[Bye Berry]

I'm thinking of possibly switching to another platform other than Blackberry. If I do, will my Playbook be usless out of wifi coverage? Or is there a bridge app for iPhone or Android? Sorry if this is a dumb question, however I noticed that some members have posted that one doesn't require a Blackberry to have mobile web with the Playbook.

ps

I'm not leaving Blackberry for certain. Just going to explore all my options.

[kevinnugent]

No, there's no other Bridge app. It will be restricted to wifi if you ditch your BB.

[Bye Berry]

Well I sure feel dumb. I guess I'm stuck with Blackberry.

[lotuslanderz]

If your smartphone has a wifi hotspot feature, you can connect your PlayBook to it and surf on your phone's cellular connection (if your carrier allows this and you have a decent data plan on your phone).

[Innovatology]

I use the PlayBook with the HTC Desire HD's wifi hotspot function. Works fine, although of course a bit slower than a direct wifi connection to ADSL.

[Concession]

Yeah there is no bridge app to get email and whatnot but you can still connect to the internet.

As mentioned above, you can connect to a wifi hotspot made by the phone, but you can also use the "Internet Tethering" option in the Playbook's main menu to bluetooth tether to another phone. I often do that on my Samsung i9000m (Android). Bluetooth tethering is easier on the phone's battery than wifi tethering (though wifi tethering offers a little better performance).

You might be able to bluetooth tether to Windows Phones or other models/OSs, but I'm not really sure. I just know it works on my phone. It's very useful though. Makes the Playbook a great device for on the go.

[anakin1979]

Hey BoltBerry- I sold my 9900 weeks ago and got a Samsung GalaxySII. It has a WiFI hotspot function. Obviously you can't bridge it with any other phone, but I was thinking I could connect to the WiFi hotspot of the SII.

However, the Playbook connected fine to the WiFi hotspot but never really worked. I couldn't open webpages (they would get stuck in the loading process), and none of the apps that required Internet worked.

I researched some more and found out there were some limitations- so to answer your question, you can't bridge but you can use tethering or connect to the WiFi hotspot of your phone, but it's a big hit and miss.

Did you just get your Playbook? If yes then I strongly suggest you return it and get either an iPad2 or Galaxy Tab.

[BRxWoden]

Most mobile phone carriers charge an extra fee for tethering something to your phone. Part of why I'm liking my PB, T-Mobile can't tell I am doing it.

[racemanfl]

I use a sprint overdrive. you do have a seperate payment each month

[Bye Berry]

Hey BoltBerry- I sold my 9900 weeks ago and got a Samsung GalaxySII. It has a WiFI hotspot function. Obviously you can't bridge it with any other phone, but I was thinking I could connect to the WiFi hotspot of the SII.

However, the Playbook connected fine to the WiFi hotspot but never really worked. I couldn't open webpages (they would get stuck in the loading process), and none of the apps that required Internet worked.

I researched some more and found out there were some limitations- so to answer your question, you can't bridge but you can use tethering or connect to the WiFi hotspot of your phone, but it's a big hit and miss.

Did you just get your Playbook? If yes then I strongly suggest you return it and get either an iPad2 or Galaxy Tab.

I have had it for about a month. Bought it because it was on sale. For surfing the web I think it is great. If I could just figure out how to put movies on it or edit Excel sheets I would be a lot happier.

Thanks for all the feed back everyone. Sounds like I can use the internet through another phone if I so chose.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[kbz1960]

Hey BoltBerry- I sold my 9900 weeks ago and got a Samsung GalaxySII. It has a WiFI hotspot function. Obviously you can't bridge it with any other phone, but I was thinking I could connect to the WiFi hotspot of the SII.

However, the Playbook connected fine to the WiFi hotspot but never really worked. I couldn't open webpages (they would get stuck in the loading process), and none of the apps that required Internet worked.

I researched some more and found out there were some limitations- so to answer your question, you can't bridge but you can use tethering or connect to the WiFi hotspot of your phone, but it's a big hit and miss.

Did you just get your Playbook? If yes then I strongly suggest you return it and get either an iPad2 or Galaxy Tab.

Are your apple and samsung stocks not doing well? Ugh every thread that mentions playbook I find you in stating the same thing. Just so the OP knows.

