[OMGitworks]

Well the xoom won't be any better, no tethering, no bridge, only wifi unless you buy a 3g or 4g one then you are paying for another data plan anyway so wtf is the difference?

If the biggest selling point is the bridge then the playbook is a fail.

Just get an IPAD, it just works. Granted Steve Jobs and co will then own you for life and it costs more than it should, but I'd rather not have flash than not have any 3G or bridge access at all. Just sayin'

[jonty12]

Well the xoom won't be any better, no tethering, no bridge, only wifi unless you buy a 3g or 4g one then you are paying for another data plan anyway so wtf is the difference?

If the biggest selling point is the bridge then the playbook is a fail.

As Howarmat said earlier, there's a big difference. Xoom, iPad, Galaxy, and others all have native email, calendar, contacts. If you use your tablet more than 50% of the time in places without WiFi (like on airplanes as I will be), you NEED native email, calendar, and contacts. You can't just suck it up and use the browser. It's pretty simple really.

I'll check mine out when it arrives today, but most liklely will be returning it and then waiting for the summer to see what happens. Or, I'll switch to another provider for and see what Verizon rolls out with the new phones in Q3.

Unfortunately, iPhone and Android still lack critical features I use everyday, so I need a BB.

[Kerms]

Well the xoom won't be any better, no tethering, no bridge, only wifi unless you buy a 3g or 4g one then you are paying for another data plan anyway so wtf is the difference?

If the biggest selling point is the bridge then the playbook is a fail.

Well you can pay for tethering . The Xoom has native email,calendar contacts. Without the bridge the PB won't until they release the updates later.

Sucks for AT&T guys that's for sure. I think AT&T would allow the email,contact stuff but browsing I didn't think they were going to let that slide.

To be honest I wonder if RIM knew of AT&T plans and if so for how long...
They have been pretty quiet about how the bridge and tether functions work. Now I guess we see why.

Overseas guys really didn't think they would have the problem but I've said all along watch for US carriers to charge. VZW allows it now but I expect them to break the bridge as far as the browser.

AT&T & VZW are two peas in the same pod, one normally follows the other...

[dfaris]

Please tell me you made this up. This can not be true. If true, RIM should be put out of business right away and should be sued for failing to disclose a major device limitation (ATT is just too big to take down but them too). No wonder the CEO has been flipping out. If you really can't bridge with ATT on launch day it is a total failure and this device is truly DOA.

Sorry I did not make this up. I posted the RIM support number a few post above you can call yourself and ask.
EDIT: here is the number again RIM's playbook support number 1 877 644 8410

[southlander]

So how can they block this? I thought bridging was invisible from the carriers perspective?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[dfaris]

So how can they block this? I thought bridging was invisible from the carriers perspective?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

This is what I thought.

[nyc_rock]

May be splitting hairs but the iphone/android can have several devices connected using data and a lot more data than any one device could use. So it's fair to charge the same price to allow one device to connect and use data as the price for hotspot where several devices can connect and use 10 times the data?

Maybe, it it comes, it wont be the same price. But I would be suprised if it was free.

[andyahs]

AT&T really blows this. I live in the Bahamas and got the bridge installed and ready to go!!

[BigHulkDiesel]

Seriously, if this is the case, I will be returning mine first thing in the morning. All the videos showed the Torch as the demo bridge unit and now us folks with the flagship device can't bridge!?! RIM and att just lost business if so.

Can anyone confirm they were able to load the .alx or .cod onto the Torch for att? If there is a work around to download I will be satisfied.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[lawguyman]

This whole mess doesn't make sense. If AT&T has figured out a way to let us have email, calender etc but no bridge browser then why would they have prevented us from downloading the bridge app in the first place?

I have no idea.

Bridging is working but I have no Browser bridge.

I cant explain why. I amwondering if my IT department disabled it?

[NamelessLiar]

So with T-Mobile to soon be run by AT&T, it will started dancing to AT&T's string tugs....so this leaves Sprint or Verizon?

