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BlackBerry Messenger Enterprise promises secure comms for business
Faulting BlackBerry for its lack of apps or antiquated design ideas was fair, but the firm's dedication to security spoke for itself. The company is going to take that reputation and use it to retool BlackBerry Messenger as an enterprise-level communications platform. Appropriately dubbed BBM Enterprise, the app offers end-to-end encryption for all communication methods; voice, video and text-based comms will all be secure.
BlackBerry is leaving Pakistan over demands for backdoor access
BlackBerry has announced it's formally shutting down shop in Pakistan over demands from the country's Telecommunications Authority that backdoor access be granted to the company's encrypted services. Back in July, local carriers were ordered to shut off BlackBerry Enterprise Service from the end of November, because "security reasons." While the order has been pushed back to the end of the year, Pakistan's government isn't budging, leaving BlackBerry no other option but to abandon the country. As the company explains, "remaining in Pakistan would have meant forfeiting our commitment to protect our users' privacy. That is a compromise we are not willing to make."
BlackBerry Messenger helps uncover a Brazilian corruption scandal
Some less-than-ethical businesspeople are learning the hard way that even secure messaging systems aren't all that private. Brazilian authorities have used BlackBerry Messenger records (obtained through warrants and BlackBerry's help) to level corruption charges against over 100 people skimming money from the country's state-owned oil company, Petrobras. The chats not only confirmed relationships between culprits, but indicated when people were arranging cash drop-offs and other suspicious activities. There aren't any convictions just yet, but it may be hard for at least some suspects to deny that they're involved.
BlackBerry's ultra-secure chat gives each message its own security key
Chat systems like BBM and iMessage are typically very secure, since they're encrypted end-to-end. However, they still have a glaring flaw: if intruders do crack the code, they can see everything you've said. That's where BlackBerry's soon-to-launch BBM Protected comes in. As the company showed at its BlackBerry Experience Washington event (CrackBerry's video is below), the new service makes it extremely difficult to spy on an entire conversation. Each message has its own random encryption key; even a very clever data thief would only get one tidbit at a time, so it could take ages to piece together a full chat.
BlackBerry taking 'serious look' at bringing BBM to desktops
Remember when BlackBerry was hesitant to let BBM wander to other platforms? So do we, but now that the company has committed to cross-platform support by pushing its messaging service to ecosystems like iOS and Android (including the Nokia X series), it isn't stopping there. Recently we've heard that it's heading to Windows Phone in the coming months, and in an interview with Reuters BlackBerry CEO John Chen mentioned that his team is "taking a very serious look" at bringing the service to the desktop as well. Such a move would make it possible to start a conversation on your PC and finish it on your mobile -- or vice versa. It's a logical strategy for BBM, which enjoyed an uptick of 20 million new users when the service launched on iOS and Android, but has stayed stagnant at 85 million monthly active users in the past month. It's hard to say if the addition of desktop support will trigger new growth, but given the breadth of platform availability, it will at the very least give users more incentive to stick around.
Nokia announces the X and X+, its first Android phones
Nokia is officially launching its very first Android devices, known as the X and the X+, on stage at its annual Mobile World Congress press conference. We were all taken aback by the second (and third) device (since only one leaked), so it's incredible to see Nokia make such a huge foray into enemy territory. The X will have a 4-inch, 840 x 480 IPS screen, 512MB RAM, 4GB of storage expandable storage via microSD slot and 3-megapixel camera, while the X+ sports the same specs but more RAM (768 MB) and an included 4GB microSD card. You won't be getting Google's apps or Play store, however as both handsets will be based on the forked AOSP Android OS. Nokia says that'll have the advantages of the Android ecosystem, but with a "differentiated experience." So far, Here Maps, MixRadio, Skype and Outlook are being featured on the Nokia Store. You can access the Nokia and third party stores using the devices, but not Google Play, obviously. We've heard SwiftKey will be available on the Nokia X range (and for free, too), as will BBM, which is also coming to Windows Phone sometime "this summer." The new devices are featuring a ported version of FastLane for Asha devices as a sort of skin, to give a similar experience as its other budget handsets. When you swipe across it, it'll bring up a sort of notification bar showing recently used apps, missed calls and texts and other activities. During the demo, Elop showed both the Nokia Store and Yandex, where he pulled down Aero Express, a Russian-flavored app. The X will be available immediately in growth markets (ie, not the US) and run 89 euros. The X+, meanwhile, will run 99 euros but won't arrive until sometime in Q2 this year.
