Last May, Research In Motion and PalmSource announced BlackBerry Connect for Palm OS, a solution to let PalmSource licensees extend BlackBerry support to Palm device manufacturers for their PDAs and smartphones (see BlackBerry for Palm Platform Demonstrated).

Due later this year, BlackBerry Connect lets companies like Samsung, palmOne, Garmin, Kyocera, TapWave and Sony add e-mail and corporate data connectivity via BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry Web Client, as well as global address list look-up and IT policy support to their mobile devices.

Today, the two companies took BlackBerry Connect one-step further by introduction of an aftermarket edition of the data access and e-mail client. With this version, end-users won't need the manufacturer of their Palm-based PDA or mobile handset to enable BlackBerry support. They will be able to download the BlackBerry client and load it onto their handheld themselves.

As a result, "customers will be able to enjoy BlackBerry services on a much broader array of existing and future Palm OS devices" commented Mike Lazaridis, RIM President & Co-CEO.

For PalmSource, BlackBerry Connect broadens the choice of wireless messaging solutions available to its licensees and end-users. RIM, on the other hand, gains another notch in its belt towards becoming the universal standard for mobile e-mail and data connectivity by adding 35 million Palm device users to its pool of potential customers.

Technology licensing is becoming a key component of RIM's overall success. To make its solutions more readily available to device manufacturers, RIM introduced another new program called BlackBerry Built-In August. With the program, vendors can more easily incorporate BlackBerry applications and services, including e-mail, calendaring and browsing, into their smartphones, mail phones and PDAs (see RIM Bolsters Bottom Line by Licensing).

PalmSource and RIM plan to release pricing and availability for the aftermarket edition of BlackBerry Connect at a later date.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server 4.0
When Palm users can connect to BlackBerry data access and e-mail, it will include RIM's latest version of BlackBerry Enterprise Server, released earlier today. According to RIM, version 4.0 features simplified deployment and application development, enhanced handheld asset control and improved wireless features.

Added wireless components include improved attachment handling capabilities, an enriched browser for wireless access to Internet and intranet applications and complete cradle-free wireless synchronization of all email and organizer applications.

Although the mobile middleware solution has long delivered remote access to enterprise e-mail and data from Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes/Domino. Until now, organizations using Novell GroupWise for their e-mail have been left without the benefit of BlackBerry-based mobility. That era is about to end as RIM plans to puts in place the final piece of its enterprise strategy later this year (see RIM Solidifies Hold on Enterprise Mob-E-Mail).