[jope28]

I just thought it was "interesting" that BBM wasn't even mentioned in the NY Times article, Messaging Apps Offer Do-It-All Services in Bid for Higher Profits today http://nyti.ms/1BnZnAo
It's like there is zero mindshare from the ppl that have access to large audiences.
Sharing, hoping you find it a good read.

Attachment 343908


[Hopefully NOT edited by admin to be fair lol. ] Frosty White Q10/10.3.1.2582 CB10
Attachment 343910

[Motosurf]

BBM is a good app, but I think they missed their opportunity when they decided to delay the android app

[early2bed]

It really isn't unique or popular enough to be used for anything other than messaging somebody with a BlackBerry. In fact, it may of hurt BlackBerry more than it helped by allowing existing users to leave the platform but stay on BBM.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

It was a NY Times article.... sadly BlackBerry and BBM have almost no userbase in the US anymore . Now if it were and Indonesian Times article... I bet BBM would get some respect.

BlackBerry waited too long to go cross platform, and once they finally did... they release a terrible app that only those that really were "invested" in the platform would bother to use.

But it is out there and it is getting better with each update.... so there is always a chance that it could still become a bigger player in the IM market.

[chaosdivine]

I'm happy BBM was finally unleashed on the Android and Apple platforms - a move made much too late in my opinion. But I still feel it's a huge slap in the face to people who actually BUY BlackBerry devices that they now have to get inundated with ads and begging asterisk notifications from the "store" within the app. It just comes across as amateur and not professional level communication. They should have done this for Android and Apple users only. Not only are they used to this kind of advertisement and invasion of privacy but that's where the user market they desperately want is at.

Not only that, but to never have released BBM for the PlayBook when they sold it was a huge mistake. It was a good will crumb they could have thrown the PlayBook guinea pigs as a small gesture for dealing with their ineptitude. It would have gone a long way to smooth the whole BB 10 for PlayBook lie that Thorsten made.

BBM used to be a very good tool and though I still use it daily with those who are on other platforms, I'm getting to the point where I'm looking for alternatives that don't spam me or beg for my attention. BBM gets no respect because BlackBerry has chosen to wh-or-e itself out now and turn it's communication tool into a spam filled kiddie app, just like MSN Messenger.

[hoonigan99]

I think one of the biggest issues with the cross platform, with android atleast, was that it always appeared in the status bar. This was quite annoying and it should have just been like any other app, running in the background and only showing notifications when necessary

BB for Life

[notfanboy]

But I still feel it's a huge slap in the face to people who actually BUY BlackBerry devices that they now have to get inundated with ads and begging asterisk notifications from the "store" within the app. It just comes across as amateur and not professional level communication. They should have done this for Android and Apple users only. Not only are they used to this kind of advertisement and invasion of privacy but that's where the user market they desperately want is at.

BBM gets no respect because BlackBerry has chosen to wh-or-e itself out now and turn it's communication tool into a spam filled kiddie app, just like MSN Messenger.

Chen set a revenue target for $100M. They realized that selling stickers is not going to cut it. That's why you have the ads.

IMO, the BBM userbase is no longer growing and is possibly in decline. Taking it cross-platform has not helped. Even in home turf Canada, BBM ranks #163 in the top free apps in the Play Store. In the Apple App Store, it is so low it's not visible. Personally I don't see how $100M revenue is achievable.

[mitchy_mitch]

As said earlier, the status icon on the home screen has to go on Droids. It pisses off everyone.

Posted via CB10

[early2bed]

The reason why these social networks are worth billions (usually more than BlackBerry) is that once the user base is established then they are pretty sticky - people tend to continue to use them because that's what their contacts are on and the new people they bring in perpetuates this. So, BBM would probably have to develop something pretty spectacular to grow their user base beyond those who wish to connect to their hardware users.

[assilva]

I think one thing that would help is if the video chats were available cross-platform. I have used the voice with my dad while he is on an iPhone and he even commented on the sound quality. Video chat capability would help add users since it wouldn't be reliant on using the same OS. Not sure how many other messaging apps have video chat as a free option, but the quality of BBM audio and video on all OS's I think would be something people would notice and stick with.

Posted via CB10

[notfanboy]

Messenger at F8 | Facebook Newsroom

Facebook Messenger is making big moves for business and consumer. This what what BBM ought to have been doing instead of stickers and ads.

