tiny bluetooth module!

Projects Networking, Protocols, and Devices
1

I’m using the silver sparkfun Bluetooth module (Bluetooth Mate Silver - WRL-10393 - SparkFun Electronics) to wirelessly connect my smartphone to my arduino mini. But I need a Bluetooth board that’s smaller for where I’m trying to stick the unit. I’ve been looking into less beginner friendly but tiny Bluetooth modules like this one -

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/455762/BTM160%26170%20DataSheet.pdf

Will I be able to Rx/Tx easy out of one of these like with the sparkfun board? The supplier wants to know if I want HCI or SPP firmware, what does that mean?
Thank you for any help you can provide!

Any recommendations for a tiny Bluetooth module would be appreciated as well!

2

To be sure you would want to research the CSR BC417 chip and the full datasheet for the specific module.

I think you want the SPP firmware which, I hope, would make the module act like a serial modem. The HCI interface is for controlling the Bluetooth protocol stack from a host computer. I think it would be harder to use as a serial port.