[conite]

"Firebase Cloud Messaging. Formerly known as Google Cloud Messaging (GCM), Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) is a cross-platform solution for messages and notifications for Android, iOS, and web applications, which as of 2016 can be used at no cost."

While BBMe used to contact google last year after an update which included firebase, I have not seen a Google connection attempt in a while.

Mixpanel is used to track user interactions in the application. It has been a part of BBM since BB10.

Mix panel was used on BB10 to collect data on when users were accessing the sticker shop, apparently tracking their screen taps. This was discussed in a thread on this forum a few years ago when it was discovered.

These are the two sour spots of BBMe IMO. Both can be blocked with a firewall, but its a shame they are in there at all, especially since it's a paid service.

Threema has no trackers at all, does not require any personal information to use (no numbers, no emails, no names). You pay a one time fee which can be sent on their website using crypto currency if you choose, or via google play.

It just recently had another security audit also.

Telegram X also has zero trackers.

[valer466]

All the other free apps that claim to be E2E get busted by LE every now and then. Murder mystery's, sudden disapperances and anything else that can get the attention of cops to solve a high profile case, ends the e2e encryption story immediately.

[bakron1]

Our BBM groups have decided to migrate to WhatsApp, it’s a popular message app and a lot of folks are using it including a lot of my business clients.

I know about it being owned by Facebook and the security issues everyone is concerned about. But, I have been on Facebook since the beginning and haven’t had any issues and my phone number is listed in my profile.

If it means my phone number is displayed, so be it. As long as I can still communicate with my BBM friends whom I have known for many years, so be it.

I like the interface, you can create groups and the functionality is very close to BBMc and most all the folks who have migrated from my BBM groups are liking it and in the end, that’s all the counts.

I have also used discord and slack message apps for my iMore Ambassador chats and they are not bad, but I like the visual interface in WhatsApp more, just my two cents.

PS:

Don’t blame Blackberry for the end of BBM, it’s emtek and it was a business decision based on the current consumer climate, being a business person myself, sometimes you make decisions you don’t want to, but have to in order to stay solvent, that’s reality in 2019.

[chetmanley]

Telegram X also has zero trackers.

I haven't used Telegram before, so I'll take a look.

But from what I understand, a user still needs to signup using a phone number, and chats are only E2E encrypted if a "secret" chat is used. Otherwise chats are uploaded and saved on their cloud so users can access the chats between devices? According to their website, Telegram says these normal chats are encrypted to/from the server using standard TLS (so think BBM consumer), and are encrypted while stored on the server - but in my mind that still means they can access the messages because they hold the server encryption key.

One of the features I hope Threema implements eventually is disappearing messages and message retraction.

Of all the Chat apps I've looked into, Threema is the most anonymous. Everything is done via a randomly generated Pin (like a BB pin) which is created when you start the app for the first time. No logins are req'd, no signup, no phone numbers or email addresses.

The app itself can be encrypted with a separate password to protect messages stored on the device. After booting the phone, this password is required to access the app. Plus the standard password/fingerprint access after that.

[conite]

I haven't used Telegram before, so I'll take a look.

But from what I understand, a user still needs to signup using a phone number, and chats are only E2E encrypted if a "secret" chat is used. Otherwise chats are uploaded and saved on their cloud so users can access the chats between devices? According to their website, Telegram says these normal chats are encrypted to/from the server using standard TLS (so think BBM consumer), and are encrypted while stored on the server - but in my mind that still means they can access the messages because they hold the server encryption key.

One of the features I hope Threema implements eventually is disappearing messages and message retraction.

Of all the Chat apps I've looked into, Threema is the most anonymous. Everything is done via a randomly generated Pin (like a BB pin) which is created when you start the app for the first time. No logins are req'd, no signup, no phone numbers or email addresses.

The app itself can be encrypted with a separate password to protect messages stored on the device. After booting the phone, this password is required to access the app. Plus the standard password/fingerprint access after that.

Individual secret chats on Telegram can be password protected, and have customizable self-destruct timers. They are not available across devices either - only on the devices they were initiated from.

