RIM unveils first touch-only Curve and a new Bold

Manufacturer unveils second set of devices to run new operating system BlackBerry OS7
RIM has unveiled two new additions to its BlackBerry OS7 portfolio, the Bold 9790 and the Curve 9380.
Like the recently released flagship Bold 9900, the Bold 9790 features a QWERTY keyboard and touch screen with optical touchpad. However, it is slightly bulkier than the Bold 9900, and packs a 1GHz processor which is slightly slower than the 9900′s 1.2GHz chip.

The Curve 9380 is the first the first touch-only device in the Curve series. It has a 3.2-inch screen and a 5-megapixel camera, running on an 800 MHz processor.
Both devices use the latest version of RIM’s operating system, BlackBerry OS7, which is expected to eventually be replaced by a wholly new OS called BBX based on the QNX platform that is used on the Playbook. .
RIM handheld product management senior vice president Carlo Chiarello: “BlackBerry smartphones offer a uniquely refined mobile communications experience that people love and we think many customers will be thrilled by the faster performance, beautiful touch displays and compact designs available with these new BlackBerry 7 based models.”
RIM said the devices would be available from operators around the world “in coming weeks”. No details on pricing were released.

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Research In Motion Introduces the New BlackBerry Bold 9790 Smartphone in Indonesia

Jakarta, Indonesia - Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced plans to launch the new BlackBerry® Bold™ 9790 smartphone in Indonesia. The powerful BlackBerry Bold 9790 features a compact design and offers users a fully loaded, high performance smartphone with the dual benefits of a high resolution touch display and a highly tactile keyboard. The new smartphone will be available in Indonesia from 25th November priced at 4,599,000IDR from authorized partners: PT. Teletama Artha Mandiri, PT. Comtech Cellular, and PT. Selular Media Infotama.

"Indonesia is an important market for RIM and we are very excited to introduce the new BlackBerry Bold 9790 smartphone here first,” said Gregory Wade, Regional Managing Director at RIM. “The BlackBerry Bold 9790 combines a fluid touch display with the iconic BlackBerry keyboard in an impressively slim and stylish design. It’s powered by the new BlackBerry 7 operating system and delivers a truly outstanding mix of communications, multimedia, productivity and social connectivity features.”

True to the BlackBerry Bold brand, the new BlackBerry Bold 9790 smartphone is powerful, full-featured and built with premium materials and finishes. It combines a high-resolution and highly responsive touch display with a highly tactile keyboard and a precise optical trackpad, but comes in a narrow design that is easy to carry and exceptionally comfortable to hold. With the BlackBerry 7 OS and powerful 1 GHz processor, the BlackBerry Bold 9790 delivers fast, smooth performance for browsing the web, running apps, working with documents, and enjoying multimedia. It includes 8GB of onboard memory and an expandable memory card slot that supports up to 32 GB of additional storage.

BlackBerry 7 also introduces an enhanced browser that provides a significantly faster, more fluid web browsing experience. The browser includes a new JIT (just in time) JavaScript compiler to improve the load time speed of web pages and it offers optimized HTML5 performance for incredible gaming and video experiences. The popular universal search capability has also been enhanced with support for voice-activated search, so users can simply speak to begin searching their device and the web for information.

The BlackBerry Bold 9790 smartphone includes built-in support for Augmented Reality and NFC, allowing users to connect with the world around them in fresh new ways. With the Wikitude Augmented Reality application, users can find nearby BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger) contacts in real-time, read reviews on restaurants close to them, or get the story behind an interesting landmark and points of interest. NFC also enables many new and exciting capabilities, including the ability to make mobile payments, pair accessories or read SmartPoster tags with a simple tap of the smartphone.

A consumer launch event will be held on 25th November in the south lobby of the Pacific Place Shopping Mall, Jakarta for people who want to be the first to own a the new BlackBerry Bold 9790. From the 26th November, customers can purchase the BlackBerry Bold 9790 from authorized BlackBerry retailers across Indonesia.

