Patch/App Request - Bluetooth File Transfer

[d.moss]

is it poossible to create a patch or app or both that can enable the capability to transfer files from my pre to another device through bluetooth?

[SirWill]

This should probably be moved to the main webos development forum.

[DrewPre]

Great idea!!

[d.moss]

thanx drew.. anybody else agree?

[Shadavis08]

yeah that would be cool ,it would be like backing up your phone over bluetooth or send a friend a song or file im sure this can be done with an app or something because the iphone can

[d.moss]

yep.. my brother has the hero.. and he has music files and pics that i want and i have stuff that he wants and we want to eliminate having to use the cpu or having to mms it or email it.. would be much quicker and more efficient through bluetooth

[TMed_ATL]

+1 for this idea! would love to be able to send my girl some ringers as she has no web on her phone and tmo flexpay so she cant access the web either..

[d.moss]

yup.. hopefully the geniouses (and I mean that literally.. not being "smart") over at webos internals are already on this because i know i'm not the only one who thought of this..

[jbg7474]

It's already possible to do this--you have to install an sftp server and use that protocol after creating a network connection. If you follow the directions at webOS internals to gain root access, the script they have you run already provides what you need. Then you can just use a SFTP client on your computer to transfer files.

As for doing it like most phones (via OBEX BT profile), I think that's kind of a tricky one. There may be enough Linux tools out there to do it, but I would imagine that Palm is already working on it (without infrared, this is one of those notable absences on the Pre).

[d.moss]

Originally Posted by jbg7474

It's already possible to do this--you have to install an sftp server and use that protocol after creating a network connection. If you follow the directions at webOS internals to gain root access, the script they have you run already provides what you need. Then you can just use a SFTP client on your computer to transfer files.

As for doing it like most phones (via OBEX BT profile), I think that's kind of a tricky one. There may be enough Linux tools out there to do it, but I would imagine that Palm is already working on it (without infrared, this is one of those notable absences on the Pre).

thanx for the info.. i'm actually trying to transfer from one phone to another.. not to a cpu.. i also don't wanna have to go through the trouble of rooting my pre.. i'm far from a whiz kid when it comes to this stuff.. that info was good to know though.. love webos internals

[d.moss]

hellooooo.. i can't be the only pre user in need of this

[Apollo2X]

Originally Posted by d.moss

hellooooo.. i can't be the only pre user in need of this

Nope, you're not the only one. When I bought my Pre, I was expecting it to have bluetooth transfer capabilities. Surprisingly, I later found out that this is not a given, and not just on the Pre but in many modern US handsets. I'm an international student from Europe, and part of my routine was transferring photos and music between my laptop and my Sony Ericsson Z800. And that's a 2005 model! Now all we're left with on the Pre is USB transfer. That's quite unintuitive, let alone embarassingly passé for a 2009 smart touch phone if you ask me.

I wish I had the programming knowledge to create a patch, but even if I did, we will still have to wait for Palm to open up their bluetooth profile APIs. I read somewhere that this is also why homebrew developers cannot yet develop WebOS-friendly bluetooth connectivity software for BT watches such as Sony Ericsson's BMW-150 and LG's Prada.

[Dvigilante1]

bluetooth file transfer is available on my wife's $40 palm centro

[maddball]

Cell phones have had bluetooth fie transfer for YEARS! It's the 1st thing i tried to do with the Pre to get pix transfered from my Instink.

[Greywethr]

I don't know for sure, and I'm no expert, but I have a few thoughts that may make sense. Coming from Treo 300/600/650/700p/Centro, I certainly miss the ability to transfer files between my phone and other phones & computers. I like how easy and convenient the USB connectivity is, but it's often not so convenient. Most electronics companies are moving towards cloud technology. More & more programs are web-based, backing up online, and networks are getting faster. I'm assuming that bluetooth file transfer is less common because fast upload & download speeds make it obsolete. However, that doesn't take into account all the areas that don't have 4G speeds. There may also be security issues with bluetooth. I still want the feature as a patch though! Anyone have any input about this?

[Northernlanes]

+1, I couldn't believe when my friend tried to bluetooth me a photo from his phone and could not do it .. further investigation showed the Pre to have audio bluetooth only .. unbelieveable !

[Abyssul]

WebOS only has support for audio bluetooth like Northernlanes mentioned. Thats the only thing the drivers allow currently. Maybe Palm will add more functionality for that later, but I have never used bluetooth on my phone even if it did have file transfer.

I use SFTP via Wifi to send files to/from my PC for my Pre. Easy as pie. If you want a sync solution, there is a Wifi Sync app in the App Catalog for a couple of bucks.

[rgloor]

+1

I could use BT file transfer as well.
My son and my wife have feature phones. To exchange some files (ring tones, pictures, etc.) BT would be great.
Especially since it was available in older Palm Devices since years.

[i_maq]

Yup, would be useful to have.

[jayhajj]

Originally Posted by i_maq

Yup, would be useful to have.

Anyone know why they would purposefully exclude this profile? Does having it expose some sort of vulnerability for unwanted tethering?
It was on my four year old feature phone and was VERY useful for sharing files and ringtones with friends, sending photos to my digital photo frame, offloading photos to my PC and using BT PAN for occasional net access.

-Jay