Please Stand By- You have not been forgotten

As you may be aware most of my blog entries currently surround BlackBerry; this is for two primary reasons.

           1. I am a fan of BlackBerry
           2. Most of my devices are BlackBerry

This presents a dilemma for a Hardware/Software tester. The scope of my inventory limits my testing and reporting.  I am hoping I will be able to change that in the near future and be able to provide future blog entries on some of the other hot devices out there.

Today's entry will be on several small items and will be less focused on testing and more focused on the reporting of features.

A couple months ago a close friend of mine asked me how I was doing now that BlackBerry PlayBook was no longer being supported.  I answered much as you might expect, "I'm ok".  Behind that answer were all the trials and tribulations of BlackBerry and the stray thought that you had been left behind. 

While it's true there had not been any operating system updates for some time and I couldn't look forward to a shiny new BlackBerry tablet anytime soon, BlackBerry 10 was still going strong and my phone was receiving constant updates and new features. 

"Actually" I brightened, "The updates to my phone such as BBM and BlackBerry Bridge have carried over a bit to my PlayBook".

This is true.  And it was quite amazing how I found out.  I was taking the bus to work one morning and on such trips I often have my PlayBook out reading my electronic edition of the Globe and Mail. My phone is usually tucked away in a pocket of my jacket out of sight and mind. 

Suddenly a pop up appeared on my PlayBook that notified me that someone was trying to call me.  I had the phone sound off at the time so this was exciting to say the least.  As long as you have your phone tethered to your PlayBook and the BlackBerry Bridge is active phone calls, Texts, and BBM messages will all be passed on to your PlayBook.

This of course is awesome, and I'll show you how it looks.

In addition to phone call notification, we now will be notified of incoming texts or BBM messages.

Assuming you have the latest BlackBerry Bridge update installed on your playbook you will see that you have a folder labeled BlackBerry Bridge.

Now when a message comes in a red asterisk will appear indicating a message.

Tap on the BlackBerry Bridge folder and it will open to indicate what type of new message has come in.

Tap on the icon with the message and you will have to give the security password for the BlackBerry Bridge Smartphone password.

Next you will see...

And then the actual text...

Most of these features have been added via BlackBerry Bridge and BlackBerry OS updates and have essentially flowed through to the BlackBerry PlayBook. 

Remember that the bridge must be connected and Bluetooth on.  Above you can see the icons that should be enabled   If you need a reminder of how to tether your BlackBerry Play book look at my earlier blog entry BlackBerry Z10 to BlackBerry PlayBook- Bluetooth tether.

In addition to the expanded functionality described above, we actually had an update to the BlackBerry PlayBook just last week to OS version 2.1.0.1917.  No huge changes but the update are proof "You have not been forgotten".

See the following article from Bla1ze for a little more detail on OS version 2.1.0.1917





http://crackberry.com/blackberry-playbook-updated-os-2101917

Fear and Loathing of the dreaded BlackBerry PlayBook "Factory Reset" and the Curse of Windows 8

So as I mentioned in "Transfer of data between the BlackBerry Z10 and the Playbook" entry I have not been able to connect to my computer with my BlackBerry Playbook since I installed Windows 8.  Based on the research I completed at that time my only option was to wait for BlackBerry to upgrade the PlayBook to BlackBerry 10 code base or go back to the factory defaults and see if during the re-install things would sort itself out.

This is what I was dealing with when connecting my BlackBerry PlayBook to my Windows 8 desktop with BlackBerry Link desktop application I would see the following warning.

If I clicked on this warning I would see the following screen:

Finally I decided to do a factory reset. 

I was experiencing problems not only with connecting to my desktop but now my number one function of tethering to my Z10 phone was not functioning.  I really had no choice.

It was actually a lot less painful than I expected.  Once completed the factory reset almost instantly it asked to set up the blackberry bridge and connect to my Z10.  I ensured tethering was working and breathed a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately my desktop still could not connect to my BlackBerry Playbook.  So what to do next?

Well reinstalling all the apps I had gotten from BlackBerry World was easy.

I tapped on the BlackBerry World Icon.  Selected my apps and I was presented with two screens: Installed and Uninstalled.


























As you can see I have taken photos of these screens after the fact given the Uninstalled screen on the right only has one application waiting to be reinstalled.

That was all I needed to re-fresh my BlackBerry Playbook.  For those brought up on PCs and Microsoft, think of it like a fresh OS install- but not nearly as difficult or complex. 

Conclusion: Windows 8 simply does not support BlackBerry PlayBook. 

Unfortunately this will probably not change in the near future. BlackBerry has announced they will be making no further attempts to convert BlackBerry PlayBook to the BlackBerry 10 OS at this time.

Windows certainly has no incentive to support BlackBerry PlayBook.  Microsoft is busy trying to build a following with their tablets and smartphones.

Solution to supporting BlackBerry Software with Microsoft: Windows 7

In a spare computer I acquired, I installed my Windows 7 OS and BlackBerry connected fine to BlackBerry Link.  I can now fully store and change both photos and music connected with my Windows 7 desktop.

