By demand of their mutual customers, IBM and RIM are bringing the BlackBerry Client for IBM Lotus Quickr and a new version of the BlackBerry Client for IBM Lotus Connections to market through IBM. The new social software offerings were showcased at the 17th annual Lotusphere in Orlando, Florida.

According to a recent report, Gartner expects to see steep growth rates for sales of premises- and cloud-based social networking services.   As the industry moves toward the three billion phones worldwide with the purpose of providing communications and collaboration anytime and anywhere, Gartner expects more people to spend significant time using collaborative tools on these devices.*

Lotus Connections social software on BlackBerry smartphones enables mobile workers to more easily tap into their colleagues’ expertise and internal knowledge bases.  Lotus Quickr software allows them to more easily collaborate on documents and files. Lotus Sametime brings secure enterprise Instant Messaging into the mix. Together these mobile apps allow workers to more easily and effectively participate on team projects while outside the office or away from their desks.

The combination of Lotus Software and the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution offers customers an unparalleled enterprise social networking and collaboration solution that can help busy professionals work smarter on the move,”   said Alistair Rennie, general manager, IBM Lotus Software.    “This new agreement between IBM and RIM reinforces our mutual commitment to customers.”

“We are making Lotus Software easily accessible to customers that are already working through IBM sales channels,” said Jeff McDowell, Senior Vice President, Alliances at Research In Motion. “This agreement expands RIM’s channels of distribution and helps us meet the growing market demand for enterprise social networking and collaboration solutions.”

For close to ten years, IBM's Mobile Enterprise Services organization has managed and maintained the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution for customers. IBM delivers comprehensive services that allow IBM’s clients to transform their enterprise by bringing together the power of the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution, IBM software and IBM services and support. Along with telecommunications providers around the world, IBM already provides these services to a wide range of clients worldwide. 

For more information about BlackBerry apps for Lotus software, visit www.ibm.com/lotus/mobile.

About Research In Motion
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity. RIM’s portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld™ product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (Nasdaq: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.