messenger

Samsung unveiling its own instant messaging tool

Samsung is jumping into the instant messaging market with a new IM tool destined for a variety of feature phones and smartphones.

The Korean mobile phone maker's new and free ChatOn IM client is designed to be cross-platform, allowing users of a wide range of phones to be able to chat with family, friends, and colleagues. The service will be preinstalled on Samsung's feature phones as well as smartphones running both Android and the company's own Bada mobile OS, according to Reuters.

But it will also be available as a free download for other mobile platforms, including … Read more

Scoop: RIM in talks for BlackBerry music service

At a time when Research in Motion needs to sex itself up, the Canadian smartphone maker is in talks with the four largest record companies about launching a new music service to run on top of BlackBerry Messenger, the company's instant-messenger service, multiple sources with knowledge of the negotiations told CNET.

RIM has signed a deal with at least one of the top-four record companies and is close to signing at least two others, the sources said, adding that a test version of the service could be rolled out within the next few weeks.

The BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service is an instant-messaging service that enables owners of BlackBerry phones to chat instantly via the Internet with one another. Details about how RIM's new music service would work with BBM are few and a RIM spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

The major labels, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and EMI Music, are eager to see new retail services and to continue being part of mobile devices, especially smartphones. Yesterday, pre-paid carrier MetroPCS Communications announced that Android phone owners who subscribe to the company's $60-per-month rate plan can receive access to the music-subscription service Rhapsody. … Read more

Facebook Messenger: Reach out to friends, contacts (podcast)

Facebook's new standalone Messenger app for iPhone and Android is designed to help you reach out to Facebook friends or people in your mobile contact list in what Facebook spokesperson Meredith Chin described as a "fast and easy way."

The app can be used to reach out to a single friend or a group of friends but you have to select each member of the group individually. It doesn't support the "group" or "list" functions in Facebook that make it possible to post messages to entire groups on the Facebook Web site. … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1528: Is Apple killing its own app business? (Podcast)

Amazon and Vudu both launch full-featured Web apps for Apple's iPad to avoid the "Apple tax" and, in Amazon's case, so that they can actually have a link to their store in their mobile experience. Is Apple accidentally driving people toward a device-agnostic tech future? I hope so! Also, Nokia is out of North America, we're planning our visit to the Star Trek resort, and more Bronies than expected listen to BOL!

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 blocked in Europe

Facebook releases a Messenger app for iPhone and Android, Anonymous threatens to shut down the social network, Amazon launches the Kindle Cloud Reader web app for e-books, and Wal-Mart shuts down its MP3 store.

Links from Wednesday's episode of Loaded:

Apple blocks Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Europe Wal-Mart closes MP3 store Anonymous threatens to shut down Facebook Facebook Messenger apps Twitter images for everyone Kindle Cloud Reader web app Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (HD) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS HD

Facebook rolls out standalone mobile-chat app

Facebook today doubled down on its mobile efforts with a new mobile application that breaks out its messaging service into a single app.

Dubbed "Messenger," Facebook is making the app available for both Apple's iOS and Google's Android. Users can log in with their Facebook credentials to get access to existing chats and message threads from Facebook for interacting with them on the go. Included is group messaging, along with a component that lets users share photos and their location.

"The Messenger app is an extension of Facebook messages, so all your conversations are in … Read more

All-in-one chat client for Android

IM+ takes all the fuss out of mobile instant messaging by enabling you to connect to your Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger, AIM, Facebook, and other IM accounts, all from a single application window. With its clean design and simple user interface, chatty folks on the go may wonder how they ever lived without it.

Under the Contacts tab, all of your contacts are compiled in a single list. That way, you don't have to bother with switching among accounts in order to chat. In fact, once you're on IM+, you should feel absolutely no distinction between the different … Read more

All-in-one chat client for Android

3DS price drop

RIM releases the "more social" BlackBerry Messenger 6 service to share apps, the BBC launches a paid version of its iPlayer service for the iPad, and Nintendo dramatically drops the price of its 3DS handheld game device after lackluster sales.

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

Nintendo loses money, drops 3DS price RIM releases BlackBerry Messenger 6.0 Verizon and AmEx partner on mobile payments Google Page Speed Service Sprint and LightSquared sign pact BBC iPlayer goes global Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (HD) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS HD

BlackBerry Messenger 6 offers more 'social experience'

It appears Research In Motion has decided to flip the switch and turn its popular BlackBerry Messenger application, or BBM, as its users refer to it, into a more full-fledged "social experience," complete with app integration, social app discovery, even some enhanced social gaming.

Buzzwords aside, BBM 6 does, in fact, change the game for both BlackBerry app developers and end users. It allows developers to create apps using the BBM API, which in turn will allow users to interact with each other from right within the BBM-connected apps. This means that newly developed games, for instance, could … Read more