New user, advice appreciated

**KennethD** · 12-18-2011, 11:09 AM

I just bought my Playbook and would like the forum to help me get the most out of it.
I use my droid tablet daily at work and mainly just use docs to go and evernote. I bought the playbook to bridge with my bold and separate work from personal. At 199 I couldn't go wrong.

**jafobabe** · 12-18-2011, 11:12 AM

Welcome to the forum for Playbook!

click on the link below my signature for Newbie Tips and Tricks for Playbook! This was complied by the users here on the forum

**CanadianThomas** · 12-18-2011, 11:16 AM

well, you must try sms bridge, its an app from app world you install on your BB phone and presto, sms texts on your playbook from ur phone. its cool.

are you running the beta OS2 on your playbook? if not try it. its great now. folders to oranize apps. faster browser. customizable dock and run android apps. its very cool

all in all the playbook is great, and the size makes it great for portability. being a BB phone owner u are going to love the playbook.

and u will love these forums, the people are great.

**KennethD** · 12-18-2011, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by CanadianThomas

well, you must try sms bridge, its an app from app world you install on your BB phone and presto, sms texts on your playbook from ur phone. its cool.

are you running the beta OS2 on your playbook? if not try it. its great now. folders to oranize apps. faster browser. customizable dock and run android apps. its very cool

all in all the playbook is great, and the size makes it great for portability. being a BB phone owner u are going to love the playbook.

and u will love these forums, the people are great.

Thank you both so much for your quick response. I did install bridge and will check on the beta os2. I brought it home, jumped on the forum to check if there was any special setup instructions, checked the newbie stickie and went through the setup process installed bridge and looked for you guys. where you all take me from there I do not know. I do see docstogo is preinstalled and looks to be a full version. I don't see a netflix or many other entertainment apps in the market. but once again this tab will be for work exclusively.

**CanadianThomas** · 12-18-2011, 11:37 AM

not just blackberry bridge, but sms bridge. its seperate app from a dev. i think it was .99

you wont get sms on the playbook without it.

keep it coming, i learn more and more in these threads. love it.

also if ur a news dude like me, check bb's news reader. its cool.

**KennethD** · 12-18-2011, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by CanadianThomas

not just blackberry bridge, but sms bridge. its seperate app from a dev. i think it was .99

you wont get sms on the playbook without it.

keep it coming, i learn more and more in these threads. love it.

also if ur a news dude like me, check bb's news reader. its cool.

oh SMS. so you can text from the pb through your bold. sweet. I will check it out. I looked and i do not have the beta os and don't know how to get it. and is it stable?

**homer1475** · 12-18-2011, 11:52 AM

If your a relative newbie I would stay away from the DELEVOPER BETA. Not to sure about the recent release, but the last build crashed a lot and caused more frustration then it was worth.

**robsteve** · 12-18-2011, 12:05 PM

I would avoid the beta too. I tried the latest one and just like the previous betas, I am going to revert back to the stock os. The browser in the beta is still a bit buggy and the current 1.0.8 stock OS has more recent versions of Adobe Flash and Adobe Air.

In addition, the beta has less memory available to running programs because of the Android player. I hope that when OS 2 is released we will have the option not to have the Android player and instead have more memory for running Playbook programs.

**KennethD** · 12-18-2011, 01:10 PM

Oh and in case anyone is curious I picked it up at office depot for 199. I think they were the last hold out.

**CanadianThomas** · 12-18-2011, 02:52 PM

i say get the new beta, i agreed wih the others about the last one. im tech support for a living so i am picky about things, but the newest one kicks. better browser, brigde works great now, typing on the keyboard is much better and having the ability to sideload android apps is cool too.

gerting the beta is easy, sign up in the rim site, then all good. and if u dont like it you can always go back. but i vote do it.

**kill_9** · 12-18-2011, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by KennethD

I did install bridge and will check on the beta os2.

