BlackBerry mobilises applications more easily

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) has announced a new server product for wireless apps. The offering will make it easier for firms to mobilise apps and operate them independently of wireless email deployments if necessary, according to RIM.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server for MDS Applications provides a complete framework for creating and deploying wireless applications to BlackBerry devices, RIM said. It relies on the same push delivery technology used for BlackBerry push email, but links with applications such as field service, sales force automation, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems instead of corporate mail servers.

"With BlackBerry Enterprise Server for MDS Applications, customers will be able to focus on deploying wireless applications that are most relevant and essential to specific users," said RIM president and chief executive Mike Lazaridis.

The new system was previewed at RIM's Wireless Enterprise Symposium 2006 in Florida, and is expected to ship towards the end of this year. Firms wanting to participate in the beta programme can make their interest known here.

The new server product is based on RIM's BlackBerry Mobile Data System, an application development framework launched last year. This includes BlackBerry MDS Studio, which allows developers to quickly build apps using drag-and-drop functionality, and it also supports web services. Developers can also use the BlackBerry Java Development Environment (JDE) to build apps.

As well as enabling businesses to mobilise existing software, the new server product makes it easier for carriers and other service providers to offer hosted wireless apps to customers separately from any BlackBerry email services, RIM said.