1. rhwingo's Avatar
    I have been using my PB for several months now, and I was thinking about getting both my college age kids a PB for Christmas. Neither one of them use a BB phone.

    I know that PB can help them with presentations etc.

    Could someone tell me if it is worth it for college age to have the PB without having a BB phone?

    Also what is the best way to use the PB without a BB phone?

    Thanks.............
    12-12-11 02:03 PM
  2. alekza's Avatar
    Hi there.. I must say..

    (as a college student)

    I use more the WIFI on campus. Just when I'm out of coverage if use browsing with bridge.
    My college use of the pb is:

    *PDFs and DOC Viewing.
    *Highlighting PDFs.
    *Quick Note taking.
    *Handwriting (Althou I still prefer a Notebook, as I havent found a right app)
    *Taking Pictures of the boards and Making PDFs of "Today's Lesson"
    *Music and Vids.
    *Sync with Dropbox to have access to my PC files where I store assignments or notes i've taken.

    ** Some Games when a class is too boring... **

    ** BRIDGE ACTUAL USE **
    View/Write Emails or BBMs when i dont want to be caught using my phone or when someone asks me to email something (a PDF
    or a Picture taken with PB)

    The Mayor Downside of not having a BB phone is being dependent on WIFI. But if your kids phone is able to have a wifi hotspot or to tether... they should be fine.
    12-12-11 02:42 PM
  3. Silverfern's Avatar
    I am a university student, and i see it being useful for PDF/Powerpoint and maybe voice notes to record prof's lectures, so i got myself a PB. Depends on if their classes is full of PDF/Powerpoints, because mine sure is, and since my laptop battery dies in 30 minutes, PB is very useful
    12-12-11 02:48 PM
  4. leticeberry's Avatar
    I'm looking to buy one for my college age daughter as well. Waiting for them to go on sale again though.
    12-12-11 02:55 PM
  5. alekza's Avatar
    I bought mine for $310 (32GB) when back in October. Saw it during the cyber Monday at $249.
    12-12-11 03:22 PM
  6. cl8baller's Avatar
    I am currently a college student and for me it took a while to adapt to having a PlayBook.
    It can be a very practically educational tool for tasks other than web browsing.
    The PDF viewer has been helpful for my college has most documents and forms online in PDF format.

    The document to go suite has been a lifesaver for those last minute edit and reprint moments.

    There are also a few other useful tools, News, e-mail launchers when in wifi, and Facebook when your're bored and in wifi coverage.

    With all honesty it really depends on how willing they are to integrate the PlayBook to their studies.

    I have almost made my PlayBook a primary device but like any tablet there are limitations into how much they can replace a desktop, laptop and sometimes the conventional pen and paper.
    Hgouck, Mazokun and bbfan1040 like this.
    12-12-11 03:28 PM
  7. esqlaw's Avatar
    Personally, I think handwriting notes is the best method. Studies support this too. Several months ago I graduated lawschool and one of the best students there I know did his notes on laptop the first year and did average. Next year he took all his notes by hand and did top 5-10% (a huge accomplishment and humongous leap). Some of the benefits are that people generally remember something better when they hand write. And using a laptop or computer in class you're more focused on typing than what the professor is trying to get across. Using handwritten notes you're supposed to take short notes and fill in while reviewing after class. That said, it could have some uses... not really sure what they would be.

    Really depends on your kids and how they would use it.
    MadGasser likes this.
    12-12-11 03:44 PM
  8. TBone4eva's Avatar
    Here are the features I use for school:

    Voice Notes - For recording lectures

    Adobe Acrobat - For reading eBooks, assignments, or class notes from the instructor

    Word to Go - For reading syllabus, assignments, class notes from the instructor, or writing assignments.

    Slideshow to Go - For viewing class PowerPoint presentations.

    HDMI - For viewing those PowerPoint slides on my TV at home.

    Browser - For access to Blackboard for my online classes and to download course materials.

    Rear camera - For taking pictures of what the instructor writes on the whiteboard. Also comes in handy when I missed a class and need the notes from a fellow student. I just snap a pic of their notes.

    Fast charging port - Easier to keep the PB charged at work before I go to class.

    Bridge - To use Memopad to make quick notes, also comes in handy for discreetly checking my emails and BBM while in class . Also comes in handy when the school's WiFi won't let me connect.

    Portability - I can easily place the PB in a jacket or pants pocket when I step out of the class during breaks. Much easier to use than a laptop when I'm hanging out in the lobby area waiting for one of my classes to start.

    Flash - for viewing Youtube videos that the instructor wants us to look at.
    12-12-11 07:26 PM
  9. jimbob4321's Avatar
    I can attest that as a university student, the playbook is quite handy. The major factor is the portability aspect of it. I usually just end up sliding it into the same case as my laptop.

    Also, depending on how generous you are feeling - i would highly recommend that you reward your kids with an HDMI cable, along with the playbook
    tboy0730 likes this.
    12-12-11 07:37 PM
  10. anthogag's Avatar
    I would recommend the playbook for university. It's a high quality product and OS2 is coming in February...

    University libraries and classrooms have wi-fi access so they would be covered for most of the day. If they live in student housing they probably have wi-fi in the building.

