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DanR - 31 Jul 2006 15:56 GMT

I've read posts here about turning off the GPS (Locate) function to extend
battery life. Probably silly question but does Bluetooth use a lot of
battery capacity?
And ... what does the "visibility" function do? I'm guessing that once I
"pair" a device to my phone I can turn "visibility" off. Is that correct? Is
it like the SSID function of Wi-fi?
I have a Bluetooth earpiece / mic and to use it I have to jump through a lot
of hoops. Turn Bluetooth on... select device and connect. Then turn
Bluetooth off from a different menu then the one I used to turn it on. (a900
Samsung) The idea that using the Bluetooth headset for safer use when
driving is negated by all the menus that have to be navigated through. My
phone has a favorites menu but Bluetooth is not an option.

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Joel - 31 Jul 2006 21:34 GMT

> I've read posts here about turning off the GPS (Locate) function to extend
> battery life. Probably silly question but does Bluetooth use a lot of
> battery capacity?

My A900, I know turning OFF the GPS helps to increase the battery life
alot. I always have BlueTooth ON so can't tell about the difference between
ON/OFF, but I don't think BlueTooth ON will eat lot of battery.

> And ... what does the "visibility" function do? I'm guessing that once I
> "pair" a device to my phone I can turn "visibility" off. Is that correct? Is
> it like the SSID function of Wi-fi?

I am pretty new to BlueTooth to have much experience to share, but with
A900 you can turn BlueTooth OFF (why why do?) under "Menu" -> "9" and
whatever BlueTooth option to turn it OFF

> I have a Bluetooth earpiece / mic and to use it I have to jump through a lot
> of hoops. Turn Bluetooth on... select device and connect. Then turn
> Bluetooth off from a different menu then the one I used to turn it on. (a900
> Samsung) The idea that using the Bluetooth headset for safer use when
> driving is negated by all the menus that have to be navigated through. My
> phone has a favorites menu but Bluetooth is not an option.

I don't know what you have and what you do at your end, but I have a cheap
$20 (after $20 mail in rebate) Scala-500, and I can just toggle the
BlueTooth (earpiece) ON/OFF from the earpiece, turning the A900 ON/OFF with
a click on button. I can send Voice Command directly from Scala-500 but
A900 doesn't recognize the voice very good (kinda useless).

The only thing I haven't figured out how to switch between A900 and
Earpiece without having to turn the earpiece OFF (like to let someone else
using the phone).

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Isaiah Beard - 31 Jul 2006 21:42 GMT

> I've read posts here about turning off the GPS (Locate) function to extend
> battery life. Probably silly question but does Bluetooth use a lot of
> battery capacity?

I wouldn't say it uses a LOT, but it does use enough to noticeably
shorten battery life. Particularly if the phone or device is left in
"discoverable" or "visible" mode all the time.

> And ... what does the "visibility" function do? I'm guessing that once I
> "pair" a device to my phone I can turn "visibility" off. Is that correct? Is
> it like the SSID function of Wi-fi?

You're pretty much right. Once you've paired, you can set visibility to
off. In fact, it's advisable to do this, because if you leave your
phone "visible," you're advertising your phone's existence and
capabilities to any other bluetooth device in the local vicinity that
cares to scan for anything pairable.

Just as an excercise, you might want to scan with your bluetooth phone
for any other devices in a mall or restaurant or other crowded public
place sometime; you'd be amazed sometimes at what you'll find.

I get around this by turning on the bluetooth headset and pressing the
connect/end button on the earpiece. Often times this is enough to
prompt the earpiece to establish the connection with the phone, and then
I don't need to bother with the menus.

This MIGHT also activate voice dialing on the A900. If it does and you
don't really want to call anyone, just say something like "check signal"
and the phone will do its thing and then go back to standby.

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