When you have one of the most successful messaging systems, enabling business mobile users and kids to communicate effectively, how do you improve it?

By listening to customer feedback that’s how, BlackBerry’s BBM has been used by kids and business mobile users around the world, to effectively communicate and collaborate on ideas.  The soon to be released version 6.2, which is in beta testing at the moment, brings with it some new features and below is an overview of these:

Animated display pictures

More animated display pictures are now built into BBM. Change your picture to suit your mood.

 
Change your name or message inline

You can quickly change your name or status message without leaving your contact list by clicking the text at the top of the screen. To exit inline editing, just scroll down. You can still access your profile screen by clicking your display picture.

 
Streamlined voice notes

When your convenience key set to open BlackBerry Messenger, if you highlight a contact in BBM and press the convenience key, you can start recording a voice note. Once you’re done, pressing the convenience key again will send the voice note, perfect for a business mobile user who needs to send a message, but can’t spend time typing it all, or wants to convery emotion.

 BlackBerry Tag enhancements

Adding contacts has never been easier. If your BlackBerry business mobile supports NFC technology, you can turn on the Allow Automatic Invitations by Tapping option. Then, as long as you or someone else has BBM open, you can add each other as contacts by aligning the backs of your smartphones. This feature requires that you both have the latest version of BBM installed on smartphones that support NFC technology. (Please note: NFC is only available with OS 7.1 and is not available on the Torch series of 7.x devices: 9810, 9850 or 9860.)

 
Improved search

When typing the name of a contact or group, the search ignores special characters and emoticons to make it easier to find what you’re looking for.

Resend a message 

If a message didn’t send (for example, if your smartphone was outside of a wireless coverage area), you can highlight the message and select Resend from the menu.

Can’t wait for the updates, don’t search for Blackberry Beta Zone in Google and sign up today to be a beta tester, its free and you get the jump on new updates to your favourite BlackBerry software.

This article is copyright © 2013 Mike Bowers.