App for those with BBM withdrawl?

ptb127

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A friend of mine asked me if there is any app out there that you can still talk to your BBM contacts if he were to switch from a Blackberry to an iPhone?? I know there wasn't 2 years ago, but I am not sure now if someone had been able to do it.
 

BLiNK

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WhatsApp Smartphone Messenger

WhatsApp Messenger is a smartphone messaging app which allows you to exchange messages with your friends and contacts without having to pay for SMS. WhatsApp Messenger is cross platform and available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Nokia (beta) and yes, those phones can all message each other! To send and receive messages, WhatsApp utilizes your existing smartphone internet data plan: 3G/EDGE (or Wi-Fi when available)

In addition to messaging, iPhone, Android and BlackBerry WhatsApp Messenger users can send each other unlimited images, video and audio media messages.


hope this helps
 
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Rene Ritchie

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I just use Twitter and IM. I wish there was an open protocol like email so we could take it with us no matter what device we're using.
 

Brickman

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no it doesnt -_- i want exactly what you want ptb127!!!

Nothing talks to BBM except BBM.:rolleyes: That is both the "beauty" and the "curse" of BBM.

WhatsApp, PingChat, and pMessenger allow BB, iPhone, and Android users to "BBM" each other for free. They all just have to have the app. All three apps are available for all three platforms. My brother and I use WhatsApp. He has a BB and I have an iPhone. Works great!

I am using more and more of Renee's suggestion though of Twitter. I have several friends who just DM me on Twitter. My DM is tied to my email that is then pushed to my iPhone so I get it almost instantly. Works GREAT! I do the same thing with FaceBook. I personally think it is better than IM apps (ie. BeeJive)

That's just my 2 cents though.;):D
 

devonair

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DM/Email/Facebook all feel too "heavy" for this sort of quick message/chatting. I do wish there was a more universal BBM-style system across platforms. Specifically, the BBM features that I lust after: 1) ability to approve/deny contact requests (allows you to post your PIN publicly without having to deal w/unwanted contacts), 2) sent/read message state, 3) feel lightweight and "SMS-like" and doesn't tax your battery like a traditional chat app (plus don't have to login/logout), 4) works over data so I can message w/overseas contacts without paying for international SMS.

I'm curious: everyone always mentions WhatsApp, PingChat, and pMessenger in these discussions. I have a lot of friends who have installed PingChat, but it doesn't satisfy my need for approve/deny on new contacts. Do WhatsApp or pMessenger offer this functionality?

I've tried convincing my friends to use Cnectd (because it does seem to offer all of the above), but many people I've talked to dislike the app. It actually feels a bit more responsive than PingChat to me, so is there some glaringly horrible thing about this app that I'm overlooking? No one ever seems to mention it in the same breath as the above apps. What makes them so much better?

...and lastly (sorry, I know this is getting a bit long-winded): why don't any of these services seem to be interested in a desktop client (or at least something like Jabber integration) for their platform? In a perfect world I would be able to jump back and forth from my phone to my laptop without changing services. Skype almost gives me all of this (approve/deny, message read status, mobile AND desktop messaging) but it requires that I run the app and it just DESTROYS my battery. Any suggestions/thoughts?
 

Brickman

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The nice thing about WhatsApp, PingChat, and pMessenger is that they do not put a drain on your battery the way some of the other IM (BeeJive, Meebo) do.

All three work over 3G or WiFi. That is nice. Phone can be off and you can still use the app over WiFi.

Here how the three breakdown:

WhatsApp works with your phone #, so you have to give your Cell # out. That is the downside. But you can "Deny" people. I only use WhatsApp with people I REALLY know and WANT to use it with. What I like the most about it is,IMHO, the most reliable of the three.

PingChat is also very reliable and has a very nice alert system. I also like it because you can pick your own ID/Username. But you can not "block" anyone. I just ignore who I don't want to talk to.

pMessenger is nice because it looks good and has become reliable also. It does have the ability to Approve/Block people first. The only thing I don't personally like is the random User ID. But that is not a big thing.

The only way that I know of that you can pick up a conversation from your iPhone to your computer is to use BeeJive/Meebo or some other IM app that uses Gtalk/Ymessenger/Skype.
 

BigB

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Call me BlackBerry ignorant but what is the appeal of BBM?

