Bluetooth Speaker System ? ?

In order to send stereo audio over Bluetooth, the device has to support the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP). It's likely that the CSR chip in the MacBook supports A2DP, but it's unknown (at least to me) whether the Apple firmware supports it. I haven't been able to find a definitive list of the Bluetooth profiles supported by the MacBook firmware.

However, I'd recommend using an Airport Express over WiFi instead. Much longer range, and you can use any speakers you like, as long as they have a standard plug to jack into the Airport Express. You're not entirely wireless in this situation, of course. You have to plug the Express into a power socket somewhere, and the speakers are wired into the Express. But it's still very flexible, and no special speakers required.

The Express is its own access point, so you can stream your audio directly to it if you want. If you're using iTunes, it will pick up the Express and you can select it as the audio output source. Then your audio will stream through your WiFi card to the Express, and then out of whatever speakers you have plugged into your Express.

It will make things easier if you set up the Express to join your existing wireless network, if you have one already. You shouldn't have any signal issues, unless you're trying to play music from a very long distance, or through one or more walls.

Hi, Paul and Jim!

Happy April Fool's Day... and Apple's Birthday!

Hope you don't mind a visit from an old Mac guy who tracks Bluetooth stuff but can't yet afford an Intel-based Mac...

I'm writing to share a couple of thoughts in response to

"...haven't been able to find a definitive list of the Bluetooth profiles supported by the MacBook firmware."

As I'm sure you realize, the A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) was developed as part of the Bluetooth 1.2 specification, and can work with 1.2 or the 2.0+EDR microchip that's implemented in your MacBook Pro. However, Apple has not yet implemented the A2DP Profile.
(1) I don't know when or whether the implementation can be done via software update or whether a firmware update will be required — and this forum is no place for such conjecture. In either case, I think you can reasonably expect that Apple will note the change clearly in the "About the..."document accompanying the updater download — and that other Bluetooth profiles / functionality will probably be implemented at the same time.
For clarity, please keep in mind that "firmware" in this case refers to software that is resident on the Bluetooth card — not on your MacBook Pro's ROM.
Whether the change is via Bluetooth a software or firmware updater, I imagine AppleCare will makes it presence clearly known here in Discussions and on Apple's "Bluetooth Support Overview" &/or "Bluetooth Technology Page." If it turns out to be via firmware, my personal recommendation is that folks use the "stand-alone" installer for this when it becomes available from Apple's Download webpage, rather than Software Update.
(2) KnowledgeBase Article 151411: Which profiles does Apple Bluetooth support? (Bluetooth 1.5 Help) answers the question of what profiles are supported by Apple's software. There are two fairly easy ways to ensure you're up-to-date whenever this article is updated to reflect a change:
(a) Bluetooth Help. This Help book is available using the [ ? ] icon available from any Bluetooth-related dialog (e.g., System Preferences »» Bluetooth »» Help »» What profiles does Apple Bluetooth support? is the same article linked above.) The way Help Viewer works nowadays, the Help content is updated provided you maintain an Internet connection to your MacBook Pro when it's launched.
(b) Article 75185: KnowledgeBase Articles updated in the last 7 days is a good way to keep up with changes in AppleCare support info. MacFixIt maintains a daily update of these changes.
I hope this is of use/interest to you — and that you don't mind intermittent visits from a jealous eMac owner. I try to keep up with y'all — other owners of Intel-based Macs visit the Bluetooth Keyboard/Mouse and Other Bluetooth Devices forums, too.
Warm regards,
Dean
If anybody's really interested, the 75-page A2DP specification is available here— along with other Bluetooth specs.) [The Specification v.1.2 is dated Nov. 2003; v.2.0+EDR is Nov. 2004; the A2DP specification was posted on Bluetooth®.com in April 2003).]
Btw, I noticed something recently that might interest you: Whoopsis' Mac Repair Manuals and Resources webpage has posted the February 2006 service manual for the MacBook Pro. [ I'm not providing a direct download link because of their bandwidth; visit yourself when you get a chance, search for "macbook," and voila! ]

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You're very welcome, Paul. I think you'll find some of the links very interesting. (The service manual, e.g., is fascinating.) And, imho, searching Apple's KnowledgeBase is a great way to learn stuff you didn't even realize you didn't know...

My guess is that "bigger and better things" will accompany such an update — beyond what we may have in mind at the moment.

I'll share a completely unrelated quote that caught my eye this week...

...from a recent article by Glen Fleishman about Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) ( TidBITS #819, 06-Mar-06): " Just when... you've figured out that Bluetooth can work if you perform the steps just right, a new wireless player ambles into town..."
Mind you, conjecture is inappropriate. But I will note a few factual observations: (a) Apple's implementation of technologies (USB, Bluetooth, WiFi, etc.) has outpaced many folks' over the years; (b) the WiMedia Alliance has partnered with the Bluetooth SIG, while (c) its UWB competitor, Freescale, has licensed UWB for production — and something is scheduled to hit market this summer...
Cheers!
Dean
Btw, if your "My Computer" signature is correct that you're running 10.4.4 — I urge you to keep up with upgrades (many long-time users habitually utilize "Combo updates" for this), because they'll tend to include improvements aimed at Mac-Intel platforms, both Universal- and Rosetta-oriented.

overnight--unless they're counting on further sales
of the Express for this wireless issue.

I hope they aren't. All I want to do is use my bluetooth headset to listen to my iTunes music off my laptop at work so I don't have to wear down my Treo's battery having to listen to it off of there instead. Apple's already costing me the price of a cd just to be able to get my music from iTunes into a music cd then into mp3's so I can listen to my music on my Treo. I bought a Treo so I wouldn't have to carry a bunch of junk around with me. If they'd like to come out with a phone/ipod/PDA combo, I'd be happy to get that instead. 🙂

What about a handsfree bluetooth speaker/mic for use with iChat? I don't need to listen to iTunes, but in crowded rooms I can't hear anything through the MacBooks built-in speaker. I was specifically looking at the $120 Motorola headset that has noise canceling (saw it at Best Buy couldn't find it on their site).