BlackBerry® PlayBook™

[jerryg50]

I am in Canada. I had a few instances where I was not able to see Canadian content. I had the message that my location was not authorised. I did not call my phone service provider. For me it was not worth the time and effort to chase this.

Jerry G.

[redheadp]

first day with playbook! question, bridge browser doesnt seem to opperate as a browser yet, also music from torch to book ? is the limited range of functions being upgraded ?

[jerryg50]

I have the Playbook for a number of months now.

I have used the bridge browser. Since the last few updates they improved the bridge browser. I found it to still be slow at times and not always stable. 

I read on some news groups and in a few articles that some of the carriers are somehow blocking the bridge mode from working on the net using the bridge browser.

I have a tethering plan for my phone, and therefore I use tethering with the main browser to go on the net. This works very fast and is extremely stable.

I have not tried music through the bridge mode. I would think it would be more efficient to install the music from your PC computer directly to the Playbook.  You can do this over the WiFi. Set the Playbook to be in the data share mode for this. It will appear on your network as if it was another computer.  You can also use the USB cable and transfer the files across as if the Playbook was a disk drive. Take care to put the music in the folder for music.

Jerry G.

[sumeetatdelhi]

Sanders

The OTA links are not working.

Pls help.

[jerryg50]

If I remember correctly, when on the PB and trying to look at the phone files via the bridge mode there is the issue the phone folders will appear empty dependimg on the file types. I called RIM tech suppoert about this a number of weeks ago. They told me there are some file compatibility issues via the bridge mode and the phone. They told me they are aware of this and its being looked in to.

The recommendation I was given is to copy between the devices using the computer. You can copy between eather device to a folder in the computer. You can connect both the phone and PB to the computer at the same time and copy between them as if they were drives. Just take care you copy to the correct folders or the devices will not be able to work with the copied files.

With the PB, it is possible to set it to file share mode. You can then see it over a network via WiFi. It will appear on a PC as if it was another computer on the network. Make sure to turn off the share mode if using the PB on any public WiFi. It will be able to be seen and entered by all PC's using that network.

Because I use my devices for business, I only use WiFi where I know the WiFi owner and I know his network is restricted and not public. I most always use tethered mode for PB emails and browsing in combination with the bridge mode. This is the most data secure way of using mobile internet services.

Jerry G.

[redheadp]

torch and playbook. when i try to connect via tethered internet sharing and phone goes into modem mode nothing works. then disconnect and internet works ? via bluetooth, so pb works auto through bridge. confused!

[jerryg50]

For tethering to work, the Playbook and the phone have to be first linked by Bluetooth. The tether mode will then allow the phone to work as a modem.

It is important to have the tethering option active in your mobile phone plan. If not, it will most likely be blocked. Some carriers allow it to work without the option active, but they may charge a high rate to use it if the option is not purchased. This all depends on the policy of the phone company.

1)  Make sure your carrier allows tethering in your phone plan.

2)  Have the Playbook linked by Bluetooth to the phone.

3)  Open the tethering menu, and set up the tether mode for your carrier (required on first use).

4)  Activate the tethering mode.

Jerry G.

[redheadp]

my carrier does charge high rates for tethering. however my plan includes 1 gig data.when i tried to tether nothing happened, but using bridge browser i can use internet that way, via bluetooth works well. my carrier says using the phone as a modem can only be done on a pc, but all is well just using bluetooth. Thanks

[jerryg50]

The Playbook will work much faster and more stable in the tether mode for browsing.

The tether mode probably does not work because your carrier has to activate it. 

On the plan that I have, I can tether the Playbook using the Torch as the modem. At the same time, I can be talking on the Torch, and do other internet functions at the same time. The Torch is a very powerful little unit.

The torch also works as a modem for both my laptop or my desktop computer if I want to use it that way. It can work with the USB cable or by Bluetooth with the PC computers. I have not done an internet speed test with it, but it is very fast.

I am curious to know, how much your carrier charges for 1GB of tethering. Over here I believe they charge in the range of $40 per month. They charge about $60 for 3GB of tethering.

With the Playbook, if you are not downloading or watching HD movies, or doing large video streaming, a 1GB plan is very safe for standard web browsing and using remote email accounts. With a 1GB per month plan using the Playbook you can probably do more browsing than you would actually have time for unless you are on it extensively all day and all night long.  The Playbook is very data efficient.

Jerry G.