[AntL85]

BlackBerry Bridge on BlackBerry 10 - Dumbed down and not as useful | CrackBerry.com

I think many people has misunderstood the purpose of Blackberry Bridge and Thor's vision of a unified mobile computing system judging from the article and people's comments.

I have been following every bit of information I could find and research over the last couple years and actually since the Playbook's launch. Which I still need to get a new Playbook cause 16GB was not enough. I will do a break down on what I have learned and understood below between the two platforms but in brief Blackberry Bridge with the email, contacts, BBM, memopad, task, calender, file browser, bridge browser, remote control, and data connection was needed due to Blackberry 7 being a completely different platform to allow access to our core tools on our phones. With Blackberry 10 being the same platform for phones and soon tablets we don't need all this. When I get on the computer I will give that breakdown between the tablet and both phones so look for an edit in a few hours.

EDIT:
As we all know or at least most of us, Blackberry 7 and older is built on Java while Blackberry 10 is built on QNX. For those that are not very technical, QNX is a Unix like operating system much like the more widely known Linux but has the foundations and framework to be almost a complete Unix system according to the Unix standard's which by the years of me have forgotten what it is named. Now this is where the issue came with Blackberry Bridge cause Blackberry Playbook OS is the foundation of Blackberry 10. To separate it, Blackberry 7 is programmed in Java while Blackberry 10 is C++ which are very completely different languages. Now if you might ask what it would matter when Blackberry 10 has Java in it, its just a runtime(and fulfills the same roles that the Android Player does) like on Windows and Mac OSX. So in order to get our core tools on our phones to be displayed on Playbook in realtime through a bluetooth connection, Blackberry Bridge was created using some heavy manipulations between languages to communicate with each other and some of this comes down to the kernel level, protocols, and drivers of both operating systems. Now we can access everything on our old Blackberry phones for 4.6 or 5.0(i Don't remember what the earliest version was able to access it) and up.

Now lets look at Blackberry 10 and Blackberry Playbook OS and I will do my best to lay it out as simple as possible for everyone at all levels of understanding. As stated earlier, they are both QNX systems so they naturally share the same language at every corner. Our Blackberry ID's plays the most important part in this now such as BBM. Our contacts are no longer attached to our pin and is linked to the Blackberry ID(Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger for example uses your ID so any platform your on is in sync) which in the case when BBM comes to Playbook allows us to access our own profile and everything is in sync between phone and tablet. The same with email, Blackberry(RIM) and Microsoft has formed a strong partnership together and now our email will be sync using Microsoft's framework that is found in Outlook and this is heavily found in the new BES. Of course there is no BIS with Blackberry 10 but the framework within the device is still there. Yes it means you have to set up your email two times for both devices but come on, 15 minutes and its done and everything is in sync. Our contacts also are linked to our Blackberry ID's as well through Blackberry Protect which is linked to our Blackberry ID.

If you notice already where this is going then you can see that it is removing Blackberry Bridge completely giving us the unified mobile computer that Thor envisioned and eventually we may not have an actual Blackberry Bridge as we know it for Blackberry 10 and it will just remain for Blackberry 7 phones as Blackberry(RIM) and even Thor said they are committed to continue to support Blackberry 7. I could go into more such as people concerns with games on the Q10 and such but everything we can do on one device can be done on any other with Blackberry 10.

Now if you were to ask me what will I do? I will answer as I stand right now and will stay with Blackberry 7 for my phone for a while still yet cause it does everything I need it to do as it is a phone. When I get another Playbook on the other hand I definitely want Blackberry 10 upgrade and will use the traditional Blackberry Bridge still as this does what I want right now and my next phone is actually going to be the Bold 9930 cause I miss the keyboard. Just don't throw out Blackberry 10 cause its just not finished yet but is on a much better start then the Playbook had!

[Uncle Remus]

We don't NEED tablets at all. I will NOT buy a Z10 like I was planning though, until I see those bridge items returned. If they don't, well then.....

