A few week back we got a tease that Trillian for BlackBerry was indeed on the way, and just got word that the public beta should be available in the next few days. I've played around with the app a bit, and I have to say I'm impressed. It integrates multiple IM services well and makes for an easy one-stop for your messaging. Trillian supports MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, MySpace, Facebook, Jabber and Google Talk. The app has a clean layout and is easy to navigate, and has visual notifications as well as LED indicator. Features include:
- Send pictures
- Stay signed on for up to 7 days with the application closed
- Contact avatars
- Manage your contact list - group contacts, rename contact list items, sorting and offline contact preferences
- Alerts and notifications: LED alert, email push notifications, full integration with standard profiles
- Set local display name, set local avatar
- Copy & paste in message windows
- Privacy managment (blocking, visibility controls, etc)
- View user information (AIM profiles, etc)
The Trillian team will be taking in feedback throughout the beta to make things even better. The app will be available as a beta until a full release is ready, at which point it will be available in BlackBerry App World for around $5-10 (price has yet to be determined). We'll let you know when it is available for download, but for now hit the jump for some more screenshots.
Reader comments
Trillian for BlackBerry beta coming 'in the next few days'
I love this program so far other than I can't login to my yahoo.ca chat account, it says connecting for a breif second then it disconnects. I know my login and password are correct cause I can log in through other yahoo programs and I tried deleting and re adding the account. Maybe it only recognizes yahoo.com right now? HELP PLEASE.
actually works. It may be worth the money.
IRC and other group chats would be awesome! The main advantage over the individual programs is all contacts in one coherent list. That is manageable on both PC (or Mac) and BlackBerry (or iPhone). Also once you use meta contacts you'll never want to go back (my main gripe with BeeJive). Also being able to log on once and not have to log onto each client individually. Plus Facebook, MySpace chat integrated.
The rest I am unsure as I have yet to test out the BB app.
Forgot about that. Isn't it odd how many so called "technophobes" will happily chat on FB.
ya irc would be nice addition, but i hope that it'll at leas let you go "invisible" mode in google talk, SINCE GOOGLE'S FREAKING BB APP DOESN'T LET YOU EVEN DO THAT!
I posted on the official Trillian forum to find out if, like the desktop version, BB Trillian was going to have IRC. It would be amazing if it did as I cannot find a stable IRC client for my 9700. The reply was that IRC and group messaging would be in a future update - maybe.
So for now Trillian offers me no advantage over separate IM clients and the Messages folder that OS5 has.
i been using trillian on my comp for years now and to have it come to my bb even better is it better the im+ not sure but i would like to find out soon enough :)
RIM will NEVER give out the API to BBM... EVER. I'm sorry... It's just not going to happen as much as we would love for it to. I would have deleted BBM if it wasn't for the theme I use has a button for BBM... and I hate Blank Buttons.
What features do you want? Just saying "more features" does nothing for the developers. Go sign up at forums.ceruleanstudios.com and in the Trillian for BlackBerry forums start a topic describing exactly what features you would like to see.
Now we already have Beejive and IM+
Trillian need to Innovate. otherwise it will not different from others.
- Add BBM
- Add more features
When people say "Skype chat" are they asking for skype's text chat or voice chat? Text chat I could see coming sometime soon. Voice chat might take a bit more. As Trillian is an IM client first and foremost.
But the chat feature is already in BugZilla for both the web version and the iPhone version. And the way Trillian works is that the plugins for the "mobile" versions (not full desktop clients) are stored server side. So when the web version gets updated so does the iPhone and BlackBerry. They use what's called IMcore for the IM plugins on all versions (including desktop). This allows for all versions to be updated at once. For the "mobile" versions you log on with your Astra username onto the Octopus server. The Octopus server then logs you onto each of the services that you want to be logged onto. So once the plugin is made and tested it gets set up on Octopus and you may not even need to download an updated app.
It is best to have the desktop client (either free or paid) because creating meta contacts are easier on the desktop. As is sorting your contact list. Its just click and drag. Trust me Astra is leaps and bounds ahead of Trillian 3, Digsby, and the Lib Purple clients.