As a BlackBerry PlayBook newbie you have no reason to venture into the murky world of BBOS 2.0 BETA. As a work tablet, the primary use you stated for the BlackBerry PlayBook, you are advised to stay away from beta software unless you intend to come back and post "woe is me" posts thereafter. I am trying to keep your experience 99% positive not 99% negative. Wait for the official BBOS 2.0 release in 2012. Speaking from my own experience BBOS 1.0.8.6067 is stable and will allow you to be productive.

**Aston Martin 007** · 12-18-2011, 03:03 PM

I agree to stay away from the beta as a newbie. Wondering how your stock OS is working and stable. I'll assume its 1.08? Also the newer tablets have the fixed power button.
Did you notice a difference if your familiar with the recessed one. Good luck...it's a solid form factor.

**KennethD** · 12-18-2011, 03:05 PM

Ok I have another question, what apps can i get that run on the bridge? can i get a map app. and if someone knows evernote can I import all my notes to set on the device? or do I have to access through wifi? also can I access evernote through the bridge?

**esqlaw** · 12-18-2011, 03:19 PM

Many apps can run thru bridge now. I didnt know you could sms but if that is in the beta I can only hope it will be there in the 2.0 release slated for feb. I hope RIM meets this deadline for once.

**KennethD** · 12-18-2011, 04:08 PM

I've been cruising the forum and see we can add droid apps. I will wait for the official release of 2.0 but it is good to know I will be able to use the apps I have. also my bridge apps icons seem to have disappeared.

**blackjack93117** · 12-18-2011, 04:11 PM

Is it only me that can't find this sms bridge in app world? I did the obvious and searched for "sms bridge" in my phone app world. - 9700 OS 5.0

**slalom** · 12-18-2011, 04:23 PM

sms bridge looks neat, but @ $3.99 with no trial? ive already paid too much for too many apps and been disappointed.

be nice when we start to see more free apps or prices <$1.00

**jafobabe** · 12-18-2011, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by blackjack93117

Is it only me that can't find this sms bridge in app world? I did the obvious and searched for "sms bridge" in my phone app world. - 9700 OS 5.0

I see it on my 9810 OS7, but it might not have the app for your OS5.

**slalom** · 12-18-2011, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by blackjack93117

Is it only me that can't find this sms bridge in app world? I did the obvious and searched for "sms bridge" in my phone app world. - 9700 OS 5.0

I searched for "bridge" in app world on my 9810 and it turned up in the first few of 50 results.

**KennethD** · 12-18-2011, 06:06 PM

so I search for "bridge" from my phone?

**jafobabe** · 12-18-2011, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by KennethD

so I search for "bridge" from my phone?

Yeppers .... then when you bridge your phone to the PB, you can see any sms messages in the Bridge Tab on your playbook. The SMS app takes the sms messages and converts it to an email that you can access on the PB, as an email.

At least that's what I understood from the directions on the SMS App.

I'm not going to purchase this App until I see what the offical OS2 brings.

**KennethD** · 12-18-2011, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by jafobabe

Yeppers .... then when you bridge your phone to the PB, you can see any sms messages in the Bridge Tab on your playbook. The SMS app takes the sms messages and converts it to an email that you can access on the PB, as an email.

At least that's what I understood from the directions on the SMS App.

Is there a way to access a map from the bridge?

**jafobabe** · 12-18-2011, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by KennethD

Is there a way to access a map from the bridge?

Not at this time. But there are Playbook Apps for maps in the Playbook App World.

BUT.... if you have a map on your phone, you could use the Phone Remote App to access everything on your phone from the Playbook.

I do have the Phone Remote. It is useful and worth the money.

**Hgouck** · 12-18-2011, 06:26 PM

SMS Bridge is a very good app. I have found no way to bridge a map yet but poynt works really well for looking up businesses. There are map apps in App World but non that I have found that have voice turn by turn

**blackjack93117** · 12-18-2011, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by KennethD

Is there a way to access a map from the bridge?

If looking for map apps - don't overlook the free GEOrendr app - its awesome - fast rendering, amazingly free, uses GPS and doesn't use google maps.

topo maps marine maps, road maps, satellite maps from

deLorme,NAVTEQ TomTom, USGS, NOAA
National Geographic,others