Hoot
I know. Never say never....

[FF22]

Let me ask you - how will I access my Memo (notes) on the pb? Do I have to create yet another set of such quick notes/memos in a pb app? Do I have to manually compare/contrast them? Will they sync? Why not just restore the Bridge connection so that one set of such memos are available to both devices?

Do I really have to add email accounts to the pb when the ones already setup and functioning fine on my 9930 serve my purpose? Similarly, do I need a separate Calendar? My life is simple and one calendar is sufficient and I don't have to sync anything. My phone can be sitting upstairs while I'm in my "easy" chair and if an email comes to the phone, my pb shows it to me. I can look at one of those Memos from downstairs, too.

I look forward to your further providing justifications for Rim's actions. But, frankly, any SUGGESTION that these features will be restored or come back to us in another incarnation are mere speculation. Rim does not give us sufficient hints to assuage my concerns. I, too, do not think their CURRENT (existing) offerings provide me any reason to drop what I've got and never mind rush, but even amble to a Verizon store next month.

[sad_old_man]

BlackBerry Bridge on BlackBerry 10 - Dumbed down and not as useful | CrackBerry.com

I think many people has misunderstood the purpose of Blackberry Bridge and Thor's vision of a unified mobile computing system judging from the article and people's comments.

I have been following every bit of information I could find and research over the last couple years and actually since the Playbook's launch. Which I still need to get a new Playbook cause 16GB was not enough. I will do a break down on what I have learned and understood below between the two platforms but in brief BlackberryBridge with the email, contacts, BBM, memopad, task, calender, file browser, bridge browser, remote control, and data connection was needed due to Blackberry 7 being a completely different platform to allow access to our core tools on our phones. With Blackberry 10 being the same platform for phones and soon tablets we don't need all this. When I get on the computer I will give that breakdown between the tablet and both phones so look for an edit in a few hours.

Oh by the way you forgot about the ability to receive, read and reply to texts when using your pb without having to stop and use your phone. Just thought I'd mention that and I just can't wait for the results of your full analysis between the tablet and both phones. By this I take it you mean 7.1 and 10! In readiness I am now off to the cellar for a very good bottle of brandy to help me through the read.

[FF22]

Oh by the way you forgot about the ability to receive, read and reply to texts when using your pb without having to stop and use your phone. Just thought I'd mention that and I just can't wait for the results of your full analysis between the tablet and both phones. By this I take it you mean 7.1 and 10! In readiness I am now off to the cellar for a very good bottle of brandy to help me through the read.

Do you have a Tasting Room? Hours of Operation?

[sad_old_man]

Do you have a Tasting Room? Hours of Operation?

First question = definitely
Second question = only in operation when the big hand of the clock is pointing to a number between 1 and 12!

[taz323]

Yep, big mug please.

[xamdam]

I would like to have at least messing bridged as when i am out walking woth my playbook, i hate to get my phone out of my pocket and text.

[sad_old_man]

I would like to have at least messing bridged as when i am out walking woth my playbook, i hate to get my phone out of my pocket and text.

Well if you could always get a dog and walk that.

[bsiegle]

One of the greatest functions on Bridge is being able to access the Internet from the PlayBook when wifi is not available. The remote control is extremely cool, too. Nothing like using the PlayBook for video or PowerPoint and control it from across the room. If this function was marketed better, more PlayBooks could have been sold!

[xamdam]

Well if you could always get a dog and walk that.

But a dog pees everywhere and barks at good people and bad people and i can't take a dog into the mall.

Last dog i had would always whine until open the car window so he could stick his head out it and bark at all the people and cars we pass and when i let him out of the vehicle his first thing was to pee on the damn tire, yeah my car not the one next us.

[sad_old_man]

But a dog pees everywhere and barks at good people and bad people and i can't take a dog into the mall.

