Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

I am a BB fan but I must say i am really disappointed. The PB site made changes to the spec sheet. It used to say” 3G network access using your BlackBerry® Smartphone as a modem”. Now it only indicates WIFI. I asked the geeks at Best Buy and surprisingly they no nothing about the PB neither do the people at the mobile desk. You would think they would be trained for the launch of such an important product for RIM. Disappointing. I called AT&T, they don’t know jack. Why isn’t this clear on the PB site. So the question is simple, and I believe it is a deal breaker. Will we be able to have internet connection, 3G network access, using our BlackBerry® Smartphone as a modem? Will we be able to have internet connection using a BB Smartphone as a modem with Bluetooth? These questions should be answered clearly by RIM. If not, even though I am a BB fan, I’m out, and the PB will probably be the beginning of the end.

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

No 3G/4G access yet. WiFi only.

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

I meant using the BB as a modem. Bold and others have that capability and it was specifically on the spec sheet and then they removed it.

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

I was about to place a pre-order for a Playbook when I cruised over here to see the latest posts.

That is a deal-breaker for me, and I cannot for the life of me understand why it is so hard to get a clear answer on this.

Can we access the internet away from any Wi-Fi zone using the Blackberry phone data plan when we tether the playbook to one?

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

Or how about a simple $25/mo data plan from ATT that'll enable 3G, as is done for the iPad? WiFi only is counter-intuitive. The #%@& thing is designed for portability. Its size is the main improvement to the iPad, IMHO, so why tether it to hotspots?

Hopefully the PB with 3G capability will follow shortly, as happened with the initial WiFi only rollout of the iPad. Until then, count me out -- and I'm a BB guy through and through.

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

Also a dedicated BB user, and was looking forward to using the PB at a vacation house without WiFi access. Looks like I'm going to have to look in another direction.

Thanks for this thread. Getting a firm answer has been next to impossible.

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

You will be able to have 3G access by tethering your BB to the PB.

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

Can't you tether it to your Bold2, Storm2 or Torch via the Bluetooth 2.1+EDR?

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

yep

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

blackberry.com specifically states pairing the BB to the PB will allow you to do the following:

Wirelessly connect to your BlackBerry® smartphone for real time access to:
Email, calendar, address book, task list and BBM™.

Does not say anything about internet browsing. This definitely was a deal breaker for me, I planned to mount the PB in my car, sync it to my BB, and I could use it as a huge navigation screen.

But I could still manage the music through the PB, and check my e-mails at the stop light...

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

You know what's a deal-breaker for me? People that use the phrase "deal-breaker" seriously.

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

you know what's a major deal-breaker for me other than the internet browsing incapabilities when paired up with a BB? One who feel somewhat superior by calling out others for using "deal-breaker" in their comments.

Begone.:x

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

Wow.

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

That's a deal-breaker right there.

Besides, who said the PlayBook won't be able to tether? Have a stab at a Google search for screenshots that surfaced today that show the internet tethering category in the settings of the PlayBook. Besides, two seasoned members of this forum have indicated that tethering will be possible. Good enough for me, at least for now.

But you know what would be better than all these "that's a deal-breaker" reactions to unverified conclusions that the PlayBook won't be able to tether? Waiting until the PlayBook hits the market and checking it out in person.

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

It has a micro USB port which means that you can tether your BB phone to the Playbook and use it as a modem. I purchased the Tether software and it works flawlessly with my laptop and will work with the Playbook.

Not sure why the confusion.

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

Just pre-ordered mine.

Not getting it free was a deal breaker :razz:

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

There are some 2G device on OS 5 that it could tether to, maybe that why they changed it.

Also some new :bb: devices will have MiFi on them;-)

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

This is completely different....


Bluetooth is the only way to connect your BB to the PlayBook. There is no cable interface to connec the two together.

The point being made is that IF tethering only allows you access to your Enterprise account (email, calendar) and does not allow you to use the 3G/Cellular network for web browsing, you would need WiFi access which some are opposed to.

To my knowledge, you should be able to use your BB to not only access Enterprise information BUT as well to browse the internet. I'll talk to a friend who's actually been using it and has colleagues who are working on it and get an answer.

It's nice to have friends at RIM, you can sometimes get clairification on questions like this ;)

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

Wait... you mean I have to pay for these things? I don't get one free? You're right... that's a deal-breaker!

Re: Deal breaker! Internet Connection or NOT?
 

Besides, who said the PlayBook won't be able to tether? Have a stab at a Google search for screenshots that surfaced today that show the internet tethering category in the settings of the PlayBook. Besides, two seasoned members of this forum have indicated that tethering will be possible. Good enough for me, at least for now.



Actually, I wasn't aware of the fact the PB would be able to tether. Good to know. Well, for now, T-Mobile tethering is free...until AT&T completely rips the T-Mobile of the good times we've had....

Now that I know - that's NOT a deal breaker for me at the time being, I'll get the PB if I can tether - just think it'd be need to just connect via bluetooth and surf the web or use it as a navigator...

And this whole "deal-breaker" topic is quite humorous...let's see how many more times it's mentioned down this thread...:smile: