Playbook BBM - Just a thought...

First off let me start by saying that I am a longtime Blackberry user and have had many different RIM devices, and am not a RIM hater. Being a Kitchener-Waterloo local I have a couple of friends that work at RIM and the OS 2 discussion came up again the other day. The friends that I have at RIM are in the sales field and are in no way tech experts but none the less working at RIM they hear things in meetings and so on. So I asked when the Playbook would get BBM and was told in about 2 months, news to me and I don�t believe it. I also asked what is causing the delay, this was mostly rhetorical and I was not expecting an in depth answer. I was told the same thing everyone else has already heard that RIM is having difficulties porting BBM to QNS and allowing multiple devices to share contacts Blah Blah Blah ect... nothing new here, and DON�T quote me on the 2 month timeline. It is my opinion that Sales people always blow hot air even when they are your friends. I thought to myself RIM is obviously missing out on a great marketing feature by not having BBM on the Playbook. At the very least anyone who is looking for a reasonably priced tablet and is not currently a Blackberry owner would view also getting BBM as a plus for the Playbook. So why not, for the time being, release BBM on the Playbook and not allow contact sharing? Each Playbook has a unique PIN number so at the very least we should be able to have a separate BBM contact list on our Playbook. Later on RIM could update the Playbook software to allow a shared BBM contact list with your Blackberry phone. Then I thought if this happened there would be nothing to stopping Playbook owners from ditching their Blackberry phone for an Iphone or Android device. You could have a top of the line smart phone and a Playbook and still have BBM. This would in my opinion be bad news for RIM as their phones are way behind the competition.

Anyway it was just a thought and I was wondering if anyone had been thinking the same way�

I feel the exact same way. I always thought that the Playbook should be a stand-alone device, kinda like simply buying a different model of BlackBerry. Sure, bridge features are great for current BB users, but I think RIM should market the PB to EVERYONE. Advertise that the PB could be used for business AND play AND communication/connectivity with the famous BBM.

bbm when only connected to wifi would defeat the purpose of bbm being "always on".

How many would pay for a BBM only plan? Rim is not going to give it away.

I don’t understand your point, you can only use this hypothetical BBM on a stand alone Playbook where there is Wifi? So at home or public place …wouldn you have a phone on you ? Next Generation PlayBook will have phone capabilities... hey "I have freinds in low places too"

Originally Posted by Veezeey

Then I thought if this happened there would be nothing to stopping Playbook owners from ditching their Blackberry phone for an Iphone or Android device.

Respectfully disagree. Not EVER, EVER, EVER happening in my world...

You can easily setup a Wi-Fi hotspot using an Android smart phone to provide Wi-Fi access anywhere for a playbook. I have not used an Iphone but I'm sure the same can thing could be done. This would allow you to use BBM via your Playbook on the road. Personally I usually just leave my Playbook at home and would use BBM on the evenings and weekends but that’s just me. I find I use What'sApp more than BBM now anyways.

Originally Posted by si_chindo

bbm when only connected to wifi would defeat the purpose of bbm being "always on".

I have to point out that it's likely, in spite of how amazingly mobile the PlayBook is at 7" etc, that many people have theirs at home all the time, permanently connected to WiFi. I'm sure for them they'd be more than happy to have BBM working on it.

Also, BBM isn't "always on" anyway... I lose my cell signal in a number of places, yet miraculously BBM is still useful to me for the times I am connected...

Originally Posted by Chaddface

How many would pay for a BBM only plan? Rim is not going to give it away.

I would if it was reasonable.

ETA: This was my 1000th post!

Originally Posted by pantlesspenguin

I would if it was reasonable.

ETA: This was my 1000th post!

Hehehe, congrats oh CrackBerry Master! :D
I would only pay for BBM plan if it were really, really, really cheap! ;)

Originally Posted by pantlesspenguin

I would if it was reasonable.

ETA: This was my 1000th post!

Someone mentioned they pay for BBM only plan. I don't remember where they were from but it was around 5 USD.

Crongrats Master

The reason the PB can't be stand alone is how does the PB get connected to a NOC?
Carriers control NOC's would most users pay per month for their wifi pb to have bbm?

this bbm on pb argument can go in forever. lets just throw in why doesnt the pb also have SMS texting when its bridged. bbm and sms are just things that we will have to live with out. the creation of a hotspot and putting your pb on it is great for mobility for your pb. leave your phone in your bag and just use your pb for it all :).

typed from my pb so spelling is horrible

Originally Posted by Chaddface

Someone mentioned they pay for BBM only plan. I don't remember where they were from but it was around 5 USD.

Crongrats Master

they have that plan available in indonesia.