I am willing to use lesser encryption on group chats for the extensive feature-set that you get in return. You can't have both unfortunately.

And yes, you sign up with a phone number, but privacy settings can be adjusted to hide it from others.

[Rico4you]

Yes. In feeds place a message with your new BBMe ID

I believe you have to send out invites to all of your BBM contacts. That's what I've been doing.

Bob

[Rico4you]

Telegram X also has zero trackers.

Canadian servers versus Russian serves. decisions

[The_Dark_Knight_Forever]

Individual secret chats on Telegram can be password protected, and have customizable self-destruct timers. They are not available across devices either - only on the devices they were initiated from.

I am willing to use lesser encryption on group chats for the extensive feature-set that you get in return. You can't have both unfortunately.

And yes, you sign up with a phone number, but privacy settings can be adjusted to hide it from others.

Could you please explain or show a path regarding how to hide my phone number from contacts in Telegram?
I set it up based on your trusted recommendation but am not finding how to ensure that my phone number will not be visible to any contacts. I made a global user name for the account but from what I've read in the app's information that does not ensure that contacts can't see my phone number. The user name only helps people who don't already have my phone number find me in the app's global search through the user data base.

[conite]

Canadian servers versus Russian serves. decisions

Telegram has servers in a number of countries throughout the world to improve the response time of their service.

[Rico4you]

Individual secret chats on Telegram can be password protected, and have customizable self-destruct timers. They are not available across devices either - only on the devices they were initiated from.

I am willing to use lesser encryption on group chats for the extensive feature-set that you get in return. You can't have both unfortunately.

And yes, you sign up with a phone number, but privacy settings can be adjusted to hide it from others.

Still does not take away you have to GIVE your personal phone number to sign up. Yes have done it but starting to appreciate other services that doesn't ask my phone number like BBMe and others.

[conite]

Could you please explain or show a path regarding how to hide my phone number from contacts in Telegram?
I set it up based on your trusted recommendation but am not finding how to ensure that my phone number will not be visible to any contacts. I made a global user name for the account but from what I've read in the app's information that does not ensure that contacts can't see my phone number. The user name only helps people who don't already have my phone number find me in the app's global search through the user data base.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/teknolog...-telegram/amp/

[Apple Aya]

Telegram X also has zero trackers.

Aren't you a BB supporter? Did you invest into Telegram X or something?

[conite]

Aren't you a BB supporter? Did you invest into Telegram X or something?

I'm a fan of BlackBerry, yes.

But they would probably just prefer people to move on to other solutions. This BBMe thing is just going to end up costing them money, and it's just an olive branch to deal with this sudden announcement.

[Apple Aya]

I'm a fan of BlackBerry, yes.

But they would probably just prefer people to move on to other solutions. This BBMe thing is just going to end up costing them money, and it's just an olive branch to deal with this sudden announcement.

Sometimes I think they're too afraid to charge or ask for money. I already pay for Hub and would gladly subscribe to BBMe for like $1.50 a month or whatever. It's worth it and it's one way to help out a struggling company that we all love.

[conite]

Sometimes I think they're too afraid to charge or ask for money. I already pay for Hub and would gladly subscribe to BBMe for like $1.50 a month or whatever. It's worth it and it's one way to help out a struggling company that we all love.

BlackBerry isn't struggling anymore. The consumer space just costs them money though.

This is just a gesture of goodwill aimed at their non-BES corporate users, that they hope will "resolve" itself over time when those users eventually switch over to other IM apps.

[lobbyintx]

Another question I have is since BlackBerry will take over and bbme will be on their system, will we be able to call/video with the bbm subscriber?

Posted via CB10

[Apple Aya]

BlackBerry isn't struggling anymore. The consumer space just costs them money.

This is just a gesture of goodwill aimed at their non-BES corporate users, that they hope will "resolve" itself over time when they eventually switch over to another IM app.