    Right now, no tablet will replace pen/pencil + paper but the pb can be an excellent support tool.
    12-12-11 11:23 PM
  11. marksthespot60's Avatar
    Hello, I'm a university student and I can tell you from experience, most days all I need to bring is my play book and it fits right in my back pocket. All my textbooks, notes, papers, and web resources are stored on my playbook. In your kids case, OS 2.0 will give them their calendar and email as well all in their back pocket. I think the only advantage of having a BB phone after OS 2.0 will be that you will have web access everywhere. Right now, since they are on campuses, I'd assume that would be the case already. I think the playbook is a good way to go. The full power of the web is invaluable and the BB Playbook delivers a quality experience that I don't even think a 4 core android tablet can boast about.

    I rarely pick up my macbook pro anymore. It doesn't leave my room; it sits in the corner and collects dust.
    bbfan1040 likes this.
    12-13-11 03:52 AM
  12. kill_9's Avatar
    Hello, I'm a university student and I can tell you from experience, most days all I need to bring is my play book and it fits right in my back pocket.
    For all you back-pocket-carrying tablet users out there do you wear " " style attire?
    12-13-11 04:26 AM
  13. bitek's Avatar
    I'm looking to buy one for my college age daughter as well. Waiting for them to go on sale again though.
    $149 for refurbished PB at Bestbuy.com free shipping
    12-13-11 06:35 AM
  14. bitek's Avatar
    recording lectures with pb is great idea
    12-13-11 06:38 AM
  15. sx4dude2013's Avatar
    Im a university student too (GATA - Gerogia Southern University)!!!
    *I hope were gonna be National Champs*!!
    But I dont have a PB yet, but will be getting one this weekend from my parents for Christmas.
    I will use my for snaping pics, viewing docs, some web browsing, etc.
    At 7" its very portable and practical! Plus with my BB phone, It was a must!
    Im excited! lol
    bbfan1040 likes this.
    12-13-11 08:55 AM
  16. Silverfern's Avatar
    For all you back-pocket-carrying tablet users out there do you wear " " style attire?

    during the winter, my coat has two inner pocket, conincidentally they are exactly the same size as the PB (PB is around 3 cm taller), so its perfect
    12-13-11 09:22 AM
  17. alnamvet68's Avatar
    Too bad the playbook is a horrible PDF reader.
    Apparently not to Silverfern and others.
    12-13-11 01:09 PM
  18. LuayS's Avatar
    Too bad the playbook is a horrible PDF reader.
    Its actually not bad, i love reading epubs on this thing.
    12-13-11 01:35 PM
  19. alekza's Avatar
    Too bad the playbook is a horrible PDF reader.
    Its pretty basic but it does the job.

    I'm running OS2 beta and have a couple of android apps that make the PDF viewing and editing a better experience.
    12-13-11 04:44 PM
  20. RCCollins's Avatar
    There are much better choices out there, especially if you are trying to do actual work. The Playbook is a device for tinkerers and Blackberry enthusiasts only.
    12-13-11 04:48 PM
  21. Kennyatpnl's Avatar
    There are much better choices out there, especially if you are trying to do actual work. The Playbook is a device for tinkerers and Blackberry enthusiasts only.
    i completely agree. I went from a rooted nook color to a playbook. The Android platform did a lot more than my playbook. As far as basic pdf viewing and note taking, anything can do it effectively. If they don't have a blackberry phone, get them a different tablet.
    12-13-11 05:00 PM
  22. johnny316's Avatar
    Not sure if anyone mentioned Video chat. Save on long distance calls.
    12-13-11 07:06 PM
  23. soo007's Avatar
    give him/her a bb as well. it doesn't have to be a bold 9900. just tell him/her not to bbm during lecture =)
    12-13-11 07:11 PM
  24. RescueCop's Avatar
    Well, it's been a few years since I attended classes (though I expect to start another stint in grad school soon), but as a university researcher I use my Playbook just about every day. Today, it was for taking notes during a conference call. I use it for note taking during seminars and presentations, too, and as other posters have mentioned the still and video camera and voice recording capabilities are quite handy.

    The included Adobe PDF reader on the Playbook isn't the greatest, but it works tolerably well, and the ability to install Android apps that will come with OS 2 will open up more options. Reading and editing Word-compatible documents is also easy and extremely convenient. Evernote is handy for accessing documents across various devices, while RDM+ is a reasonably effective way to access a PC (but not directly share files with it) remotely.

    As other posters have pointed out, WiFi is nearly ubiquitous on college and university campuses these days. This makes the lack of a BlackBerry smartphone for bridging much less important than it might be for other users. I recently picked up a 32 GB Playbook for my wife (who works in computing at a university) during the Black Friday sale. She's an avid iPhone user, but she loves the Playbook and doesn't miss the lack of bridging.

    In my not so humble opinion, the greatest strengths of the Playbook are the excellent hardware (processor speed, memory, screen and speaker quality, camera quality, and long battery life) and its portability. There are definitely more apps available for iPads and Android tablets, and probably always will be, but the advent of OS 2 (with its ability to run many Android apps) in early 2012 will close some of that gap. Even without it, as others have pointed out, there aren't many school-related tasks that the Playbook can't already handle as well as most other tablets.

    The Playbook also comes in handy in my public safety jobs, but that's another story...
    12-13-11 07:35 PM
  25. Chrisjohn1990's Avatar
    I'm also a university student and i just got a playbook,
    For school I use it to view course notes (docs and pdfs mostly) and access dropbox
    school files.

    While I have a blackberry, I'm pretty much always on wifi and I believe most campuses should have Wifi available.
    I haven't tried recording any lectures with voice notes yet.

    I only use bridge when I'm on the road (bus mostly)
    12-13-11 07:36 PM
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