BlackBerry, IBM Mobilize Lotus And Add Services

The partnerships were announced at BlackBerry's Wireless Enterprise Symposium 2008 this week in Orlando.

First, IBM and RIM announced this week that IBM will offer access to a full line of Web 2.0-powered Lotus collaboration and information on demand software on BlackBerry devices.

According to Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM, the joint initiative will let customers manage their communications, contacts and schedules and collaborate and network through social software from an interface on their BlackBerrys. The partnership includes the new BlackBerry Client for IBM Lotus Connections.

The IBM and RIM partnership will enable access to technologies like IBM WebSphere Portal and IBM dashboard software to let companies build Websites and single screen dashboard views that deliver information, applications and processes personalized to the BlackBerry user. It will also enable access to social networking through the BlackBerry Client for IBM Lotus Connections to help users connect and collaborate with others while on the go. For messaging and calendaring, the portfolio will include the BlackBerry Enterprise Server for IBM Lotus Notes and Domino to enable access to email and calendaring functions along with customer applications build with Lotus Domino.

Additionally, RIM said, the IBM partnership will mobilize unified communications through the BlackBerry Client for IBM Lotus Sametime. The client lets users access their buddy lists, send and receive instant messages, view presence information and convert an IM session to a phone call with one click. RIM will also add access to IBM Cognos 8 Go! Mobile business intelligence software, which was designed specifically for the BlackBerry platform. The software offers personalized and secure business information to let users view and interact with dash-board stile reports to make decisions on the go.

The BlackBerry mobile solution for Lotus collaboration software suite is available now and the BlackBerry client software for Lotus Sametime and Lotus Connections are also available as a free download for Lotus users.

Along with mobilizing Lotus, IBM and RIM announced that IBM will offer new hosting capabilities to support the BlackBerry platform and that the Armonk, N.Y.-based computer giant has joined the BlackBerry System Integrator Alliance Program. As part of that partnership, IBM will expand its suite of managed wireless services for BlackBerry devices to include hosting, consulting, system integration and deployment of enterprise applications on the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

"We find that our enterprise clients increasingly need to extend wireless data capabilities beyond e-mail, and to leverage their enterprise investment on wireless device platforms," Gary Cohen, IBM's general manager of global communications, said in a statement. "IBM's services will facilitate the deployment and ongoing management of enterprise applications on the BlackBerry platform."

RIM said that managing wireless applications in the growing mobile world will be a key focus of the alliance between it and IBM.