BBM beta now offers stickers, because that's really what it needs to catch up
Good news! BlackBerry has finally figured out how BBM will pose a threat to messaging giants like WhatsApp. It's... stickers. Yes, of all the things the company could do to improve its chat app, it's introducing the same sort of purely cosmetic decals that everyone else offers. As with rival services, those using a new BBM beta can buy themed sticker packs to express themselves in creative (and very cutesy) ways. In all fairness, the addition may help BlackBerry court younger chatters. However, we hope that the phone maker has a lot more up its sleeve than this -- me-too upgrades can only go so far.
BBM adds iPad and iPod support, Android and iPhone apps get new features
When BlackBerry Messenger for iOS and Android first launched it was only available for iPhones and Android handsets, but it doesn't look like too many people were left out: BBM was downloaded more than 10 million times in its first 24 hours. That said, even more people will be able to use it starting today: BlackBerry just announced the iOS app will now support iPods and iPads too, assuming you're using iOS 6 or higher. Additionally, the company pushed out bug fixes that should address two major problems: unusually high battery drainage (that's on Android), as well as a glitch that led to missing contact names (this was a problem with the iOS app). On both platforms, BlackBerry has made it easier to find friends who are also using BBM. You'll also get more options for sharing your BBM code. In the Android app, specifically, it should now be easier to sort and filter BBM group lists. Meanwhile, the iOS application has been updated with improved support for right-to-left languages. And that about sums it up -- be sure to hit up the download links below. Because really, who doesn't like a few bug fixes?
BBM for Android and iOS notches more than 10 million downloads in 24 hours
By the looks of BlackBerry's stats, millions were not only unfazed by BBM's launch hiccup on Android and iOS, but were also excited to get the app. The company formerly known as RIM says that BBM has been downloaded more than 10 million times within 24 hours since its release on the platforms. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean there are now 10 million devices out there sending and receiving BlackBerry-flavored messages: a boatload of people, including this editor, are still waiting for activation emails before they can even take it for a spin. BBM Video, Voice and Channels haven't made it to the application just yet, but they -- along with other features -- are still on the roadmap. Here's hoping the company's servers can continue handling the onslaught of users.
The ridiculous BlackBerry Messenger rollout reminds us why the company is circling the drain
Every time I see someone on Twitter or Facebook talking about BlackBerry Messenger on iPhone, I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. It's out, but it's not. It's working fine, but it isn't. And you can download it right now, but you have to wait in line. Please, please tell me this is just some sort of elaborate, not-at-all-funny joke. As though we needed another reason to think that RIM's Blackberry's management is incompetent, we now have a poorly-handled software launch to pin on them as well. Way back in 2007 I actually owned a BlackBerry and, truth be told, BBM was probably the only decent thing about it. It had read receipts (which were fancy for a mobile device at the time) and it was fast. It was great for its time, but these days just about every messaging client on the App Store -- not to mention iMessage -- can do everything the BBM app can do. I'm tempted to chalk this seemingly absurd BBM hunger by iPhone owners as nostalgia run wild, because unless you have BlackBerry-toting friends and you're feeling left out, there's literally zero reason to bother downloading it. If, for some reason, you feel that switching your digital social interactions to BBM is a good idea, keep these bullet points in mind: You'll need to exchange PINs with everyone you wish to chat with. This is great for avoiding spam, but tedious to get groups of friends to commit to. You can only be logged into your PIN on one device at a time, so if you have an iPhone and an iPad, you'll need to choose which one you want to receive BBM messages on. If you log into one device with your PIN, it will log you out of the other. Remember, this is BlackBerry. The company could change hands at any moment, and with it, any and all support of BBM for iPhone. And then there's the wait list. The fact that we're even talking about a wait list for an instant messaging client is beyond absurd. The company is flat out begging users to "count on" them, but it can't successfully launch the messaging service they've built their entire brand around on a pair of new platforms? I'm pretty sure SnapChat has scaled better than BlackBerry is even capable of, and that app is almost exclusively used for sending dirty photos. Not that any of this should come as a surprise -- you can't layoff 40% of your company and then pretend that it's business as usual. Oh, I'm sorry, we're talking about BlackBerry, so of course they can pretend that. Just the same way they spent the past half decade pretending that they were somehow in an untouchable land where business customers need physical keyboards and consumers want their devices to be as obtuse as possible. I signed up for BBM and I'm currently waiting for my turn to use it. Like some sort of digital soup kitchen, BlackBerry will open its doors to me at some point and allow me to sample its expired goods. When that day comes, I'll remember how big of a pain in the ass it is to exchange PINs with my friends and delete the app, which is exactly what anyone with a smartphone in 2013 should do. Thanks to @LondonComp for the reminder that RIM is no longer the corporate name of Blackberry.
