Earlier today, BlackBerry announced the launch of a software licensing program for its Mobility Solutions business by introducing the BlackBerry Hub+ for Android.
BlackBerry Hub+ for Android is a suite of applications that helps to centralize all of your communications into a single, unified interface, as well as help streamline many other productivity tasks such as Calendaring, Passwords, and many others.
BlackBerry Hub+ for Android includes the BlackBerry Hub, calendar, contacts, notes, tasks, device search, launcher and password keeper applications for Android smartphones.
We have already covered how the release of Hub+ does not mean that to get the full BlackBerry experience, you no longer have to buy a BlackBerry smartphone, as the DTEK50 is about more than just the software. However, users seem to be getting confused with Hub+ for Android and the standard BlackBerry Hub app for Android which is only available for BlackBerry PRIV and DTEK50 users.
Both are entirely different apps with completely different user targets. The original Hub app comes pre-installed on BlackBerry Android smartphones and the Hub app in Google Play is simply to allow users to upgrade this app.
Today’s Hub+ app is aimed at users with an Android smartphone running Marshmallow that is not from BlackBerry, eg Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, HTC 10 etc.
Free Trial
Users can download a free trial from Google Play and access BlackBerry Hub+ from any Android device running 6.0 Marshmallow.
Confusingly, while the full suite comes with eight apps, the trial only offers access to three – the BlackBerry Hub, calendar and password keeper.
This effectively means that trial users are not able to actually try out the full suite. It doesn’t quite make sense to me but you should be aware that this is the situation once you have signed up for a free trial.
After a 30-day trial, users can continue using the three apps for free with an ad-based experience, or subscribe to the entire suite of eight apps for 99 cents a month. Additionally, users can then choose to download the full suite from Google Play or just pick their favourite apps.
Key features of the BlackBerry Hub+ include:
- Hub: A unified inbox that allows you to:
- compose email messages and social posts
- respond directly to messages and calendar invitations
- snooze items so that you can view them at a later date, time or location
- quickly select recipients for email messages using suggested contacts
- file email messages and manage all your folders
- search for messages or contacts saved directly on your device or on the email server and more.
- Calendar: View and respond to meeting invitations directly from the BlackBerry Hub. When you create or change events, you can avoid double bookings by viewing when you’re busy. Using the “Join Now” feature, you can instantly dial into your meetings directly from your event reminder. And with Google Now voice commands, booking meetings has never been easier.
- Password Keeper: Stores all your passwords, log in information and important records safe in one highly secure spot that is encrypted with a password of your choice.
- Contacts: Stores all your contact info in one location for convenient management. You can interact with your contacts using a variety of methods such as phone calls, text and email messages, or calendar events directly from the Contacts app. You can also create and manage contact groups.
- Tasks: Increase your efficiency at work by creating tasks, setting due dates and reminders to help you stay focused and meet your deadlines.
- Device Search: Easily find a contact, a meeting, a file, an email, a song by searching in one universal search bar.
- Notes: Keep track of to-do lists or your bucket list, notes for a presentation, action items from a meeting, gift ideas for your family or groceries you need to pick up after work.
- Launcher: Turn multi-step actions like sending an email or calling a friend into a one-click task. BlackBerry Launcher lets you organize apps, widgets and shortcuts on customized home screen panels for instant access.
