The BlackBerry’s messenger service has proven itself to be tremendously popular.

BlackBerry is finally enjoying some time in the spotlight for a positive reason, which is connected to the popularity of the release of its BBM apps for Android and iOS device users.

The messenger service was recently released for those two operating systems and is being downloaded by the millions.

The BlackBerry devices may not have been selling at the rate that they had hoped, but its messenger apps are a huge hit among Apple and Android smartphone owners. According to the company’s own data, there had already been more than 10 million downloads of the BlackBerry Messenger service within the first 24 hours of its initial release to users of devices that were not from that manufacturer.

BlackBerry said that its apps are now processing approximately 500,000 new users every hour.

Jeff Gadway, a spokesperson for BlackBerry, said that “We have absolutely incredible demand we’re trying to manage.” He added that “We’re off to a really good start.” This hype and popularity for the apps is very welcome news for the Canadian company, which has been fighting a losing battle with its competitors in the smartphone marketplace and has put itself up for sale.

These new millions of users of the apps are in addition to the 60 million BlackBerry users who are already using the BBM service. That said, it is not yet clear how the manufacturer will actually generate any money from this popular new service. The application, itself, is free, and there is competition within the instant messaging sphere, to the point that BBM is not currently the leader.

Among the BBM apps, the one designed specifically for BlackBerry users was the very first instant messenger created specifically for smartphones, and it rapidly became exceptionally popular in the last half of the first decade of the 2000s. It provides users the ability to keep their identities secure through a unique and protected anonymous code, and to know when their messages had been delivered to the recipients, and when they had been opened. Now, despite a large number of alternatives, other device users are beginning to enjoy this same benefit.

Mobile payments firm gains momentum through Series B funding

Mobile payments firm Flint has managed to fly below the radar through much of this year, but the company has begun attracting significant attention as it makes progress with its mobile commerce endeavors. The firm recently announced support for the Android platform in order to expand the reach of its mobile payments services. This week, Flint announced that it has raised more than $6 million in Series B funding, led by the Digicel Group and SVG Partners. Funding from the Digicel Group may provide some insight on the future of Flint.

Digicel leads Series B funding for Flint

The Digicel Group is not a well known name in the U.S., but is quite prominent in the Caribbean and the South Pacific. The organization operates within the mobile sector and has a strong interest in mobile payments and providing wireless services to consumers. The Digicel Group has, to some extent, become a popular alternative to more conventional telecommunications companies. Both Flint and Digicel share a lot in common, as both companies look to bring new life to the mobile space.

Flint aims to make mobile payments easier for merchants

Flint was launched in May of 2012 and aims to make it easier for new entrepreneurs to enter into the mobile space and embrace mobile payments. The firm offers services that allow businesses to process mobile payments in a convenient manner and without the need for a dedicated point-of-sale system. Using the Flint application, merchants can scan a consumer’s credit or debit card and process a payment quickly, using a fingerprint to authorize transactions. Flint also offers competitive rates when compared to services offered by similar companies.

Funds will help company expand

The funding that Flint has risen will help the company to improve its various mobile payments technologies. It will also help the company expand its team of developers, which is currently 16 people strong. Much of the company’s future plans are kept secretive, however, which may be a good thing considering the aggressive competition that is common in the mobile payments sector.