BlackBerry resumes BBM launch for Android and iOS
BlackBerry is at last ready to resume its paused BBM rollout for Android and iOS. The instant messaging client should reach the App Store, Google Play and certain Samsung Apps portals within the next few hours. Not everyone can start chatting right away, however. To prevent a repeat of last month's server troubles, the company is implementing a queue system: those who signed up in advance can use BBM right away, while latecomers will have to secure a spot in line. It's not quite the broad launch many were hoping for, but it is good news for a company that has lately been feeling down.
Inside look at BlackBerry reveals failed 'SMS 2.0' push, qualms over Z10 launch
We're familiar with much of BlackBerry's history, but there are a few unanswered questions: why did Jim Balsillie resign his board position, for example? And why did the Z10 launch ahead of Q10, to disastrous results? Thankfully, The Globe and Mail has addressed some of these mysteries through a detailed exposé. We now know that Balsillie left the board after BlackBerry axed an "SMS 2.0" plan that would have replaced carriers' text services with BlackBerry Messenger. Thorsten Heins wanted the company to remain focused on hardware, according to the newspaper. As for the Z10? Heins reportedly prioritized the all-touch phone over the objections of board members like Mike Lazaridis, who saw the Q10's keyboard as necessary for standing out in a crowded market. There's even more to the story than these two revelations, so you'll want to visit the source link if you're wondering just how BlackBerry ended up in such dire straits.
BlackBerry pauses BBM rollout for Android and iOS following leak
We hope you weren't scheduling your weekend around the launch of BBM for Android and iOS, as BlackBerry has paused the rollout following a leak of the Android version. There were too many simultaneous users, the company says; with over 1.1 million active clients in the first eight hours, the messaging service just wasn't ready to handle the load. There's no mention of when the BBM deployment will continue, although BlackBerry is disabling the unofficial Android build to prevent future problems. Unless you grabbed BBM's iOS version in the first several hours, you'll just have to be patient.
BlackBerry Messenger for iOS to launch September 22
It's confirmed -- the long-rumored BlackBerry Messenger is ready to roll out this weekend to iPhone owners. The release arrives one day after the Android version lands in the Google Play Store on September 21. With these releases, BBM moves away from its BlackBerry-only roots and becomes a cross-platform messaging service. On its website, BlackBerry listed the features that will be available to iOS BBM users at launch. These include the following: BBM Chat – Enjoy real, immediate conversations with friends on Android, iPhone and BlackBerry smartphones. Not only does BBM let you know that your message has been delivered and read, it also shows you that your friend is responding to the message. More than chat – With BBM you can share files on your phone such as photos and voice notes, all in an instant. BBM Groups lets you invite up to 30 friends to chat together, and go a step further than multi-chat by sharing photos and schedules. And, with Broadcast Message, you can send a message out to all your BBM contacts at once. Post Updates and stay in the know – BBM lets you post a personal message, profile picture and your current status, and lets your contacts know instantly in Updates. Your unique PIN – Every BBM user has a unique PIN that maintains your privacy, so you don't have to give out your phone number or email address to a new or casual contact. BlackBerry announced that BlackBerry Messenger for iOS will be available at 12:01 AM on September 22 in the iOS App Store. It will be compatible with iPhones running iOS 6 or iOS 7.
BlackBerry Messenger app arriving on Android and iOS this weekend
BlackBerry's effort to extend its messaging service beyond its own failed hardware has finally come to fruition. After some awkward false starts, plus a detailed leak, BlackBerry Messenger apps for iOS and Android will soon be available for download at the respective app stores, allowing members of those more popular ecosystems to do... well, chat-related things that they could largely do already, except now through BlackBerry's BBM servers. The company has confirmed that the Android BBM app will launch at 7AM ET on Saturday, while its iOS equivalent will be available beginning at 12:01AM local time (in each market) on Sunday. More details at the source link below.
