[shupor]

Forgive me if we always had this functionality and i just never noticed it but i just discovered that the native PB browser is fully functional when you are connected via bridge.

As far as i know on past Bridge and OS versions, only the bridge browser would work via bridge and the only way to use the native browser was via tethering or wifi.

Can anyone clarify if this feature has always been available?

[skyscraper04]

almost every application that requires internet works on bridge now.of course except app world and scrapbook.

[shupor]

almost every application that requires internet works on bridge now.of course except app world and scrapbook.

I was aware of most apps now running via Bridge but had no idea until now that the browser worked as well. Now i know n thanks for the response

[Artwerks]

I bought my Playbook last week and it was already working on Bridge 1.0.5.6, before the last update. I was wondering why there's two browsers when both worked!

[louzer]

The bridge browser arrived with the first iteration of the bridge (2nd update I believe). Now, with the ability to use the native PB browser with a bridge connection, the bridge browser has less meaning. I do opt for the bridge browser when I'm bridged without wifi in a low signal area since it tends to load mobile versions of sites more by default. But I suspect that when 2.0 arrives, we'll see only one browser.

[Venichie]

almost every application that requires internet works on bridge now.of course except app world and scrapbook.

Unless my memory was compressed with depression, I'm pretty sure Scrapbook works & certain other data hogs work. I believe only when there the only apps running, no other windows should be open.

Anyways, about that 2 browser question... think I read someone say something along the lines of, one being the BB phones main BES browser, & the other one just a regular browser.... sorry, sure someone will correct me if I made a no no.
Who knows, maybe it was a mistake and they might correct it in a future update, then no apps will work via Bridge.

[JeepBB]

Most of the internet-capable PB apps now work without having a WiFi connection. As long as you have a bridged BB, the app (e.g. the main Browser) will use the phone as a modem to connect.

This isn't the same as tethering - the network can't tell the difference between you browsing the web using your BB, and browsing the web (via a bridged BB) on your Playbook - it all comes under your normal BB dataplan. This is great for owners who have contracts that make you pay extra for a tethering connection.

Ironically, the major PB app that doesn't work without WiFi is RIM's own App World -

This feature arrived with the new OS (1.0.7.2942), and you shouldn't be concerned that you didn't know about it before now... coz RIM never actually told anyone about the feature!!! (We need a face-palm icon on this forum!)

It was accidently discovered by someone on the Crackberry forums a few days back... so stay tuned to Crackberry for further announcements when OS2 arrives - coz you'll never hear what's in the update from RIM!

[Chrisy]

Pretty cool!

Does using the bridge to run full browser on the Playbook use the BlackBerry phones data plan?

If so, wouldn't a lot of PlayBook owners who bridge be subject to VZW's new 2GB throttling policy?

Or is it separate somehow? I hope.

[JeepBB]

Both browsers (main & bridge), and all the internet-aware apps on the PB connect using the BB dataplan - which is why you don't need a tethering plan.

So, any throttles or limits on your dataplan would read across when using the PB... your network provider can only "see" the BB.

[z_scorpio_z]

Bridge browser works through BES (so you can browse to your company non-public websites). So if you do whatismyip.com on bridge browser (when paired with BB on a BES) you will see your BES server's IP address. This also means you can't access websites that are blocked by your company firewall or blocked on the BES server.

Native browser works through BIS (when no wifi and you are bridged to a BB).

Both are very meaningful for people on BES. For me bridge browser (via BES) is low, but I can check my companies intranet websites without having to vpn in.

Native browser (when no wifi, via BIS) is way faster compared to bridge browser. If you do whatismyip.com it shows a different IP address/location (xyz.na.blackberry...etc). So it was a big deal when bridge started allowing native browser and other apps through bridge for me and others on BES.

For people not on BES, I believe both go to BIS (you guys can confirm that by using whatismyip.com), so there is not much meaning other than 2 separate windows (instead of tabs).

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[bayotte]

Powerful. Portable. Playbook. RIM made that up, I get no credit.

[big samm]

i think browsing via bridge is way slower than directly tethering right? Can people stream youtube videos or stream music without difficulty via bridge?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jthep]

i think browsing via bridge is way slower than directly tethering right? Can people stream youtube videos or stream music without difficulty via bridge?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

You can, but I would stick to 10 minute or less Youtube type videos rather than trying entire movie streaming bc you will get a lot of buffering. It can stream music too, but anything a little more complex involving say cloud computing like Amazon Cloud Player will not work via bridge.

So to sum it up, yes and yes! But full length movies and cloud streaming, not so much...

[JeepBB]

i think browsing via bridge is way slower than directly tethering right?

I'm not calling you on this, as I genuinely don't know, but is there any difference between browsing (on the main browser) using the BB as a tethered connection, or through a bridged connection?

I intuitively feel that you are using the BB as a bluetoothed modem in both cases and there should be no speed differences between tethered and non-tethered. Does anyone know?

I can also confirm that a PB without WiFi connection can play video/audio. Though that is more a proof of technology for me. It works on a technical level, but isn't a practical proposition for me (vodafone UK) because I used 70% of my monthly data allowance in a couple of hours listening to TuneIn radio! LOL

[saalnaz]

i think browsing via bridge is way slower than directly tethering right? Can people stream youtube videos or stream music without difficulty via bridge?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

yes. absolutely no problem for streaming youtube via the bridge.

i have not tried to see the streaming at 1080p or 720p but at 360p which is good enough for most it streams nicely.

[markv_my]

i tried both,if not thentering with bridge browser,same site took me 5mins more or less,but after thentered,only took me less than 20secs,really hope to know why...

[big samm]

Illl make the tests and come back to you guys right after I finish launch!

Sent from my Bold 9900 using Tapatalk

[sashas]

I'm bridged to my 9930 but when I open the non-Bridge Browser and try to navigate to crackberry.com I get a message that says "Your BlackBerry smartphone is unable to establish a connection to the destination server." It's a no-go for me.

My info:

Bridge version: 1.0.6.5
Playbook OS Version: 1.0.7.2942

I use Sprint and connect to my company's BES server

[sashas]

Awesome--got a solution to my problem. So I had my IT department remove me from the BES due to some weird behavior on my phone (Google was defaulting to Google India and I'm in the US). Once they re-added me my Playbook Browser (non-Bridged) works perfectly using my phone's cellular connection (and Google is now Google.com for anyone who cares...)!

[Denny_Crane]

Add me to the list of people who are getting the "Your BlackBerry smartphone is unable to establish a connection to the destination server." error when trying to use the Bridge browser. I just got my PlayBook last night, and it worked great over WiFi. I also tried using just the bridge at one point, and it worked great. Now I'm at work and I can't get the browser on the PlayBook to work for the life of me.

I'm on a hosted BES from GoDaddy. I'm not sure if that affects anything. The whole reason I bought this thing was for the Bridge functionality, specifically the browser; so I hope there is a simple solution to this.

Edit: It looks like the link I was trying to access from an email was trying to open in the Bridge browser, which apparently doesn't work. If I go into the regular browser (over bridge) it works fine. The problem now is that I can't figure out how to get the email link to open in the regular browser; nor can I figure out how to paste it into the url field manually. I'm stuck!
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[bb.pl]

But I suspect that when 2.0 arrives, we'll see only one browser.

If that happens by pb is going to the bin.

My bridge browser never worked (BES restriction). Native browser works smooth when bridged and that is the ONLY thing that differentiates it from any other tablet FTW.

[Denny_Crane]

^So that's my problem then...Bridge browser doesn't work over BES. Can I change the default browser to be the native browser?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com