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Wheres my Bluetooth? 5050-3124

post #1 of 7
11/28/06 at 2:26am
Thread Starter 
So my girl was in need a new notebook and quick. We checked at our local Wal-Mart and seen this Acer 5050-3124 for $598. Not a bad deal considering the specs. Noticed it had a switch for Bluetooth. This is great, as it would allow us to tether our V3M's for internet access on the go. Or maybe not? I have no bluetooth device installed, even though I have a bluetooth button. Support for this notebook is non existant on Acers website. All my previous Notebooks were Sony. I always got good support from SOny, and was hessitant to try something new. But the price was right.

So does anyone know if I can add INTERNAL Bluetooth to this notebook? Via a Mini PCI card, such as a WiFi card with built in Bluetooth? Could I make it work with the BT button?

Also, where the support and drivers for this thing? I need updated video and chipset drivers, and I can' find any. When did AMD buy ATI? The ATI site has gone to crap since then.
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post #2 of 7
12/4/06 at 8:14pm
I am in the same boat as you my friend. Just baught my 5050-3242 from wal-mart and have not been able to figure out how to get the bluetooth to work. At first when I would hit the BT button I would get "no device" messsage at the bottom of the screen. Now, after I installed some drivers acer had on their website, I don't get anything at all....

Edit: heres the link to the driver I tried.
http://www.acerpanam.com/synapse/for...d=3394#results
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post #3 of 7
12/4/06 at 11:30pm
Just because you have a bluetooth button doesnt mean that you have bluetooth. Acer uses a basic chassis for most of their laptops, but not all machines come with all the bells and whistles, especially the lower end ones that you get at walmart for under $600. It would be dumb for acer to alter the chassis for every single laptop and their specs. Imagine how many different combinations there would be.

And just because you install a driver, doesnt mean you will magically get bluetooth in a machine that doesnt have that hardware installed.

If I were you, id call acer (i found their phone tech support to be very good, as apposed to their site) and ask them if its possible for the user to add an internal bt card on ur machine, and possibly get a part #.

If that doesnt work, you can always get an usb bt dongle for $20 from walmart/bestbuy/compusa.
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post #4 of 7
12/5/06 at 5:22am
Thread Starter 
Thats the problem. I don't want a dongle hanging off my laptop.

If you have ever worked in manufacturing you would know that its not that expensive to use a diferent Chasis. Removing a button isn't an expensive/extensive modification.

I think thats it pretty cheap to include the botton. I should have stuck with a name brand instead of this Acer crap. I have never purchased a lowend notebook, shouldn't have started now. It would be diferent if the specs had been easily available on the website.
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post #5 of 7
12/5/06 at 10:52am
So return it to Walmart and buy a higher end Notebook.

I've never worked in manufacturing,but I'm pretty sure that from a marketing standpoint,selling a bottom end product with all the same features as the top of the line stuff doesn't make good sense.

When you spend $600.00 on a notebook,you're going to have to do without some features,Bluetooth being one of them.

I do agree with you that Acer could make it a bit clearer that just because the button is there,doesn't necessarily mean that Bluetooth is -- The spec sticker on the laptop should say something like "Bluetooth non operational on this Model"or something like that.
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post #6 of 7
7/7/07 at 8:47am
Yes, there is a way to install a Bluetooth internally…either in combo with 802.11 Wi-Fi on the same card through Mini-PCI slot or separately in BT module slot that is hidden somewhere deep under your chassis… you may try to purchase this BT module on internet (or as somebody recommended this company called Capital Data, INC. Their number is (517) - 371-7100.</SPAN>) or in Acer service shop….as for the button…well, imagine you have an option to add that BT module and no way to physically turn it off!!?? BT does after all drain lots of your battery power and it would be kinda pain in the back to turn it off and on using some software…don’t you think?
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post #7 of 7
7/23/07 at 11:39pm
Also, you may try looking a third-party products that are compatible with yout machine:
http://stores.ebay.com/Oldegg-Wireless-Depot

as for factory driver(s) you can look it up on:
ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/notebook/aspire_5050/

as for Service guides...well, that I cannot help considering that just recently I looked for one myself....u always have this link in the post above
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