This could be a bleak future ahead of us...

[OMGitworks]

Sorry I did not make this up. I posted the RIM support number a few post above you can call yourself and ask.
EDIT: here is the number again RIM's playbook support number 1 877 644 8410

Sorry, I did believe you, and didn't doubt it, I just can't believe RIM didn't tell us all this much earlier. It's hard to beleive but I totally do belleive what you were told.

No doubt there could be work arounds soon. But for the price users shouldn't have to use a work around. I still have to do battery pulls to reboot my 9650 to fix issues and the camera still shuts off my phone, so I guess I should have known better but I did expect more from the PB

[gravymonster]

Ok a lot of you seem to be bringing up the old "phone companies charge for tethering what do you expect, moron!" argument and that isn't valid here...

Correct me if I'm wrong... Even if I run out and sign up for AT&T's tethering plan.. I still can't install the bridge app on my torch! That's a load of crap.

[DiscoNaldo]

Sorry I did not make this up. I posted the RIM support number a few post above you can call yourself and ask.
EDIT: here is the number again RIM's playbook support number 1 877 644 8410

Just called. The guy I spoke to said they were "working" on it (he acknowleged that they've received lots of calls on this isse), and that I should check again in a few hours. I don't think he had any clue what he was talking about.

This is pissing me off so much.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[sleepngbear]

So how can they block this? I thought bridging was invisible from the carriers perspective?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

They're blocking the Bridge app from being downloaded to your phone. Same as they did to BB maps, and who knows what else. No carrier should be allowed to wield that much influence on a device manufacturer.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[greggebhardt]

I agree 100%. If RIM doesn't solve this they are officially dead to me and I my loyalty in not moving to Android is officially over! Nice job RIM! No wonder your stock is at $52.

THIS IS NOT A RIM THING!

This is a AT&T THING!

[patrickarc]

I'm getting very confused with all the links and info, etc. To make sure I get it:

1) No bridge for AT&T.
2) The workaround shared in this thread will work, but will not allow browser access?

If I can get email and calendar i'm fine. Still can't believe AT&T or RIM would let this fly. Hopefully official info soon.

May have to be returning the playbook

[DiscoNaldo]

THIS IS NOT A RIM THING!

This is a AT&T THING!

Well... RIM could have given us a heads up. As someone previously stated, all the bridge functionality was shown using a Torch...

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[howarmat]

Ok a lot of you seem to be bringing up the old "phone companies charge for tethering what do you expect, moron!" argument and that isn't valid here...

Correct me if I'm wrong... Even if I run out and sign up for AT&T's tethering plan.. I still can't install the bridge app on my torch! That's a load of crap.

if you go and pay ATT for tethering i bet the bridge shows up lol

[stackberry369]

What the carriers are doing should be made illegal,once the device is sold the consumer should be able to whatever they choose to do with it.Including having relations with it.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Mama2Many]

I tried the workaround posted on post #1 here and it didn't work.

[tojo68]

All the videos showed the Torch as the demo bridge unit and now us folks with the flagship device can't bridge!?!

This is the reason i bought mine

[theegoldenone]

What the carriers are doing should be made illegal,once the device is sold the consumer should be able to what they please with it.Including having relations with it.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Relations aka tethering :-)

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jonty12]

Adam says the workaround posted on P1 of crackberry right now (direct jad download - AT&T BlackBerry Bridge Download | CrackBerry.com) works on his AT&T phone. We should be good.

What annoyed me is that in an earlier post, someone said they installed the cods via bbsak and got bridge installed and when they tested it, BROWSER WORKED, and everything else didn't! this is exactly the opposite of what AT&T would want. Also the opposite of what I need (I don't really care if bridge browser works, but cool if it does).

[sgalex]

It is a RIm thing if they really want to compete in this arena. They need to exert more force with ATT and play hard ball. At the very least they should have addressed this before launch and even if ATT customers had to pay for the same bridging so be it but at least we would be prepared. I am disgusted with ATT for sure but you cannot let RIM off the hook,