Resetting factory defaults with BlackBerry PlayBook in Isolation

This is easier than the steps shown above.

1. Simply click on gear icon in upper right hand corner 





2. Select Security

3. Select Security Wipe

 

 

4. Follow instructions on screen and then click on wipe data button when you are ready. 

 

WARNING: You won't get any further warnings after you click wipe data.  So be sure you are ready.



The BlackBerry World music purchase vs iTunes

I have been largely absent from my Blog CRCordrayTestingDocuments, and the twitter universe as of late, enjoying the non-digital life.  I have returned an will continue my semi-regular posting. 

Enjoy.
                                                               *              *             *


We have to give Apple credit for creating an industry changing, perhaps life changing way of purchasing music.  Apple's innovation in this area is partly the reason they have been the leaders in the smartphone industry for the last several years.

I'm going to discuss a narrow series of tests comparing the purchasing of music from an iOS device (iPhone/iPad) vs. The BlackBerry Z10.  The BlackBerry PlayBook cannot be included in this comparison as it does not have the same capability to buy music as the BlackBerry Z10.


Purchase

So with BlackBerry Z10 in BlackBerry world you can buy music, movies and books pretty much any you can buy with iTunes.  Payment can be set directly to a credit card or you can create a PayPal account.

After selecting BlackBerry World, select music as shown above.  Next select search, as shown below.

Now type in an artist or album name, as shown below.  Click Search.

 Tap on the entire album button, or an individual song.  If you haven't set up a payment profile you will be promted to do so either through your credit card or a PayPal account.

 

You will have to enter in your BlackBerry ID password.

When the button changes to "Play" you will have completed your download.

Sharing

As I indicated in a previous blog "Transfer of data between the BlackBerry Z10 and the Playbook" what works best for transferring songs electronically is DropBox. 

Now iTunes does provide a "Match" service so that exactly what you purchase on one device can be transferred to another device but there is an annual fee of $27.99.

Alternatively you can connect your device via USB cord to your desktop.  You should select File-->Devices-->Transfer Purchases from "<User's> iPad".

 

Gifting

 



Content purchased in BlackBerry World can be gifted to your friends and family via email (1 small song) or DropBox (many songs).  iTunes does allow gifting of an individual song (if done from iTunes on a desktop computer) but not from an IOS device.  You can however gift an entire album to someone else (via email) with iTunes on a desktop and IOS device.

iTunes recognizing MP3 files

You can direct iTunes to pick up the song (they are saved as MP3s) if you send it to your desktop and you have iTunes installed as your music software.   An MP3 file from DropBox or email on an IOS device, will not work, iTunes will not recognize it and add it to the iTunes music list.

Place MP3 in Folder

Then in iTunes

Select File-->Add File to Library

And a seperate browsing window will come up.

Select the file in question.You also have the option of "Add Folder to Library" if you want to add an entire album.

iTunes does allow gifting of an individual song (if done from iTunes on a desktop computer) but not from an IOS device.  You can however gift an entire album to someone else (via email) with iTunes on a desktop and IOS device.

Review of Pro and Cons

So in review; songs or albums purchased with the BlackBerry Z10 on BlackBerry World are more versatile than purchases made on iTunes.  But iTunes does have advantages.


Apple

• Any song purchased on an IOS device with iTunes and sent elsewhere will need iTunes to play it.
• IOS devices have the iCloud for matching music between devices and back up abilities that at this point BlackBerry does not.
• Apple has been selling music for much longer and is far more established at this point.

BlackBerry

• Music in BlackBerry World are in MP3 format.  MP3 are are playable almost everywhere.
• BlackBerry World MP3 can be incorporated into an iTunes running on a desktop. 
• MP3s sent directly to an IOS device via DropBox will play individually through QuickTime
• For the MP3 to appear in the iTunes music list you need to transfer it from iTunes in your desktop and then copy it to your IOS device while connected via USB.
• Gifting individual songs is easier with BlackBerry Z10.

 

QRs- The bar code on steriods BlackBerry vs. Apple

I was eating in a new restaurant a week or so ago and spotted a QR code and decided to take out my BlackBerry Z10 and see what it was all about.  I clicked on the Smart Tags native application on my BlackBerry and scanned the QR and tapped the saved tag and navigated to that restaurant's web site.

While this native app is efficient in doing a quick scan it falls short in functionality when you want to create your own smart tags.  It can create QR codes its simply not as friendly as it could be with sending them elsewhere.


The alternative is the BlackBerry application QR Scanner which is a free app.  It is easy to comprehend even in as I said in creating your own QR codes.

Tobias Rothe has created an extremely functional application here. 


Free and easy to use, I highly recommend this for BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Playbook.





Not to be out done, Scan is one of the favorite applications available for Apple for scanning QR codes.






It also has the capability to not only scan but also to create QR codes.  Scan is available for all devices except BlackBerry (Windows, Apple, and Android).



Both applications work in slightly different ways.






Of course the process of scanning does not require any real steps to follow.  Start the application.   Click scan.  Focus camera on the QR in question.

