The deal, expected to be announced at this week's Intel Developer Forum, could see RIM agreeing to use Intel chips, and Intel adopting RIM's battery-saving technology for use in its chips, according to CNBC and other sources.

Specifically, the deal appears to relate to RIM supporting WiMax (802.16e) wireless networking, a fixed wireless broadband technology backed by Intel that promises Wi-Fi like performance (or better) over a considerably larger area—measured in miles rather than feet or yards.

If this is true, we'll most likely see RIM handhelds with Mobile WiMax capabilities down the road.