Last dog i had would always whine until open the car window so he could stick his head out it and bark at all the people and cars we pass and when i let him out of the vehicle his first thing was to pee on the damn tire, yeah my car not the one next us.

Ooopppppsss!!!! I do exactly the same thing.

[AntL85]

@Uncle Remus: For those of us that already has Blackberry 7 phones and a Playbook do not have to rush out the door to get Blackberry 10 phones cause of Blackberry Bridge depending how you use your phone. As I said for myself and it is the same for many other people, but Blackberry 7 is still good enough for me in the meantime cause it is doing everything I expect and demand from a phone but I would love to rush out and buy a Blackberry 10 phone and have the fancy new bells and whistles. My last Blackberry was a Curve on Blackberry 5 and I tried to be patient and wait for the London... I grew impatient and went out and bought a Torch last November cause I don't do contract so I buy out right and this is the deciding factor that I decided on when the Z10 came out. It will be a while before I move the Z10 but as before Blackberry 7 is already doing what I expect.

@F2 It is not my place to tell you to go buy a Z10 or not. If you feel comfortable with what you have already then it is what you should continue to use. I am only trying to clear up a confusion cause I seen what people said and seen they have misunderstood what Blackberry Bridge for Blackberry 7 phones as compared to Blackberry 10 phones with the best possible way of explaining without causing technical confusion. When I mentioned sync, I stated it as it is not us doing a manual sync, but rather it will automatically stay in sync with a constant communication through the Blackberry Bridge bluetooth connection within the framework of the operating system.

@sad_old_man I did not forget the Text Messenger and it will still be there but in another incarnation. I will explain using the default interface so as it is right now on the Playbook bridged to a Blackberry 7 phone. We go to the "Home Screen" and navigate to the "Blackberry Bridge" then click on the icon "Text Messenger" and have access to it which is really cool. How about a Blackberry Playbook bridge to a Blackberry 10 phone you ask? Well it is obvious it is not there but again if you have read above then you understood the reasoning. Now take a Blackberry 10 Playbook bridged to a Blackberry 10 phone. This is where it will get really cool as soon as it is finished, after we bridge them together we will have an icon in some form on the Home Screen and will appear after the set up and driver install and be able to access it through those means or in the Blackberry Hub. I suspect it to be in the Hub given how the Blackberry SMS/MMS protocol is built in line with the email protocol.

[sad_old_man]

@Uncle Remus: For those of us that already has Blackberry 7 phones and a Playbook do not have to rush out the door to get Blackberry 10 phones cause of Blackberry Bridge depending how you use your phone. As I said for myself and it is the same for many other people, but Blackberry 7 is still good enough for me in the meantime cause it is doing everything I expect and demand from a phone but I would love to rush out and buy a Blackberry 10 phone and have the fancy new bells and whistles.

@F2 It is not my place to tell you to go buy a Z10 or not. If you feel comfortable with what you have already then it is what you should continue to use. I am only trying to clear up a confusion cause I seen what people said and seen they have misunderstood what Blackberry Bridge for Blackberry 7 phones as compared to Blackberry 10 phones with the best possible way of explaining without causing technical confusion. When I mentioned sync, I stated it as it is not us doing a manual sync, but rather it will automatically stay in sync with a constant communication through the Blackberry Bridge bluetooth connection within the framework of the operating system.

I must admit I've never laughed as much in my life. The problem is I don't know which part is the funniest?

I just love the part in reference to F2 I really do and don't worry because when I go to Chicago I'll get him for you and chastise him properly on your behalf.

As far as poor UncleRemus has to do with it, unless you have a Z10 at the moment then you must have a mobile that is 7.1 or below.

You could have had my Z10 but I had an accident with it this afternoon inside the microwave.

Open a bottle, get yourself a pasty and chill. The last thing I need in my life at the moment is another release of a rushed, unfinished, unusable piece of badly coded OS like BB10 loading onto my finally usable playbook. It's only taken RIM two years, don't spoil it, enjoy it.