It looks like the next update for the BBM Social Platform SDK is out!  This one’s version 1.3 and includes some new features.  Some highlighted features include:

• Users can manage their settings in order to “Allow [app name] to connect you with other app users”. With this feature, the user has the ability to prevent dialog boxes from prompting when making/requesting to join public connections.
• The character limit for setting personal messages within the user profile has now been increased to 160.
• Users can easily enable the Profile Box by clicking the checkmark “Post recent activities to BBM Profile” when the app initially connects to BBM.

You can read more on the new SDK at the BlackBerry Developers Blog or click here to download it.

Browsing via BlackBerry? Click here to view video

BlackBerry Messenger stays as a popular key factor for BlackBerry users, especially internationally in countries such as the Philippines.  This is a video advertising BBM service in the country featuring new BlackBerry smartphones including the Bold 9900 in white and Bold 9790.

With BBM being updated to v6.1.0.49 it brings a long some new features such as supporting animated avatars, and longer status updates it brings to mind something else I would like to see come to BBM.  Themes are great as is, and are very popular among BlackBerry users.  We’ve seen in the recent BlackBerry Porsche P’9981 theme that the media player can be themed.  How about other apps like BBM?

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It looks like BlackBerry Messenger v6.1.0.49 is officially available. We’ve been testing out version 6.1 in BlackBerry Beta Zone for a few months now. The update includes new avatars, emoticons, and more. Head over to BlackBerry App World to download.

Dear Owner,

I’m so lucky I’m your BlackBerry!
You hold me with both hands gently as u could be.
You ensure that I am always with you.
If I fall you are afraid of my injury.
I always have your undivided attention, you get upset if others disturb our time together.
U can never forget me in a taxi & u won’t let me go unlike my old friends nokia, sony and sammy that u would proudly just hand over.
When u eat, I’m beside u. When u r on the toilet, I’m with u. When u are asleep! my head is by ur pillow. (more…)

By now I’m sure you’ve noticed that BBM social networking has been popular for quite some time now.  First it started off as websites you can join where you link with other BBM users and exchange PINs.  Now it’s taken to the next level where users are able to download third party applications, and even have them connected to BBM thanks to the BBM Social Platform released this year.  PinShare is another application which seems to be poppin’ in BlackBerry App World.  For those looking to get meet other folks on BBM, check it out.  It’s free to download!

PinShare for BBM >>

Last night it was discovered that BBM Canada was attempting to bring Research In Motion to court over the “BBM” trademark which the company is using.  Today RIM responds to the accusations with this official statement:

“Since its launch in July 2005, BlackBerry Messenger has become a tremendously popular social networking service. In 2010, RIM started to formally adopt the BBM acronym, which had, at that point, already been organically coined and widely used by BlackBerry Messenger customers as a natural abbreviation of the BlackBerry Messenger name. The services associated with RIM’s BBM offering clearly do not overlap with BBM Canada’s services and the two marks are therefore eligible to co-exist under Canadian trademark law. The two companies are in different industries and have never been competitors in any area. We believe that BBM Canada is attempting to obtain trademark protection for the BBM acronym that is well beyond the narrow range of the services it provides and well beyond the scope of rights afforded by Canadian trademark law. RIM has therefore asked the Court to dismiss the application and award costs to RIM. Further, for clarity, RIM’s application to register BBM as a trademark with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) is pending and we are confident that a registration will eventually issue. The inference by BBM Canada that CIPO has refused RIM’s BBM trademark application is quite frankly very misleading.”

So there it is! RIM has a pending application to register “BBM” as a trademark at the moment.  Nice to see RIM put their foot down on this one, rather than eat the bullet and have to change a name of their product as we saw with BlackBerry 10.

It’s not like RIM has nothing on its plate now.  So far the company has had a terrible year which is close to coming to an end and hopefully will bloom into a better 2012.  First RIM had to change “BBX” to “BlackBerry 10” due to copyright infringement, and now the “BBM” trademark is next.  A company called BBM Canada is complaining that they keep receiving calls and emails from BlackBerry customers in regards to BBM issues and general inquiries.

According to The Globe and Mail, RIM was contacted by BBM Canada several times on the matter but they have been ignored, so a court hearing has been scheduled for January 11, 2012.  Now we wait to see what happens.  What’s next?

Source: MobileSyrup

RIM announced this morning that any users who download(ed) BBM Music December 16th to January 4th will get four free months of BBM Music. Might be disappointing for some of you that had the app way before but a great offer for new users. Head over to BlackBerry App World and download BBM Music to get your free holiday offer!

Earlier today a new beta version of BBM 6.1 has been made available in BlackBerry Beta Zone.  The last update brought us up to 6.1 adding new smileys, different colored chat bubbles for specific contacts and more.  There doesn’t seem to be a change log on this one, but if you spot anything new let us know!

Download from Beta Zone >>