[anitajj]

As a PB "only" newbie, I'm curious how many of you also use the PB as a standalone (i.e. not paired with a bb phone). I ask because so many threads speak mainly to the value of that linkage. So, how many of you are standalone PB (or if you no longer had your bb phone, would you be more likely to jump ship?)

[SifJar]

I don't have a BB phone, but I also wouldn't own a PB if I hadn't received it for free. Now that I do have it, I find it perfectly functional without a BB phone, and certainly wouldn't consider getting a BB phone because of it.

[seamonky]

hi, interesting question. when i first got the playbook i swapped my lumia 800 to bb bold 9900. However after about 4 months i had not really used bridge very muchand the phone was starting to play up so i got rid of it in favour of an android phone. I did not see a massive benefit in having the phone and playbook combon except for freaking people out by saying play on my playbook, then using the phone to control it.

[Gooseberry Falls]

No BB phone here either. Though the Z10 looks nice. Haven't played with it but if it is as smooth as the PB, I might go with it. But apparently bridge won't work with Z10 until PB gets BB10. I think the main reason ppl like bridge is to get away from carrier wifi hotspot charges. But I can do that with android so I don't see any advantage. I guess it does have some other functionality with BBM and remote control, though.

[rogprov]

I have a PB but I don't have a phone at all.

[sglane22]

I only own a PB at the moment. The Z10 looks fantastic but I will wait for BB10 on PB first to see how that is.
So far loving BBRY and Crackberry forums.

[Jimberry Storm]

Bridge works just not all functions as on older OS.

[kwelamnp]

I have a PB but I don't have a phone at all.

I am usually in that situation, but at moment have a $14.00 Walmart AT&T Paygo phone just for emergencies, because I am in USA for a few months.

I wouldn't have bought a PB except for the give away prices. It of course came with the updated OS and I have been impressed with the build quality and functionality. Just a shame RIM screwed up the original release.

I do use the PB to make LD calls in Canada and USA. I use Comwave (with wifi) which is totally free and works almost as well as Skype. I do find PB needs a headset so as to avoid feedback.with the mike and speakers being so close. If BB10 come with Skype, that may be better.

[Cale M]

PB with Torch, with the most used function being bridgework. I'm even holding off on my BB10 upgrade until they have the bridge fully functional once more. Though it angers me that I can make and take phone calls with a bluetooth headset, yet that seems beyond the bluetooth abilities of the PB. APPs can remotely control almost every function of the bridged/bluetooth connected phone... except for calls?

Why? I have no idea.

[ike1973]

When I got my first playbook I had a bold 9000. Didn't really use the bridge function very much or tethering through bluetooth so when the 9000 crapped out I too went out and got the latest android phone, the SGS3. Still love my playbook, I'm on my third one now. First one got stolen, and the second one went to my mother in law when I upgraded to a 32GB. I've also bought one for the wife and my son. Lately it gets it's most use streaming video to my tv using the hdmi out.

[ChrisMay]

No BB phone here, though since I've had the PB, I AM considering a Blackberry for my next phone. Not especially because I think it will benefit me having the two together, just because I like the quality of the PB, and guess that the phones would be similar.

[Barracuda7772]

I do not have a blackberry smartphone. I actually just bought a playbook 3 weeks ago 99 dollers for the 16 gig.

honestly I do not see what all the hate is for this device is it boggles my mind completely.

the playbook has amazing build quality, a stunning screen on a 7 inch form factor, and I rarely find 1 gig to be an issue ....except when I intentionlly try to overload the ram by running like 6 gameloft games and even still that's damn impressive.

I'm not a troll by any means but I would never dream of running 6 gameloft games on any android with similar specs ......its just not going to happen.

the reason we have it engrained into our heads that one gig of ram is not enough is because android is the number one mobile os and it is poorly optimised due to there being so many hardware choices from OEM's.

I'm not a fan of IOS but props to Apple for making their os run on what the rest of the tech world would be considered underspecced......cough cough iphone5 ....cough cough 1 gig of ram.

how about we stop letting google and samsung tell us when its time to upgrade and keep enjoying this amazing little playbook because its only getting better.

ps. if all I get from the next pb upgrade is the new keyboard,browser and android firmware and cascades support I will be a happy man

[Spencerdl]

I used to own a Blackberry device (9930) to go along with my PlayBook, but I always felt as thought I was missing something in the world of smartphones and I was correct. I purchased a Galaxy S3 and realized I didn't need a Blackberry device to go with my PlayBook, and now hearing all of the non-bridge functionality with the "new" BB10 devices ........I'm GOOD. My hotspot works great when I need it. I do miss BBM, but WhatsApp is a okay alternative

[katesbb]

I was using a 9650 (miss that wonderful little device!) when I bought my PlayBook, but I jumped platforms to an Android phone a week or so ago. Our other 9650 broke and we needed a replacement ASAP, and I still wanted the endless notification customization options I had with BBOS, so I ruled the Z10 out.

