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Closest thing to Blackberry Messenger?

spfulfill

Newbie
Nov 18, 2009
15
1
Okay, I accept the fact that I can't install Blackberry Messenger on my Droid. This was a very handy app on my Blackberry because it was more instant than a text message (and free which is handy for my BB friends without free texting), and you didn't have to be "logged on" to get a message. I asked the Verizon rep (who's only complaint when he switched to the Droid), and he said Google Talk did the same thing. I installed it and told one of my BB buddies to do the same, but you need to be logged in to get messages. Is Google Talk my best bet or is there something better?
 
Well, instant messaging isn't new at all, so there are several messaging service (google, yahoo, skype and the originator aol). I've never used BBM, so I don't know, but maybe you can enlighten me: What's so special about it???

My understanding is that most important feature for any service is how many people you know who use it. If all of your friends are on BBM, then it will be the best for you. Unless it has other features that I don't know of.

I'm curious, what do you mean by "logged on"?? If you're using GTalk, you just install the app and you're good to go.
 
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this is a tiring discussion on every forum for EX bberriers....NO there is nothing like bbm on any service...so NO you wont come close. all bbm is, is a IM service from bberry to berry through their PIN service....its nice and yes I miss it but no there will not be anything like it on any other phones....get over it or go back to bberry! sowwy....i feel ya!~
 
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^

I am genuinely curious, what makes bbm so great (or rather what makes it incomparable to other services?)? Does it work differently? Does it have features that other services don't have?

One thing that BBM had that was nice was the ability to send pics and video right within the IM. Of course you can do that with MMS, so no biggie. One drawback to BBM is that it only worked with BB's I had ONE friend who used BBM, everyone else was on an iPhone or some other platform. So, it wasn't all that useful. I've been happy with Gtalk.

As far as being logged in, you are always logged in, as your account is set up on your Droid. You can, however, select if Gtalk will show you as away when the Droid is idle or active all the time. Either way, if someone sends you a message you will get a notification. Have had ZERO issues with Gtalk since Droid was released on Day 1. I even got my ONE BB buddy to switch to Gtalk on his BB. All is right in the world
 
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I always liked Google Talk, but have to say it truly sucks on the Droid. Not only can you not send pics, but it often shows people on my list as "offline". I have the app running on my laptop also and there it shows them online.

One thing I do miss about BBM is that it showed "delivered" or "read" when you sent something to another user.
 
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I always liked Google Talk, but have to say it truly sucks on the Droid. Not only can you not send pics, but it often shows people on my list as "offline". I have the app running on my laptop also and there it shows them online.

hmm, I I don't seem to have that problem.


Is bbm the one that can do group messages? Someone was telling me about that feature, and that does seem like a cool feature but I can't remember if it was bbm or some other service
 
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The "always online" feature with BBM is all I'm looking for. I like Google Talk, so I'll look into a setting for my BB friend to keep him logged in. Right now, if i want to send him something, he's sometimes offline.

when you see your friends BB, open Google Talk, and on the log-in screen for that application it will have a few check boxes - one is remember password and I think there is another for auto connect or something.
 
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If you're not allergic to AIM, they do provide and "always on" sort of deal, in that you can always send and receive messages. It doesn't offer an easy user interface in that you can't just instantly see who's online at the time, because it's sent through reg text messaging.

But, if your concern is being always accessible, then AIM should do. Sign up for the text service, and set it to instantly switch to your cell when you're not logged in online. You will still have to log in (as far as I remember) if you're using the actual messenger on your phone to see who's on list. But I like that it automatically sends the SMS as soon as I sign off online. It works great and I haven't missed a message in all the time that I've been using it. I never have to log in or anything.
 
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*sigh*

There are multiple differences with BBM.

First off, BBM is entirely FREE (even if you don't have text messaging) and works over your data connection. So a person would be able to send as many as they want without worrying about their texting limit.

Secondly, BBM is so tightly integrated into the BlackBerry smartphone that you never have to sign in, it always just works.

Thirdly, your instant messaging "name" is simply your BlackBerry PIN. All BlackBerries have a unique PIN associated with the phone. (Similar to a MAC address for those who know.) You can use a PIN to message another BlackBerry via BBM or by simply emailing them (the PIN would be the address.) All communication via the PIN is free.

Fourthly, one can use a QR barcode to add a contact. For instance, if you were at some social function (say a nightclub) and you met someone with a BlackBerry, they can show you their BarCode and your BBM will automatically request to become "friends" with that BlackBerry and vice versa.

Fifthly, one can use a PIN message (via e-mail or BBM) to send media content, similar to an MMS message, without the space limitation. Instead of compressed audio or pictures, you'd be able to get the full uncompressed version of it.

Sixthly, you can assort contacts into groups, (say "CoWorkers.") If you do, all people in the group will reflect the same information on their BlackBerries. You can administer a group and set privileges as well as allow or deny membership to others. Media and location can be shared with the group without having to upload to each individual member, and you can also send group messages or have conference chats.