For the record I don't care what the OP ends up buying as long as it works for them.

[thesmoothone]

Hey BoltBerry- I sold my 9900 weeks ago and got a Samsung GalaxySII. It has a WiFI hotspot function. Obviously you can't bridge it with any other phone, but I was thinking I could connect to the WiFi hotspot of the SII.

However, the Playbook connected fine to the WiFi hotspot but never really worked. I couldn't open webpages (they would get stuck in the loading process), and none of the apps that required Internet worked.

I researched some more and found out there were some limitations- so to answer your question, you can't bridge but you can use tethering or connect to the WiFi hotspot of your phone, but it's a big hit and miss.

Did you just get your Playbook? If yes then I strongly suggest you return it and get either an iPad2 or Galaxy Tab.

Playbook connects just fine to my Samsung Epic 4g through hotspot.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

[BSFA2008]

Are your apple and samsung stocks not doing well? Ugh every thread that mentions playbook I find you in stating the same thing. Just so the OP knows.

For the record I don't care what the OP ends up buying as long as it works for them.

I think you're onto something there kbz.

About connecting via wifi to your phone's data connection. Many many many (but not all) android phones can be set up to act as wifi hotspots. Some of the motorola phones block it though.

Look up rooting, programs like unrevoked, unrevoked forever, wireless tether ... and so on. Happy researching. Oh also, wifi tether is pretty reliable, the problems getting pages to load in the PB browser, I'm convinced, is an issue with the PB browser and not the wifi.

Sidenote regarding the PB browser .... it was loading pages MUCH more reliably before the last update ... but it's been noticeably more finicky since the last update, but I still get by.

[blackjack93117]

Hey BoltBerry- I sold my 9900 weeks ago and got a Samsung GalaxySII. It has a WiFI hotspot function. Obviously you can't bridge it with any other phone, but I was thinking I could connect to the WiFi hotspot of the SII.

However, the Playbook connected fine to the WiFi hotspot but never really worked. I couldn't open webpages (they would get stuck in the loading process), and none of the apps that required Internet worked.

I researched some more and found out there were some limitations- so to answer your question, you can't bridge but you can use tethering or connect to the WiFi hotspot of your phone, but it's a big hit and miss.

Did you just get your Playbook? If yes then I strongly suggest you return it and get either an iPad2 or Galaxy Tab.

and..... banned! Poof!

thanks mods.
(no I didn't report that....it had to happen eventually though)

It can't bridge but would not be surprised as more and more bridge envy develops, if someone comes up with an android bridge app- I think it may kind of have to be custom tailored for the particular device to use the native bluetooth and there are so many different android devices out there....wifi would be easier but less useful.

There is however a phone remote app for android, similar to the playbook app by the same developer, simplyapps - so you can control/view your BB phone from an android tab though I believe...

[firepsych]

Yeah there is no bridge app to get email and whatnot but you can still connect to the internet.

As mentioned above, you can connect to a wifi hotspot made by the phone, but you can also use the "Internet Tethering" option in the Playbook's main menu to bluetooth tether to another phone. I often do that on my Samsung i9000m (Android). Bluetooth tethering is easier on the phone's battery than wifi tethering (though wifi tethering offers a little better performance).

You might be able to bluetooth tether to Windows Phones or other models/OSs, but I'm not really sure. I just know it works on my phone. It's very useful though. Makes the Playbook a great device for on the go.

If you tether via bluetooth to an Android phone, do you still have to have the additional data plan for your phone? Or is your BP piggybacking on your phone's 3G as if it were a Blackberry?

In other words, forgetting about all the apps, can you surf with your PB and an android and not have to pay extra charges?

[Pegleggedous]

For anyone who stumbles into this and is interested in the answer it is this:

Wifi Hotspot on an android phone to a playbook does not require additional charges per-se, but does require a data plan and works through that, at least on my carrier.

P.S. Wasted my first post on this year old thread.

P.S.S. This editor kinda sucks but I'll deal.

[o. l. t.]

Anyone on AT&T confirm that tethering charges do not apply to bridging the PB to a BB?

[axeman1000]

I have had it for about a month. Bought it because it was on sale. For surfing the web I think it is great. If I could just figure out how to put movies on it or edit Excel sheets I would be a lot happier.

