Comments on: Kensington WiFi Finder Plus Review

By: John Bull

John Bull — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:11:24 +0000

Dead batteries from new? Sometimes gadjets like these are shipped with a little slip of clear plastic inserted into the battery chamber, which you have to pull out the first time you use them. This is obviously to prevent them arriving dead by getting turned on during shipping.

But what do I know- I bought one of these used in a charity shop and it doesn’t detect anything, though it lights up alright. I’m contemplating buying a pair of new batteries for it in case they are low enough to affect operation, but I bet it’s just gone bad.

By: Julie

Julie — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 22:14:03 +0000

yy54:

Yes, that’s the location of the flashlight switch. I’m thinking that somehow the button for the scanner must have been depressed in shipping or something, and caused the batteries to drain…

By: yy54

yy54 — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 21:40:36 +0000

nope flashlight doesntwork.The switch to the flashlight is the one at the top of the back isn’t it.Also how can the batteries be dead I just bought it.:confused:

By: Julie

Julie — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 21:31:37 +0000

yy54:

That’s all you have to do. I bet the batteries are dead. Does the flashlight work?

By: yy54

yy54 — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 21:02:44 +0000

Hi i dont know how to turn it on.I only just bought it so i dont think its thee batterys.I pressed the big silver button in the middle and that doesnt turn it on.Please help. :confused:

By: MrWhooHoo

MrWhooHoo — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 15:20:08 +0000

The so-called ‘Bluetooth finder’ on the Kensington device does not detect discoverable devices, only those where there is an active connection. And Kensington do say that. But this is pretty pointless, since I want to know if there is something I can connect to, not whether something is already connected. And it will light up if it detects a cordless phone. :wow: Which is also pretty pointless AND misleading. It should really be called a ‘cordless phone’ detector. :bored:

By: Julie

Julie — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 14:33:31 +0000

The manual consisted of the inside of the folder cardboard backing to the plastic container the device shipped in It said that this sniffer can find active Bluetooth® enabled devices or networks.

By: John Oh

John Oh — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 14:06:57 +0000

On the Bluetooth Indicator not working properly….

Could it be that this Bluetooth Finder on this device is designed to find Bluetooth Hubs (not Bluetooth Devices)?

I think that bluetooth hubs are not commonly available here in the states (the only ones I have seen are in Logitech Wireless mouse or mouse/keyboard sets). The Bluetooth Hub is in the Recharging Base Station for the Mouse…..

I don’t have a lot of experience with these WiFi finders (waiting until they get better based on all sorts of reasons some of which are included on reviews such as yours), but I think they are designed to find Hubs as Sources.

I don’t think they are designed to detect PCs/PDAs with WiFi (unless they are setup as a Source/Hub) and I would think the Bluetooth would work the same way….

Does it mention this in the manual or documentation?

By: Julie

Julie — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 13:50:38 +0000

Thanks Strider

By: strider_mt2k

strider_mt2k — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 11:48:29 +0000

I dunno.
Maybe I’m spoiled by my Clie TH55 PDA’s ability to spot and identify WiFi hotspots.

I think these things are better when they can provide some more specific information because hey, who is using these to NOT know this stuff?

I wouldn’t refuse one as a gift, but if I was going to spend the money, I’d want more out of a device like this.

On another topic: Way to be referenced on Engadget!
(Both sites are bookmarked on my various machines.)