BBM-Android Platform

So you're using an Android device and want to chat with your BBM friends? No problem!

BlackBerry Messenger is now officially available for not only BlackBerry users but Android and iOS as well. BBM is totally free to use and is a great way to stay in touch with your friends without the worry of text messaging or other bulky messaging apps.

Getting up and running with BBM on your Android device is easy, but if you're having trouble I'm here to help. Keep reading for a full walk-through of using BBM on your Android device.

Getting Started

First things first - you'll need an Android device to install BBM.

Head to the Google Play Store and download BBM (free) to your device here.

Once installed, tap on the icon to start the BBM service.

If you're already a BBM user and want to use your current BBID, enter your login details on

the screen. If you're new to BBM or want to use a different BBID, you can register here as well.

Adding Contacts

• Tap the overflow icon (3 dots)

•   Tap Invite to BBM

•  Choose the method by which to invite a contact

• Enter any info as needed.

When the contact accepts your request they will be added to your contact list

Sending Messages

To start a new chat, tap the BBM icon in the top right corner (the one with the + sign)

Search for or choose a contact from the list Tap the contact, enter your message and choose Send

Multiperson Chat

To start a multiperson chat with more than one contact, tap the overflow icon (3 dots) then tap Start Multiperson Chat

Enter the contacts to which you want to send your message

Enter you message and tap Send

Settings

To access the settings menu, tap the overflow icon (3 dots) then choose Settings

Here you can change things such as notification tone, contact list layout, update options, chat history and more Groups

To create a group, tap the Groups icon on the bottom of the screen

Tap the overflow icon (3 dots) then choose Create New Group

Enter a group name, photo and description.

After your group is created, tap the group icon to open it. From here use the overflow menu (3 dots) to change settings, invite contacts, add photos, add lists, add events and more.

Broadcast Message

To send a broadcast message to all of your contacts, tap the overflow icon (3 dots) then choose Broadcast Message. Enter your message and tap Send.

Quick Tips

To quickly view your contacts list, tap the Contacts icon

To quickly view groups tap the Groups icon.

The BBM service will stay running in the background of your device. You'll see a small BBM icon in your notification bar so you know that the service is active and ready to send or receive messages. You can disable this setting, however this will keep BBM in the background and you may miss messages at times, so it's best to just deal with it and keep it in the foreground.

For more help and discussion be sure to hit up our BBM for Android forum.

Topics: BBM, Android