Introducing BBM Channels, the new social engagement platform within BBM™. With the social landscape constantly changing, BlackBerry® is making it easier to discover and connect to the brands, artists, people and communities you love in real time within BBM. Discovering compelling channels is as easy as scanning a QR code, searching for a channel, entering a channel PIN or browsing the featured channels carousel.
Subscribe to your preferred channels and stay up to date on your favorite things with instant and relevant updates. You receive notifications when new posts are available and can choose how you’d like to be notified. Participate in the experience by commenting, liking and sharing with your BBM friends. With 1-to-1 chat, you can create a direct and private dialog with the brands you love.
You can also create your own channel to broadcast with the immediacy and reliability of BBM. Easily create, edit and publish in an instant. Build an intimate and loyal following through precisely targeted posts and 1-to-1 chats, and monitor and measure all the interactions in your channel. BBM Channels. Tune in and share.

Sign up to try BBM™ Channels for free at http://blackberry.com/bbm/channels.

Share/Bookmark

How do you feel about BBM going cross-platform? Let us know in the comments!

Share/Bookmark

Who to follow?

• @NerdBerry
• @Sleepy2009
• @K_mart_

Feel free to Tweet us question’s about the events or post your questions in this article. Everyone that is traveling to BlackBerry Live 2013 and BlackBerry Jam 2013 have a safe and fun trip!

Share/Bookmark

Check out Windows Live Messenger in BlackBerry World!

Share/Bookmark

F16Apps  has released an update to their popular Twitter client Neatly for BlackBerry 10. Neatly is developed upon tremendously efficient engine to perfectly customize timelines based on your social preferences and interests to make important comes first. Neatly is comprehensively supplied with a list of features that makes you feeling convenient toward the application where you can reach your aspiration level. Hit the break to find out what is new!

The more you used Neatly, the more Neatly’s engine learns your social preferences and act much mature.

What’s new?

• Load more
• Instant Reply (Swipe from right to left on a tweet in timeline – can be turned off from settings)
• Help Screen (Find it in the settings)
• The App opens in “Regular” by default
• More Notification Options.
• Manual Auto Refresh option
• Timeline Options
• Faster Page Loading Times
• Bug Fixes

Head on over to BlackBerry World for the update.

Share/Bookmark

For quite sometime now it has been rumored that BlackBerry 10 would bring some sort of theme in to the device, well the above screen shot shows off the BBM Dark theme on the BlackBerry Dev Alpha C. Well the reson we do not have the Dark them for the BlackBerry Z10 is simple. The Z10 uses a regular LCD whereas the BlackBerry Dev Alpha C and BlackBerry Q10 will be using an OLED display.

With the dark theme you will be able to save some battery life as dark images do not require a tom of juice on the OLED displays. I ma digging the dark them for BBM, hopefully BlackBerry will at some point offer it to the Z10 users (probably not..).. Let us know what you think about the dark theme in the comments.

Via: N4BB

Share/Bookmark

nextGen has released Animated Avatars for BBM on BlackBerry 10. Animated Avatars for BBM is an application that will help you update your BlackBerry Messenger profile picture instantly. Animated Avatars for BBM  offers over 700+ animated avatars using the sleek interface looking app to keep your BBM looking impressive to your buddies.

Over 700+ Animated Avatars in 24 Categories for easy access. e.g Emotions, Flags, Sports, Similes etc.
All Avatars are fully working and specifically designed for BBM and just requires one step to update your BBM Profile Display Avatar.

100+ Avatars are freely available for any one downloading this app.
Rest of avatars can be purchased from with in the app using the In-App Purchase option from the menu without needing to download any other paid application on your device.

Head on over to BlackBerry World to download Animated Avatars for BBM for FREE.

Share/Bookmark

BlackBerry recently announced that more than 50 Million BBM voice calls have occurred since the launch of BBM 7.  This is pretty amazing considering BBM7 has only been available for 3 months and during that time it was only for OS6, OS7, and BB10 devices.  This boils down to over 500,000 Voice calls placed EVERY day for the past 3 months. For those of you that are not familiar BBM7 has a feature called Voice Calling that allows you to “call” your BBM contacts as long as you are on a WiFi network.  As long as your WiFi coverage is good you will have cellphone quality calls without having to use your minutes or data.   The feature carried over to BB10 so it should carry on into future versions of BBM if the success of the feature continues on the same path.

