How to activate Bluetooth headset more easily?

I asked the following question in a Windows XP newsgroup at
news.microsoft.com. As I didn't get any reply yet maybe someone can help
here?

I'm using a Bluetooth headset with my Windows XP laptop (mainly for
listening to music and talking on Skype). While everything basically works
it requires too many steps to activate the headset. Establishing the
connection between the laptop and the headset is no problem actually.
However when the headset is switched on Windows XP still uses the built-in
loudspeakers. I have to restart each and every application (Windows media
player, Skype, browsers when I watch videos online etc.) - otherwise the
applications don't understand that they should use the Bluetooth headset
now and not the built-in loudspeakers anymore. I wonder if there is
anything I can do to activate my Bluetooth headset more easily. Is there a
configuration setting in Windows XP I could change? Is there any utility
on the net which might help here?

Boris

I hope you get a solution because I'd like to do the
same with my Vista laptop. (I haven't gone to far as
to buy the BlueTooth headset, though. :-) )

*TimDaniels*

On Sat, 01 Mar 2008 03:21:34 +0200, Timothy Daniels
<SpamBucket@NoSpamPlease.biz> wrote:

> I hope you get a solution because I'd like to do the
> same with my Vista laptop. (I haven't gone to far as
> to buy the BlueTooth headset, though. :-) )

I didn't get any reply yet in the Windows XP newsgroups. Maybe you are
lucky and Windows Vista can stream audio data to Bluetooth devices
automatically once they connect. By the way, if you also use Wi-Fi prepare
for more problems. :)

Boris

"Boris" wrote:
> I didn't get any reply yet in the Windows XP newsgroups.
> Maybe you are lucky and Windows Vista can stream audio
> data to Bluetooth devices automatically once they connect.
> By the way, if you also use Wi-Fi prepare for more problems.
> :)
>
> Boris

My Vista laptop came with a Wi-Fi card installed.
No problems, yet, but I admit that I haven't used it
much. I was hoping to use Bluetooth for home
networking bacause the range of Wi-Fi makes me
uneasy, and I don't need much range in a condo.

*TimDaniels*