BluePhoneElite 2 review

BluePhoneElite 2 provides the ability to control selected Bluetooth-enabled phones within Mac OS X. By employing the Mac's integrated microphone and speakers, it turns it into a giant hands-free device.

During installation, Symbian and Windows Mobile-based phones require the installation of a small program, which is sent from BluePhoneElite 2 via Bluetooth. After installation, a handset is added and applicable services (which vary from handset to handset) are started. It's also possible to add support for dialling calls and sending texts direct from Apple Address Book.

In use, there are two main views, Call Center (for calls) and Message Center (for texts). All existing call and text records from the handset are automatically imported and viewable. Furthermore, the Call Center has some basic filters for calls received 'Today', 'This week', 'Unanswered' and so on. These are pre-defined and work akin to the Smart Mailboxes of Mail.

Besides the two main interface windows, BluePhoneElite 2 also adds a Menu bar icon for the handset in use. This shows signal and battery strength and clicking it lets you view the last 10 calls and texts.

There is a considerable amount of customisation possible within the program. Each event (incoming call, message and so on) can have a different response associated. For example, an incoming message can trigger a large bezel window containing the text or a flash warning. User defined keyboard shortcuts can also be added to launch the various sections of the application.

Making calls is simply a matter of either choosing a name in the call list of Message Center and clicking 'New Call'; or choosing a contact from Address Book, Ctrl-clicking a number and choosing 'Dial with...' from the contextual menu.

Extra capabilities include the ability to export phone call records to iCal, Word, RTF or text files, as well as printing call records direct from the application. You can also export or print text messages, either one at a time or as a group.

Its performance is a mixed bag, though. For the majority of the handsets we tested, using BluePhoneElite to send and receive texts is far easier than reaching for the handset every time an SMS arrives. However, the voice side of the package needs a little tweaking. Our two main areas of concern were the echoes reported from people on the other end of a call and the inability to quickly cancel mis-dialled calls placed through Address Book.

Interface wise, we also feel that integrating the two sections of the program (calls and messaging) or making them 'dock-able' into one window, with tabs to switch between the two, would make for a more streamlined layout.

The biggest disappointment is saved for iPhone owners. While calls through OS X are supported, at present, texts, phonebook viewing, network and power status display, date and time sync, call logs and ringing profiles are not. Broadly speaking, Symbian S60, Sony Ericsson and Windows Mobile based handsets enjoy the best functionality.

These gripes aside, for suitable handsets, BluePhoneElite is successful. It provides an efficient solution for mobile-based correspondence when working from a Mac.