There are many other features I could list, but I have to get ready for a long drive so I don't have time now.

The point is, BBM is a hell of a messenger, and honestly I don't know of any that are similar. I do think, however, that Android phones should incorporate such a feature.
 
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The main thing about BBM, which is also the basis of the "always on" that others described is the fact that all of the messages use push technology. This is what makes BBM far different from anything like google talk on android. Other IM apps actually have to communicate with the server every few seconds so that you remain logged in. Not only is this less reliable but it also drains your battery. The blackberry network is what allowed the BBM application to work. BBM is not simply an application because the push features require a lot of things to happen on the server side and this is why you won't see such an application on Android anytime soon. The closest you will get is normal sms because that has similar server side functionality. I like to think of blackberry messenger as an SMS/MMS system tailored to blackberry smartphones and not reliant on a texting plan. BBM was great, but I only had one other friend I was able to use it with and he switched to android as well.
 
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I'm considering leaving BlackBerry to go with the coming Sprint 4G HTC Evo. I really am just getting more and more pulled by Andriod, touch screens, and the like.

Two big draw backs for me leaving BB are:
1.) I type a LOT so I'm worried about loosing my keyboard and typing on touch. I send a lot of text, emails and BBM's, facebook, twitter, etc... through out each day.

2.) I use my Blackberry Messenger (BBM) a LOT as well. My brother, Dad, Uncle, Cousin, Aunt, Friends... a lot of people I know use it and I use it almost daily. So I'm really worried about leaving BB because of this. Sprint is coming out with a BB Bold and as much as I want the EVO I'm wondering what else I'm going to miss.

What I don't get is why are people like Andriod (Google), Microsoft, Apple etc... missing this gem, BBM and how many people use it and rely on it. I use it to when I travel to Mexico. There needs to be a universal Push Messenger that's independent and works on all phones so that you can stay in better touch and not have the expense of texting and the get the instant chat feature. Plus I never miss a BBM ever!

Blackberry has a lot of great things, but Sprint just started charging $20/mo for BES and so I dropped that which means I don't get my exchange emails, contact, calendar, notes, etc... and they don't sync anymore. This was an awesome feature and why I went to Blackberry in the first place, but now that I don't have BES because I refuse to pay another $20/mo on top of what I already pay, it leaves me open and wondering if I should leap out and go with someone else like the iPhone and I'm really considering the HTC Evo 4G. It looks like a bad to the bone phone. Got to hold it in my hand first though and see the price before I can make that leap. Also I have a personal policy that I usually don't buy new items when they first come out mainly because there are always bugs and issues that need to be worked out. I want an iPad but will wait for phase 2

anyways that's my two cents, would love to hear HTC & Andriod user comments
 
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*sigh*

There are multiple differences with BBM.

First off, BBM is entirely FREE (even if you don't have text messaging) and works over your data connection. So a person would be able to send as many as they want without worrying about their texting limit.

Secondly, BBM is so tightly integrated into the BlackBerry smartphone that you never have to sign in, it always just works.

Thirdly, your instant messaging "name" is simply your BlackBerry PIN. All BlackBerries have a unique PIN associated with the phone. (Similar to a MAC address for those who know.) You can use a PIN to message another BlackBerry via BBM or by simply emailing them (the PIN would be the address.) All communication via the PIN is free.

Fourthly, one can use a QR barcode to add a contact. For instance, if you were at some social function (say a nightclub) and you met someone with a BlackBerry, they can show you their BarCode and your BBM will automatically request to become "friends" with that BlackBerry and vice versa.

Fifthly, one can use a PIN message (via e-mail or BBM) to send media content, similar to an MMS message, without the space limitation. Instead of compressed audio or pictures, you'd be able to get the full uncompressed version of it.

Sixthly, you can assort contacts into groups, (say "CoWorkers.") If you do, all people in the group will reflect the same information on their BlackBerries. You can administer a group and set privileges as well as allow or deny membership to others. Media and location can be shared with the group without having to upload to each individual member, and you can also send group messages or have conference chats.

There are many other features I could list, but I have to get ready for a long drive so I don't have time now.

The point is, BBM is a hell of a messenger, and honestly I don't know of any that are similar. I do think, however, that Android phones should incorporate such a feature.

I guess I still don't see the advantage. I will address yours point by point.

1. Free - I only know a handful of people with BB's so I would still need a text plan to communicate with the rest of the world and I text a lot, so no advantage for me. Honestly I think BB is going to lose a lot of everyday users...b/w Android and iPhone, not much to stay with BB for.

2. Always logged in - when I text it's always on, never have to sign in either, so not sure I see the advantage there either.

3. PIN - I don't see the advantage here either. Emailing is free anyway and I have unlimited texts. A PIN is just one more number to keep up with.

