Why can't a PlayBook be a bluetooth hands free device?

**frfghtr** · 05-24-2011, 12:26 PM

I using my gratuitous dumb question of the day.

Why can't a PlayBook be a bluetooth hands free device?

I have a $100 BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone VM-605 that allows me to stream music via bluetooth from my Storm and fm to my radio and also take and make calls. And there's bluetooth ear pieces on the market for $20.

So why can't a $700 playbook?

Just wondering.

I do realize it doesn't handle A2DP. Is that the problem?

**jajano** · 05-24-2011, 12:39 PM

waiting for some answer too..

**TBone4eva** · 05-24-2011, 12:54 PM

It can, it just needs the hands-free bluetooth profile. A2DP is for high quality audio so you can use things like bluetooth headphones.

**habicht** · 05-24-2011, 12:55 PM

Because rim hasn't made an app yet and third party devs don't have the ndk(native dev kit) yet.

So customers and devs have to wait...

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**lindajm22** · 05-24-2011, 01:04 PM

I can't wait to be able to hook it up to my new car via bluetooth! Currently I can listen to music on my curve through my car's bluetooth connection, but I can hold much more music on the playbook than the curve.

**Hankster** · 05-24-2011, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by habicht

Because rim hasn't made an app yet and third party devs don't have the ndk(native dev kit) yet.

So customers and devs have to wait...

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

In other words: RIM didn't really do enough development in the PlayBook to make it a real usable device before launching.

In other words: Third party developers aren't going to waste their time with the BlackBerry platform because both Apple and Android reaches out to 10,000x more users.

**frfghtr** · 05-24-2011, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by lindajm22

I can't wait to be able to hook it up to my new car via bluetooth! Currently I can listen to music on my curve through my car's bluetooth connection, but I can hold much more music on the playbook than the curve.

A tethered playbook would make one heck of a hands free device.

Music
BBM
Phones Calls
Video Chat
Internet

You may never want leave your car.

**jnak00** · 05-25-2011, 12:11 AM

My Torch can be bridged to my Playbook and connected to my Garmin GPS (for handsfree calling) at the same time. While it would be awesome to have my Playbook act as a speakerphone, I suspect part of the problem is that many people already use headsets or other devices for handsfree functions. It would be a pain to constantly switch your phone's handsfree function from the playbook to a headset/other handsfree device and back all the time.

**galuple** · 05-25-2011, 12:39 AM

Because if the cops see that thing strapped to your windshield no amount of convincing is going to do the trick, and you're going to get a ticket for that :-p

**asherwiin** · 05-25-2011, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by frfghtr

I do realize it doesn't handle A2DP. Is that the problem?

The current software release doesn't include the A2DP bluetooth profiles necessary for audio. The hardware should be able to support it, so we should see an update in a future software release that adds the missing drivers. Right now the only drivers in place are for HID (keyboards, mice, etc.) and the BB Bridge.

Patience is your friend...

**lnichols** · 05-25-2011, 11:04 AM

The current Software Bluetooth stack on the PB seems to be very limited now and only have the bridge and tethering in mind. Future software updates should add the capability for more functions in Bluetooth (A2DP, handsfree, etc.)

**Fermercado** · 06-14-2012, 03:06 PM

Would be great to take calls keeping my phone inside my pocket.

**Chaddface** · 06-14-2012, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by Fermercado

Would be great to take calls keeping my phone inside my pocket.

If your a beta zone member, take the survey and ask for it. I did.

**Johnnycat13** · 06-14-2012, 04:22 PM

I could have sworn the point of having a hands free Bluetooth device for your phone was to remove the need for fumbling around with a "bulky" phone and to pass audio for a call to/from the phone. My playbook is way bigger than my phone and doesn't exactly clip to the visor of my car. In order to answer a call I'd have to find the playbook, look at it to hit the answer button, then figure out where to balance the thing so I could both hear and be heard. I may be missing something here but it does seem a little counterintuitive. May as well just pick up the phone and answer it.

**Chaddface** · 06-14-2012, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by Johnnycat13

May as well just pick up the phone and answer it.

Then I would have get off the couch

.
Just now I got the notification for an incoming call and didn't hear the phone ringing. I missed the call and had to call back. It would have been convenient to just answer from the PB.

**Johnnycat13** · 06-14-2012, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by Chaddface

Then I would have get off the couch

.

Touché.

Good point tho. Didn't even think of out of car use. Now that I do, there have been times the phone has rang from across the room while charging, and to answer with the playbook would have been damn handy.

**der_mit** · 06-14-2012, 08:13 PM

but also, imagine youre on the playbook looking through your emails, you decide you need to call some one so you open your contact list on the pb and theres a call button next to yor contacts , you tap it and youre connected via a bluetooth headset that is paired with your phone, the phone is in your jacket and you dont even need to touch it. there could also be a pop-up numerical keypad on the PB for ramdom telephone numbers you might need to dial. very handy , i think.