[Djlatino]

I wonder if The Verge secretively trolls CB.

If so, everyone takes the bait.

[Pete The Penguin]

If hangout was so successful and sophisticated then why the name changes every other weekend? No one seems to use hangout, let alone heard about it.

Jakarta, Indonesia

CrackBerry uses Hangouts for their video podcasts.
Geek & Sundry use Hangouts... just sayin'.

[808Lord]

I've done some scrolling and it seems that no one actually realize that KIK does the "R" and "D" the Best. (iOS to iOS)
----
With Kik there are 4 signs.
S - message was sent to the server but not delivered (no internet coverage, etc).
D (gray) - The message was sent to the users phone but the user isn't in the KIK app.
D (Bold) - The user is in the KIK application
R - Message has been read
----
I prefer kik over bbm simply because bbm just feels so clunky when using. As someone said before, it feels like a 2008 app and not a 2013 app. A straight bb10 port.
--
BBM on my iPhone will MAINLY be used to contact users who are stuck in their ignorance and still use a bb device. If you're using an Android or iPhone, we'll more or less chat on kik or iMessage.

[trwrt]

It will always be interesting to me that you referred to BlackBerry as BBRY from now on.

The average person doesn't do that, and there was always something off about your posts!

What the hell are you talking about?

[solitude1984]

Well WhatsApp doesn't, which is a competitor listed in the article. IMessage does but it's not cross platform. Which cross platform IM are you referring to?

Posted via CB10

Facebook Messenger does. That's really the only one I can think of, but I haven't used most messaging apps out there so I wouldn't know if there were others.

[RubenDM]

I've done some scrolling and it seems that no one actually realize that KIK does the "R" and "D" the Best. (iOS to iOS)
----
With Kik there are 4 signs.
S - message was sent to the server but not delivered (no internet coverage, etc).
D (gray) - The message was sent to the users phone but the user isn't in the KIK app.
D (Bold) - The user is in the KIK application
R - Message has been read
----
I prefer kik over bbm simply because bbm just feels so clunky when using. As someone said before, it feels like a 2008 app and not a 2013 app. A straight bb10 port.
--
BBM on my iPhone will MAINLY be used to contact users who are stuck in their ignorance and still use a bb device. If you're using an Android or iPhone, we'll more or less chat on kik or iMessage.

Bbm also has 4 signs.

The send icon is the grey one (looks like wifi icon but turned to the right)

The other one when it is on BlackBerry their server but not dellivered ( looks like a V)

When it is dellivered you have D and ofcourse R for read...

[RichardAitch]

Message unread: BBM for iPhone and Android review | The Verge

What a load of bollocks.

[itzJustMeh]

People, stop with these threads. Honestly, they're probably doing it because we're generating them traffic because of those articles

[Akure4Life]

Most of my friends on Android and IOS were happy to have BBM simply because they think that it gives them the control of who they want to chat to. Unlike WhatsApp where every Tom, **** and Harry can send you a message or see your online status just because they have your number.

We have even set a migration date. Closing whatsapp down for good.

Posted Via CB10 running on OS 10.2.1.641/725

[dayno25]

Terrible biased review. I thought the reporter was a bit harsh so I checked his twitter feed and he is literally getting into childish arguments with people over this making ridiculous points and sticking to his guns with what he wrote.

Posted via CB10

[jafrul]

I wonder if The Verge secretively trolls CB.

If so, everyone takes the bait.

Lol. I believe the same thing. And maybe, just maybe some posters on this particular thread are writers from verge.
The way they condemning BB and defending verge, well, could be.

Just saying.

[RH1Pearl]

I think it's safe to assume most tech sites have been negative on anything BlackBerry for the past several years. Samsung gets a lot of flack as well, remember all the tech sites except for maybe Digital Trends that rated the HTC One the best Android ever/IPhone killer and lambasted the S4 for having cheap materials and laggy software. Those positive reviews, however, failed to prop up HTC One sales. That is because Samsung bombed the market with Ads of all sizes and flavor, thus neutralizing the effects of the negative tech site reviews. Tech sites, IMO, may reach hundreds of thousands of readers but the Ads Samsung launched reached millions. So for any negative review on Z30 or BBM, BlackBerry management should just bomb the market with Ads and not worry about what tech sites say. Much easier to control the Company's destiny I think.

[fairycake]

is the Verge anti blackberry?

[anon(5828343)]

i think it points out some things that can be improved on but in general its overly harsh as i wouldnt give it 5/10 at all....maybe 7.5/10

I'm with you on 7.5/10. What I don't understand is why BBRY constantly does this to itself. I actually really enjoy BBM4ALL and love that after installing it on my iPhone, I had a quickly growing list of "old" BBM contacts suddenly materialize as contacts who were former BB users were installing BBM on their iOS or Android devices in pretty rapid succession.

But why does BBRY release anything that isn't 100% complete and requires future updates in order to access functions that are already available in the native BBM app? Features like voice and video would have made BBM4ALL a 10/10 and frankly BBM really deserves an 11/10 because while Whatsapp, Viber, Kik and others may provide similar functionality, BBM is still the gold standard in instant messaging. Having used Whatsapp, Viber and Kik, I still much prefer using BBM by a wide margin. Yes, iMessage does have a read receipt (which users can turn off) and Kik also has a read receipt function but BBM is truly an original just like Coke Classic is an original. Lots of immitators, but there's only one true BBM experience.