I already use WhatsApp, FB messenger, txt messages (of course) and so on but BBMe is better because it integrates better into the Hub. I can see the messages I sent, not so with WhatsApp or FBM...or even text. So when searching for a message in the Hub, it doesn't sort by latest sent but by latest received. emtek BBM was like that too, it was basically WhatsApp with BBM skin over it. BBMe is real BBM and integrates into the Hub properly...solves the sent hub visibility issue for me.

Unless I've missed a setting of some kind. Anyway I'll use it until it's available.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

PS:

Don’t blame Blackberry for the end of BBM, it’s emtek and it was a business decision based on the current consumer climate, being a business person myself, sometimes you make decisions you don’t want to, but have to in order to stay solvent, that’s reality in 2019.

I don't know if you really can blame Emtek either... BlackBerry sold off the rights, because BBM was already failing globally, and they couldn't afford it. Emtek's grand plans for BBM sounded great, but how many really expected them to succeed with their focus really just on Indonesian market?

I expect the only reason they are offering BBMe, is they doubt many at this point will bother, and even if they do.... next year it would generate revenue. So BlackBerry will have transition to a paid BBM, without the negative backlash that would have happened had they simply done this three years ago.

[RWIndiana]

Could you please explain or show a path regarding how to hide my phone number from contacts in Telegram?
I set it up based on your trusted recommendation but am not finding how to ensure that my phone number will not be visible to any contacts. I made a global user name for the account but from what I've read in the app's information that does not ensure that contacts can't see my phone number. The user name only helps people who don't already have my phone number find me in the app's global search through the user data base.

Telegram will only display your number for another person if you have them in contacts - if you've shared numbers already. Although if you untick "sync contacts" in your privacy settings you can prevent contacts from seeing it as well.

Telegram is awesome. I and my clan switched from whatsapp, and it is worlds better.

[The_Dark_Knight_Forever]

Telegram will only display your number for another person if you have them in contacts - if you've shared numbers already. Although if you untick "sync contacts" in your privacy settings you can prevent contacts from seeing it as well.

Telegram is awesome. I and my clan switched from whatsapp, and it is worlds better.

Thanks for the info.
So are you saying that if I do not sync my contacts my phone number will not be shown to contacts I'm communicating with on Telegram?
How would a save a contact to my Telegram contact list without syncing contacts & without revealing my phone number?

[conite]

I don't know if you really can blame Emtek either... BlackBerry sold off the rights, because BBM was already failing globally, and they couldn't afford it. Emtek's grand plans for BBM sounded great, but how many really expected them to succeed with their focus really just on Indonesian market?

I expect the only reason they are offering BBMe, is they doubt many at this point will bother, and even if they do.... next year it would generate revenue. So BlackBerry will have transition to a paid BBM, without the negative backlash that would have happened had they simply done this three years ago.

I strongly believe offering BBMe is simply a gesture to save face. I don't think they either want, or believe people will switch over in any meaningful numbers.

[conite]

Thanks for the info.
So are you saying that if I do not sync my contacts my phone number will not be shown to contacts I'm communicating with on Telegram?
How would a save a contact to my Telegram contact list without syncing contacts & without revealing my phone number?

There is no problem with the internal contact list. We're talking about syncing to your Contacts app.

[RWIndiana]

Thanks for the info.
So are you saying that if I do not sync my contacts my phone number will not be shown to contacts I'm communicating with on Telegram?
How would a save a contact to my Telegram contact list without syncing contacts & without revealing my phone number?

Turning off "sync contacts" should allow you to add contacts without them seeing your number. At least that's what I read. I'm trying to figure out a way to test that now. Lol

Other options are creating an account from your desktop, which doesn't require a phone number verification, or using a Google voice number.

[anon(10218918)]

When you set up your BBMe did it assign a different PIN to you or did it keep your same PIN?

You get a new PIN, but it works together with a BBM OS 10 PIN if you have it.

Posted via CB10

[The_Dark_Knight_Forever]

You get a new PIN, but it works together with a BBM OS 10 PIN if you have it.

Posted via CB10

Do you somehow mean that one of my BB10 PINS could be used instead of getting a totally new PIN when setting up BBMe?