blackberry-messenger
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RIM preparing to bring BBM to iOS and Android, change everything again?
Woah, now here's a juicy rumor to start your Thursday morning off with. BGR reports word from multiple trusted sources that RIM intends to take its BlackBerry Messenger outside the cozy confines of the BB ecosystem and straight into its competitors' app stores. BBM is reputedly all set to make its debut as a messaging app on both iOS and Android, though the specifics of what it might cost you have yet to be ironed out. It'll come in a stripped down version, you'll still need to own a BlackBerry for the full-flavored BBM experience, but that should nonetheless be extremely welcome news for folks finding themselves torn between platforms. The Android version is expected this year, say the sources, while the iOS app may take a little while longer thanks to Apple's more capricious approval requirements.
RIM adding BBM app gifting to BlackBerry App World
So you've got this hot new "super app" off BlackBerry App World, and want to share it with a friend? You could message them the name of the program, but that's so 2010. Soon, BlackBerry's going to have its very own "Gift This App" functionality through BBM, which will let you take advantage of that handy new carrier billing to debit the cost of the item and wing it to your recipient. RIM envisions the functionality used by parents who want to limit their children's access too, by taking full control of their purchases and subscriptions from their own remote handset. Now, we'll just sit back, relax and wait for RIM to ping us with a release date. PR after the break.
BlackBerry Messenger 6 details leaked, we fear for addicts everywhere
Details of the new BlackBerry Messenger are leaking out all over the internet today, and what we're seeing is an app that could make your CrackBerry even more impossible to put away. In a move that shows RIM's eagerness to loosen up a bit, BBM 6 could be adding at least one new feature that isn't exactly boardroom-appropriate: gaming. Rumor has it that the app's new iteration, which will run on OS 5.0 and greater, incorporates a function that allows users to use their BBM name as their gamer name, as well as update their status automatically to reflect completed gaming tasks. BBM 6 would also allow for larger chat groups and cross chat. We've no real way of predicting the app's impact, but if the rumors turn out to be true, we wouldn't be surprised to see a second coming of the BlackBerry massage.
RIM sues Kik in Canada for patent infringement (updated)
Things just got a little more heated in the RIM / Kik dispute: RIM's now filed a Canadian patent infringement case against the company, just days after it pulled Kik Messenger from BlackBerry App World due to "breached contractual obligations." We don't have the complaint yet, so we're not sure exactly what RIM's patent covers, but it's a fair bet to say it's likely messaging-related -- and it's probably a safer bet to say that RIM doesn't screw around when it comes to dealing with potential threats to BBM. You mess with the bull, you get the horns. Update: The complaint is out now, and it's a doozy -- RIM says Kik founder Ted Livingston was a former RIM employee who worked on BBM. When he left RIM claims he joined the BlackBerry Alliance developer program to ostensibly develop a music sharing app, but wrote Kik Messenger instead, using what RIM claims is confidential information from the Alliance program. RIM's also saying that Kik's marketing steps on the BBM trademark. That's a lot more than a simple patent issue, and it certainly explains why RIM reacted so violently to the app -- we'll see how Kik responds.
UAE says BlackBerry is now compliant with regulations, free to rock on
The latest thrilling installment in BlackBerry's Middle East saga has turned out not to be so thrilling after all. Having set an October 11 deadline for RIM to comply with its "telecommunications regulatory framework," the United Arab Emirates is today reporting that the BlackBerry maker has managed to make the necessary changes with plenty of time to spare. Consequently, there'll be no state-ordained curtailing of email, web, or BBM services within the UAE, which mirrors similar agreements that BlackBerry has managed to finagle with India and Saudi Arabia. Of course, the grand purpose of the UAE's ultimatum was for RIM to allow the state access to encrypted messaging communications, and while the current announcement is pointedly missing details on what's been done to appease the Abu Dhabi decision makers, we can't imagine them giving up the fight without RIM making some type of concession. And the shady, undisclosed concessions happen to be our least favorite kind.
India's desire to snoop on BlackBerry users continues unabated, UAE wants in on the act
Governments have traditionally had a "love-hate" relationship with technology: they love using it to keep tabs on you and your cronies, but they hate the idea that you could be using it to protect your privacy. One clear example of this is the whole back'n'forth that's been playing out between RIM and the nation of India over the last couple years. Remember way back in '08 when the country demanded that the company give it access (one way or another) to encrypted BlackBerry Messenger traffic and email? Well, it looks like nothing's been resolved after all: just last week the Indian telecommunications ministry gave RIM until the end of the month to provide said access, otherwise it could ban BBM altogether -- much as it tried to do two years ago. Meanwhile, in the UAE, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority has issued a statement claiming that "[c]ertain BlackBerry applications allow people to misuse the service, causing serious social, judicial and national security repercussions." We're not certain if things will go quite so far in Abu Dhabi as they seem to be in New Delhi, but the government assured everyone that it will find "a solution that safeguards our consumers and operates within the boundaries of UAE law."
RIM blames massive service outage on newer Messenger versions
Diehard BlackBerry users often compare BlackBerry Messenger to a potent drug. And just like a drug, coming down from a BBM high can be rough -- so rough, in fact, that RIM's claiming that a couple recent releases are responsible for "an unanticipated database issue" that stone-cold knocked out data service for many of the world's subscribers yesterday. Folks using versions 5.0.0.55 and .56 are being strongly advised to upgrade to 5.0.0.57 immediately, but in the meantime, Waterloo says its systems are back to normal while apologizing "for any inconvenience to customers." With three major outages now under BlackBerry's belt in the past month, faith in the rock-solid stability of its infrastructure is fading rapidly -- but then again, it gives you a great excuse to be off IM for a few hours and talk to live humans, doesn't it?
BlackBerry Messenger 5 now available, we go hands-on
BlackBerry Messenger: it's the holy grail of the BlackBerry platform, and, for many, the only real reason why they don't make the jump to another smartphone. Well, RIM has finally gone ahead and released the latest and greatest version upon the world (in an official capacity at least), and we're definitely pleased with the added functionality and other updates that they've cooked in to the app to make it even more useful and better. Read on after the break for a full breakdown of what's hot, what's new, and what we think of it all.