Bluetooth U app review: file sharing made easy

Introduction

There are many different methods for sharing files between devices these days and Bluetooth is definitely one of the better options available. The Bluetooth U app for iOS does a pretty good job in this department but it does have some flaws. It’s still worth considering if you’re looking for a fast and reliable file transfer method. This is a free bluetooth app and it’s compatible with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

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Fast File Transfer

There’s always an ongoing debate over which is the better file transfer method, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth; in general, Wi-Fi is quicker but Bluetooth can work between two devices even when you don’t have access to any kind of network. That’s a big plus, and that’s where Bluetooth U can be very useful. So how fast are the transfer speeds? They’re pretty good but I did find my transfer hanging up on occasion which was a little annoying, but it worked well most of the time. When it worked properly it was comparable to a Wi-Fi or USB file transfer. It would certainly be worthwhile at least as a backup method if other methods aren’t available.

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I did find a couple of things pretty troubling about this app though. The first thing was the annoying use of ads in the app.  There’s a big square advertisement that’s quiet sizeable at the bottom right of the screen every time you open the app. There’s also another smaller one on the bottom left corner of the app. It seemed like overkill to me. I understand the ads may pay the bills but it could have been done a little better. The second thing that really bothered me was the total lack of instruction. When you open the app you’re just left to your own devices to try and figure things out. There isn’t even a help icon you can tap on. Having said that, this is a good app for transferring files it’s just not explained very well. The app requires 24.2 MB of free space on your iOS device.

How it Works

The app isn’t difficult to figure out even without any instructions. If you’ve used any type of file transfer app before you’ll figure this out in a couple of minutes, but they should still have provided instructions or a help file; you can’t assume everyone that downloads the app will be able to figure it out on their own. When you open the app you’ll see a standard type of file transfer interface. The column on the left will list any items you have chosen to share with other devices. To add a file to the list tap on the box/arrow icon at the bottom. If you’ve been using an Apple device for any length of time this icon will be very familiar to you. Once you’ve done this it’s ready to share.

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What I found pleasantly surprising about this app was that it gives you the ability to share files over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which is pretty handy. To share a file over Bluetooth tap on the connect button at the top, but remember you’ll need to be running the app on both devices you want to share files between. Once both devices are connected simply tap on the other device and share your file. It’s pretty quick for Bluetooth. To share a file through Wi-Fi tap on the Wi-Fi icon at the bottom of your screen. The app will give you an address to type in your browser and you’ll be off and running. You can add a file to either device by adding it within this field. This is a great option, especially when you’re trying to share between devices that aren’t both running the iOS platform. File transfer speeds were very quick using this Wi-Fi method.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Works very well most of the time
• Ability to share files over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi
• Works with any file type

Cons

• Occasionally hangs up when trying to transfer files with Bluetooth
• One of these bluetooth apps with annoying use of ads
• No instructions

Final Words

Bluetooth U is a pretty good file transfer app. It works well most of the time and allows you to transfer files through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi; it’s just too bad there aren’t any instructions provided for the use of this app. The ads were a little annoying, but I’ve seen worse so it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re comfortable with figuring things out for yourself.