Categories
RIM Software and Apps

Kik Messenger For Blackberry Removed From App World

Research in Motion has announced that the company has removed the popular Kik messenger from the App World following a number of issues withthe application. In a statement, the company said,

“RIM became aware of a number of issues and customer concerns regarding the Kik app and service and, following discussions with Kik, the app was removed from BlackBerry App World. RIM is actively reviewing the issues and potential resolutions, and is also continuing its discussions with Kik.”

There is no word on the potential cause for the removal. While it is possible that RIM sees the Kik messenger as a threat to their own Blackberry Messenger, it is also possible that the Waterloo based company sees Kik’s contact farming strategy a bit on the grey side. Anyway, we hear that the two companies are still talking and so a resolution should be offered soon enough.

Categories
Gadgets

Video Calling On Blackberry Messenger With New PlayBook?

Research In Motion finally unveiled their long rumored tablet computer yesterday. It turned out to be neither a BlackPad or a SurfBook. Instead, the new tablet shall be known as PlayBook and in RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis’ words, is the “first professional tablet“. So what is known about the PlayBook? For starters, it can run Adobe Flash, play games, display content from a paired Blackberry phone and will run on the QNX platform instead of the regular Blackberry OS. That last part is very much in alignment with earlier speculations.

But most importantly, it is rumored that RIM could be taking on Apple by launching a FaceTime alternative. The new PlayBook tablet will feature a front-facing in addition to a rear-facing camera. The presence of this camera is speculated to help in introducing a video chat functionality in the hugely popular Blackberry Messenger. With close to 35 million active users on BBM already, RIM should not have a tough job convincing people to use the new functionality.

The only contentious issue is that in the absence of an independent cellular plan, the PlayBook really cannot be offered at a subsidy by the carriers. How will RIM manage to increase the proliferation of this device without an independent contract? That should be interesting to watch.

Categories
Blackberry

How To Transfer Blackberry Messenger Contacts To New Phone

Here is a step by step procedure for users to transfer their BBM contacts to a new phone

Backing Up Contacts From Old Phone

Step 1 : Ensure your Blackberry’s battery, SIM card and media card are in place on your old phone
Step 2 : Launch Blackberry Messenger. Confirm that you can view all the contacts and group settings from your old phone
Step 3 : Tap on the ‘Menu‘ option. You will find an option to ‘Backup Contact List‘. Select that option
Step 4 : You will be prompted with the destination folder. Select ‘Backup files Locally
Step 5 : Now change the ‘Save files to’ option to Media card in order to save the files in the media card. Note the generic name that the backup file is saved as

Transferring Contacts To New Phone

Step 1 : Remove the battery, SIM Card and Media card from old phone and set them up on the new phone
Step 2 : Launch Blackberry messenger
Step 3 : Hit the Menu option and click on ‘Restore Contact List
Step 4 : You will now be asked for source file. Select ‘Restore using a backup file from device
Step 5 : Find the media card folder and navigate to IM -> Blackberry Messenger ->
-> Back up
. Select the backup file created on the old phone
Step 6 : You will now see a confirmation message : “This operation will replace all your existing contacts. Are you sure you want to proceed“. Press ‘Yes’.

You are done. However please note that this will replace all your existing contacts on to your new Blackberry. However, that should not be a problem if this is a new phone

Categories
Mobile Motorola

Motorola Gets Into Social Networking?

Blackberry users have been offered the ability to chat and share files with other Blackberry users through the Blackberry Messenger. Now, if the indications are true, Motorola may be going a step ahead and launch a comprehensive social network for their customers.

In a patent filed recently with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Motorola has described a social networking service over their telecommunication network that will enable users to discover new friends, share pictures and videos, comment on others messages, etc.

Interestingly, it appears that Motorola could be partnering with existing social networks to kick this feature off. The inventors explain

“In another embodiment of the invention a third party service provider may provide the social networking service to the user using the telecommunication network “

Much like the friends discovery tool in most of the social networks, Motorola’s invention too talks about making use of the users’ contact information like phone number and email address to search for other friends who are already in the network.

Motorola has been gaining traction in the smartphone segment since the launch of Droid and it is likely that the company sees a social networking service as a way to showcase their handsets to a cluster of a population rather than sell it to individuals.

With social networking apps already available, do you see this strategy picking up?