Just as a note, OS5 users should also be able to use this feature as support was extended to those devices recently.

Source: BBE

Share/Bookmark

UPDATED: BlackBerry® has announced that BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™) version 7.0.1,which features voice chatting over a Wi-Fi® connection, is now available for BlackBerry smartphones running the BlackBerry® 5 OS.  BBM version 7.0.1 with BBM Voice is a fast, convenient, and inexpensive way to stay connected with friends, family and colleagues,  and can be downloaded from the BlackBerry® World™ storefront*.

The response to BBM version 7 with BBM Voice has been tremendous. Since its launch in December for BlackBerry smartphones running the BlackBerry 6 OS and higher, more than 50 million BBM Voice calls have been made.

Quote from T.A. McCann, Vice President of BBM and Social Communities at BlackBerry:

“Our customers around the world have embraced BBM version 7, which has brought BBM to a whole new level, further strengthening the experience of reliable, fast, real-time engagement. By bringing BBM version 7 with BBM Voice to customers running BlackBerry 5 OS smartphones, we really broaden the base of people who can connect with each other, especially in many of our emerging markets where BBM is the leading player.”

What Other Features are Available in BBM 7 with BBM Voice?

• Multi-tasking with Split-screen feature – Customers can do more while they talk, such as check other BBM text chats, check email, or navigate to other apps while engaged on a BBM Voice call. They can start a call in an instant, and switch between texting and talking, or text and talk at the same time. They can also for example, send a picture to a contact while they are talking with them.
• Clear Visual Indicator – Customers can see when contacts are available for a voice call.
• Convenient Compatibility with Accessories – Customers can use their favorite accessories, such as a Bluetooth® or wired headset, or use their BlackBerry smartphone’s speakerphone.
• Simple BlackBerry ID Synchronization – Customers can set up BBID to link their BBM profile, Groups and Contacts with the BBID for easy backup and restore. BBID is required for BBM Voice and this can be set up when upgrading. The data will also carry over when they move to BlackBerry® 10.

BlackBerry Messenger has been update to version 7.0.1.23 in BlackBerry World. At this time there is complete change log available so if you see anything different feel free to let us know in the comment. BlackBerry is still rolloing out the update so if you do not see it you can try typing ALT +RST to try and clear BlackBerry Worlds cache.

BBM™ 7.0.1 now gives you the freedom to chat with your friends the way you want. Seamlessly switch from a BBM conversation to a BBM Voice chat and talk to your friends, virtually wherever they are in the world, for free over Wi-Fi. Stay in touch like never before with BlackBerry® Messenger.

New on the latest version of BBM:

• BBM Voice now available for BlackBerry OS 5 users – Talk or text, the choice is yours. BBM Voice connects you to friends in an instant, directly from a BBM chat screen. (BBM Voice might not be supported in all regions or device versions. Visit our BBM support page below for more details.)
• BlackBerry ID Integration (optional) – Simplifies OS and device upgrades. Device switches are as simple as entering your BlackBerry ID when you first open BBM, and your BBM profile, contacts and groups are instantly available on your new device.

*PLEASE READ* 1. Both users require BlackBerry OS 5 or higher, data plan and Wi-Fi connection for BBM Voice chat. Please check with your service provider for availability and restrictions. 2. If you haven’t associated your BBM contacts with a BlackBerry ID, please back up your contact list by displaying the menu within BlackBerry Messenger – Options – Back Up before downloading. (Available for users of BBM 5.0 and above). 3. Please ensure that you are using RIM or network approved BlackBerry® Device Software to avoid compatibility issues that may result in loss of the BBM icon. 4. After installing the new version of BBM, restart your device. For technical support with BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), visit http://www.blackberry.com/support/messenger. For billing issues and technical support options related to App World only, please visit http://www.blackberry.com/support/appworld

Share/Bookmark

Hot on the heels of the official WhatsApp application being released next week the OpenWhatsApp developers have released the BAR file available today. The OpenWhatsApp BAR file will have to be sideloaded on to your BlackBerry Z10, but once that is done you will be able to use WhatsApp before the application is released! Hit the break for the download file!

Let us know what you think about OpenWhatsApp in the comments!

Download OpenWhatsApp here.

Share/Bookmark