RIM announces 'lifestyle' apps for BlackBerry

In what looks like an attempt to compete toe-to-toe with Apple's iPhone, Research in Motion announced a slew of new integrated application deals on Thursday to make its email-optimised smartphone more appealing to consumers.

Research in Motion is loading BlackBerry devices with what its co-CEO Jim Balsillie calls "lifestyle" applications.
(Credit: Tom Krazit/CNET News)

Email was the killer application that catapulted RIM's BlackBerry device into near cult status in the corporate world. And now the company is trying to win the hearts and minds of consumers, not only with new phones — like the flip-style Pearl 8220, which was announced on Wednesday, or the BlackBerry Bold, which recently launched in the North American market — but it's also loading BlackBerry devices with what its co-CEO Jim Balsillie called "lifestyle" applications.

On Thursday, here at the CTIA fall 2008 trade show, the company made a series of announcements about different applications it's customised for BlackBerry devices.

This is not the first time that RIM has announced special relationships with specific application developers. At last year's CTIA tradeshow, it announced it had integrated the Facebook application into its platform. Balsillie said during a keynote address here Thursday that the Facebook for RIM application, which launched about a year ago, has been downloaded 2.5 million times.

"It's been the fastest take up of any application that we've ever had," he said.

But now RIM has upped the ante adding a slew of new customised applications for its smartphones including: a deal with Microsoft to integrate search, MySpace to provide quick access to another social-networking site, TiVo to offer remote scheduling and browsing to a DVR, and Slacker to offer a music library for BlackBerry users.

Here's a closer look at the announcements.

Microsoft mobile search
RIM has integrated the Microsoft Live Search engine into the BlackBerry Browser making Microsoft the default search engine for BlackBerry devices. The mobile search platform will let BlackBerry users get contextual, location-based search results or look for nearby points of interest, such as restaurants or movie theatres, from inside BlackBerry Maps.

Availability: Microsoft Live Search for BlackBerry smartphones is expected to be available later this year with support for multiple languages.

Separately, Google announced earlier this week that it's launched Google Mobile App for BlackBerry, a free download that offers faster search and a slew of Google services for BlackBerry devices. The new mobile application gives Blackberry users Google Apps support, a search history, software update alerts, and easier access to Google programs like Gmail, Maps, and News.

TiVo
RIM is also working with TiVo to allow BlackBerry users to search recordings on their TiVos and schedule future recordings while on-the-go. In the future, Balsillie said that BlackBerry users will even be able to view recorded shows on their BlackBerrys.

Availability: the first software application from RIM and TiVo is expected to be available later this year.

MySpace
First it was Facebook, and now it's MySpace. RIM will now offer customised access to the popular social-networking site, including instant, push-based messaging to BlackBerry and MySpace users, real-time status and mood updates, camera integration, and optimised photo management. Also as part of this collaboration between the two companies, RIM has created a BlackBerry community page on MySpace for users to access BlackBerry smartphone, content, videos, games, ringtones, skins and other features.

Availability: MySpace for BlackBerry is expected to be available globally in October.

Slacker music
BlackBerry isn't likely the first smartphone most people think of when they think music, but RIM is looking to change that. RIM has partnered with the streaming internet radio music site called Slacker, which allows people to create and stream customised music channels, to offer a new music experience for BlackBerry users. The music can be streamed or users can store up to 1,000 tracks on their phones so that they can listen to music even when they're not connected to the network. Balsillie said that the device automatically syncs to the music site when users enter a Wi-Fi hot spot.

Availability: the Slacker-optimised application will be available sometime in October.