(September 19, 2003) - Mobile workers can benefit from improved access to enterprise information and applications through a new agreement between IBM and Research In Motion (RIM). This relationship, with development and integration efforts focused on IBM's WebSphere Everyplace Access (WEA) mobile middleware and BlackBerry Enterprise Server, allows BlackBerry users to access and work with enterprise data and wirelessly synch their handheld with server applications. Developers will also be able to easily customize enterprise applications for the BlackBerry platform.

With the added capabilities of IBM's WebSphere Everyplace Access, salespeople, for example, can wirelessly access enterprise sales applications, such as Sales Force Automation (SFA), via their BlackBerry handheld to request prices, enter orders, determine available inventory, and confirm shipments. Salespeople can also check calendars, make phone calls, send and receive e-mails, and use instant messaging applications such as IBM Lotus' Sametime Everyplace, allowing them to respond more quickly and efficiently to their customer needs. Field service groups and executives can also benefit from timely access to relevant information from back-end corporate applications, including service requests and sales reports, thereby helping to minimize the need to be in the office.

This relationship combines the advantages of IBM's enterprise application access capability with RIM's BlackBerry Mobile Data Service and wireless platform. A broad portfolio of portlets linked with a variety of applications enable end-users to easily customize their start page - providing better control over their interaction with their BlackBerry handhelds. These portlets also enable developers to easily and quickly leverage key features of the WEA/BlackBerry solution, such as the push architecture, end-to-end security and always-on connection, in their applications. IBM's WebSphere Studio Developer toolkit can be used to easily modify or build new portlets to access additional enterprise applications, allowing developers to bring enterprise solutions to BlackBerry users faster and more efficiently.

The combined solution is aimed at allowing faster development and customization of workforce solutions regardless of the application and data sets required. WEA and BlackBerry can enable developers to build and deploy solutions involving multiple applications, giving mobile workforces the flexibility to interact with a variety of applications together with PIM and e-mail. This agreement expands on an existing relationship with IBM, in which IBM Global Services is a system integrator for RIM, offering installation, maintenance, financing and consulting services.

Available on RIM's Java-based BlackBerry handhelds including the new BlackBerry 7200 Series, functions also include instant messaging via IBM's Lotus Sametime.