I never used the Bridge much. Mostly just to Remote Control the PlayBook when playing movies on the TV, etc. Occasionally as a hotspot, but I think Android will do that too.

[GrahamB]

I've got a Sony phone that works as a handy hotspot when I need it. Other than that I don't see a need for a BB Phone

[Enyigma]

I use the PB alone without a BB phone.

The one mobile phone I do have is a 7-11 SpeakOut special where I got the handset free for buying a $50 minutes card, and the phone came with a $5 activation bonus (no "system" charges, setup fees, connection fees or anything else except a monthly $0.99 911 fee and minutes don't expire for a year but can be rolled over with the purchase of more minutes). I use the mobile phone for emergencies and so far it cost me a total of $30 a year to run.

I don't have much of a need to be continuously connected with my PB so the tethering and bridge functions aren't important to me. There is extensive WiFi coverage out there and it is sufficient to my needs for checking in or getting information on the go. Like @kwelamnp, I have the Comwave app for calling from my PB and I do use PB phone earphones for calling on Comwave to eliminate sound problems. I don't seem to need earphones when using the PB with its voice/video for PB to PB communication though.

Now if I could get a Bluetooth headset working with the PB....

[sjsg]

I have a company Blackberry phone but not allowed to tether my PB. So I use a Huawei E5331 mifi with a 3 month / 3GB PAYG sim. Works great.

[Techno-Emigre]

I have a 9850 and can't live without Bridge, but mostly use it for my business. I don't have to pay for wifi in the office or anywhere. I use remote control constantly for presentations. It has made my life so much easier that I will wait to buy a Z10 until full Bridge functionality arrives. The PB really is a great little device and small enough it goes everywhere with me. On down time I like to stream movies or music to the TV, show home movies, etc. Started with a 16g and then added a 64g when prices went down. I will definitley get the next gen PB.

[rkennedy01]

Just my Playbook and a simple feature phone (Nokia 1200-something). Whenever I go online it's via some sort of wifi connection...

RCK

[RubberChicken76]

In my family:

- Me: started with BB, now have PlayBook and iPhone
- Mother: Only PlayBook
- Aunt A: Only PlayBook
- Cousin A: both
- Cousin B: both
- Aunt B: both
- Uncle A: Only PlayBook

[BadBlackBat]

Only PlayBook either. I broke my 9780 circa about half year ago and PB owner I am since a month.

[KittyBomb]

I don't have a BlackBerry phone but I do have the 64GB PlayBook and my Mother doesn't have a BlackBerry phone but she has the 16GB PlayBook.
I tried my brothers wife's Samsung tablet over the holidays and I would not get one of those, she returned it for a refund after using it a few weeks.
I had handled someones iPad, it feels like junk next to my PlayBook.
I don't really care about a bunch of games and apps and I don't need Skype or Netflix so there really isn't anything that I don't like about my PlayBook.

[Cracklen]

No phone a-tall ..that is why my eyes light up at any mention of a Z10 to win contest ....

from 64gb !

[untakenusername]

Me. Phone is an iphone 4s and it's great

I'll get my coat...

[mattstu39]

I bought a playbook in january this year as I had read everything about it.once I had got used to it my next thing was wanting to see what bridge was all about,luckily a friend had an old bb bold 9000 that wasn't being used anymore so they said I could have it allthough the trackball worked it wouldn't click to ok anything.so I tookvit apart and fixed it.it looks. like new.I had to unlock it from the carrier it was on,that took me afew days to do for free and put my sim in.the best way to make the best of certainly the bb phones before bb10 is to get a bb bolt on for data and bbmessenger.this cost me �5 a month.then I hooked phone up to playbook with no problems and played around with its functions,you can use it as a mouse but this can be slow,but you can use it like a blutooth keyboard in the browser.but the best for me is when you connect the playbook to tv by hdmi and use phone as remote control for play,pause,stop,change film.and more.it just adds more to it but not essential.