IM+ for BlackBerry Receives Major Update

SHAPE Services has announced that it has updated its IM+: Instant Messaging for BlackBerry application to version 8.5. The all-in-one messaging app has received a major facelift and now features a completely redesigned user interface with new themes, convenient history review for all conversations, as well as improved multichat for MSN and Skype.

For those that aren't yet familiar with it, IM+ is the most widely used mobile IM application, as it's available on all platforms. Users will be able to connect at the same time to Twitter, Skype Chat, Facebook, Google Talk, Yahoo, MSN / Live Messenger, AIM / iChat, ICQ, MySpace, and Jabber accounts. Any message, photo, video or voice message can be sent free of charge.

The main features of the IM+: Instant Messaging for Blackberry include: Online 24/7 across all IM systems (talk with multiple people at the same time and access multiple accounts of the same service); Group Chat; Twitter (option to view friends' timeline, favorites, direct messages, and replies and post pictures and voice messages to your timeline); Speech Recognition (service offered on a monthly basis and available only in English); Cheap Texting (send SMSs for just 5 cents/per SMS to US, Canada, UK, and most other countries); Translator (9 languages supported for the moment: English, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish).

BlackBerry users can choose to download the free IM+ Lite version, which is ad-based, or get the ad-free full version for US$39.95. Those who decide to buy the ad-free full version will also get the lifetime license offer. The latter includes free further updates, as well as a free license transfer to another device (except for iPhone/iPod touch/iPad and WebOS).