[Alex98]

BBM on Blackberry's device is a great app and maybe the best IM of the market right now.

But BBM on Android is total crap in my opinion. It does pretty nothing and what it does, it does it wrong.
When you send a picture, BBM resizes it to 270*480px (or 640*360)... I understand that you have to downsize some pictures which are too big to be sent over network but 270*480px is just useless on HD screen. And if the picture weighs more than 6Mo... you can't sent it at all...
When a message is not sent (because your network is poor for exemple), the app will not try to resent it and you can't do it manually (but the message will stay in your conversation, it just don't have the D/R notifications).
Smileys are so little in messages that you barely see them.
When you go to the menu on the left, there is always 1 update, 1 group, 1 invitation, ... the counter never go to 0.

[DaSchwantz]

Yes I agree one can't argue that for example BlackBerry 10 can take its time because OS "x" didn't have this or that until so many years out.

But BBM topping the apps stores in downloads proves that a large number of folks at least think it has an adequate feature set. Now if there's evidence later that most folks uninstall it, then maybe it will have fallen short. We will have to wait on that.

My problem with that style of review is that it takes issue with the app for "only" being excellent at its core purpose. It's like criticizing Google as a search engine for "only" giving one the speediest and most relevant results. And then going on to name and applaud five other less competent search engines for having more features and being "prettier".



Z10STL100-4/10.2.0.1767

Exactly. That's the reason the review sucks. They treat core functionality like something waaaay less important than Hello Kitty stickers. Tells you something about the calibre of the reviewer and the publication.

Posted via CB10

[AlexXF]

Account activation: BBM waiting in line for 12-24 hrs or more, other � instantly
Share location: BBM is BB to BB only, Skype � no, WA/Viber � yes
Cross-platform voice calling: BBM � no, other � yes
Desktop client: BBM, WA � no, Skype/Viber � yes

[SnapzGEG]

Some CB users need to thicken up a bit. Admittedly BBM is not what it should be on cross platform at launch, and while we all enjoy some great benefits as BB users, when you launch something cross-platform then BBRY must exceed most all others or be prepared to have reviews like the Verge kick them where it hurts.
I had my girl and few of my WhatsApp friends add BBM but even I find myself going back to WhatsApp for some civility at times to communicate with them.

Reviews may not necessarily agree with or appeal to everyone, but this reveiws offer an insight into shortcomings that must be addressed (quickly) to ensure greater acceptance. 20M+ downloads and activations is one thing - but how many will forgo their other IM clients in 30-45 days and keep using BBM unless some of these things are addressed or they will simply move back to their prior comforts.

[Mostafa Ghafoori]

Add me 7649e006 please

[Saiga]

The app is a disappointment in many ways so far. The two most important of which for me is It "requires GPS" so won't work on the kid's iPods, and it is stuck in portrait mode only. Even after I modified the app and enabled landscape mode, it crashes while viewing the contact list every single time. Even the 9530 Storm had auto rotation for BBM.

Sorry, but if I wanted to be forced to type on a touchscreen in portrait mode, I would have kept the LEZ10s I had

Me, I like options, so everything on my Nexus 4 works in either orientation. I modify them myself using the phone, and every app I've done it with has worked flawlessly except for cross platform BBM. I already have SMS/MMS, hangouts and email. I don't need BBM stuck straight up and down. Especially not when it can't even be used to talk to my children's iPods.

I uninstalled it, but will check it out again if they ever make it easily work on iPods.

[Wilsonia Goldens]

That's based on BBM for blackberry and not BBM for cross platform.

Cross platform will eventually get all BBm for Blackberry conviences.

[Mr.mister]

So your saying it takes 3 services to match BBM. WOW on app that needs tree services to combined to be better than it. Sounds like BBM is better just that some people wont admit it.

It's all right since bbm use waaaay to much data, but using 3 services uses way less data and space then bbm.

Android and iPhone fan better thank BlackBerry for making their phone better. I prefer subscribers, not followers.

[crucial bbq]

The verge tries too hard to be hipster

Posted from my Z10

Yup. I would take their criticisms with a grain of salt. Nothing seems to be cool enough for them.

[tim_w_ak]

One thing that is really nice is BBM groups
Even my jaded iPhone adult children think it is one feature that is really well designed and cool. As my son called it "a private facebook". They like the fact of coordinating calendars, posting picks and events. A nice interface and group chat. It may not be unique in the messaging world, but they were impressed.

Posted via CB10 via my Z10

I got this same reaction from several of the guys at work. They were impressed with the Group option.

We use it for our office now, and it has now put us on a central calendar, task list, and picture/file hub for what happens during work. So far it has made work easier, and the sharing of information even simpler.

They even thought the scanning of pin barcodes was "new" and awesome.

Posted via CB10

[howarmat]

Cross platform will eventually get all BBm for Blackberry conviences.

EVENTUALLY but they certainly dont NOW and NOW is what matters IMO. Promises of what coming down the line dont work for other platforms very well. They have alternatives that have the features they need right NOW and will just go back to using them.