BBM for Android will look like this: beta tester gives you the tour (video)
BlackBerry Messenger's trip to iOS and Android is taking longer than we hoped, but when walkthrough videos are starting to leak out, it's a good sign that you're on the final stretch. Courtesy of JT and BlackBerryOS, we've now got an early peek of what it'll look like when the app eventually lands. Combining BBM's rigorous chat app with our favorite Android keyboards sounds mighty tempting and it appears the app follows the bezel-swiping navigation of the BlackBerry 10 OS to get to your chat threads and groups. The video walkthrough (included after the break) also touches on the ability to transfer contacts through NFC, which is good sign that the messaging app will make the most of these the new mobile OSes. Update: Within minutes of posting, the video's gone private. At least we'll have the memories, right? We're back!
WSJ: BlackBerry mulling spinning off BBM subsidiary, considering desktop version
We'll say this, BlackBerry looks to be considering everything when it comes to pulling in revenue from its messaging service. False alarms aside, the company already let slip that BlackBerry Messenger is on its way to iOS and Android some time this season, and now according to The Wall Street Journal's usual gang of anonymous sources "familiar with the matter," the Canadian company is thinking of spinning off the service as a more independent subsidiary carrying the straight-forward name, BBM Inc. ahead of a potential sale. A desktop version of the app may be on the docket as well, according to the article -- BlackBerry, naturally, only reconfirmed its Android and iOS plans, refusing to comment on anything else.
BlackBerry Messenger for iOS user guide released
The user guide for BlackBerry Messenger for iPhone has appeared online, reports iMore. Back in May, the company announced that its popular BBM service would be coming to the iPhone this summer. However, as summer nears its end, the software has yet to materialize. But this user guide suggests that could change soon. Speaking of that user guide (which you can view as a PDF here), these are the features you can expect from BBM on your iPhone: BBM profile: Choose a display picture, name and status that your BBM contacts see. You can also view your unique BBM PIN from your profile by tapping Show Barcode. Invite: Invite people to chat with you in BBM by scanning a BBM barcode or by entering a phone number, email or BBM PIN. Contacts who don't have BBM yet can download it from your invitation. Chat: Share your thoughts and experiences using instant messages, pictures and voice notes. Emoticons: Express yourself with classic BBM emoticons. BBM Groups: Plan events, track to-do lists, share pictures and chat with up to 30 of your friends, family or coworkers in one group at the same time. Though BlackBerry's hardware sales have seen better days, the BBM software is an extremely popular messaging solution in many parts of the world. When it is released for the iPhone, it will be competing against other popular messaging apps like iMessage, What's App and Viber.
BBM for iOS slated to arrive on June 27 (Updated)
Update: Note that T-Mobile UK has since deleted the tweet. BlackBerry has since confirmed that BBM for iOS will not be launching on June 27. Back in mid-May, we reported that BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) would soon be making its way to both iOS and Android as a free download. And now, thanks to a tweet from T-Mobile UK, it appears that BBM fans have something to look forward to on June 27. Now you might be wondering who exactly uses BBM anymore. Well, BlackBerry a few weeks ago noted that BBM continues to service more than 60 million active users per month and that BBM users send and receive upwards of 10 billion messages each day. So there is a market for it, apparently. BBM for iOS will only run on iOS 6 and will include features such as multi-person chats, voice note sharing and BlackBerry Groups. Twitter via Engadget
BBM expected to arrive on iOS and Android June 27th (update: nope)
BlackBerry Messenger may seem like a distant memory for many who have made the jump to iOS or Android, but it'll soon be time to get reacquainted. According to a tweet from T-Mobile UK, we should expect to see the service arrive on both platforms on June 27th. BBM should be available as a free download specifically for anyone using iOS 6 and Android 4.0 or above, so make sure your device is properly updated before the end of the month -- hopefully the messaging service will make you want to create new memories in addition to the ones you've relished in years past. Update: T-Mobile UK has since deleted its tweet, and BlackBerry has confirmed that the June 27th date is inaccurate. Update 2: Here is BlackBerry's official statement on the matter: On May 14th, BlackBerry announced plans to make its ground-breaking mobile social network, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), available to iOS and Android users this summer, subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play. While there have been reports that BBM will be available to iOS and Android on June 27th, this is not accurate. We will communicate an update as soon as we have an availability date to share.
