BluetoothIntegration

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* Launchpad Entry: bt-integration

Summary

Better integration of the Bluetooth technology with the Ubuntu desktop.

Release Note

Users can now easily use their Bluetooth devices due to better integration of different Bluetooth software with the Ubuntu desktop.

Rationale

We are now seeing more and more Bluetooth devices, not only cell phones but also mouse, keyboard, speakers, printers, ... it'd be good to provide an easy way of using them right in the default Ubuntu desktop.

Use Cases

  • Bob bought a Bluetooth powered headset, once this one powered on he simply goes in the System -> Preferences -> Bluetooth -> Bluetooth Headset, he selects this one in the list provided by the selected software and click connect. The gnome bluetooth-applet running in background automatically asks for the PIN, the device is now paired and ready to use. Bob can now select the device from the Sound Preferences menu, or he can right-click on the device under the Bluetooth Preferences menu and set it as his default audio sink.

  • John took some photos at a concert and wants to publish them on the internet, he simply activates its cellphone Bluetooth service, select its computer and send the photos right to it. If that's the first time he does so, the computer will ask for the PIN and then the OBEX daemon will ask for where to put the files and transfer begin.
  • Patrice has a bluetooth cell phone that she wants to use as a modem. Her cell phone company has told her the phone number, user name, and password that she needs to use. The device is detected under Bluetooth preferences; she then pairs the device, and it now shows up as a modem under Network Manager. She edits the phone number and user name under Network Manager, and the modem is ready to use.
  • George likes to watch videos on his cell phone during his lunch break, after pairing the phone he browses the phone's filesystem from Places -> Phone Name, and copies the videos from his Desktop and pastes them into the videos folder on the phone.

Assumptions

Design

Best softwares for every kind of Bluetooth services will be selected and promoted to main when needed.

Implementation

Software for each service

Activity

Service

Software

Work required

Speaker+Microphone

SCO

gbtsco

Promotion to main (it'll be uploaded in universe during Gutsy development cycle)

Stereo Speaker

A2DP

???

Find a suitable software + test + promote to main

Dial Up Networking

DUN

network-manager

Find a suitable plugin for NM or work on a GUI configuring wvdial and ppp

File Transfer

OPUSH

gnome-obex-server

Make it a background software (its applet part isn't required and takes space in the panel)

Keyboard/Mouse

HID

???

Find a suitable software + test + promote to main

Printer

PRINT

bluez-cups

See how it works and if any work is needed on it (already in Main)

Scanner

???

???

Find a suitable software + test + promote to main

This should represent the most used Bluetooth services

Desktop integration

A sub-menu of the Preferences menu will be created (like the Accessibility one) and link to each software described above will be put there with an adapted description. The gnome bluetooth applet will be turned on by default.

If a device with an OBEX filesystem has been paired with the desktop, the device should show up in Nautilus under "Computer" when it is present.

If a Bluetooth audio device has been paired, it should appear as a sound sink option under the Sound Preferences menu.

If a Bluetooth modem device has been paired, it should appear under network-manager.

Affected packages

gbtsco => gbtsco (Universe), bluez-btsco (Universe) and python-bluetooth (Universe) gnome-obex-server => gnome-bluetooth (Universe) bluez-cups => bluez-cups (Main) bluez-gnome => bluez-gnome (Universe)

Outstanding Issues

BoF agenda and discussion

In gutsy you only need to install gnome-vfs-obexftp to have bluetooth file transfer working. -- AzraelNightwalker 2007-10-12 17:56:59

Bluetooth phone contacts/calendar/tasks sync also needs to work seamlessly, but syncing in general needs work (and has a separate entry), and until opensync and conduit are further along it will be difficult to be particular about the Bluetooth-specific requirements. - Tavis 11/17/07


CategorySpec

BluetoothIntegration (last edited 2008-08-06 16:34:57 by localhost)