BBM finally lands on Android and iOS

BBM proves popular as it finally lands on Android and iOS, but you'll have to wait in line to get it.

BlackBerry’s BBM is one product which is still in high demand, and with this part of the business booming, the launch of BBM on Android and iOS is only likely to strengthen it still.

You are now able to download the app and has already shown to be incredibly popular with over 5 million users downloading the app in the first 8 hours of it going on sale. This is according to a Tweet sent out from the official BBM Twitter account.

As many of you may already know, the app was due for release last month, but the release date was pushed back due to an unofficial version of the Android app was posted on-line, which saw 1.1 million downloads which in turn caused BlackBerry major issues and as a result halted the official launch.

A successful launch will now be very beneficial to the company after a month of financial issues.

Join the queue

There is a downside to the recent release however. Due to the immense popularity of the app, BBM has had to roll it out very gradually to users.

You are able to download it now, but once the download is complete you are requested to enter your email address in order to join a queue, at which point you then have to wait til BlackBerry contacts you to authorise access to the app.

There is one case in which you would have immediate access. If you signed up in advance for notifications through BBM.com, this should have enabled you to use the app as soon as you download it, but as it stands everyone else will have to patiently stand in line.

It remains to be seen how many users will ultimately sign up for the app and how ongoing its popularity will be, but the popularity of it at launch suggests there might be a hint of sun breaking through BlackBerry's clouds.

Best iPhone camera and photo editing apps

'iPhoneography' is fast becoming ever more popular, be it for personal or even professional use. As smartphone cameras get better, and photo editing apps improve, taking iPhone photos becomes more fun. So in order for you to make the most of your iPhone photography, here are our top camera apps!


Pro Camera or Pro Camera 7

You can now control focus and exposure, and having the ability to adjust these controls is so critical to photography, and that's why this app is recommended. Pro Camera and Pro Camera 7 also have some lightweight photo editing features and a number of other features. This app is great if you want to get a little more serious about your snaps!

Snapseed

Snapseed gives flat photos a little more punch, or it can mellow out a shot and give you some interesting tones.
Like other photo editing apps, Snapseed allows you to control basic things like brightness, contrast, saturation and white balance. But you can also control exposure and colour. For basic and quick editing and toning, you probably can't do much better than Snapseed.

VSCO Cam

VSCO Cam is all about retro. It offers a number of filters and effects that give your photos a
classic, vintage film look, but with expanded control settings.
VSCO Cam lets you take things a bit further by fine tuning exposure, contrast, saturation, white balance, hue, vignette and even simulated film grain.

Photoshop Touch

Lastly, we're going to talk about Photoshop Touch.
This is a powerful tool, and it gives you so much creative control and the ability to work in layers, just like the desktop version of Photoshop. But is this a little too complex for iPhone snappers? Many of us just want to shoot on the go and edit quickly. If you are happy to spend a little extra time however, this is the app for you!
It has its own filters, and you can make all the same adjustments that you can with other photo apps, but the ability to quickly  work in layers is the real selling point.

So that's it! Time to go out and shoot! Take lots of shots when you get the chance, and edit them later. And remember, an editing tool is just that, 'a tool'. A great photo begins with a great eye.