Kik Messenger - Cross-Platform Messaging (FREE)
 

Hi everyone -

I just want to disclose that I work for Kik (I'm the Community Manager) and I'm not here to sell to you - I just really, really want everyone to know about Kik Messenger!

It's a free cross-platform instant messenger - just like BBM but we don't discriminate against iPhones. There's also SMS integration so you can message people who aren't using Kik, but you do miss out on some of the great features in Kik-to-Kik messaging (read receipts, free and unlimited).

You can download it here www.kik.com/m (ota) - I would love to know what everyone thinks of it.

We have A LOT more coming from Kik so if you like our product and the way we do business follow us on Twitter (@kik) or on Facebook (facebook.com/kikplaynice) and you will get the latest updates on our service.

I can't wait to hear what you all think!

Just downloaded and trying to register and it doesn't let me add my full number
I am in Ireland

I add the 353 for country code and it puts it in brackets, but when I try to add the remainder, it won't take the last 2 digits?

US & Canada Only (For now...)
 

Oh shoot!

I'm very sorry - right now the service is available only for US and Canadian phone numbers.

I really should have put that in the post in the first place! (I'm new)

Wirelessly posted

What does it mean I have 150 text messaging credits left? Does this mean I can send 150 texts, but will have to pay for additional ones?

So I just discovered after a bit of searching :(
Be clear about country availability

Taken from Kik | Text Anyone for Free

Get Unlimited, free texting to all Kik users! So send your friends a free Kik message telling them to join.

Get 50 free texts per month to non-Kik users! It's less than a cent for each text after that.

Those are credits used to message people that do not have Kik. Messaging between Kik users is free and unlimited.

To message any other 10 digit number you would use one of your 150 SMS credits (if you go over this amount in a month - you have the option to buy more). This part is really great if you want to send a message to say, someone in Canada. Your message is reassigned to a Canadian number (so make sure you say who you are) - and neither you nor your recipient will pay additional carrier costs for texting over borders.

I hope this helps :)

What do you guys think of the SMS integration? Do you think it's necessary for an app like this to allow you to message others without the app?

I've using Kik for awhile on both my Blackberry Bold 9700 and my iPhone 3GS.

I like it.

The 2 issues that I've come across (which I've reported to Ted & their technical support & suggestion department are):

1) There are some issues with the addressbook/contacts on both platforms (BB & iPhone) which I reported. Hopefully it gets fixed soon.

2) Also, if one of your friends has KikChat and you communicate with him/her and then later changes his/her phone so that he/she no longer has KikChat, you aren't able to use Kik to communicate with them anymore since the program will default to using KikChat instead of KikSMS.

Besides these 2 major points, it is a great program and I use it a few times a week (mostly to my Canadian friends because it assigns a Canadian number to the SMS which is great... with my US friends, I use Google Voice SMS).

Yes, if I understand your question correctly, I think that it is a big plus.

I like the fact that I'm able to use this program on my Blackberry (& iPhone) and be able to send people an SMS who don't use the program.

I've been using it for about a week so far. Sent a message out to all my friends with iPhones. Seems to work very effectively. Really need to add BB sound profile integration. The included tone is way too quiet. I've missed a number of messages because I didn't hear it. You also covered the other issue on your KIK forum. The video leads one to believe pictures, vidoes and other file transfer is available. As you stated, not until a future release. It will be very helpful for me when I am traveling around the world to use data to get messages from iPhones rather than txt.

The only other issue I have had is a number of NULL errors on my 9700. Can't really pin down why it happens. I've submitted this to support.

All in all, a good product. Will be great with sound updates and the addition of Android support.

I agree with you on this and I also sent this as a suggestion using Kik's menu suggestion item my Blackberry Bold 9700.

We are aware of the sound profile issue, the null error and the issue of switching back to SMS from Kik Chat. A new release is in the works for all platforms (YES ANDROID!) and you will all be getting that shortly!

I really, really appreciate this feedback - and the use of the in-app reporting! I assure you I am here to listen and to answer any and all questions.

The major enemy here is time - it is constantly working against us and we are working like crazy to get these issues fixed and new features out to you. But, I'm glad to hear that you enjoy the app and it will only get better from here :)

That's great news. I noticed a new iPhone version was available at the Apps Store today but it was basically a cosmetic change (name change).

I'm hoping that the issue with the KikContact that I reported via the Kik's error reporting menu will also be fixed.

I'm looking forward to an Android version to test out on a SonyEricsson X10.

Tera, one of the keys to getting good feedback... is response from the company. Thank you for letting us know the issues we've found are being addressed. Your response here and in your own forum will definitely keep me sending you info.

Looking forward to the next update.

All the best.

It literally makes me giddy to hear back from such dedicated users (I'm trying to use the term Kiksters instead - users is so drug related). I can't wait until I have some great news for you all! Check back soon :)

I think that this company is very dedicated to feedback.

