Hacker News Reader

Comment by edwinnathaniel | Hacker News Reader

BBY has a very good chance to become the FB of messenger if they can go through the storm.

Their time is up. Too late now. I downloaded BBM when it launched and its so far behind other services its laughable. The only way to add people was through inane PIN codes or email. Even the most basic messaging apps today have address book integration.

Such a waste of former market leadership

Afaik the idea of BBM pin codes is you can exchange contact information without giving out anything sensitive, formal, or prehistoric such as your email address, phone number, or your real name. It's a stroke of genius if you ask me, and I think it appeals to teenagers secretive nature.

Most teenagers probably don't want all their phone book imported magically in to their IM app either: 1) because they probably IM and Skype with more, and more varied, people than they text or phone, and 2) because their phone book probably includes their annoying aunties and relatives.

I also love the design of the BBM app (on Android). It's straightforward, single purpose and clean.

I don't know that you have any data on that second section, but it's still worth pointing out that a great majority of apps that import your contacts through a contact book allow you to pick and choose who you want. And there's no reason why PIN codes and contact imports can't co-exist. It's a pretty big oversight on BBM's part.

Perhaps, but I haven't missed it. I still think this isolation is a feature, not a bug.

BBY is the ticker symbol for Best Buy, so I assume you mean BBRY?

I've never used Blackberry Messenger. What makes you think it could be the "FB of messenger?"

No, it doesn't have any chance.

    WhatsApp  | 350 million monthly active users
    Viber     | 200 million registered users
    Line      | 280 million registered users
    KakaoTalk | 100 million users
    Skype     | 300 million connected users (663 million registered users in 2010)
    WeChat    | 400 million registered users (mostly in China)
    Tango     | 100 million registered users

Whatabout the IRC network(s)?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com