The term "dongle" is actually a slang word for an external hardware device with a bit of memory inside of it. It attaches to your personal computer or laptop and dangles off of it (hence, the term "dongle"). Companies that sell high-end computer software packages often use dongles as proof that a particular computer is licensed to use the software that's being used. If the software doesn't find a dongle installed, it may refuse to run the way it's supposed to.

A USB Bluetooth dongle is a quick and inexpensive means to allow Bluetooth Wireless communications onto your personal computer. Simply plug in the USB Bluetooth Dongle adapter into your computer's USB (Universal Serial Bus) port and any Bluetooth peripheral device will be able to communicate with your PC! This includes computer-to-computer communications, cell phones, printers, and PDAs.

Now that you know what it is, it might just interest you to know what it does.

Say that you've bought yourself a brand new cell phone and you want to load mp3s onto it from your computer, but the software provided with your new phone isn't compatible with your computer. By investing a small amount of money into a USB Bluetooth dongle, you'll be able to transfer all of the mp3 files you'd like onto your new phone.

Other uses for a USB Bluetooth dongle include downloading and sending emails, browsing the Internet, backing up and adding information to your personal calendar and contact list, and transferring videos, pictures and just about any other files you could possibly imagine.

A recommended USB Bluetooth dongle exceeds all Bluetooth V2.0 standards and is USB V2.0 compliant. Its built-in antenna has an operational wireless range of 2 to 100 meters and operates on frequency 2.4GHZ ISM band. It transfers data at rates up to 3MB and has a LED status indicator. Its slim, pocket-sized design is ideal to fit into even the most crowded USB port.

You will need operational software for Windows XP, Windows 2000 and Windows 98, as well as the operational instructions manual and a Bluetooth Dongle Adapter. Make sure that the company you purchase your USB Bluetooth dongle from is well aware of what you need to successfully utilize this item and has them on hand for you to buy. USB Bluetooth dongle "Packages" with everything you need to use your device almost immediately is definitely something to consider.