BlackBerry – tech-junky.com

BBM for Android and iOS ?

Kenneth — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 15:05:43 +0000

Lately there have been a lot of rumours about RIM porting the BlackBerry Messenger to other platforms like Android and iOS. Leaked screenshots have been all over the web showing a beta version of the BBM for Android app. The screens actually show a BBM for Android version 0.8.87 running SitSLIP debugger 1.3.45 on a device with a 320 x 240-pixel resolution display. At the same time according to a new rumour RIM CEO Thorsten Heins has taken BBM for other platforms off the development line. Well I can’t say say if it’s legit or not, but I’m pretty convinced that we’ll not be seeing a BBM version for Android and iOS for a long long time, if at all.

BBM for Android and iOS : Why not?

It’s the very reason why we buy a BlackBerry:

I’m myself a BlackBerry user. The main reason I own a BB device is the BlackBerry Messenger and I’m sure this is the reason why millions of people own a BlackBerry. Frankly speaking BB does not have much apps or a user interface to desire for. I mean come on, who buys a BB thinking of apps? It’s just coz of the classy look of the handset, the keyboard or the BlackBerry Messenger. The BBM gives the BlackBerry platform a USP.

Security Concerns:

The BlackBerry platform is very secure and tightly gripped. That’s pretty much the reason why even Barack Obama uses a BB. Security and user privacy is a top concern for RIM and that’s why millions of customers have faith in BlackBerry. Now what about BBM being installed on an open source platform like Android? It sure doesn’t ring a bell. RIM itself wouldn’t risk on having BBM in an environment where it doesn’t have full control. So the security concerns occur as a barrier to porting BBM to other platforms.

BB 10:

RIM recently announced it’s upcoming BlackBerry 10 OS which has some really cool enhancements. Plus there’s a new UI and we’ll be seeing more iOS-Android type apps. Isn’t that cool? The BlackBerry platform will get all it lacked – Apps, a new UI, games and much more. Now if RIM release BBM for other platforms simultaneously then why would someone invest in a BB 10 device? People will simply install BBM on their respective devices, coz rest everything they have.

Until RIM can’t sell BlackBerry phones:

If there comes a day when RIM is unable to find buyers for it’s devices, then the company will have to port BBM to other platforms to open up a stream of revenue. But until that day, I don’t think there’s a chance.

UberSocial : The best Twitter app for BlackBerry

Kenneth — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 15:07:01 +0000

Twitter is one of the most trending social networking sites. With more and more celebs joining Twitter and more and more people following them, the rate at which Twitter is growing is insane

If you’re an active Twitter user, then it’s next to impossible that you do not have a Twitter application installed on your smartphone. When it comes to BlackBerry smartphones, the official Twitter app is preloaded. But does it suffice?

Official BlackBerry Twitter app

Most BlackBerry users already have the official Twitter app installed on their devices. The app sports a clean and sophisticated interface. It has pretty much everything to get you started. Furthermore the latest v3.0.0.20 update brings BBM integration which allows it to automatically update your BBM status with your tweets. The one problem I’ve noticed is that it doesn’t display @Mentions or ReTweets. If you’re looking for a minimal Twitter app, then this one will work just fine for you.

Is there a better Twitter app for BlackBerry devices?

UberSocial: The best BlackBerry Twitter app

Let me tell you that UberSocial is the most popular Twitter app for BB users. Why is UberSocial special?

UberSocial for BlackBerry review

This app is a must have for everyone who loves to tweet their way around. And the best part – it’s free.

UberSocial Features :

My Inner Circle

Wish to view tweets from a specific group of people? Just add them to your Inner Circle and you’ll get a seperate timeline consisting of stuff exclusively related to them.

Uber Channels

This feature provides you with assorted Channels from various media houses like USA Today, Mashable and more. For example : Business and Marketing, Media, Mobile, Tech and Gadgets.

Recommended People

How about famous personalities categorized into different spheres they respectively belong to? Just go to the category you like and find various people related to that field.

For Example: Fashion has Kim Kardashian. Boy, she’s hot (and dumb), isn’t she? (:P)

FaceBook Integration

UberSocial gives you the option to integrate FaceBook as well. That means you can dual post to both FaceBook and Twitter at the same time. Plus your FaceBook feed is also shown within the app.

BlackBerry context menu integration

UberSocial is added to the BlackBerry context menu so you can open the Compose Tweet part directly from anywhere and everywhere.

Mute User/Keywords

There’s an option to mute or ban specific users or keywords you dont wish to see or read about. So no more tweets about the things you dislike.

Themes

This is the part I really like. You can change the look and feel of the app with the help of themes. There are a lot of themes bundled with the app. If you wish to, you can add more.

Other features

Tweet/Retweet, direct mentions, @Replies, @Mentions, Trending Topics.
Manage multiple accounts.
Photo and video support.
Customized notifications.
Save tweets as draft in the compose mode.
Privacy controls – Protected tweet mode.
Tweets near you.
Location services including tagging and search.

UberSocial has tons of cool features. It’s a must have if you are a daily twitter user.

Download from BlackBerry App World | Download directly

FYI: UberSocial is also available for Apple and Android.

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BlackBerry Bold Touch Video Leaked

Kenneth — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:05:46 +0000

It seems RIM has decided to bring a touch interface to it’s wildly popular BlackBerry Bold smartphone. The leaked video shows the pinch-to-zoom feature being used on Bold’s 2.8 inch screen. Pretty small for multi-touch eh?