 'bluetooth file transfer' program. It is in beta I believe, I might've found it in the marketplace, but I had to email them to get in on the beta.

 

[spamwax]

Checkout the 'bluetooth file transfer' program. It is in beta I believe, I might've found it in the marketplace, but I had to email them to get in on the beta.

Thanks, it seems it's not Beta anymore

 

[WarMace]

Looks like the hardware supports it.

BLUETOOTH

 

[Robobandit]

Crippling bluetooth would have no benefit to Verizon.. and they aren't allowed to cripple the device as part of their arrangement with google.

My thought is that Android doesn't support all of the obscure bluetooth profiles even though the hardware does. It doesn't even include BT file transfer by default.. you need a separate application to do it.

If it doesn't support that, it isn't a stretch to think it doesn't support other profiles either.

 

[WarMace]

My thought is that Android doesn't support all of the obscure bluetooth profiles even though the hardware does. It doesn't even include BT file transfer by default.. you need a separate application to do it.

Granted I do not (yet) have a droid, I am told A2DP is not working. It was a new feature in Android 1.5. So if Google likes A2DP, and Motorola likes A2DP, it could only mean it wasn't finished in 2.0 or Verizon removed it.

I cross my fingers its added soon through one means or another, it is a deal breaker not to have it for me personally.

 

[Bxsteez]

Has anyone tried this software?
Medieval Software - Bluetooth File Transfer (OBEX FTP) for Android

I can't get it to find my laptop to actually see if it works. Anyone else have any luck?

It appears it all fails

 

[johnlgalt]

That is the version that is known to not work with Android 2.0 - you need to email them to get the latest Beta version....

 

[spamwax]

Looks like the hardware supports it.

- DROID by Motorola - Android phone - Motorola USA

Took a screen-shot just to prove it was there, because Verizon is known for making features "disappear"

Yea, that's what I saw too. Based on that info, even if Android support OBEX and DUN/PAN, the hardware can not do that. I hope they are just not listing those profiles there because Android doesn't support them yet and the chipset they are using has actually support for those.

 

[Pkooistra]

Has anyone figured out the solution to this problem? My droid will pair with my computer, but will not connect to it. Any answers would be great. Don't really want to carry a USB cord with me everywhere.