4. QRCode - Barcode Scanner allows this same functionality.

5. No size limit - I don't send video via MMS but I could see that being handy if you had the need. If I needed to, probably just email it. I guess a slight advantage here.

6. Groups - I use Google Voice and have all my contacts in groups, it allows you to do similar things, plus I can send texts from my desktop that appear to come from my phone. I can't share media, but have yet to have that need...I guess if you wanted to, BB has a slight advantage here as well.

I personally have never owned a BB and have no desire to, but from what I have seen and read, I don't see BB messenger as what some make it out to be. All the same things can be accomplished just as easily via sms, mms.
 
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First off, BBM is entirely FREE (even if you don't have text messaging) and works over your data connection. So a person would be able to send as many as they want without worrying about their texting limit.

How revolutionary and special. Except Google Talk does... exactly... the... same.

Secondly, BBM is so tightly integrated into the BlackBerry smartphone that you never have to sign in, it always just works.

Google Talk, when set to automatically sign in, does the same. Wow.

Thirdly, your instant messaging "name" is simply your BlackBerry PIN. All BlackBerries have a unique PIN associated with the phone. (Similar to a MAC address for those who know.) You can use a PIN to message another BlackBerry via BBM or by simply emailing them (the PIN would be the address.) All communication via the PIN is free.

Your instant messaging "name" is simply your Gmail account. All communication via Google Talk is free. Astounding!

Fourthly, one can use a QR barcode to add a contact. For instance, if you were at some social function (say a nightclub) and you met someone with a BlackBerry, they can show you their BarCode and your BBM will automatically request to become "friends" with that BlackBerry and vice versa.

Useless if the other party doesn't have a blackberry. Cross-platform always wins, sorry to say.

Fifthly, one can use a PIN message (via e-mail or BBM) to send media content, similar to an MMS message, without the space limitation. Instead of compressed audio or pictures, you'd be able to get the full uncompressed version of it.

And this is different from attaching crap to an email... how?

So, short version: BBM is nothing special. Thanks for confirming what I already know!

1.) I type a LOT so I'm worried about loosing my keyboard and typing on touch. I send a lot of text, emails and BBM's, facebook, twitter, etc... through out each day.

Swype is fast. Hurts your fingers less than a physical phone keyboard, too.

So I'm really worried about leaving BB because of this. Sprint is coming out with a BB Bold and as much as I want the EVO I'm wondering what else I'm going to miss.

A hideous, outdated OS? A messaging solution that doesn't work across the board (hi, GTalk will work with any phone/PC/laptop/netbook)? Being treated to shitty firmware?
 
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I am waiting to see if there is something that comes out for the android for the BB service as well, then I will switch to one. I know to a lot of people including some of my friends they dont think it is a big deal. But in some cases it is absolutely necessary.

I recently in a moment of stupidity dumped my BB for a certain phone based around a music player. What a mistake I had to go back to the BB simply for this feature. I am in the US not far from the Canadian border. Half of my friends live in Canada. They mostly have BB and we all use pin to pin services such as BB messenger. Using the pin to pin feature I can communicate with them for free since it is not a text and resides on the RIM network. I had gotten unlimited texting on the new phone and was told it included Canada, well a very high bill later tells me they are 50 cents each. So I stop texting and start using a messenger service, on the BB I have not had any luck getting a messenger service to run full time and it was not the normal right away contact we were used to, they would have to log in to check messages etc. Then I come to find out that these services are not using data they are actually text messages so that killed that for me and I wound up returning the phone and reactivating my Bold 9000.

I am not a huge fan of the BB "but" it does 2 things very well, and that's about it, Its way of integrating all of your emails (multiple accounts), pins, texts, and phone calls into one basic app that always tells you the most recent item but puts them all together is a huge thing, the other being the free messaging service with received and read confirmation is flawless. If I could get an android to do both of those I would switch in an instant, to me it would then be the perfect phone. Basically with the BB I open one screen and everything communicated to me in any way is on that screen, including pins but not including other messengers, and once you get used to that quick way of working with a phone everything else seems so cumbersome.

Edit: As for the Gmail app, however it may work on your phone, my experience with it on the BB (probably due to the awkward way BB handles anything not native to it) was that you had to be in the app, any time you were in the locked state you were not getting real time messaging and I believe it would not even notify you unless you were in that screen. To the Gmail fan responding I dont necessarily disagree with you, and from looking at it from a high lvl or from a different phones standpoint all of your statements are correct for the most part, but when it comes to the BB integration of other messenger services, having tried them all, they all fall short on the BB. The problem here is not which messaging service is superior and cross platform (well it is as far as why BB users want to get it on android). Remember the real reason someone would ask the OP's question is they want to get away from the BB but need that functionality for one reason or another that may not be apparent to someone in a different situation, like mine where communicating with another country where all your friends have BB becomes a whole different beast over just "which is a better way to IM". The way I see it is we want it so we can get away from our BB's into a far superior, way more versatile phone OS.
 
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