QR Scanner BlackBerry Playbook:

BlackBerry QR Scanner will give an audio beep when the QR is successfully scanned you will then be given the option to open the location of the QR.

The Apple application Scan has a few more helpful hints on its screens.

1. Scan iPad mini:

You have the option of taping help if you are having problems scanning.

2. Scan iPad mini:

Or to help focus it prompts you to tap on the code to focus.

The Apple app Scan will automatically start the browser and navigate to the URL or display the content of the QR whereas the BlackBerry QR Scanner will ask permission:

The main difference I find between both application is that Scan requires you to register with their website in order to create your own QR codes.  This is also where all created an scanned QR are stored.  The advantage to that is if you scan a QR on your iPhone and you want to look at it on you iPad later that evening you can access the same QR scan through the iCloud.

In BlackBerry QR Scanner it is much less labor intensive in that you can do it all through the QR Scanner application on whatever device you are using and all scanned or created QRs are stored locally.

2. QR Scanner BlackBerry Playbook: Generate QR screen


You can create a QR code that is comprised of text, a URL, an SMS (text message), email, phone or what have you, all immediately.  So let's say you wanted to create a QR of a URL.

1. Tap on URL.  The keyboard will appear and you type in your URL you want to use to create the QR.  Then click Generate button.

2. You will see you have the QR generated and you have the option of changing the color or background colour and then of course saving the picture.

3. Here I have changed the background colour. I also had the option of changing the colour of the Black QR code itself.

 

4. Now you can open the "QRScanner" album in your pictures or simply attach it to an email to print from a desktop or send to whomever you want.

For Apple with Scan, the process is similar.

1. For Scan to create a QR you need get to settings.

2. Once you go to the Scan me site, if you haven't done so already you will have to create an account (it won't take long).  Then navigate to create a code tab.

3. We are going to create a QR code for a URL again which is why we pick website.

4. Click next.

You can do some customization once again.  You can't colour the background but you can change the block colour.  As well you can change the block shape (Square, Rounded, or Round).

I know I put BlackBerry vs. Apple in my title but I should point out that neither of these applications directly compete with each other as Scan is not available for BlackBerry and QR Scanner is not available for anything but BlackBerry.  The competition is more on the basis of devices, that is given the software available which handles QR codes better.  Over all they BlackBerry vs. Apple compare favorably, and now you've all taken the first step into the QR world.  Enjoy.

Transfer of data between the BlackBerry Z10 and the Playbook

First issues with BlackBerry Playbook and BlackBerry Z10:

It started with installing Windows 8. Currently there are two different applications required to connect BlackBerry devices to your desktop computer, one for Z10 (BlackBerry Link) and another for everything else (BlackBerry Desktop Software).

The Z10 worked fine. The BlackBerry Playbook not so well. Mind you that's not the first time a new OS didn't support everything. My goal was to transfer data from the Z10 to the Playbook without using my desktop, which is now required Windows 8 wouldn't recognize my Playbook.

I have tried several potential fixes with no success.  I do not know what the solution is for Playbook and Windows 8 except for the radical potential solution of resetting my Blackberry Playbook to its factory setting - an option I currently do wish to test.

So I looked into using the BlackBerry Bridge. Unfortunately the BlackBerry Bridge between the Z10 and the Playbook will require updates to restore full functionality previously enjoyed for data transferring.

"We are also planning to bring BBM and other applications as part of a future update later this year.  "...BlackBerry Bridge will continue to evolve in the future!"

For further information please see the official BlackBerry Blog posted by Andrey F.(part of company's software product management team) on February 6, 2013. http://blogs.blackberry.com/2013/02/blackberry-bridge-for-blackberry-10/

Not to fear there are work-around solutions. 

Email:

Assuming you have the same email accounts set up on both devices (Z10 and Playbook) you could attach almost any file music, picture, or document from the phone to the tablet without requiring an interface with your desktop. 

1. Open your BlackBerry Playbook Messages application and compose new message selecting the paper clip.  As you can see you can attach just about anything.

2. Select music and then select the song of your choice.

3. Click on attach and send.
4. On the Z10 once you tap on the attachment in the incoming email, you will see it will start to load.

 

 

5. With the song loaded, if you tap on the 3 dots in the bottom right hand corner you can select save as.

 

 

 

6. Now select save as...

 

 

 

7. Click Save.

 



 

8. Save is completed.  Now when you navigate to your Z10 Music App you will see the song has been added to your library.

 

 



Disadvantage: This process is fine for the odd song or few pictures but any more than a handful at a time and the investment becomes a bit heavy. You may not want to use up all your bandwidth transferring songs 2 or 3 at a time. But as I said, it is a work around method.

Work-around for transferring photos: Buy an app

1.  For 99 cents you can buy Photo Sync for your BlackBerry Playbook. 

A very simple and effective application, that can auto sync to your Dropbox so all the pictures you take on your Playbook are auto downloaded to you dropbox account. 

Your Z10 comes with "Connect to Dropbox" app pre-installed.  And you can choose to use your cellular network or use your Wi-Fi connection as you see fit giving you the option to conserve use of bandwidth.