You might be wondering why BlackBerry's BBM for Android and iOS has a whopping 6 million download since its release last Monday. It appears that BBM is here to stay with two of the biggest mobile tech ecosystems - Android and iOS. But before you download and go chatting off the bat, here's a heads-up of what you need to know.

How to Download

Due to the overwhelming volume of downloads that BBM encountered, BlackBerry has narrowed the stream by utilising a queue system. Basically, you need to register at the BBM site to secure a spot on the queue of the download waitlist, after which, you will be sent an e-mail invite from BBM that you are already on queue to download. The process usually takes approximately two hours to complete.

Source: Reuters

BBM for Android and iOS Review

Sign-up

The sign-up procedure is straightforward and identical for Android and iOS. Again, the details of BBM for Android and iOS are quite similar aside from the Settings menu. Functionality, interface and the overall design is notably similar to both.

So, what is the difference between BBM for Android and iOS? Essentially, the Android version comes with a notification icon pinned on the homescreen's status bar, which can be some sort of annoyance. Although BlackBerry claims that it aims to make users stay connected, alternative versions manage to do the same without actually adding that clutter on the status bar. On the other hand, you may opt to disable the option in the Settings.

Connecting

BBM for Android and iOS offers a wide-array of ways to get connected, ranging from SMS, QR code and unique BB Pin number which is attached to every account. However, connecting via social networking Web sites like Facebook is lacking.

Chatting

The design is definitely less spacious which allows you to scroll back to your previous messages and the keyboard is also smaller which takes up 60 percent of the screen. But, whether or not that is a good thing, it depends on your personal preference. The more spacious design and the bigger UI elements allow users with smaller devices and bigger fingers to effectively navigate the app.

Both BBM for Android and iOS allows status updates. You can also "Broadcast" identical messages to multiple contacts, send voice messages and copy entire chats or dispose texts as you please. Moreover, you can "Ping contacts which is the poke version of BBM. However, you might not be pleased with the activity tracks and profile updates that can be seen by your contacts.

In a nutshell, BBM for Android and iOS is working pretty well for users, but then again, there is nothing new to this messaging platform that alternative apps do not offer.

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