[lawguyman]

Yesterday I had to leave work early to do some errands. Of course, I had a work related emergency arise and I had to draft something for a client.

Sitting in my car on the side of the road, I was able to create the document from soup to nuts and get it off to the client really without missing a beat. I don't want to have to work this way very often but I have to admit that Playbook did the job for me yesterday.

[marksasongko]

I assume you were using word to go, which is probably the best app out of the 3 available (word, sheet, and slideshow) the worse is probably sheet, very unusable...

[AggreX]

Mark, what was your problem with usable "sheets"? My only issue with the "sheets" was during file transfers containing an excel sheet from a pc which would not open. I had to create a new document in the PB then copy the data from the pc and paste onto the PB "sheet".

[kbz1960]

Wow lawguy with a positive post on the playbook!

[menaknow]

Wow lawguy with a positive post on the playbook!

His account might be hacked...

[lawguyman]

I give credit where credit is due. The problems with Playbook are not with the things that it does. It is all of the things that it doesn't do.

But, yes. Bridge bailed me out.

[tstrike34]

Lawguyman,

I do agree. My PB is a lifesaver and a force multiplier for work. Now if we can get Google Earth on PB, my life would be so much easier.

[laurah2215]

Nice to hear that people are using it for business, because it was hailed as a professional tablet and I find that it doesn't have a lot of 'professional' utility. Good to hear!

[NickA]

Nice to hear that people are using it for business, because it was hailed as a professional tablet and I find that it doesn't have a lot of 'professional' utility. Good to hear!

I try to use mine solely as a professional tablet now. I still like my Galaxy Tab 8.9 tablet, and I want to keep that and the PlayBook. So the PB will be dedicated to business, and the GTab to couch surfing and what not.

[blackjack93117]

Yay! Lawguyman sees value in playbook pre-2.0. Thanks for sharing. Credit to you also for being so humble.

[blackjack93117]

Nice to hear that people are using it for business, because it was hailed as a professional tablet and I find that it doesn't have a lot of 'professional' utility. Good to hear!

Are you kidding?
I find an INCREDIBLE amount of professional utility. That's all I use it for. I never expected it to replace my desktop for document creation, editing etc, (not stuff I do on the road) but for mobile information gathering, portability of documents (portable reference library), email, messaging etc, instant response to client's needs wherever I am, it can't be beat, especially with 3G bridging at no extra cost. On site information gathering and presentation setup is a snap. There are ways to access your desktop remotely, though I haven't gone there yet. At the office, it frees you from the desktop if you want to go sit somewhere comfortable (ergonomics are king). At meetings, it gives you a note taking method that doesn't make you look like you're not paying attention and just playing with your phone or messaging someone. I cant speak for the utility of BES as I don't use it, but there must be professional use there. It allows you to check who's calling or emailing on your silenced phone without appearing rude or inattentive. You must not get out of the cubicle much.

[NickA]

For my professional use right now, I use it to keep track of time spent on projects/tasks (I'm a software dev) for clients. I stopped using by Droid X2 and using my old 8530, so now I'm bridged and can have Internet access when I'm at a client's site and they don't allow contractors on their network. I use it for notes when taking info from a potential client. And it just makes me look more professional I think.

[blackjack93117]

For my professional use right now, I use it to keep track of time spent on projects/tasks (I'm a software dev) for clients. I stopped using by Droid X2 and using my old 8530, so now I'm bridged and can have Internet access when I'm at a client's site and they don't allow contractors on their network. I use it for notes when taking info from a potential client. And it just makes me look more professional I think.

I actually just use Exgen time and expense for that on my phone. Seems more convenient with a real keyboard and I always have it with me. Its a nice app that I haven't seen on Playbook yet. Exports an Excel file (.csv) and emails it.

[marksasongko]

Mark, what was your problem with usable "sheets"? My only issue with the "sheets" was during file transfers containing an excel sheet from a pc which would not open. I had to create a new document in the PB then copy the data from the pc and paste onto the PB "sheet".

well it's a pain to copy and paste formula, tables also do not open properly, you can't insert row nor column, can't resize column, and so on...

[anon3969612]

I do service work in the oilfield industry and also use mine on the road at remote jobsites where getting access to the local companies' WIFI is not an option. I use VNC apps for remote desktop access back to the office, and bridged through the Torch 9810 it is better than my laptop for doing 'office' work in my service truck. The instant power on and smaller form factor work excellently in a crowded pickup cab, and I use telnet apps to to remotely check our modem linked RTU's that are out on even further remote sites.

