Every couple of months, RIM decides to go ahead and update their in-house developed Instant Messaging clients for BlackBerry smartphones. They never typically include any change logs with them so as the sizes of the apps continue to go, no one knows exactly what has changed.

Such is the case this time around as well. All RIM clients including Yahoo, Google Talk and Windows Live Messenger have been updated to v3.0.0.19 for those of you out there making use of them. You can grab the downloads for each below, however -- you may wish to avoid the Google Talk one as there has been reports of it not accurately showing online contacts that are available. Thanks, @Rootbrian_

Download Yahoo! Messenger
Download Google Talk
Download Windows Live Messenger

Over the years, the IM+ cross platform messaging app, as well as its developer SHAPE Services, has been looked at many times on the CrackBerry blogs. If you haven’t heard about it yet, picture all of your instant messaging accounts poured into a blender and blended into one smooth application, from which you can chat with anyone. In other words, you can chat with friends and family no matter if they’re using MSN, Facebook, Skype, Yahoo!, Google Talk, AIM, Jabber, ICQ, VKontakte, Yandex Chat, MySpace or Twitter. Not too long ago, SHAPE services announced that they released their own in-app messenger application they dubbed Beep.

What Beep does is enable users to chat with contacts that are found in their own native address book, as well as those from various instant messaging platforms. Thus, it brings SMS, MMS and instant messaging together in a neat little package. This update is also seen on other platforms (Android, iOS and Windows phone). Check out the features:

• Send unlimited number of free messages - Beep uses your Internet plan and all messages sent with Beep are free. We understand how important a message can be, so we added "Sent" and "Delivered" confirmations for each message you send.
• Express yourself and impress others - IM+ with Beep now offers free alternative to SMS and MMS: customize your status message and share pictures, videos, audio notes, your location with your address book contacts
• Your Address Book is your instant messaging buddy list - Yes, it's that plain and simple. When you know someone's phone number, you already know their instant messaging ID.

Now keep in mind that you do have to be an IM+ user in order to benefit from Beep. Luckily, IM+ comes in a free version and a Pro (ad-free) version, both of which are available from BlackBerry App World.

More information on the IM+ in-app messenger Beep for BlackBerry smartphones
More information/download IM+ free for BlackBerry smartphones
More information/download IM+ Pro for BlackBerry smartphones

Cross-platform messaging applications are popping out all over lately but few deliver like our beloved BBM. The latest competitor in the arena is called PingMe. Shockingly, it is very similar to BlackBerry's native application. With PingMe, you can message all those traitors friends who are on other platforms while enjoying the following features:

• Cross-platform: iOS, BlackBerry, Android and Windows 7 coming soon
• Real Time Message Receipts: see when your friends are typing as well as sent/delivered/read receipts
• Group Chats: create groups for family, co-workers or friends with similar interests 
• Register using your phone number so no PINs or IDs to remember
• Free! We all love when an app is free and one that delivers an experience like this one with a promise that it will always be free is a wonderful thing
• Social News Feeds: see all your friend's updates in one location
• Geo-Location: find your friends who are nearby with geo-location enabled messages
• Push notifications:PingMe lets you know when you have a message even when it's closed
• Friend Finder: simply use you address book to search for any friends already using PingMe

The UI is clean and simple with customization options available for both the background and message box colors (I've always wanted these features in BBM). I have family on all platforms and have been searching for an instant messaging application just like this for all of us to use. Now I can use PingMe to see when my husband's ignoring my texts on his iPhone just like I do when I BBM him on his BlackBerry.

For more information / download of PingMe

I don’t remember the last time I was chatting online though instant messaging. Really, I would say most of my conversations happen with my Blackberry used as a medium. What about you? Think about it. What better way is there to keep all of your friends, family and other contact all in one place? Here you have all of these apps installed, and all of them are ready to keep you connected. You have one for Twitter, another for Skype, another for Facebook and another for… hmm well that’s not very efficient is it? I mean, here I have all of these applications ready to help me commence in my rants and ramblings, but I don’t think my thumbs can take the typing AND navigating. Not to mention my poor BlackBerry is running low on memory. Perhaps I should cut back a little. Nah! Maybe I should find one app to cover my social networks!

That’s where an application like IM+ comes into play. This application becomes the hub to your online life (or in some cases your ONLY life). You can easily manage your accounts with some of the major players of the social networking game. Twitter, Google Talk, Jabber, you name it. Set your status to busy and have a look.

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