The BlackBerry PlayBook will come with WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities, but no built-in 3G modem. Instead Research in Motion has been promising that you’ll be able to tether the tablet to a BlackBerry smartphone to share a mobile broadband connection. But the folks at CrackBerry say that the tethering option will let you connect the tablet to any phone with tethering capabilities, not just a BlackBerry smartphone.

You will need a BlackBerry if you want to use the BlackBerry Bridge software which allows you to access calendar, contact, and email apps on the PlayBook. But if you just want to get online when you’re not near a WiFi hotspot, you can tether the PlayBook via a Bluetooth connection.

Of course, you can also enable WiFi hotspot access on many smartphones as long as you have a supported phone. This lets you turn an iPhone, Android phone, or other supported device into a sort of mobile hotspot for connecting any WiFi-capable device. But a Bluetooth connection offers a bit more security.

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10 replies on “You can tether a BlackBerry PlayBook to any phone, not just a BlackBerry”

  1. can i play browser games ie castleville cityville and othersc on my blackberry playbook if the answer is yes how do i load them up please help t out as this is the first tablet i’ve ever had or likely to have until i learn what i can and can’t do with it

  2. i want to connect my LG gt540 to my blackberryu playbook
    please help me asap, please please please help me

  3. Anyone know if I can tether the Playbook to an Android smartphone via USB instead of Bluetooth?

  4. i dont know even why everybody is running comparisons between ipad2 and the playbook. there is no comparison. playbook is fast and an excellent multitasker, with a great future that has no end, with its unique OS(QNX). the ipad 2 is good but only at what it does, aaps and social networking. For everything else there is the playbook.

  5. About time someone, ststed the obvivous….
    All the nay sayers and “Apple” Fanboys, have “bad mouthed” playbook for months…even though at all the shows, the prototypes…kick the stuffing out of the Ipad, and the finished Playbook on April 19th can kick the *@#%, our the Itoy2.
    Kudos for something positive and great advise.

  6. unbelievable! so, if had a smart phone with a data package, why would i buy another tab? i would be able to get at least wireless if my phone had it. just genius.

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