And because I do the review of the company phone and data usage, I see that the bill for the Playbook/Torch monthly voice/data use is $ 10.00 less than the iPhone plan another coworker uses, and his iPad is another separate plan entirely.

And on weekends, I mod and fix cars, and have quite a library of .pdf service manuals that I refer to. Again, the 7" tablet in its Targus tri-fold case is a perfect size to refer to service diagrams, and I have no problems finding the exploded diagrams I need without a word search (indexes are awesome) and the top swipe page slider bar feature.

I find it fits my professional and personal needs quite well.

[NickA]

I actually just use Exgen time and expense for that on my phone. Seems more convenient with a real keyboard and I always have it with me. Its a nice app that I haven't seen on Playbook yet. Exports an Excel file (.csv) and emails it.

Do you mean Exgis? That's the one I used a couple years ago. I purchased it it and it fit my needs well. Long story short: I can't get AppWorld to work with my old BB account (Google returned a lot of people having same issue), so I'll end up purchasing it again under my new account.

Hoping to see that one on the PB soon.

[blackjack93117]

Do you mean Exgis? That's the one I used a couple years ago. I purchased it it and it fit my needs well. Long story short: I can't get AppWorld to work with my old BB account (Google returned a lot of people having same issue), so I'll end up purchasing it again under my new account.

Hoping to see that one on the PB soon.

Yes Exgis, sorry.

[blackjack93117]

I do service work in the oilfield industry and also use mine on the road at remote jobsites where getting access to the local companies' WIFI is not an option. I use VNC apps for remote desktop access back to the office, and bridged through the Torch 9810 it is better than my laptop for doing 'office' work in my service truck. The instant power on and smaller form factor work excellently in a crowded pickup cab, and I use telnet apps to to remotely check our modem linked RTU's that are out on even further remote sites.

And because I do the review of the company phone and data usage, I see that the bill for the Playbook/Torch monthly voice/data use is $ 10.00 less than the iPhone plan another coworker uses, and his iPad is another separate plan entirely.

And on weekends, I mod and fix cars, and have quite a library of .pdf service manuals that I refer to. Again, the 7" tablet in its Targus tri-fold case is a perfect size to refer to service diagrams, and I have no problems finding the exploded diagrams I need without a word search (indexes are awesome) and the top swipe page slider bar feature.

I find it fits my professional and personal needs quite well.

NOW we're talking business use. Thanks for contributing that. Sounds like its already an indispensable tool for you.

[southlander]

I use VNC apps for remote desktop access back to the office

Please explain. You are using which client for remote access? Are you also using a VPN? (Perhaps you have a BES that does the VPN part?).

I'd like to have remote access as well. But I need a VPN client. I think there is aVNC as far as the remote client goes.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk

[anon3969612]

I set my office machine up with TightVNC server, created a port exception in the router firewall, and access it with either aVNC or IMTVNC on the Playbook.

One thing i am waiting for is a proper RDP app for Playbook so I can eliminate the VNC server, but it works well enough for the remote work I'm doing.

We may eventually go with a full VPN, but we're a small office and this isn't in our plan for this year.

[southlander]

I set my office machine up with TightVNC server, created a port exception in the router firewall, and access it with either aVNC or IMTVNC on the Playbook.

One thing i am waiting for is a proper RDP app for Playbook so I can eliminate the VNC server, but it works well enough for the remote work I'm doing.

We may eventually go with a full VPN, but we're a small office and this isn't in our plan for this year.

Cool. We use a VPN. I used to leave a port open and had a forwarding rule (like you mention). But we really have to use the VPN now. So I need a VPN client as well.

[z_scorpio_z]

I use mine for work as well (when needed). I have 24/7 on-call rotation every couple of weeks, and I use the bridge browser (that goes through BES) to connect to my monitoring server website. Acknowledge problem, and use custom webpages to take servers offline and reboot them etc. (I made these webpages after getting the playbook).

I am provided with laptop and a netbook (with air cards) for on-call as well, but they take much longer to boot up, connect air card, then need to vpn in using 2 factor and then RDP to machine and then perform the above actions. They have couple of hours of battery life, so we have to keep making sure they are charged.

And biggest benefit of course is that PB is more portable, instant on and long battery life, I no longer have carry the laptop bag (it stays in the car though, if need to ssh/rdp) with me to restaurant, movie, shopping etc.