BlackBerry Instant Messenging using Webmessenger
I started using a BlackBerry a couple months ago, initially I was excited by the thought of having a full keyboard and anywhere anytime access to online activities like IM, IRC or SSH. My enthusiasm was quickly snuffed out when I found that the BlackBerry 7280 I had was handcuffed; no socket connections which means no IM (unless you want to use the lame mMode WAP IM that comes with AT&T phones), no SSH, no J2ME applications that make network connections (unless you have access to MDS, which I don't yet). Things are looking up now though with the release of BlackBerry version 4.0, which gives you direct TCP/IP access to sockets!
So last night I downloaded and installed Webmessenger, the de facto instant messenging client for the BlackBerry. Even though they say that MDS is required, I was able to install and get it working with 2 different instant messenging servers (AIM & Yahoo!) in about 5 minutes. Once I got beyond the "wow I'm instant messenging using Yahoo! and AIM on a device no bigger than my palm!", I was impressed by the ton of configuration options:
· Buddylist view (which allows you to toggle the display of groups, the display of offline buddies, group / buddy sorting order, show online buddies on top, etc..)
· Logstore (which allows you to log your IM conversations much like Trillian)
· User preferences (automatic login, can be configured to remember your username / password, etc..)
and the integration with the BlackBerry, specifically the ability to "Switch To Ribbon" which in effect minimizes the application but keeps it running the background, which is handy if you want to get some actual work done on your BlackBerry.
The price is pretty steep ($48) and recurring (per year, the traffic for each IM client passes first to their servers and then on to the respective IM implementation so the recurring fee does make sense) but if you've got to have IM, this is the application you want to have.
January 04, 2005 in Software, Tips by ajohnson
Comments
I use an MDS enabled Blackberry, but I'd not be without webmessenger, the first version I had was fantastic, the new udated version 2.3.02 is even better, faster, more functionallity. If my Blackberry is on, and I'm not at my desk, I'm on IM on Web Messenger.
It is absolutely _THE_ IM client for blackberry, dispite the recurring cost (for us UK'ers its very cheap at $48!!)
and btw you can just click escape (or whatever the side buttons called) to drop back to the ribbon, the only way to close the application is to select Exit from the menu...
Posted by: naquada on February 26, 2005 3:19 PM
Also try out BerryVine Messenger. This one is my favorite, but I heard it still needs some finetuning as far as direct TCP/IP connections are concerned.
-Eliron
Posted by: Eliron on February 27, 2005 7:16 AM