Ideas about BBM

I recently made my wife join BBM and she was not at all impressed. She said it can never be better than viber and whatsapp, basically for these reasons

1. As a not so geeky person it was easier for her to sign up to viber and whatsapp than BBM

2. As these services use your phone number, she thinks it is more associated with your phone than BBM

3. It's much easier to connect with your contacts in viber and whatsapp as they list out your present contacts using their service

My ideas on improving these

1. Make signup easier. I like what they have done with viber.

2. Use phone number instead of pin. It's much easier for end users to remember. And make it easier for you to change number in case you need to.

3. List present contacts using BBM so one can invite them. Currently it's not obvious who in your contacts is using BBM.

Z10, STL100-1, 10.2.1.1925

Originally Posted by cvendra

My ideas on improving these

1. Make signup easier. I like what they have done with viber.

Agreed.

2. Use phone number instead of pin. It's much easier for end users to remember. And make it easier for you to change number in case you need to.

Terrible idea IMO, giving my phone number out is the #1 reason I don't use other apps. But if it increases users, sure. Just make it optional.

3. List present contacts using BBM so one can invite them. Currently it's not obvious who in your contacts is using BBM.

They've already been improving that. However, you need to bare in mind not everyone wants this. I don't want you to know I'm using BBM, nor do I want to be 'easily' found. Again, it's one of the reasons I use BBM. Random people can't just request me out of the blue generally. It's fine balance between making it easy for users and annoying users who use it for the already existing privacy measures.

Z10, STL100-1, 10.2.1.1925

I agree about not giving out the phone number and keeping it optional. Maybe use username in place of pin. Pin is too confusing and might be the reason for many users not using BBM.

Security should not be the only benefit of using BBM. It needs to be an added benefit. So ease of use should come first if we want BBM get popular.

As for your privacy concerns, one should be allowed to select if they should turn up in their friends' list for inviting or want to keep it hidden. IMO, most of the people I have in my contact book would not mind me inviting them to connect on BBM if they are using it (since I already have their number with me).

More people one finds to invite, more likely they will use it for their communication.

Z10, STL100-1, 10.2.1.1925

Might as well rename it to desperate messenger. No! Leave bbm alone, it's fine. You can't figure it out?? Give your phone number out n find an easy way cuz you know what they say, easiest is always best. Oh wait, no fhats not what they say. Bbm is an elite private messenger. We don't need a billion users to sell it for a stupid price to be jeopardized.