I have been a fan of the BlackBerry PIN function but always found it cumbersome – it’s not obvious to find your own PIN and then you have to track down those of your colleagues. All of that changed today when I got an invite to join in a BlackBerry Messenger conversation. I dropped everything to check it out and it is awesome.
The new BlackBerry Messenger gives you the look and feel of a standard instant messenger program but is built on the PIN technology. The new BlackBerry Messenger also gives you group-chat and some other great little functionalities including time compression. Yes, time compression.
Here’s what I mean: sure, you can email from it or PIN someone in a meeting, but this new Messenger client literally puts you live with someone right away (kind of like a typing version of the instant talk system being offered by wireless carriers). I was heading to a meeting and used BlackBerry Messenger to get back in touch with someone at the office, and I got a response way faster than making the call or waiting for the email. I felt connected and it felt much faster than an email or regular PIN – that, to me, is serious time compression.
BlackBerry Messenger is also highly viral (it’s no fun chatting if you have no one to chat with).
In the past I have held two stances on my BlackBerry:
1. It has changed my life by allowing me to be in touch and how I want to be in touch without being at a fixed location.
2. It is an email tool that has a phone built-in and other great functions but none of them are perfect.
The new BlackBerry Messenger continues my Lovemark dedication to this device. What a very cool and simple tool.
I am very curious to see how viral it goes in the coming days.
You can check it out here: BlackBerry Messenger.