- When I first heard about print to go, I thought it sounded like a great idea: Get all your on-the-go documents consolidated onto your playbook in a sleek, integrated document management tool. Most importantly, I saw it as an alternative to loading a bunch of mixed doc files, spreadsheets and - especially - PDF files by hand, the latter of which would have required that god-awful Adobe reader app to view.
However, now that I've finally got it working (P2G apparently doesn't like NAT - go figure), I'm shocked at how hollow and underwhelming the results are. Basically, P2G takes your printed output and simply converts it to - drum roll please - a PDF! Then it sticks the "printed" file onto the PlayBook and adds an index entry so that the P2G software knows something new has arrived. Tap to open and you're right back to the Adobe Reader I was hoping to escape. Unreal!
Bottom Line: The P2G client on the PlayBook seems to be nothing more than a cleverly animated file explorer, only without any actually useful functionality like full-text indexing or searching of document contents. Basically, it's a bunch of pretty fluff that does nothing that couldn't be accomplished easier via wifi sharing and a little manual file copying.
Frankly, I'm flabbergasted that RIM bothered to even demo P2G at CES. They must really have been reaching for things to show in an effort to justify the 10 month gap between the PlayBook launch and the release of OS 2.0.
What a let-down...
RCKLast edited by rkennedy01; 02-22-12 at 02:38 PM.
02-22-12 10:57 AMLike 6 - Print to Go makes it easy to get a document onto your playbook (a few clicks ) and that's all it does. That's alot of convenience as opposed to Printing to PDF, entering the PB file system, Copy and pasting onto the PB file system and then opening a file explorer application on the PB, finding the PDF and opening it.02-22-12 11:04 AMLike 10
- At least you can get it to work. I can't get past the BlackBerry ID log in - my PC just brings up half of the blackberry.com website with a message saying my log-in has expired and when I re-enter it it just sits there doing nothing.bike2travel likes this.02-22-12 11:15 AMLike 1
- 02-22-12 11:50 AMLike 3
- Print to Go makes it easy to get a document onto your playbook (a few clicks ) and that's all it does. That's alot of convenience as opposed to Printing to PDF, entering the PB file system, Copy and pasting onto the PB file system and then opening a file explorer application on the PB, finding the PDF and opening it.
And since when does anyone "print to pdf" anymore? Microsoft Word has supported directly saving to PDF format for years now. And besides, converting everything into a PDF is the *last* thing I wanted to do (see above).
Also, for me file copying involves opening an explorer window and dragging and dropping. Technically, it's fewer steps than printing something since I don't have to first open the associated app, select print, select the correct printer, navigate the various P2G dialogs, etc.
Frankly, I was hoping for something better - perhaps a proprietary "raw" document format with an accompanying viewer application. But for RIM to double-down on PDF without doing something to improve the end experience was simply short-sighted.
"Yay! We'll convert all your stuff to PDF for you! Now about the reader..."
Ridiculous.
RCK02-22-12 11:59 AMLike 2 - Typically, I would e-mail documents that I need on my Playbook to myself, and download via Bridge. Print to Go makes this slightly easier. Slightly.02-22-12 12:00 PMLike 0
- You're looking at the simplest possible use for it. You've got to think bigger. And by that I mean how it can be used, not what you had imagined it would be. Secretaries can send docs directly to a user's PB in the field. You can't do that with wifi-sharing. Just one example.
PDF is the standard for portable cross-platform documents.02-22-12 12:11 PMLike 4 - You're looking at the simplest possible use for it. You've got to think bigger. And by that I mean how it can be used, not what you had imagined it would be. Secretaries can send docs directly to a user's PB in the field. You can't do that with wifi-sharing. Just one example.
PDF is the standard for portable cross-platform documents.
RCK02-22-12 12:16 PMLike 2 - You've already condemned it, I'm not going to try to talk you into liking it. Delete it and move on for all I care.02-22-12 12:22 PMLike 6
- Sith_ApprenticeMod Team Emeritus
Also as said before, this is a first iteration. Being able to print to any user's PB (authorized PB) and have it sent directly to them in the field will come in very handy later on.02-22-12 12:29 PMLike 3 - WOWOWOWOWOW-
Sounds like someone has issues with Adobe....It's OK if you don't want to save a tree print it out on paper. Or use word, this is a good concept. and for those that like this feature it is good. BUT some are not really knowing wad a PDF is or what the acronym actually stands for for those it is a Portable Document Format, that it is, and is create with an adobe product. with reader or acrobat installed on your PC yes you can print to PDF, same as the concept of PRINT2 on Playbook. AS far as your NAS goes, I don't remember there being any support or docs to support the use of a NAS of any kind...think about it...so whats the real issue, seems like you just don't like the reader app, and that's OK. There's doc's to go, simply copy your word docs over to your PB, and use that, unless you also have an issue with MS Word. in that case, maybe just use paper..kill a few more tree's....Last edited by kerry6; 02-22-12 at 12:33 PM.
acrogenesis and grover5 like this.02-22-12 12:30 PMLike 2 - I have a Mac, i don't think there is even a Mac client available for print to go......so i cant try it,02-22-12 12:32 PMLike 0
- this is more efficient as you dont have to fill up the user's inbox or mailbox with pdf. remember business email are limited in disk space usage. this one helps. if you don't like the feature dont use it. no need to make a positve feature to a negative one.bluetroll likes this.02-22-12 12:34 PMLike 1
- print to go as made some leaps and bounds in terms of speeding up transferring some data.
its awesome
if your having problems uninstall it, then restart your computer, them install it and try again.
its pretty darn straight forward to use, it walks you through the process02-22-12 12:34 PMLike 0 - like i said before you don't like this feature don't use it. but i'm pretty sure someone will appreciate this nice feature of os2. it's a positve thing not a negative.02-22-12 12:37 PMLike 0
- 02-22-12 12:41 PMLike 0
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- I went to BB.com to load the --Print to Go -- and it will not download.Just get a blank screen.Any ideas?02-22-12 12:48 PMLike 0
- Unbelievable.... OP - I'm not sure what you were expecting? .jpg? And I'm not sure what you expect the program to do.... Maybe just by looking at your pc screen and using 'the force' to magically place the file on your PB in exactly the right location and file format.... Wow.
Most of us feel RIM did a remarkable job with this app, its simple, it works, EVERYONE on EVERY system can read pdf, so despite how you feel about adobe - RIM chose right here as well... They've made MOST of our lives just a tad easier.... Sorry it didn't make yours as well. Peace.02-22-12 12:49 PMLike 0 -
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- You're looking at the simplest possible use for it. You've got to think bigger. And by that I mean how it can be used, not what you had imagined it would be. Secretaries can send docs directly to a user's PB in the field. You can't do that with wifi-sharing. Just one example.
PDF is the standard for portable cross-platform documents.
If that is true, and you meant a user that is in the field (and not connected to the local wifi network) then that is great! I always thought that the prints to go option will only pop up in the printer dialog and connect with the PlayBook when the PlayBook was connected to the same network as the printer. Guess I was wrong!
Update: it only works for me if my PB is connected to the network that the PC belongs to. If it is connected to another network the PC just prints to my printer and skips the dialog option that allows the prints to go option to be chosen.Last edited by Abrante; 02-22-12 at 01:11 PM.
02-22-12 12:57 PMLike 0
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Print to Go - What a Let-down!
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