[nly]

Afaik the idea of BBM pin codes is you can exchange contact information without giving out anything sensitive, formal, or prehistoric such as your email address, phone number, or your real name. It's a stroke of genius if you ask me, and I think it appeals to teenagers secretive nature.

Most teenagers probably don't want all their phone book imported magically in to their IM app either: 1) because they probably IM and Skype with more, and more varied, people than they text or phone, and 2) because their phone book probably includes their annoying aunties and relatives.

I also love the design of the BBM app (on Android). It's straightforward, single purpose and clean.

[publicfig]

I don't know that you have any data on that second section, but it's still worth pointing out that a great majority of apps that import your contacts through a contact book allow you to pick and choose who you want. And there's no reason why PIN codes and contact imports can't co-exist. It's a pretty big oversight on BBM's part.

[nly]

Perhaps, but I haven't missed it. I still think this isolation is a feature, not a bug.