RIM to release BlackBerry clients for AIM, ICQ and Windows Live Messenger
by Volker Weber
RIM is readying the release of clients for AIM, ICQ, and Windows Live Messenger. You can download and install the software, but you cannot yet login. The new clients will complete the current line-up consisting of Google Talk and Yahoo Messenger. BlackBerry devices also run their own instant messaging application called BlackBerry Messenger which relies on PIN messages and is device dependent. Users are authenticated by their device PIN and not by a user account.
Update: Here are instructions on how to make this work until your carrier sends out the required service books.
Comments
Great news. I've used Ramble but had issues with locking up.
Volker, any idea if this is for prosumer handsets as well as enterprise? Also, whether the IM traffic will be included in the average Blackberry flat-rate plan vs being treated as data traffic?
Any idea when the service books are being sent out? Do we actually need to do anything to make it work or will it just start working... I have everything installed, ready and waiting.
The download page has been updated recently. I have previously been able to download the AIM app to my crackberry. Now when I click the download button I am taken to a page with the following message:
Notice
Sorry, your wireless service provider does not support AOL Instant Messenger for BlackBerry at this time.
I have talked to the chairman of 1&1 about mobile access to AIM, ICQ and MSN. And I have learned that those IM providers charge a surprisingly large amount of money for access to their networks per month and user. Because you and I get it for free does not mean that the carriers get it for free as well.
On top of that the carriers would certainly like to protect their SMS franchise.
Another reason to switch to Jabber (Google Talk being one of them).
