Product Description

IOGear GBU421 Bluetooth 2.1 USB Micro Adapter, the IOGEAR Bluetooth 2.1 USB Micro Adapter offers Bluetooth connectivity at a fraction of the size of normal Bluetooth USB adapters. About the size of an adult fingernail, the IOGEAR Bluetooth 2.1 USB Micro Adapter allows users to connect to all the latest Bluetooth devices like cell phones, PDAs, mice and keyboards. Because the Micro Adapter is so small you can easily plug it into your computer without blocking any surrounding USB ports. The Micro Adapter also features Bluetooth EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) technology for transfer rates that are 3 times faster than traditional Bluetooth 1.1 and 1.2 adapters. The Micro Adapter also allows users to connect up to seven Bluetooth devices together and transfer even the largest files quickly and easily. With the Micro Adapter lower power consumption, you can enjoy longer battery life on your notebook computer. This Bluetooth Class 2 adapter is also compatible with both Mac and PC computers, and offers a wireless range of 30 feet (10 meter). It is great for both home and mobile networking needs.

Product Details

• Brand: Iogear
• Model: GBU421
• Format: CD
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, .15 pounds
• Networking: USB

Features

• IOGEAR Bluetooth USB Micro Adapter offers Bluetooth connectivity at a fraction of the size of normal Bluetooth USB adapters
• This Bluetooth Class 2 adapter is also compatible with both Mac and PC computers, and offers a wireless range of 30 feet (10 meter)

Customer Reviews

Beware before installing with Vista
The product works (eventually) and is low priced and is tiny. But, before you install it, please consider the following. Customer care by Iogear is horrendous.

The first hurdle is bad instructions. Step 1 for Vista says you MUST insert the device. Then step 8 says DO NOT insert the device. 8 is correct, by the way.

Still, the included ver. 5 drivers do not work with Vista. When you contact the vendor for help, they'll tell you where the ver. 6 drivers reside. They're marked 221 thru 321 so you think they don't work with the 421, but they do. Oh, you need the revised instructions, too. By the way, the included disc says nothing about the software version. You have to watch for it after launching setup.

So, get ver. 6 drivers or later, get the latest instructions, and don't plug in until the drivers are fully installed in Vista.

I asked if the drivers were necessary since Vista wants to provide its own, and tech support said yes, you need to install them.

I tried tech support's live chat. They pointed me to newer instructions that said to wait before connecting, but they said nothing about the ver. 5 drivers and Vista incompatibility. After wasting 2 hours installing and uninstalling, I emailed to tech support. I wrote at midnight and when I got up bright and early, I had a URL for the proper drivers and instructions. The final installation was flawless and the device works fine.

Full Review: IOGear vs. Cirago
I have purchased both the Cirago and this IOGear. Both work perfectly with Windows XP and Vista. The Bluetooth drivers auto load and it makes sharing files and pairing very easy. On your task bar will be a BT icon that you right click for a list of options. The IOGear claims to work with MAC but the Cirago doesn't. I don't have a MAC so I do not know if this is true or not (Sorry). The Cirago has a brighter blue light than the IOGear. Also, the IOGear is smaller (But not by much). Both are so small in size they can be left in the USB slot and not removed. The IOGear is easier to remove from the slot than the Cirago (it is the shape of the exposed area that determines this). Here is one other interesting thought. Take a look at the picture of the IOGear. When plugged into the USB the metal part slides all the way in so only the black plastic area is sticking out. That is nice, eh? The Cirago goes in the same but sticks out just a little more than the IOGear (Some metal exposed). However, both function perfectly with USB BT 2.0 and early versions 1.0 & 1.1! Both are backwards compatible. The range doesn't seem to be different - I have tested both from 20 feet and they work (Document sent to printer). You choose.

Great and tiny, It works on Vista 64-bit
This bluetooth dongle is very nice and small, it has a blue led on it but its not too bright as to bother when used on a laptop.

I use it with my plantronics 520 bluetooth headset on skype and it works good, I can't use it too far from the computer (< feet) because I start to get static but that might be the headset I dont know.

I don't know why the other reviewer is saying it doesn't work on Vista 64-bit, I use it on my new HP dv4t with 64-bit Vista Home Premium with no problems at all.

UPDATE: I contacted IOGEAR tech support and they gave me this url ([...]) you should be able to download an update to get Widcomm version 6.x drivers. This is necessary to use Nokia PC Suite on Windows Vista for those Nokia users like me :)