Will BlackBerry Offer Personal Channel Options in 2014?

I was surprised not to find an option for creating personal channels when I first checked out Channels to be honest, but then I thought that perhaps they just wanted to get the thing out there first before expanding it.

I still can't see any reason why BBM cannot grow into a Facebook replacement, with photo albums, etc. That would make BBM a powerful messaging platform, and a huge potential money maker. The great thing is that all they need to do is build their user base and then offer the service on top of it - no need to get into the Google + problem of not having any contacts.

Does anyone think BlackBerry have this in mind? I hope so, as the opportunity is huge, and I am dying to have a 'more private Facebook' option.

Posted via CB10

Perhaps in not understanding what you mean. But there's nothing stopping someone for creating a personal channel now..

Posted via CB10

Originally Posted by BBUK14

I was surprised not to find an option for creating personal channels when I first checked out Channels to be honest, but then I thought that perhaps they just wanted to get the thing out there first before expanding it.

I still can't see any reason why BBM cannot grow into a Facebook replacement, with photo albums, etc. That would make BBM a powerful messaging platform, and a huge potential money maker. The great thing is that all they need to do is build their user base and then offer the service on top of it - no need to get into the Google + problem of not having any contacts.

Does anyone think BlackBerry have this in mind? I hope so, as the opportunity is huge, and I am dying to have a 'more private Facebook' option.

Posted via CB10

It would be awesome, I always said there must be a profile for every BBM user and you get the choice whether to show your pin or not and same goes for all the information and pictures on your profile, it would expand BBM big time, I have a friend who just started using BBM and was annoyed that she only has 9 contacts, she said she wants to meet new people via BBM but of course that's not possible right now.

Posted via CB10

Originally Posted by just_luc

Perhaps in not understanding what you mean. But there's nothing stopping someone for creating a personal channel now..

Posted via CB10

It doesn't feel personal, we want something like Facebook, but not totally like Facebook, something in between BBM channels and Facebook

Posted via CB10

I'm not really sure why channels would even be compared to Facebook.. it's not really the same type of product.. channels is channels but if you really must draw a comparison it's a lot more like twitter then the above.

Posted via CB10

Yes, but it the point is that is SHOULD be something like Facebook - Facebook without all the awful parts - lack of privacy, data collection and sale, etc.

I really think there is a massive hidden demand for this. A choice of whether to publish your pin or not in a search feature would be great too.

Who knows...maybe such a thing is coming. It seems to be too obvious a thing not to have been thought of.

Posted via CB10

I only have a personal channel...had it since beta version.

I would really hate it if BBM Channels became anything like FB. As times goes on, new features will come. But why on Earth would anyone want anything to be "like FB"? My opinion is that doing that would kill Channels off for sure.

Posted via Q10

I just said we don't want it to be like FB I said something similar, PEOPLE LOVE MAKING NEW FRIENDS, BBM should give them that opportunity, the least they can do is make your BBM profile visible in channels so that I can click your name and see your profile, ONLY IF YOU WANTED to show your profile to public channels users, if you don't want show your profile then it will stay hidden as it is now in the current version.

Even if you want to compare it to twitter, twitter allows DM between users and you have a bio that you get to write anything in.

Posted via CB10

Originally Posted by Pilot Prop

I only have a personal channel...had it since beta version.

I would really hate it if BBM Channels became anything like FB. As times goes on, new features will come. But why on Earth would anyone want anything to be "like FB"? My opinion is that doing that would kill Channels off for sure.

Posted via Q10

Why would anyone want BBM Channels to be anything like Facebook? Go and have a look at the Facebook stock price, and think about it. Think about how huge Facebook is. How could a Facebook alternative 'kill off' BBM Channels, which, if we are honest, almost no one has even heard of?

I'm wasn't suggesting that BBM be exactly like Facebook. I'm suggesting that BBM offer people many of the features they love on Facebook, and do it in a way unique to BBM. This means adding a search feature for those who want to make their pins and names visible, and it means added photo album options.

Really, it's the photo album option that matters. That's the main thing people use Facebook for. I think BBM should offer this, BUT disallow photo downloading, or have an option to switch it on or off. People should have ownership over their photos to a better extent than they do on Facebook. Of course people can screen shot things, but the added level of ownership and privacy would be great.

In addition to this, we should be able to broadcast live video through our channel to those on it. When I have a moment, I think I'll put together a clearer picture of what I'd love to see. I'd love to know what you guys think.

Posted via CB10

Originally Posted by BBUK14

Why would anyone want BBM Channels to be anything like Facebook? Go and have a look at the Facebook stock price, and think about it. Think about how huge Facebook is. How could a Facebook alternative 'kill off' BBM Channels, which, if we are honest, almost no one has even heard of?

I'm wasn't suggesting that BBM be exactly like Facebook. I'm suggesting that BBM offer people many of the features they love on Facebook, and do it in a way unique to BBM. This means adding a search feature for those who want to make their pins and names visible, and it means added photo album options.

Really, it's the photo album option that matters. That's the main thing people use BBM for. I think BBM should offer this, BUT disallow photo downloading, or have an option to switch it on or off. People should have ownership over their photos to a better extent than they do on Facebook. Of course people can screen shot things, but the added level of ownership and privacy would be great.

In addition to this, we should be able to broadcast live video through our channel to those on it. When I have a moment, I think I'll put together a clearer picture of what I'd love to see. I'd love to know what you guys think.

Posted via CB10

BBM doesn't have its own stock right now so FB's stock seems to be an irrelevant point.

Photo album option being "tthe only thing people use BBM for anyway" is a laughable statement. I'd like to see your research data supporting this claim.

Broadcasting? Come on let's be real. They may be a good idea to you(which is fine) but I think that would be a horrible experience. Most forums posts, that I've seen, about broadcasting with BBM have been of thoose who hate being broadcasted to.

Posted via Q10

Originally Posted by Pilot Prop

BBM doesn't have its own stock right now so FB's stock seems to be an irrelevant point.

Photo album option being "tthe only thing people use BBM for anyway" is a laughable statement. I'd like to see your research data supporting this claim.

Broadcasting? Come on let's be real. They may be a good idea to you(which is fine) but I think that would be a horrible experience. Most forums posts, that I've seen, about broadcasting with BBM have been of thoose who hate being broadcasted to.

Posted via Q10

The comment about people using BBM only for the photo albums is a typo. I meant Facebook. It should probably have been an obvious typo as BBM doesn't even have photo albums yet to begin with, which is why I listed that as the top thing I'd like to see in a personal channels option.

As for broadcasting being a horrible experience, I don't think you are right there. I don't think BlackBerry have the capability to actually do that right now, but there are loads of sites (webcam porn sites, primarily) that are doing just that. I don't see how having something like that available, minus perhaps the porn part, would be a bad experience. I think people would love to be able to interact with groups, fans, family and/or public figures in this way. It's something that someone will do eventually.

Posted via CB10