From the linked article:

Today Messenger introduced a platform for developers to easily create apps that integrate with Messenger. Messenger Platform brings even more ways for the 600 million people who use Messenger every month to express themselves. With more than 40 new apps, people can enhance their conversations with GIFs, photos, videos, audio clips and more.

Businesses on Messenger was previewed today. With Businesses on Messenger, people can have rich and personal conversations with businesses. For example, after purchasing something from a website, people can choose to receive updates in Messenger and continue their conversation with the business in the app.

Once there, people will be able to receive relevant messages from the business including order confirmations and shipping status updates, and will be able to take basic actions like modifying, tracking or returning an order. People will also have the option to ask a business questions, make requests and get quick responses. This whole set of interactions and features are unified in a single, ongoing thread between the person and the business.

[anon(8163415)]

BBM is the best Instant Messaging App there is to date. By them omitting BBM, they clearly prove they know JACK about mobile technology. The same thing is happening in many Enterprise decisions where you have so called IT personal making ridiculous and mindless decisions on what platform to use. They just don't have the technological expertise anymore. It's quite an embarrassment actually.

[webber27]

I honestly think BBM is the best IM app out there but they're not doing anything to increase market share. Every feature they've introduced - retractable messages, timed messages, custom pins, even BBM meetings, should be free. If they're paid great, you get 1% of existing users to buy them and 100% of non-users to keep ignoring the app. If they're free you can actually make a case for BBM being supreme and the market share grows. Then make money through things like subtle ads and stickers. Their current strategy makes no sense and is driving BBM quickly to obscurity.

Posted via CB10

[abwan11]

BBM is the best Instant Messaging App there is to date. By them omitting BBM, they clearly prove they know JACK about mobile technology. The same thing is happening in many Enterprise decisions where you have so called IT personal making ridiculous and mindless decisions on what platform to use. They just don't have the technological expertise anymore. It's quite an embarrassment actually.

I'm surprised that anything gets done these days. I couldn't agree more.

[lnichols]

BBM was made cross platform too late, and the development of it is going too slow. Add to that now all of the ads, stickers notifications, etc, it really seems to be going downhill IMHO.

Posted via CB10

[sleepngbear]

Watch it in here .....

[AnimalPak200]

I wonder if "Molly Wood" is really into "Machine Learning".



She looks more of a adaline type rather than a perceptron fan if you ask me,.. or maybe she doesn't really care and can't get enough of her adaboost cascades!

Lol... silly NYT, they should stop at the style section.

Posted via CB10

[jope28]

I wonder if "Molly Wood" is really into "Machine Learning".



She looks more of a adaline type rather than a perceptron fan if you ask me,.. or maybe she doesn't really care and can't get enough of her adaboost cascades!

Lol... silly NYT, they should stop at the style section.

Posted via CB10

Well, some of us tech-inclined folks in our 30's, basically used to get our "fix" from the old Tom Merritt and Molly Wood podcasts way back in the day.

I still listen to Tom Merritt's podcasts, DTNS (Daily Tech News Show) on a daily basis and recommend it.

Molly Wood has probably had to succumb to higher forces now that she's in a company like NY Times.

[Hopefully NOT edited by admin to be fair lol. ] Frosty White Q10/10.3.1.2582 CB10

[spideymaniac]

It was a NY Times article.... sadly BlackBerry and BBM have almost no userbase in the US anymore . Now if it were and Indonesian Times article... I bet BBM would get some respect.

Lol there is Indonesian Times? I'm Indonesian and I don't know there's such thing, lol

But true, BBM is still the most favorite IM app in here

Posted by my awesome Lumia 530

[crazigee]

BBM is the best Instant Messaging App there is to date. By them omitting BBM, they clearly prove they know JACK about mobile technology. The same thing is happening in many Enterprise decisions where you have so called IT personal making ridiculous and mindless decisions on what platform to use. They just don't have the technological expertise anymore. It's quite an embarrassment actually.

BBM is the best instant messaging app with no users. Without a user base it is only natural that it was excluded.

 Posted using my Z30 via CB10 

[tchocky77]

I'm happy BBM was finally unleashed on the Android and Apple platforms - a move made much too late in my opinion. But I still feel it's a huge slap in the face to people who actually BUY BlackBerry devices that they now have to get inundated with ads and begging asterisk notifications from the "store" within the app. It just comes across as amateur and not professional level communication. They should have done this for Android and Apple users only. Not only are they used to this kind of advertisement and invasion of privacy but that's where the user market they desperately want is at.

