Try VeryChat , it a very BBM like Application

http://itunes.apple.com/fr/app/verychat/id33749...

After using all of them, I have my preference for Yak! for the following reasons.

1. Super fast in connecting to the server. I have noticed that the moment I launch the application, all my messages are sync within 2 seconds! I am not sure if this has to do with it having less features compared to Whatsapp, which seems to take up to 5 seconds to do that. However, Ping is just as fast as Yak but Ping has a really simple interface and has no archive of older messages.

2. Simple yet smooth interface overall

3. Smooth and fast sending of picture, which is free! The way to send picture in Yak is just like the MMS feature in the phone, which is good and what all of us are familiar with. The way to do it in Ping is too buggy. In Ping, you are not able to preview the picture you want to send. You can only select from the thumbnails. The loading time is long and the picture selected and sent shows up as a Ping icon instead of the actual picture itself. One has to click on the picture to see it. And currently the picture sending feature in Ping has to be purchased. Whatsapp is incorporating picture sending in the next update though and it will be free.

4. No auto-showing of main phone contacts using the same application. While it is ok to show who and who on my list are having the same application, I am not in favour of letting all of them know my current status.. I may want some friends to know but just like my contact list, I do not want Everyone to know. Whatsapp does that. Though it is convenient to know and saves the trouble of finding out who has the same application, it sort of gets a little too personal.

5. Not using of mobile number to add contact. As in my point 4, adding only by mobile number is too personal.. There are times when you meet someone in the bar and while you want to know that person better, you are not ready to move this person into your main contact yet.. Having said that, adding via email is just as inconvenient.. In this area, I much prefer Ping where you can add through an ID. However, as I write, I understand that the developer of Yak have already written an update to allow adding of friends via either email or a user id. Authorisation is needed in Yak to add friends. To prevent spamming, you could reject or delete a friend from the list.

Just my 2 cents worth.