Thanks for all the feed back everyone. Sounds like I can use the internet through another phone if I so chose.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

For copying stuff to your playbook, go in to the options and turn on wifi sharing, then give the playbook a easy name like davesbook or something like that. once that is done then go to your pc and go to the run command and type \\davesbook and you will see the media folder. From there you can copy movies into the video folder, excel and word documents to the documents folder, music to the audio folder epub and pdf to the books folder and so on and so on!!! no need for a program to copy stuff!!!

Just have to be willing to use the device and you will see how great it is!!! Enjoy friend!

[mikeplus1]

For copying stuff to your playbook, go in to the options and turn on wifi sharing, then give the playbook a easy name like davesbook or something like that. once that is done then go to your pc and go to the run command and type \\davesbook and you will see the media folder. From there you can copy movies into the video folder, excel and word documents to the documents folder, music to the audio folder epub and pdf to the books folder and so on and so on!!! no need for a program to copy stuff!!!

Just have to be willing to use the device and you will see how great it is!!! Enjoy friend!

That question was from a year ago and BoltBerry hasn't posted on CB in 6 months, but who knows maybe someone will benefit from it.

[diegonei]

And yet, a simple thing eluded you all... (wonder how I didn't see it one year ago):

Bridge is a BlackBerry feature that allows the PlayBook to access the smartphone's data (PIM apps, stored files and Internet access), as well as things like Open with and remote controlling.

But ANY SMARTPHONE can be tethered to a PlayBook via Bluetooth so the PlayBook can access the Internet.

Bridge is not just Internet access!

Guess we can let it go back to sleep now.

[kbz1960]

Anyone on AT&T confirm that tethering charges do not apply to bridging the PB to a BB?

You need to go here RROYY - APPLICATION ARCHIVE on your phone and get the one for your phones OS and you'll be fine.

[leticeberry]

And yet, a simple thing eluded you all... (wonder how I didn't see it one year ago):

Bridge is a BlackBerry feature that allows the PlayBook to access the smartphone's data (PIM apps, stored files and Internet access), as well as things like Open with and remote controlling.

But ANY SMARTPHONE can be tethered to a PlayBook via Bluetooth so the PlayBook can access the Internet.

Bridge is not just Internet access!

Guess we can let it go back to sleep now.

So if I get an android phone, I can connect to my playbook's internet without any extra charges?

[FF22]

So if I get an android phone, I can connect to my playbook's internet without any extra charges?

Don't quote me on this and others will correct me if I'm wrong. But I think an Android phone can provide a wifi hotspot and the pb could possibly use the wifi generated by the phone to browse the web and maybe other internet functions. PROVISO - I am sure that some carriers charge extra for creating or using such wifi from the phone. It may be included in some packages but not all.

[WeAreNotAlone]

Anyone on AT&T confirm that tethering charges do not apply to bridging the PB to a BB?

Best to contact AT&T directly. If I had to guess I would say additional charges would apply.

[WeAreNotAlone]

So if I get an android phone, I can connect to my playbook's internet without any extra charges?

Don't quote me on this and others will correct me if I'm wrong. But I think an Android phone can provide a wifi hotspot and the pb could possibly use the wifi generated by the phone to browse the web and maybe other internet functions. PROVISO - I am sure that some carriers charge extra for creating or using such wifi from the phone. It may be included in some packages but not all.

Ding, Ding, Ding... correct answer.

Depends on the carrier/ plan you are on. When I was looking at various plans I noticed that plans for Blackberry devices were HIGHER. As I did not have a BlackBerry phone, I did not research the issue in depth.
As a rule using the phone as a hotspot is going to cost you EXTRA. No carrier is going to give you bandwidth for free, as nothing is free in this world.

While you can "ROOT", or JAILBREAK" a Android phone (unlike the PlayBook once you've run setup for the first time the PlayBook gets a encrypted bootloader, blocking you from EVER rooting it.) Once the phone is "rooted" you can enable the "wi-fi hotspot" without having "wi-fi hotspot" on your account. (EG without paying extra)
This said the carriers do have profiling and data usage software that will alert them of this... so most likely you're going to have to pay unless you're really "lucky".





.