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Still discovering new things on BlackBerry 10... *smart* Screen Sharing on BBM Video Chat!

By Kevin Michaluk on 22 Feb 2013 10:47 pm
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Confidential! 

As I type this I have been rocking the Z10 for almost a month. Surprisingly, I am still discovering new things about BlackBerry 10 as I put it to use in new and different ways. The latest discovery? The automatic pausing of screen sharing when confidential information is about to be shared.

Earlier this evening, my mom (63 years young... who reads CrackBerry... who will be ticked when she reads that I just blogged her age) got a white BlackBerry Z10. Once she was up and running I rang her up on BBM Video Chat and did a screen share to walk her through some BlackBerry 10 basics. First I shared my screen with her so I could show her my tips on using the phone. And from there I had her share her screen, so I could see how she was using the phone and offer up my advice.

As we walked through BlackBerry World, I told my mom she could now download music and movies in addition to apps and games all through her BlackBerry ID. At that moment, I got really PI$$ED OFF THAT I STILL CANNOT BUY GIFT CARDS FOR BLACKBERRY WORLD. I would have loved to gift my mom a $200 credit to spend on content for her Z10. Unable to do that, I had her screen share her way over to Setup > Payment Options. I figured if I still can't give her BlackBerry World credit to spend (please BlackBerry.. make this happen already), I could at least put my Paypal info into her phone so she could buy content for her Z10 at will.

To get into Payment Info you need to enter your BBID, and as she began to enter her password, to my surprise the Screen Sharing paused! Turns out this BBM Screen Sharing is SMART - when you're typing in confidential information, it does not show it to the person on the other end of the line. We tried it the other way around so I could see how it looked, and sure enough when I began to enter my password a red drop down appeared saying "Confidential Info Screen sharing paused."

I love stuff stumbling upon features like this. One of the pillars of the BlackBerry experience is security, and it's things like this that grab your attention to make sure you never forget BlackBerry has your back on the security front. That said, I would feel a little safer right now if my mom was spending money in BlackBerry World from a set app credit I gifted her vs. having my Paypal info tied to her phone. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and I have been known to spend $500 on a clock app. :)

Topics: BBM Video Chat News & Rumors Editorial

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44 comments

stevepar

Awesome! The article and also your Mum rocking a Z10

93Aero

Cool feature, can't wait to get my Q10.
You are such a nice son!

jordanc76

This is great! Can't wait to have a Z10 in hand!

Eric3TBA

I love my Z10. I paid $1025 for it on eBay, and I'm ok with that. The OS is buggy as hell, but it's such a great step in the right direction. I just hope the main apps are there for the US release. I also hope that group additions to contacts is an option like it has been in earlier OS versions.

Jimcmf

Buggy? Stop drinking while you are using it !

It's not buggy. Even ask Kevin.

What carrier you using?

TheStoof

Sorry, buddy. It's true though. It's buggy as hell. Just received my Canadian Z10 and sometimes when I install an app and accepts its security permissions requests, I cannot open it again until I delete and re-install or reboot.

gyubok

It's probably buggy but you must remember, bb10 is a brand new os in its first iteration. We can't really expect it to be perfect.

Ebscer

Worried that your mom is going to buy a $500 clock?

Kevin Michaluk

A little worried... like mother, like son??

justbb10x

What is the most expensive bb10 app?

Skeevecr

So far I haven't seen anything dearer than the f1 2013 app

BGK

Nice guy, good son. I can only hope my 17 year old daughter will be even half as nice one day:)

AjaxMilanBarcaSC

My whole immediate family used to be a Blackberry family. It was great, easy to chat through BBM, and we also even had a BBM group! Now, however, I am the only one left.

I feel as though Blackberry should really listen to their loyal customers to improve BB10 so that all of these ex-Blackberry users return! I would love to be a Blackberry family again!

Thorsten should have Kevin on speed dial and a weekly conference call setup through BBM video or through that cool Webex app. A good CEO has his ears to the ground and is always making sure consumer feedback is being incorporated.

So Thorsten please call Kevin!

imcurved

I hear you. I, my mom, my sister, and my grandfather were at different places and we needed to discuss the menu for our Thanksgiving gathering. So we all text-conferencing together over BBM. It was awesome.

gyubok

yeah, family of 4 used to be bb family. It was pure awesomeness, I even had a screenshot of the bbm group we created. Now, my mom and my sister went over to android and my dad is about to switch over to iphone.

Rootbrian

You need to show them ALL blackberry 10! Then maybe they can get to know it better. :D

Rootbrian

If they went to the dark side, show them the bright side again. They NEED to come back! :)

Rootbrian

CONVINCE!!
You know you have to!

pepe68

This is great to know! Great surprise and can not expect anything less from BB. Great Job!!
Good on you Keving for given mom the paypal account! ;-)

Shop till you drop MOM! LOL! But the idea of the gift card or credit, however you want to word it, would be a great idea!