Not only that, but to never have released BBM for the PlayBook when they sold it was a huge mistake. It was a good will crumb they could have thrown the PlayBook guinea pigs as a small gesture for dealing with their ineptitude. It would have gone a long way to smooth the whole BB 10 for PlayBook lie that Thorsten made.

BBM used to be a very good tool and though I still use it daily with those who are on other platforms, I'm getting to the point where I'm looking for alternatives that don't spam me or beg for my attention. BBM gets no respect because BlackBerry has chosen to wh-or-e itself out now and turn it's communication tool into a spam filled kiddie app, just like MSN Messenger.

I never thought about it like that, but you make an excellent point. Cross-platform bbm was a decision made to stem the bleeding that came as the result of an epically long series of bad decisions. On top of that,...they made a big noise about its release to create anticipation among the tech-literate and old-school Blackberry fans. They were very successful in creating that anticipation. Lots of respectable outlets were reporting that "BBM IS COMING TO YOUR iPHONE! BBM IS COMING TO YOUR GALAXY!" And what'd they do? They flubbed it. Missed one, (maybe two?) ship dates entirely, and then the app itself was a train wreck in 1.0.

Making BBM a generator of revenue by selling ads diminishes the experience for users who have bbm'ed each other since the mid-oughts. And seriously. How much money can this be making?

Was it really Heins that promised BBM for play book? If so, that's got to be embarrassing for him. As an engineering guy, he should have known that a single gig of RAM would choke on BB10. UNLESS, of course, he never intended for the Android runtime to be in there.

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[tchocky77]

Messenger at F8 | Facebook Newsroom

Facebook Messenger is making big moves for business and consumer. This what what BBM ought to have been doing instead of stickers and ads.

From the linked article:

Today Messenger introduced a platform for developers to easily create apps that integrate with Messenger. Messenger Platform brings even more ways for the 600 million people who use Messenger every month to express themselves. With more than 40 new apps, people can enhance their conversations with GIFs, photos, videos, audio clips and more.

Businesses on Messenger was previewed today. With Businesses on Messenger, people can have rich and personal conversations with businesses. For example, after purchasing something from a website, people can choose to receive updates in Messenger and continue their conversation with the business in the app.

Once there, people will be able to receive relevant messages from the business including order confirmations and shipping status updates, and will be able to take basic actions like modifying, tracking or returning an order. People will also have the option to ask a business questions, make requests and get quick responses. This whole set of interactions and features are unified in a single, ongoing thread between the person and the business.

To be honest, that's an impressive set of features and it probably takes a Facebook to execute like that. I question whether blackberry has that kind of talent for engineering anymore.

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[chaosdivine]

Was it really Heins that promised BBM for play book? If so, that's got to be embarrassing for him. As an engineering guy, he should have known that a single gig of RAM would choke on BB10. UNLESS, of course, he never intended for the Android runtime to be in there.

He promised BB10 for Playbook - he did not specifically say it would get BBM, he was videotaped on CNBC in 2013 (8:06 whole video):
FFWD to 5:42 to 6:38 to get the lie from the horses mouth (specifically 6:38).

And then read this: BlackBerry CEO on BB10 for PlayBook: "It was one of the toughest decisions I had to make" | CrackBerry.com

[Q10Bold]

He promised BB10 for Playbook - he did not specifically say it would get BBM, he was videotaped on CNBC in 2013 (8:06 whole video):
FFWD to 5:42 to 6:38 to get the lie from the horses mouth (specifically 6:38).

And then read this: BlackBerry CEO on BB10 for PlayBook: "It was one of the toughest decisions I had to make" | CrackBerry.com

Sorry but chen is just another guy that say...,,things!!!!
Come one BlackBerry!!

Posted via Q10Bold

[gnirkatto]

The biggest - and maybe the only - issue that BBM has is that it is not easily possible to find & connect to other users.

My BBM contacts have been stagnating at the number of ~14 since over a year now. I don't find new users, nor do others find me or anyone else.

So before the educating starts: I'm totally aware of the security benefits of PIN rather than phone number sharing. However, there should be the option of freeing up a phone number, in order to be found by others. I would like to scan through my phone directory from time to time, to find new BBM users and to propose to connect. This should not become an automated process like on Whatsapp, but at least users should be able to SEE who else is on the system (as long as they allow it).

No video calling, timed messaging or any other 'unique feature' will make BBM more popular. It's the finding of other users. If this doesn't improve, BBM will stagnate, and eventually disappear.