It functions fine, but Bridge actually makes it better than other tablets, IMHO. Without a BB, you have a solid 7'' WiFi tablet, but one that hardly differentiates itself from other 7'' tablets other than minimal differences in tech specs and a slightly different UI.
Add a BB, you have the most practical tablet out there with FREE web browsing everywhere with no extra monthly fees, the best emailing system, limited file sharing with your BB (cannot share music/videos as of now, but can share pix/text files), making your tablet portable everywhere! The carriers can't rip you off, its an absolute coup for the consumer over the greedy corporate carriers!
You own a Bold 9700, the Playbook is def worth a spin, don't like it, return it. My biggest gripe is lack of Netflix, Hulu support. Also Bridge browsing cannot handle everything, it is not perfect.
Strictly speaking in regards to having a PlayBook without a BlackBerry phone, you'll miss out on Bridge. That may or may not be an issue, depends on the person and their needs.
Bridge includes / PlayBook does not natively include:
Standalone email client. I don't think this is nearly as big of an issue as people make it out to be. The large majority of email accounts offer web access, which works fine on the PlayBook. Or you can install the Android Player which does have a working email client, but that isn't for the average user.
Contacts/address book. With no native email or phone functions, you're not really missing out much by not having it. Pretty sure there are third party apps for this though.
Enhanced calendar. PlayBook calendar has no appointments or reminder support. It basically tells you the date and not much else. I'm pretty sure there are third party apps for this too.
BBM. No BlackBerry, no BBM. Nothing you can do about this one.
There are a couple other gripes with the PlayBook itself, but they don't relate to whether you have a BlackBerry phone or not.
i love the pb and dont have a bb (yet). i never wanted one until i experienced the playbook. that being said, when i sport my playbook around other tablet owners, it by far out performs. very portable, awesome web browsing, excell, powerpoint and word. its going to be even better with the bridge. the playbooks bridge is not a weakness, it makes it hands down the hardest working tablet on the market and i cant wait to experience it full time.
You don't need a bb for the playbook, does owning one make it better, you bet but unless you have to have email saved on every device you own it does most things well. You can tether any phone to it but cost my come from your carrier as always.
Yes it has function that's needed to come yet and when that comes it will be right on par or better then the rest of them. I've been using IM+ web interface and seems to work OK but does time out and needs to reload when you haven't been on that tab for awhile.
If you want free web browsing when you do not have WiFi access then yes, you'll need a BB phone. And.. you'll need to NOT be on AT&T, lol. That's the single best benefit of the "bridging" feature.
Without bridging the tablet works great with WiFi as a web browsing device.
What is interesting is the possible future of bridging. The idea that the phone and tablet sort of act like a single device. To me anyway. That is.. the apps share data between the two.
I am an android phone user, and it was a big concern for me before I got my PB.
It hasn't affected my experience of the PB so far, as all of my emails come through to my phone, so I don't see the need to read my emails for a second time on the PB.
The lack of a native calendar app is somewhat annoying, but it isn't a deal breaker.
I mainly use the PB for spreadsheets, web browsing and watching films, so the lack of a BB handset does not restrict my usage of the Playbook.
It's all relative though, depending on what you want from the PB, the lack of a BB handset may or may not determine whether the device is right for you.
I don't have a BB.
In fact the Android Player means it works well with an Android phone with apps such as PDANet and there's an app to read SMS off Android phone.
So this tablet can't function if one does not have a Blackberry?
Can someone elaborate? I know how iPads and Samsung Tablets work, but i am interested in a Playbook.
It functions at a very limited level without a BB phone and even then it is nothing to write home about. RIM decided to release it without basic native functionality. I would not recommend it. There are a lot of better choices out there. Check out the Consumer Reports ratings.
just a thought, if RIM will wait for the playbook to be completely "baked" before releasing it to the market, we would probably still don't have playbook as of this time...
It functions at a very limited level without a BB phone and even then it is nothing to write home about. RIM decided to release it without basic native functionality. I would not recommend it. There are a lot of better choices out there. Check out the Consumer Reports ratings.
Very limited? Just like every other tablet that lacks cursor control and a keyboard. Otherwise the PB is just fine, I like mine a lot and I do occasionally find it a useful alternative to a computer.
Q: So this tablet can't function if one does not have a Blackberry? A: It's almost the same as any other WiFi tablets out there. Q: So this tablet can't function if one does not have a Blackberry?? A: Ok, for now, it doesn't have PIM/Native Email, so YES, you need BB phones to get those.. Unless you want to use the browser? Q: So this tablet can't function if one does not have a Blackberry??? A: End of this summer...
It functions at a very limited level without a BB phone and even then it is nothing to write home about. RIM decided to release it without basic native functionality. I would not recommend it. There are a lot of better choices out there. Check out the Consumer Reports ratings.
what basic functionalities do the ipad2, galaxy tab and xoom have that are missing on the playbook without a blackberry?
the playbook outperforms all 3 of them spec and capability wise. the only thing you apple and android fan boys have been harping on is the 7" screen as opposed to the 10 that ipad and xoom sport
How could we forget?
Not sure what that has to do with using it with or without a phone though....
You can watch Netflix on most other tablets, I think that's helpful and relavent to the OPs questions. Playbook doesn't offer this, so definitely not the full internet experience.
You can watch Netflix on most other tablets, I think that's helpful and relavent to the OPs questions. Playbook doesn't offer this, so definitely not the full internet experience.
Don't know how that is relevant to the OP's question considering he knows how an ipad and a tab works. So you can probably assume he knows how apps work.
As for full internet experience what mobile device actually supports silverlight, i don't even think the current windows phones do.
Just about everyone I know that has a smart phone of any brand has email, contacts, and calendar on their phone. I'm not sure why anyone really needs them on a tablet too, but to each their own.
The Playbook functions very well without a bb phone, just as well as any other tablet on the market now. There are features that make one tablet better for one person than another, but as far as functioning they all function with or without phones no matter what brand. You just have to decide what you want to do with it and figure out which one meets your needs.
Beware - Galaxy S 2 owners. It may not be possible to tether your phone using bluetooth or wifi hotspot. I have tried with no luck. Anyone with success, please let me know how.
