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November 21, 2008
MySpace for BlackBerry App Sees 400,000 Downloads in First Week
By Michael Dinan, TMCnet Editor
A Canada-based wireless solutions company says it’s seen more than 400,000 downloads of a popular social networking site since an application for its smartphones launched last week.
Officials at Research In Motion say their BlackBerrys have seen record download numbers of MySpace’s application since its Nov. 13 launch.
According to Jim Balsillie, co-chief executive officer of RIM, the rapid adoption is a reflection of an evolving consumer lifestyle where social connectivity and information access are more important than ever.
“This powerful new mobile application combines social networking and mobility in a highly personalized and empowering manner and we are very excited to see such a positive response in the first week,” Balsillie said.
Officials from both companies say the “MySpace for BlackBerry (News - Alert)” application is designed to deliver rich content and data to users on the go. MySpace for BlackBerry smartphones integrates MySpace’s primary social networking components with the BlackBerry platform to provide instant, push-based messaging to users.
Shown at the right, it is available for download at www.blackberry.com/myspace or m.myspace.com from your BlackBerry Browser. The application is available for a wide variety of BlackBerry smartphones, including the BlackBerry Bold, BlackBerry Curve, BlackBerry Pearl and BlackBerry 8800 Series, and will be available to BlackBerry Storm users beginning Nov. 24.
Mobile market insiders say social networking forms a major part of the devices’ future use.
As TMCnet reported during an interview here, the founder and chief executive officer of one company that’s built around quickly designing and creating applications for the mobile device market, social networking is on the rise.
Mobui Corporation founder and Chief Executive Officer John Burry told TMCnet that the mobile device has and always will be ultimately about communication.
“These days, communication goes way beyond voice into texting, video exchange, and instant messaging,” Burry said. “Expect most of the innovation that happens in mobile to be around finding ways to make it easier for people to connect with one another, especially through social networks.”
Chris DeWolfe, co-founder and chief executive officer of MySpace (News - Alert), likely would agree.
According to DeWolfe, MySpace has established an innovative and collaborative partnership with RIM to address a key desire of consumers to have greater mobile connectivity and interaction with their friends and the global community at large.
“This record shows just how much of a force in the mobile consumer space RIM and MySpace have become,” DeWolfe said.
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Michael Dinan is a contributing editor for TMCnet, covering news in the IP communications, call center and customer relationship management industries. To read more of Michael’s articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Michael Dinan
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