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Thursday May 21, 2009
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 Microsoft might be crippling Bluetooth support in an attempt to make
money off a competitive product, the Wi-Fi-based media networking
system known as DLNA.
Microsoft has some explaining to do.
The Windows 7 Beta allowed computers with Bluetooth to play stereo
audio wirelessly to other Bluetooth devices, such as headphones and
speakers. The new Windows 7 Release Candidate dumped that feature.
Oddly, Microsoft added another feature that wasn't in the Beta that is
similar but incompatible.
The release candidate boasts a new music feature called Play To.
This new feature allows users to play music and video to wireless
speakers and media extenders. Play To is otherwise known as DLNA
(Digital Living Network Alliance.) DLNA streaming doesn't work over
Bluetooth, only over Wi-Fi (or wired Ethernet), and Microsoft seems to
be closely involved in its development.
According to the DLNA website,
Microsoft is a "promoter member" and part of the DLNA Board of
Directors. The DLNA site's "What's New" section has headlines that
read "Windows ....Play To and Media Compatibility" and "Zune + DLNA +
Windows 7 = ?"
All these signs seem to suggest that Microsoft has a big stake in DLNA - a passion they haven't shown for Bluetooth. Microsoft was contacted for a comment, but has yet to respond.
Post by PJ Jacobowitz
Posted By:
Gearlog
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May 22, 2009 8:32 AM
This type of thing comes at no surprise to those of us that are PC enthusiasts. If Microsoft can find a way to make more money, and fleece the public at the same time, they will do it.Not only do they have a very stable and reliable OS in XP, they have to amend for their 2nd failed OS ( ME, Vista) in Windows 7. Since XP is outdated in their eyes, the revenue needs to start flowing again. They're not going to get $300-$400 for XP at this stage, so time to screw up another OS. Since they can't even nail down the bugs and security holes in any of their past OS's, why not cripple features in the new one instead?
June 14, 2009 5:15 PM
I love how they're throwing Ford under the bus.
Unless Sync actually comes with a wifi chip, that is.
July 18, 2009 10:32 PM
http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&releaseid=R159805&formatcnt=1&libid=0&fileid=213714
This URL will take you to a Dell Driver Download which enables the Dell Bluetooth Radio. Upon running this, Windows 7 immeidately detects the Dell Bluetooth card and begins the PnP driver installation process. After i applied this patch Bluetooth started working in Windows 7. I am running a Dell Latitude E6400 with Windows 7 x64 and a Integrated Dell 370 Bluetooth adapter.
July 30, 2009 12:06 AM
All that dell app/patch did was tell me I had no bluetooth but Windows 7 see's is as a generic bluetooth so I'm lost.
October 19, 2009 4:01 PM
VISTA SP 2 killed Bluetooth and since Windows 7 is really just an enhanced VISTA would not be surprised. If Microsoft can't make money off it, based on their track record, I would expect them to cripple it. I don't trust Microsoft in any fashion.