Btw guys. Its TRILLIAN not Trillion. Trillion is a number Trillian is in reference to Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
I installed Trillian on my new Laptop and I really like it. I have BeeJive on my BB9650 and had it on my 8130, it's pretty good, no problems at all. The Mobile version of Trillian sounds very interesting, I'll be keeping an eye on it when it comes out. Thanks for all the info.
I've done swaped and really only use msn, and the fact that msn ties right into my native message folder no need for this. Maybe if I had such an extensive network that I had buddies on every client. But I don't. Good to see BB support from app developers though...
I've done swaped and really only use msn, and the fact that msn ties right into my native message folder no need for this. Maybe if I had such an extensive network that I had buddies on every client. But I don't. Good to see BB support from app developers though...
$5-$10? Are they nuts?
Instant messaging is on its death bed, and AFAIK, nearly every one of those messengers has a free alternative.
I can't comprehend spending $10 for an IM app.
What on Earth are you talking about?
Well I wouldn't say it's on it's death bed. It just not a hyped as it was in it's prime. But I've loved trillian for years on my desktop for free and love it. But I must say I would not pay for this either. For saving $5 I can just use AIM, Yahoo, ICQ, and MSN for free and I just let them run all the time.
That's what I'm saying. I was a huge fan of Trillian for Windows. It was free, and......2003.
I can safely say that I don't know a single person who still uses IM. If I did, I'd be happy to use .Trillian, but not for $10. Especially when nearly all of its features are free elsewhere.
Fair enough. I regularly speak to several people a day on I'm as easier than cross-globe sms. Got a lot of times when voice chatter not really suitable as well - such as wife watching tv. So for me I'm is far from dead.
Also - are you telling me you never end up in SMS chats? Just a thought; threaded sms like we have on BB is basically IM.
This is what RIM needs to do with BBM. Incorporate multiple IM services.
Cannot wait to give it a try! Hopefully it'll actually be a decent multi-service IM app.
Useless until they add at least Skype chat support. No love until they make Skype over 3G working (iPhone folks have it now with free native Skype app!)
Sweeet!
Its about time...I have beejive, but I HATE that they don't pay attention to us BlackBerry users! I have emailed beejive about a problem I've had an NO response...NO response on their forum too! So all I have to say is I hope this is better than IM+ and Beejive because I'm willing to pay for another app as long as it works right and the company doesnt forget me.
Years ago I used and paid for Trillion on Windows. But today, who uses IM any more? Everyone is texting and twittering. Trillion took too many years, yes years, to update their product. That age is gone...
Looks good. Too bad I never use IM any more :( I was a big fan of the windows version though!
Would be nice if they could add Skype chat.
Sorry already got Beejive. Got the multiple device license too. This just looks like another version of Beejive
Nice run through. Remember guys it's in Beta. So it'll only get better.
bout friggin time, i dont like having to use another IM when Ive been using the windows version of trillian when it first came to fruition
ill probably try it out, but i already have BeeJive.
Funny, I've just gotten into the market for a multi-client app after AIM stopped showing new messages unless I manually refreshed the buddy list. I started with Beejive but it tried to kill my battery so then I went to IM+ but didn't like the interface. I then did some research and went back to Beejive and told it to not be so mean to my battery. I'm halfway through my first new day with Beejive and it's behaving well, and then I saw this article. I was a former trillian user on Mac and PC until I switched over to Adium on the Mac but I've always had a soft spot for Trillian. Can't wait to try it out (I mean why the hell not, apparently I can't have enough chat clients), just hope it runs on the Storm.
the web one and the BB? Would be awesome if we could sign in on the desktop and continue when we leave on our BB! looking forward to this.
It says on their site that it can sync with the desktop client.
http://www.trillian.im/learn/tour-blackberry.html
Having used Trillian on Windows in the past, I'm excited to try this. Every IM client I've used with multiple-account options for BlackBerry has failed me in some way or another, leaving me tied to 3-4 separate apps. Fingers crossed!
PLLLLEEEEAAAASSSEEE tell me that this is going to run on my 8330!
It runs on my 8330
Also a trillion for windows (and recently mac) user. I can't wait to use this one. I dunno if the "experience" will necessarily be the same, but I'm more than excited to try.
This looks awesome. I've been a Trillian user on Windows for years and can't wait to try this on my berry.
Cant wait to try it!
nice looking forward
doesnt look promising