Tag: bbm

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Saying Goodbye to BBM

Before Snapchat, WhatsApp and iMessage there was BBM. A simple yet ahead of its time messaging app. Sure windows and Yahoo messengers allowed people to chat but required computers. Having the ability to talk to anyone for free while on the move was a new concept.

The app had amazing features like voice note and blue checkmarks that we take for granted today. The app was free but required a data plan and a blackberry device which almost everyone had. Unfortunately for Blackberry, a new challenger was entering the market and a big one at that.

Blackberry’s answer to the iPhone and Android handsets was the upcoming Blackberry OS10 keyboardless phone. Unfortunately, the handset arrived at the party very late with a huge price tag and no new features to write home about. To make things worse, you could not move your old pin and charts and had to start over.

By this time, the iPhone started to take off and gain momentum. It was after all backed by Apple. Hardcore BBM fans continued to use it me included but the user base was fading. The initial refusal of taking the app cross-platform gained WhatsApp the momentum of needed. Sure the company eventually added the missing features and took the app to IOS and Android but it was too little too late.

It’s a shame that BBM never got the attention of deserved especially since it was privacy driven. You can still subscribe to the enterprise version which costs money but at this point, it’s as good as dead to the normal consumer unless iMessage and WhatsApp goes away.

I remember people broadcasting annoying messages at 5 in the morning. I also remember people competing for the largest friends list. The good old days. It is the nature of fast-moving tech. Someday WhatsApp and even iPhone may go away but other apps and devices are anyways ready to take over. Enjoy and live in the moment.

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BBM is coming out with great features, but

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So Blackberry is finally rolling out some very useful features after a long lack of updates. Things like retract sent messages and timed chat much like snapchat. Problem is; they are premiere features that will require paid subscription. There are two ways to run a business: Good and Stupid. Sadly, this one is pure stupidity. Imagine me charging you as a reader a paid subscription in order to view 100% of each blog post as opposite of the free 60%? The BBM while a great chatting app is no where near the user base of whatsapp.

In order to attract consumers from the competition, you sell your app by providing features and better expirance NOT a paid plan. Now I understand, Blackberry as any other company need to make money, I have nothing against that. what I am against is the way they are trying to make money. Selling stickers and other non necessary stuff is fine. Some will argue that the new features are not needed and to that I answer with: while it is true that the new features are not needed to use BBM but are required to fully enjoy it.

I love BBM and will pick up the 9720 OS 7.1 Blackberry as a backup and chat device but paying for BBM updates is stupid. Dont get me wrong, I pay for apps across Windows, IOS and Mac so spending money is no problem, it is how and why I am spending this and that, that matters.

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Now the reason is that I am picking this up as opposite to the Q10 is that I simply love OS 7 more than BB10. Thats right, I have used a Q5 and old school devices and let me tell you; the legacy devices are way faster than BB10. That is the reason I will be picking BlackBerry 9720. Of course nostalgia plays a huge part but the device is simply a communication beast. If only OS7 continued to revice apps and updates I and many would have been loyal user.

Anyway, I really hope that BlackBerry reconsider the premium plan, at least until they gain back some market share. Not sure if the upcoming BlackBerry Passport will be the savor of BB but I hope they get back into the game. Do you agree that it is not the time for a paid subscription? Or you support BB on this?

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Blackberry Passport impression

Let me tell the story by starting out with my smart phone history. As most around my area, I too jumped on the legacy Blackberry curve. The BBM made life new and easy. Adding people were exciting and new, texting free 24? Where do I sign?

Years passed and I made the switch to the iPhone, an amazing phone but too strict for its own good. I then triad the Samsung Galaxy Note II which broke in a year lol. Now I’m back on iPhone 5S and thinking to give HTC One a go. That until Blackberry passport was announced.

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Image by CrackBerry.com


I admit I did not give the device any importance at first, but as more and more news surfaced I reconsidered. I admit I love jailbroken IOS and think BBOS 10 is a downgrade but with the new system update and features I may give it ago if and only if the price is right.

 

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Real reason for BBM delay?

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Its no secret that one of the biggest world wide tech disappointment accrued yesterday, the BBM launch cancellation.

Despite the extreme hype and rumors followed by official statement of the release date, BlackBerry failed to live up to yet another promise. After hours of strange silence, Blackberry came with a statement that an unofficial leaked BBM made its way to over  1 million consumers resulting in issues which in turn resulted in the cancellation of the launch.

Prior to launching BBM for Android, an unreleased version of the BBM for Android app was posted online. The interest and enthusiasm we have seen already – more than 1.1 million active users in the first 8 hours without even launching the official Android app – is incredible. Consequently, this unreleased version caused issues, which we have attempted to address throughout the day.

Our teams continue to work around the clock to bring BBM to Android and iPhone, but only when it’s ready and we know it will live up to your expectations of BBM. We are pausing the global roll-out of BBM for Android and iPhone. Customers who have already downloaded BBM for iPhone will be able to continue to use BBM. The unreleased Android app will be disabled, and customers who downloaded it should visitwww.BBM.com to register for updates on official BBM for Android availability.

As soon as we are able, we will begin a staggered country roll-out of BBM for Android and continue the roll-out of BBM for iPhone. Please follow @BBM on Twitter for the latest updates and go to www.BBM.com to sign-up for updates about BBM for Android and iPhone. These issues have not impacted BBM service for BlackBerry.

How and what issues did the unofficial app cause? Did BlackBerry not except this huge download rate? My personal take on the above after reading some comments and thinking it over:

There were no issues, instead BlackBerry purposely leaked the version to see if the app would live up to the peps expectation. The reaction was not of what they expected thus resulting in the above statement blaming the public while buying some time. The no further date only adds to the theory.

Scenario 2, is that the server couldn’t handle the large load so instead of admitting a mistake the blame was put on the public.

How did the unofficial beta app made its way out only hours before official release? What damage did it cause?In any case, the disappointment was huge and may even be the final nail in the coffin of the dying company. Its mistakes like that that pulled them down from the top.

Empty promises and no solid release dates.

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BBM finally available on Friday – Saturday?

 

Reports across the web are pointing that the long awaited Blackberry messenger will finally hit Android this Friday followed by IOS on Saturday. This can only mean good news as many people consider BBM the ultimate chatting app considering its a mix of speed, privacy and reliability as opposite to the OPEN Whatssapp app which allows any one to contact you as long as he or she has your mobile number.