[howarmat]

Do we know yet what the speeds are going to be like using the Bridge between the PB and a BB? If I'm using the bridge browser to stream YouTube vids for example, will it be able to do it well without a lot of buffering, especially if streaming higher rez videos?

we will have to see, if you have problems on your handheld you probably will on the PB but again not sure if its going to be able to keep up with HD streaming.

The mobile sites are certainly less data, but if downloading the exact same page, would the data usage be the same? I always thought the handhelds still downloaded the data for flash, ads, etc. and just couldn't process it.

well any mobile site will not have flash. and i dont know for sure if RIM servers strip that other content out and compress the data for normal BB browsing or not. I was under the assumption that you never downloaded that data

[luvac1]

Well, since you're technically using your phone's browser, does that mean the PB will load mobile sites when on the Bridge Internet rather than the non-mobile that the PB browser itself uses? Would be interesting to find out.

[DenverRalphy]

Do we know yet what the speeds are going to be like using the Bridge between the PB and a BB? If I'm using the bridge browser to stream YouTube vids for example, will it be able to do it well without a lot of buffering, especially if streaming higher rez videos?

With current Bluetooth specs in BB's, you're looking at about 2Mbits/sec. Much slower than a WiFi connection, but arguably comparable to 3G (I may be way off here) speeds.

[avt123]

Aren't the data speeds on the BB itself knocked down because of the NOC? I remember doing speed tests with my iPhone 3GS and 9700 and he download/upload speeds were significantly lower on the 9700.

[howarmat]

yes the NOC will probably slow some things down, i guess that is were compression comes in though too.

and yes i think bluetooth limit is 2 mbps of data. which it does have to share with the other stuff coming across its stream for the bridge

[tumer]

either way it seems that rim does have somthing up it sleeve

[techjunkieforlife]

I have seen a couple of questions in this thread but people are glossing over them and its asking what browser you are using?

If it is the playbook browser its not an extension of the phone, thats a tether. Since Kevin did not have a working version in the posted video we are assuming by the language and I read it as your phone browser. I can see that meaning an OS5 device having an awful bridge internet experience and OS6 performing better, but nothing like the Playbook browser over WiFi. What I'm saying is, forget flash and your bells and whistles.

[scmosher]

@ techjunkieforlife
WRONG
See Howarmat:
"it will use more data because the browser on the PB is more robust. you wont have mobile sites and you will have flash and all the ads and everything else like pictures and such the the BB doesnt display since its browser doesnt support them"
and rmjones101
"in a nutshell, when a browser receives the HTML, it processes what it supports, then requests as needed the objects to fill it, like images, video, audio files, flash etc, from the server. If a browser doesn't support flash, the portion of the page that references the flash is ignored or discarded, and never sends a request for the flash component. So the browser only downloads what it needs."

The PB browser does not lose functionality through bridging.

[howarmat]

@ techjunkieforlife
WRONG
See Howarmat:
"it will use more data because the browser on the PB is more robust. you wont have mobile sites and you will have flash and all the ads and everything else like pictures and such the the BB doesnt display since its browser doesnt support them"
and rmjones101
"in a nutshell, when a browser receives the HTML, it processes what it supports, then requests as needed the objects to fill it, like images, video, audio files, flash etc, from the server. If a browser doesn't support flash, the portion of the page that references the flash is ignored or discarded, and never sends a request for the flash component. So the browser only downloads what it needs."

The PB browser does not lose functionality through bridging.

well we dont know it doesnt lose the functionalty . Remember kevins demo unit it doesnt even work. I hope it doesnt but we dont know. we still have to see for sure.

[asherwiin]

I don't know if they would even have a way of knowing. I mean, technically, it's your BlackBerry doing the browsing and if you've got an unlimited data plan, there's not much they can say about using an obscene amount of data. I'm certain Bridge can't be blocked since carriers can't block apps, as far as I know, and the act of pairing is entirely done through Bluetooth which the carrier has no control over.

Eh, they'll think of something. They always do...

Say goodbye to unlimited browsing packages for Blackberry phones...

[jonty12]

Say goodbye to unlimited browsing packages for Blackberry phones...

they're already gone on AT&T (have been for a while). Thankfully you can grandfather your unlimited plan as long as you want. I now have a voice plan that hasn't been offered in 5 years and a data plan that got shelved almost a year ago.