It's basically like text messaging, but you use a BlackBerry pin number instead if a phone number. Each Blackberry has one, it's a 6 digit number if I remember right.

With it, you basically get free, instant, unlimited, and secure messaging between any 2 blackberry phones on any network.
 

Slyfi

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It's basically like text messaging, but you use a BlackBerry pin number instead if a phone number. Each Blackberry has one, it's a 6 digit number if I remember right.

With it, you basically get free, instant, unlimited, and secure messaging between any 2 blackberry phones on any network.

thats it? geez just get unlimited text plan and text away? there has to be some other benefit to it! i can't imagine people having such an issue with not having what is just a free quick message system
 

MachoDonut

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Because BBM doesn't require you to pay for an unlimited text plan. It's an instant message app, it uses your data plan, gives you instant feedback as to the status of the recipient and comes installed from the factory, so every BB user has it.

If Jobs had invented it and put it on the iPhone, everyone here would rave about it too.
 
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Brickman

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Because BBM doesn't require you to pay for an unlimited text plan. It's an instant message app, it uses your data plan, gives you instant feedback as to the status of the recipient and comes installed from the factory, so every BB user has it.

BBM is VERY nice!! Unlimited texting is really a rip-off in the USA. The only time it is even worth it is when you have Unlimited Family plan IMHO. That is why BBs are so popular in developing countries. (India, Pakistan, etc.) Low phone bill with Unlimited texting and with BB low data consumption, low data plan also. It's a good deal. BBM is one reason why BB sell so well World Wide.

I personally think apps like WhatsApp, PingChat, & pMessenger are better because not only are they across Carriers, like BBM, but they are also across platforms. (iPhone, BB, Android) They also work over WiFi. Not sure if BBM works over WiFi. Maybe someone else can answer that.
 

Massie

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I just use Twitter and IM. I wish there was an open protocol like email so we could take it with us no matter what device we're using.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Textie, which is an SMS replacement app made by the developer that came up with Tweetie--an app that was so good that Twitter ended up buying it to use as their official iPhone app.

From the Gizmodo review:

There are two things you should know about it: It's free, and it works.

Textie texts just about any way you want it to, trading messages through email aliases between Textie clients (free), through phone numbers between Textie clients (free), between Textie and email clients (free), and between Textie and other phone numbers not associated with Textie apps. (Free for you, but possibly not for the other person in the conversation, who may incur regular texting charges.) The only carrier that doesn't play well with Textie is T-Mobile.


Definitely worth a look for people looking at Whatsapp and similar apps. You can tie it to several email addresses and/or your phone number, and it doesn't depend on the other party having the app.
 

mad_eyes

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thats it? geez just get unlimited text plan and text away? there has to be some other benefit to it! i can't imagine people having such an issue with not having what is just a free quick message system

BBM is also an FTP. I can send voice notes, files, pictures, music, etc. over BBM.

Unlimited texting is great. Oh wait, I have friends in Asia, Europe, North America, Canada, South America. Now the unlimited texting idea fails. BBM allows me to communicate with all these overseas friends for free. Moreover, BBM is a very secure platform.

In a nutshell, think enterprise edition IM.
 

devonair

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BBM is also an FTP. I can send voice notes, files, pictures, music, etc. over BBM.

Unlimited texting is great. Oh wait, I have friends in Asia, Europe, North America, Canada, South America. Now the unlimited texting idea fails. BBM allows me to communicate with all these overseas friends for free. Moreover, BBM is a very secure platform.

In a nutshell, think enterprise edition IM.

This is part of my dilemma: I have unlimited texting, but that doesn't save me from being charged every time I receive or send an international SMS (which happens frequently). Plus I travel overseas a lot, and need an easy (and cheap) way to communicate home OTHER than email.

I repeat, though: how come no one ever shows love for Cnectd? One other feature request I have is for a service that does all of the above AND works with a desktop client... well, I just received a tweet back from the developer of Cnectd, and they said they do have future plans to incorporate a desktop client. This would be a major win for me (assuming I can get all my friends to install it).
 

mad_eyes

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This is part of my dilemma: I have unlimited texting, but that doesn't save me from being charged every time I receive or send an international SMS (which happens frequently). Plus I travel overseas a lot, and need an easy (and cheap) way to communicate home OTHER than email.

