HotSync: synchronisation with your PC over Bluetooth

 

If you have a PDA with Bluetooth, and a similarly-equipped PC or laptop, you may want to explore the option of HotSyncing via Bluetooth. Some users have reported that this method is slower- I cannot say that I have found it to be noticeably so, although, I have not tried installing anything over a Bluetooth HotSync, for this simple reason that, to install a file, you have to send it to the QuickInstall program on the desktop- if I can do that, then I just put the T3 into its cradle. However, if you were to follow my other setup guide, and create a BT/LAN, it may be possible to control your PC over this- then, you could move the requisite file to the QuickInstall program via the BT/LAN connection, and then HotSync it to your PDA over Bluetooth. This is, however, a topic for another day, as it would involve discussion of remote PC control applications.

As in my BT/LAN article, all screenshots are taken from Windows XP Pro, a Belkin F8T001 dongle and software, and a Tungsten T3.

 

Setting up your PC:

Open your Bluetooth Configuration window, and select the “Local Services” tab

Click “Add Serial Service”, which will bring up another window (ignore the fact the “Bluetooth HotSync” shows in the picture of the window above- this is my existing connection, which you will not have! Do not worry about this.)

In this window, rename the service “Bluetooth HotSync”, or something recognisable to you

Make sure only the box “Startup” is checked

Change the COM port to one which is currently unused- I have used COM 13 here

Click “Okay” in this window, and then “Okay” in the main Configuration window

 

Right-click the HotSync icon on your desktop taskbar, and click “Local Serial” at the top. This will place a tick next to it

Right-click on the HotSync icon again, and select “Setup”

Click on the “Local” tab

Change the COM port to whichever port you selected in the Bluetooth Configuration window (The example used COM 13)

Leave the speed on “As fast as possible”

 

Your PC is now setup for a Bluetooth HotSync operation

 

To setup your T3

 

Tap the HotSync icon

Tap the arrow underneath the HotSync symbol

Select the name of the Bluetooth connection between your PC and your PDA (if you have not set up this connection yet, refer to the guide in my “BT/LAN” article

 

 

On the 'Home' screen, tap the 'Prefs' icon.

 

In the 'Communication' section, select 'Connection'.

Tap 'New...' and enter a suitable name in the connection 'Name' field. (For this example we will use 'Bluetooth to PC'.)

 

Tap the pick list beside 'Connect To' and choose 'PC'.

 

Tap the pick list next to 'Via' and select 'Bluetooth'.

 

Select the box labelled 'Tap to Find' next to 'Device' and Bluetooth discovery will begin searching for discoverable 'Bluetooth Devices'.

 

In 'Discovery Results', choose the name of your desktop/laptop PC. You would have created this name when you first installed Bluetooth on the PC.

If the correct name is not listed, tap 'Find More'.

When asked if you want to add ['PC name'] to the 'Trusted Device List', select 'Yes'.

Enter a passkey for ['PC name'] and then click 'OK'. Do the same thing when prompted on the PC.

Now tap 'OK' on the 'Edit Connection' screen and tap 'Done' to return to the main 'Preferences' screen.

 

You have now established a connection with your PC and added it to your handheld's list of trusted devices.

Now that your PC has been configured and the two devices recognise each other, the next step is to configure the Bluetooth HotSync settings on your Palm Tungsten T handheld.

 

On the 'Home' screen, select the HotSync icon.

Tap 'Local' and from the pick list below the icon, choose 'Bluetooth to PC'.

To initiate the HotSync operation, tap the icon in the centre of the screen.