When I first installed/tested/used Kik on my iPhone 3GS and my Blackberry Bold 9700, I noticed that on my iPhone 3GS, I was able to manually enter the registration code but on my Blackberry Bold 9700, it was automated.

Since SMS was carrier disabled on my SIM/account for my Blackberry Bold 9700, I registered with another mobile number that I owned so my Blackberry Bold 9700 never actually received the SMS. The SMS went to another phone and I couldn't manually enter the registration code from the SMS since the Blackberry version of Kik at that time was completely automated in terms of the registration. That phone was not a GSM phone so I couldn't swap the SIM card.

I sent an e-mail to the company with my suggestion to make the Blackberry version rely completely on an automated registration and offer a way to manually enter the registration code just like how it works on the iPhone version. Ted Livingston replied to my suggestion and asked me what the issue was with the automation. He asked me why I thought that it was better to manually enter it like the iPhone version as opposed to the automated way that the Blackberry was doing it. I informed him of my predicament with carrier blocking SMS on my Blackberry's SIM and me relying on sending the SMS to another phone. A few weeks later, a new version was released on the Blackberry which allowed for the manual entering of the registration code if the automation didn't work automatically. :smile:

I'm just waiting/hoping for the following issues to be addressed:

1) When one of my contacts is no longer using Kik and I want to send him/her a KikSMS but can't because the program defaults to KikChat for that user

2) Better integration of the phone's contacts with KikContact. The KikContact list is not always the same as what is shown on phone's contact list.

3) Have the ability to rename/delete the KikContact from within Kik since it doesn't appear to be a 100% copy of the phone's contact

4) Have Kik use the sound profiles on the Blackberry.

@lmcjipo - The newest BB release should integrate with the BlackBerry sound profiles - I've been testing it out because I like to make my own sound profiles and it's been working fine. Let me know if you are still having issues. Also, we are aware of the other issues you are having (Contact issues and kik-kik issues) and we are working like crazy on them!

Also, just to let everyone know the Android beta of Kik has been released! I'm super excited and you can find it in the Android Marketplace. If you have an Android phone give it a try - we're really eager to hear feedback from our lovely Kiksters.

And keep an eye out for BB and iPhone upgrades during the next few weeks.

Just a question - have you heard about Kik anywhere else (besides this forum)?

I'm definitely feeling the forum love - thanks everyone :)

Tera,

I first heard about Kik on BlackBerry Review.

I'll forward over the Android beta to my buddy on EVO and Sprint. Will be good to get him back since he gave up his BlackBerry. :)

Really looking forward to ending the Exception Null error too.

Does that mean a version we can download? Or still an in-house version?

Thanks for your response. In regards to the sound profile, I noted it as something "nice" to have and useful but I'm more concerned or bothered by the Contacts vs KikContacts issue.

I reported this already via the "Report Problem" menu on Kik but maybe you can bring it up in your next meeting. ;-)

To see what I mean, you can do this simple test (I'm using Kik 0.96 on my Blackberry Bold 9700 and Kik 1.3.1 on my iPhone 3GS):

I don't suggest that Kiksters try #1 since it will cause some confusion when you use Kik.

1) Change the contact's phone number on your Blackberry/iPhone. You will now notice that on KikContact, you have 2 entries for that contact... one with the old phone number and one with the new phone number. I have 1 person on KikContact in such a "weird" state and it gets confusing which number/KikContact I should send a KikSMS to.

2) If you change the name on your Contact, you will notice that KikContact still has the old name.

Allowing users to modify/delete/rename KikContact entries directly will allow users to fix both of these issues. One other thing that it will do (at least for me) is that one of my KikContact users who is also a Kikster configured Kik with what he considered to be a "funny name" when he initially contacted me. I now see this "funny name" on my KikContact list which I don't really find amusing... not regarding Kik but regarding my friend's choice in names/identification. My personal feeling is that since it is MY phone, I should have a way to change the contact's name to what I want. This is what BBM allows. When I add a BBM contact, it uses the name that he/she configured on BBM in my BBM Contact List but I'm able to rename that person to whatever I want after he/she is added.

Regarding your question about where I learned about the existence of Kik, it was reported on a cellphone forum called Howard Forums. I'm an active member in both forums although I've used Howard Forums longer because I got my first Blackberry less than 1 year ago. The person referred to the iPhone application which I downloaded. I also checked out your company's website and noticed that there was a Blackberry version available. Since I used my Blackberry more than my iPhone, I downloaded the Blackberry version of Kik. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post the link to it on the forum in question but you can easily find it on Google. It was also on Howard Forums that I found out about BlackberryForums.com.

On another note... Happy Canada Day to all Canadian Kiksters & Canadian BlackberryForum users. :)... and for Quebec Kiksters/BlackberryForum users, I hope today's moving day wasn't too stressful in terms of driving around the city as well as moving ;-)