I repeat, though: how come no one ever shows love for Cnectd? One other feature request I have is for a service that does all of the above AND works with a desktop client... well, I just received a tweet back from the developer of Cnectd, and they said they do have future plans to incorporate a desktop client. This would be a major win for me (assuming I can get all my friends to install it).

ya i understand completely, i travel overseas and work overseas as well so i have lots of friends and contacts i can easily keep in touch with. moreover, bbm saves quite a bit of money. in fact i reduced my text plan from 1500 per month to 500 because of bbm.

the problem with whatsapp, the one u listed, other messengers, is that everyone runs a different system. for those that have never used bbm, think about back in the day when u asked do you have aol instant messenger? msn? icq? how about yahoo messenger? with bbm it's native. everyone bb has it whether it's the torch or some older model.

another issue is the security. bbm's security is the reason why enterprises and corporations approve bbm. good luck getting a significant company with valuable information to accept whatsapp.

for those who know, can whatsapp do file transfers? can whatsapp do voice notes?

p.s. sorry slyfi i don't mean to keep ripping on ur post, but u need to think more globally. the reason people buy smartphones is to be connected with the world, not just their close knit group of friends within a 30 min drive.
 
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Alli

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You want to be connected with the world so you choose to use a native client peculiar only to Blackberries? Colour me confused.

I would rather use a 3rd party app that can connect Blackberries, Android devices, and iPhones. That's a larger slice of the world, I believe.

And WhatsApp will share Photo, Video, Audio notes, Contacts and Location. File transfer? Use email. You're still way ahead here.
 

mad_eyes

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You want to be connected with the world so you choose to use a native client peculiar only to Blackberries? Colour me confused.

I would rather use a 3rd party app that can connect Blackberries, Android devices, and iPhones. That's a larger slice of the world, I believe.

And WhatsApp will share Photo, Video, Audio notes, Contacts and Location. File transfer? Use email. You're still way ahead here.

allow me to clarify, slyfi's post stated there's no point for bbm because of unlimited texts. i therefore responded why that was an inaccurate statement.

no where have i said that bbm is better than whatsapp or visa versa.

each messenger client's blessings are its downfall. when bob has messenger a, jane has b, and billy has c, which do u choose?

at the same time lets say everyone has bb, they're good to go. but what if they have bb and sue & victoria have iphone or android? what now?

moreover, the 3rd party messenger is missing the enterprise security offered by bbm & rim. i'm not saying whatsapp isn't safe. more that i'm saying whatsapp won't be approved by an enterprise whereas bbm easily will. for most this extra security is unnecessary, but there are many who do need it as well. why do u think celebs, athletes, etc. all use bb?

the concept i'm trying to get across is that these messengers & bbm are not of the same build. again, like i said earlier, bbm is an enterprise edition IM whereas whatsapp, etc. are commercial IMs. to compare the two would be to compare enterprise edition servers vs home servers.
 
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zkyevolved

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DM/Email/Facebook all feel too "heavy" for this sort of quick message/chatting. I do wish there was a more universal BBM-style system across platforms. Specifically, the BBM features that I lust after: 1) ability to approve/deny contact requests (allows you to post your PIN publicly without having to deal w/unwanted contacts), 2) sent/read message state, 3) feel lightweight and "SMS-like" and doesn't tax your battery like a traditional chat app (plus don't have to login/logout), 4) works over data so I can message w/overseas contacts without paying for international SMS.

I'm curious: everyone always mentions WhatsApp, PingChat, and pMessenger in these discussions. I have a lot of friends who have installed PingChat, but it doesn't satisfy my need for approve/deny on new contacts. Do WhatsApp or pMessenger offer this functionality?

I've tried convincing my friends to use Cnectd (because it does seem to offer all of the above), but many people I've talked to dislike the app. It actually feels a bit more responsive than PingChat to me, so is there some glaringly horrible thing about this app that I'm overlooking? No one ever seems to mention it in the same breath as the above apps. What makes them so much better?

...and lastly (sorry, I know this is getting a bit long-winded): why don't any of these services seem to be interested in a desktop client (or at least something like Jabber integration) for their platform? In a perfect world I would be able to jump back and forth from my phone to my laptop without changing services. Skype almost gives me all of this (approve/deny, message read status, mobile AND desktop messaging) but it requires that I run the app and it just DESTROYS my battery. Any suggestions/thoughts?

I use Beejive for Gtalk :) the end. The best solution. Hehe.