[b121]

I posted this on the blog before I saw this thread. "Thanks Kevin! The file sharing has me pretty excited, provided you can read media from your SD card. With regard to the tethering vs bridge, it seems to me there is a big difference. The web browsing option is awesome, especially for bes customers whom want access to their intranet. One could certainly save money without tethering, but I'd assume pandora type apps, gps map apps and many other data features would not work without a tether plan. I have one anyway to tether my pc to my bb and can see how it might be less critical to some with bridge available, but also don't think it sounds like a complete replacement. Do you or others agree? (sent from my blackberry)"

I just thought I'd add this to the discussion here too to get everyone's perspective.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jonty12]

The web browsing option is awesome, especially for bes customers whom want access to their intranet. One could certainly save money without tethering, but I'd assume pandora type apps, gps map apps and many other data features would not work without a teather plan. ... Do you or others agree? (sent from my blackberry)"

Kevin does discuss this in the video. The hunch is that they're working to get "other" apps integrated into the bridge as well. Don't forget though, in many cases you don't need an "app".

You mention Pandora for example. Why not just go to the website through the browser?! I think you'll realize (to Apple's dismay), that once you have Flash (and soon Silverlight), you don't need nearly as many "apps".

[scmosher]

well we dont know it doesnt lose the functionalty . Remember kevins demo unit it doesnt even work. I hope it doesnt but we dont know. we still have to see for sure.

Oops! Sorry if I overstated the case.

cf. soccernamlak:

"At this point, AT&T can't tell the difference in packet information as it is originating from your phone in Bridge mode, not from your PlayBook in tether mode. TTL is the same, origination of packets is the same. What's there to block?"

I was under the impression that the PB browser exchanged packets according to its own capabilities, but using the packet info and TTL of the phone, therefore doing more than the phone could actually do by itself, but under the identity of the phone. Thus the phone acts as a "bridge" to the PB's native capabilities.

[TBone4eva]

One thing is for sure, the RIM reps are not in the loop. I went to the Amp it up training in the DC area this morning and when I got to the bridge booth, they didn't have the Bridge Browser or the File sharing icons. Now that I think about it, they didn't have BBM either. I didn't think there was anything wrong with that seeing as though from Kevin's video, it looks like it's not ready for prime time yet and they probably wanted to use stable builds. The problem is that they are telling the people who will be selling the PB to the public that you can't use Bridge to browse the net, that's what tethering is for. When I questioned them about how I've seen on CrackBerry that a bridge browser will be offered, Two reps told me "no". One of them said that several people had told him the same thing this morning, but that it didn't make sense to him because you only see what your BlackBerry phone does so you wouldn't get the uncompromised browsing experience. The second guy was all like, "Oh, you will see a lot of things on 'CrackBerry' (And yes he made the air quote sign with his fingers) that isn't true". He went on to say that anything like the Bridge Browser or other features would be on their (BlackBerry.com) website if it were true.

So, don't be surprised if you see a Best Buy or other vendor incorrectly tell a customer that you can't browse the net with the bridge app. That's what they are being told by the RIM reps.

[FoxxBerry]

I knew this would be tha case from the announcement. I can understand why they haven't talked about it publicly, all carriers will have an issue with the fact it will cut thier revenue. Why would RIM just thumb their nose at the carriers by promoting something that will become evident soon enough. At any rate, I'm happy my assumptions are being confirmed...only a few more hours

[Kerms]

What happens when the carriers(US) put/require a service book on your phone to bridge and charge you a monthly fee for the bridge instead of a tether fee sort of like the Sprint rumor.

[sf49ers]

What happens when the carriers(US) put/require a service book on your phone to bridge and charge you a monthly fee for the bridge instead of a tether fee sort of like the Sprint rumor.

Service Books are something that RIM owns and carriers distribute on RIM's behalf and carriers don't have a freaking idea how RIM uses them. Moreover the bridge function should use the exact same service books that your blackberry phone uses and there is no separate service book for Playbook as such or until carrier demands one and until then the Carriers can't do much about it but just embrace.

[howarmat]

What happens when the carriers(US) put/require a service book on your phone to bridge and charge you a monthly fee for the bridge instead of a tether fee sort of like the Sprint rumor.

i think that is a fear that civic mentioned in the sprint thread. I can see it happening if the carriers feel they are losing money

[FF22]

i think that is a fear that civic mentioned in the sprint thread. I can see it happening if the carriers feel they are losing money

Losing money - not going to happen. Not make as much as they would prefer - possible.

Maybe all of us that use less than UNlimited should just plug our BB's in at night and start streaming media and then go to bed.