How about just getting a prepaid Blackberry Visa Card (reusable of course) and link it to her Paypal account?

BB, hey BB!! Marketing tool!!! I'll take take the residual revenues please! LOL! (I hate to say it, but doesn't the other fruit company do this already?)

Great Gift Idea! Props to Crackberry Kevin's suggestion!

Jimcmf

Wow .. they thought of everything.

KEVIN - How does your mom like the Z10 so far? How long has she been using it for?

rexxenex

Can you still gift in BlackBerry World on the Z10?

Awesome features, are just Awesome!

654321ROD

In South Africa nobody can tell me when the phone will be available . Communication with BB is impossible and after 6 years on Blackberry I am seriously considering migration to Apple !!

cjterminator

It is already available in South Africa from yesterday, check on Google.
"South African mobile service provider Vodacom announced today that the new BlackBerry Z10 smartphone powered by BlackBerry 10 will be available from Vodacom World in Midrand, Johannesburg and other outlets across the country on 22 February 2013."

samuelwhatshisface

She knows how to shop? Does she also purchase $999 clocks?

jasonvan9

Kevin, just curious... ive never tried but does a prepaid visa or Mastercard work in BBworld? Could solve the dilemma of BlackBerry not having gift cards yet

BBPandy

We don't have prepaid Credit Cards in Canada :(
The banks like us having to pay interest

Rootbrian

Uh, we do. Moneymart, cashmoney, etc. They all offer them.

whenever

I had to smile reading this article. A few years ago, I went with my mom to get a blackberry 9700. When the playbook came out and the prices fell my mom called me up (I had not been talking about the playbook to her but I had just ordered one). She wanted to order one, so she did. Then on the week of the launch, my mom called me up and wanted to know if I would come with her to get a Z10.

She said "It does not have to be the 30th, but the 31th would be fine" :) .

She was reading all of the advertising about them and had called Bell and Bell had told her that they were out of the white ones, which she wanted for the very rational reason that her purses all have black lining and the black phone is hard to find. On the way in to get the phone at a local mall, I suggested we try the Source as it is owned by Bell and you get the exact service as if you are going to a Bell store. I generally recommend getting a phone from the company you are actually buying the phone service from.

Walked in to the Source at 10:30AM on Jan 31. Yes, they had a white Z10 and the had a full selection of cases, in less than 20 minutes we had the phone.

My mom, in her 80's, was up date on the latest techonoly and knew what she wanted.

walt63

I despise all of you that have a Z10 already. No, jk.

BBRY seems to have done a good job at merging business (security) with pleasure. I hope to see more hidden features in upcoming OS upgrades.

kelwel

"Prepaid" Visa does work in BlackBerry App World Kevin. Not sure if Visa "Gift" works. I do know on other sites the gift card will not work. kelly...

mandru

Very strange thing that it is announced that z10s are available from the providers in South Africa, but the reality is too different. When networks are contacted they say the z10s are in stock but they are still working on the prices - that customers will be able to buy on the 1st March. Methinks Vodacom realised their price packages were way too overpriced compared to MTN. I told them that they will be losing one customer.

07thking

It would be nice to see a BlackBerry 10 magazine/s Showing off all these in depth features, cool apps and gadgets. It could be available in news stand and other places like zinio and so on. Thanks for sharing these tips, by the time I get mine in the us(next month :D) i'll be a pro!

Serkle K

Kevin, you could always have your mom set up a PayPal account and send her credit there to be used.

JIVE8900

Hey! This BBM screen sharing feature I'm drooling about (not having a Z10) Does it support gaming? Like the upcoming ps4 is promising? Get on it Kevin! Check it out!

texazzpete

It does not support gaming...

EsJayDee

Omg yes! +1 on the friggen gift cards.

scunliffe

Great idea with the screen sharing privacy! I've had to try and do demos on other devices hooked up to a projector...

Since the keyboard temporarily *shows* each letter pressed on the keypad entering a password is unsettling.

Glad to see that BlackBerry is thinking ahead here - this is a really nice feature and it shows attention to detail.

Well done. (oh, yeah, and +1 for the gift cards!)

newcollector

I now know that your Mom and I are among the most senior members of CrackBerry - I'll be 63 in April. Kevin, you are doing right by her...keep on treating her that way! She deserves it. After all where would you be without her! :)

Rootbrian

Prepaid credit cards are available in canada. Just look no further than moneymart, cashmoney, etc. They're easy to get and anybody 13/14/15/16+ can use them. Perfect and reloadable. No more nasty bills. Lol
They're the best replacement for gift cards on blackberry world!! Props to kevin! :D