Ok so its pretty obvious that iMessage is an obvious rip off from RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger for BlackBerry. Both are platform exclusive, both allow you to send IMs, photos, videos, contacts and locations information. On top of that you have typing, delivered, received and read notifications as well. So in terms of features, there’s very little to differentiate the two — to the general users at least.

But how to they compare? Which service delivers messages faster? Which is more intuitive? Which one is better?

Take a look at the video to find out.

[via]

	BlackBerry, Blackberry OS, iPhone, iPhone OS, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Video
	apple, BBM, blackberry, BlackBerry Messenger, BlackBerry Messenger vs iMessage, BlackBerry OS, iMessage, iMessage vs BlackBerry Messenger, iOS 5, iPhone

RIM has just released some numbers on its BlackBerry Messenger app based on a recent study it had done and by any measure the numbers are astonishing. 35 million people around the world are actively BBM-ing each other with 2,000 more jumping on the BBM bandwagon every hour. BlackBerry says the BBM now ranks as the world’s largest mobile social network platform.

The independent study commissioned by RIM done between November and December 2010, sampled 1,125 smartphone users to find out their usage patterns and thoughts about mobile applications. The survey also asked BlackBerry users about the ways they use BBM and their attitude towards the service.

Generally, users in Malaysia liked the following about BBM:

• Like to share what music they are listening to
• Like knowing when a message has been delivered and read
• Like choosing a BBM display picture

Overall BBM users also like that they are able to send messages with no charter limit, the ability to create groups with BBM contacts, and the fact that no extra fees are charged outside of data.

The study also found that BBM users are more connected with their family and friends compared to IM users and that BBM users send 50% more messages everyday compared to other IM platform users.

There’s no denying that BBM is a strong pull for people that are interested BlackBerry device but is the BlackBerry platform just a one trick pony? Is RIM relying solely on the BBM service to stay relevant? What is RIM doing to innovate its most popular application? Can we expect cross platform support for BBM? Will we see a BBM desktop app?

We don’t know. What we do know is that in terms of user experience, not much has changed with BBM and with alternatives like whatsapp gaining traction across two of the most popular mobile platforms in the world (Android and iOS), RIM would need more than a chat app to win customers.

But after all that’s said and done, when it comes to mobile instant messaging, we concur, nothing beats the speed, security and certainty of BBM.

	BlackBerry, Blackberry OS, Mobile Apps, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS
	BBM, blackberry, BlackBerry Messenger, rim

BGR reports that they are working on bringing BlackBerry Messenger to the rest of the mobile platforms such as Android and iOS. This is due to the rise of cross platform messaging services such as WhatsApp and Kik which works similarly to BBM. Obviously RIM too wants a slice of cross-platform communications as well. BBM for Android and iPhones? Why not?

While this is good news, RIM isn’t going to open its bread and butter messaging software fully as they are likely to retain some key features exclusively to BlackBerry devices only. The very least we could expect is striped down BBM for pure messaging.

It is said that Android is the first platform for RIM to develop and iOS to follow later. We think that while most of us have adopted WhatsApp or Kik for cross platform communication, is there still room for BBM on your device? It would be tough for RIM to convince WhatsApp early adopters to switch unless of course BBM for Android/iOS could offer better realibility or features that WhatsApp don’t. WhatsApp charges either a one time fee or annual subscription so RIM has to offer something really good to get people hooked.

[ SOURCE, VIA ]

	Android, BlackBerry, iPhone OS, Mobile Apps, Mobile OS
	BBM, BBM for Android, BBM for iOS, BBM for iPhone, blackberry, BlackBerry Messenger, rim

Celcom Xpax is one of Malaysia’s most attractive prepaid Blackberry service at the moment. At only RM1/day, you get unlimited BBM under its Blackberry Social package. There’s a higher RM2.50/day This has been a long dominance for Xpax until recently DiGi and Maxis joined in and offered daily packages of RM2 and RM2.50 per day respectively.

Xpax obviously trying to hold their ground has reduced introduced a new barebone Blackberry daily subscription at 50 sen/day. We got a twitpic taken by TianChad shown above on the announcement.

The other existing daily prepaid plans for BlackBerry are still maintained, giving a total of 3 daily package as below:

So basically the new BBM with Xpax is the stripped down version of the RM1/day BlackBerry social that is limited to purely Blackberry messenger service. This new plan is a better deal if all you do is BBM without the need of Facebook, Twitter and other popular IM. For social freaks, you probably stick to the same RM1/day BlackBerry Social plan.

More details on the Xpax Blackberry site.

Its going to be interesting to see what DiGi and Maxis will come up with to counter this.

Just one minor request to Celcom PR. Please remember to include SoyaCincau.com in your distribution list. Thank you.

[ SOURCE ]

	BlackBerry, Celcom, Players on the Field
	BBM, BIS, blackberry, blackberry prepaid, blackberry prepaid data, blackberry prepaid plan, Celcom, Celcom Prepaid, cheapest BlackBerry service malaysia, Daily BIS, Prepaid Blackberry, Xpax, Xpax BBM, Xpax BlacbkBerry plan, Xpax BlackBerry