[CanisMinor]

Now that the first tethering videos is out, a question: Do you need to install and / or run the 'bridge' on the handheld 'berry? is the tether possible with simply pairing the 'berry and Playbook?

For me, personally, the bridge app is a deal-breaker.

[VRaptor]

When I tether my blackberry to my computer there is a program on the computer that accesses the modem functions of the BB. I would imagine it would work the same way with the playbook.

[CanisMinor]

The problem for me, and I am sure many (if not most) BES users, is that my company locks down the 'Berry. No 3rd party apps allowed on the 'Berry.

The Playbook is immensely attractive for this reason. I can use the Playbook for 3rd party apps, and tether the 'Berry for the data (we pay for our own data plans). If this functionality requires an app on the 'Berry, well, see my problem?

[howarmat]

there is an app you will need to have on the BB is my understanding for everything to work as intended

[grahamf]

The problem for me, and I am sure many (if not most) BES users, is that my company locks down the 'Berry. No 3rd party apps allowed on the 'Berry.

The Playbook is immensely attractive for this reason. I can use the Playbook for 3rd party apps, and tether the 'Berry for the data (we pay for our own data plans). If this functionality requires an app on the 'Berry, well, see my problem?

I assume that if your company, IT had any sense of reality they would make the app installable, as it would be used for productive purposes.

[cmsdock]

The app shouldn't be third party. Rim makes the app so I don't see how that can be third party. Also if your paying for your data I don't think your company should be allowed to lock down your bb like that I think that there is a policy that it admin can issue that says third party apps can not access bes data.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jasonvw]

Go look at the video. They show you exactly what you'll need to do. Basically it will either install an app, or just enter in the correct settings. You will just scan a 2d barcode from the playbook on your BB.

[dkingsf]

The problem for me, and I am sure many (if not most) BES users, is that my company locks down the 'Berry. No 3rd party apps allowed on the 'Berry.

The Playbook is immensely attractive for this reason. I can use the Playbook for 3rd party apps, and tether the 'Berry for the data (we pay for our own data plans). If this functionality requires an app on the 'Berry, well, see my problem?

Don't think this will be a 3rd party app though. This will probably be a PB native app. The bluetooth pairing on the BB will be all you need I think.

[howarmat]

i am pretty sure it will need an app on the BB. remember it says OS 5+ devices. If a storm 1 on OS 5 can do it a storm 1 on OS 4.7 should be able to since it would still have bluetooth. I think many 4.x devices have bluetooth also.

[bighap]

In one of the vids showing the tethering the rep said you had to download the Bridge app via App World on your BB. You then scan a 2D barcode that pops up on the PB screen with your BB resulting in paired devices.

[taylortbb]

They're definitely intending for you to need the bridge app. It might be possible to do an unsupported data-only tether. The data-only tether wouldn't give you the e-mail/BBM/calendar/etc integration, just data access for things like web browsing. The PlayBook does its data tether just like a laptop does, and that functionality is already built into BB OS. It's the sync functionality that requires the app. No guarantee though that the PB will support doing this, and I'm sure it won't be officially supported.

[dkingsf]

i am pretty sure it will need an app on the BB. remember it says OS 5+ devices. If a storm 1 on OS 5 can do it a storm 1 on OS 4.7 should be able to since it would still have bluetooth. I think many 4.x devices have bluetooth also.

Have to wait and see Matt, but think you're wrong. The bluetooth on the BB with the native app on the PB is what I'm betting.

But who knows until it comes out?

Anyone at CES got any information on this?

[howarmat]

but then why cant 4.7 devices with just a bluetooth connection work?

[bighap]

It's possible that RIM will make the Bridge app compatible with OS 5+ only. I could see them doing this especially on the enterprise side of things, since they tend to hold onto devices longer. Gets would be buyers to upgrade to a newer BB.

[fass]

Have to wait and see Matt, but think you're wrong. The bluetooth on the BB with the native app on the PB is what I'm betting.

But who knows until it comes out?

Anyone at CES got any information on this?

I tend to agree with this. At least, I hope it works this way. They shouldn't need to over-complicate it. It should work so that any BB with Bluetooth and barcode scanning will sync with the App on the PB. That would allow any BB as far back as 4.6 or so to tether. I think the barcode scanning ability came with BB messenger 5.0 and I was able to run that on 4.6.

[stevejb]

As has been said a few times in this thread, in the video it states that you install an app on the BB.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[forumdood007]

I just assumed from the video that I just scan the barcode (on the torch or PB?) to connect, then share my data (500 mb monthly) on my existing Rogers cellphone account.

[howarmat]

New Video Interview with BlackBerry PlayBook Product Manager Address PlayBook Frequently Asked Questions | CrackBerry.com

here you all go

[CanisMinor]

The app shouldn't be third party. Rim makes the app so I don't see how that can be third party. Also if your paying for your data I don't think your company should be allowed to lock down your bb like that I think that there is a policy that it admin can issue that says third party apps can not access bes data.

1) I guess grammatically you are correct, if it's made by RIM it's not 3rd party. However, I tend to view anything that doesn't come as part of the OS package as "third party"

2) Well, I guess the company can do whatever they like. I'm sure it's simply a case of a 23 year old BES admin wanting to play Quake the whole day and not wanting to field calls about "why doesn't my google maps nav work", and thus convinced the IT head that apps are evil. Having read some forums frequented by BES admins when app world was first released, it's clear many of them saw app world as a threat to their peaceful lives of minimal user support.

[grahamf]

2) Well, I guess the company can do whatever they like. I'm sure it's simply a case of a 23 year old BES admin wanting to play Quake the whole day and not wanting to field calls about "why doesn't my google maps nav work", and thus convinced the IT head that apps are evil. Having read some forums frequented by BES admins when app world was first released, it's clear many of them saw app world as a threat to their peaceful lives of minimal user support.

which will end when their users start buying PlayBooks.