For more information please visit http://id.blackberry.com/Bold9790 or www.facebook.com/BlackBerryID

Note to Editors:
For device images and more details, visit the BlackBerry 7 Virtual Press Room at: www.rim.com/newsroom/blackberry7

About Research In Motion
Research In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry® solution in 1999. Today, BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. 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.

Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used herein, words such as "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "intend," "believe", and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by RIM in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that RIM believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause RIM's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section of RIM's Annual Information Form, which is included in its Annual Report on Form 40-F (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on RIM's forward-looking statements. RIM has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.

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Samsung reunites with 20:20 Mobile after three years

New deal was kept ‘under the radar’ to avoid Nokia distribution review conflict
Distributor 20:20 Mobile is understood to have regained its authorised Samsung status three years after it was fired for allegedly handling grey stock. The deal apparently does not include accessories.

Both 20:20 Mobile and Samsung declined to confirm or deny that an official arrangement has been put in place.

Mobile News understands 20:20 Mobile has been working “under the radar” with Samsung for the past few months supplying Samsung devices to a small number of accounts including MVNO partners. 20:20 Mobile customers include Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Tesco, Asda, Phones 4U, Comet, DSGi, Amazon and Argos.
Brightstar Europe will remain the sole provider of Samsung handsets for the supermarket chain Tesco, however.
Executives from 20:20 Mobile attended Samsung’s launch of the Galaxy Note smartphone (pictured) at Battersea Power Station recently.
Samsung will now be added to 20:20 Mobile’s official handset portfolio, which includes Huawei, Sony Ericsson, LG, RIM and HTC.
It also means Samsung is being handled by all major UK handset distributors such as Brightstar Europe, Data Select and Micro-P.
When 20:20 Mobile lost Nokia to Micro-P and Ingram Micro two months ago 20:20 Mobile managing director James Browning (pictured) said a number of manufacturers were interested in filling the void.
The new relationship with Samsung has been kept low-key for the past few months because 20:20 Mobile did not want the Samsung association to harm its attempts to hang on to the Nokia account.
Apparently the ruse has worked. Nokia is understood to have been unaware of the new Samsung deal, which played no part in its decision to leave 20:20 Mobile.
Three years ago, 20:20 Mobile was fired as a Samsung distribution partner by then Samsung vice president of mobile Mark Mitchinson, who is now masterminding Huawei’s UK device launches to the channel.
The Crewe-based distributor claimed the stock was made in Samsung’s factory and was surplus to previous orders. It was then sold on local markets as unofficial stock.
Mitchinson also axed 20:20 Mobile as an official accessory distributor in 2009 for selling counterfeit chargers to UK customers.

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Pointfolio for iPhone tracks all your frequent flyer miles in one place

Hindsight Labs LLC today is pleased to announce the release of Pointfolio, an iPhone app that helps you track your frequent flyer miles and hotel reward programs. With Pointfolio, you can update all of your points balances across all of your frequent flyer accounts with the press of a single button. Pointfolio also keeps all of your frequent flyer numbers in a single place, making it easy for you to pull them up when you need them. Pointfolio is simply the best way to track your reward programs on your iPhone: it’s intuitive, quick to navigate, and easy to use.

Pointfolio currently supports over 40 different reward programs. Supported frequent flyer programs include: American Airlines AAdvantage, Continental OnePass, United Mileage Plus, Delta Skymiles, US Airways Dividend Miles, and many more. It also supports many different hotel rewards programs, including: Hilton HHonors, Starwood Preferred Guest, Hyatt Gold Passport, and more. Each of the supported programs allow you to automatically track your points balances through the app itself.

Unlike other frequent flyer apps, no registration is necessary to use Pointfolio. Instead, all of your account information is encrypted and stored safely on your phone, and transmitted securely via SSL when you log in to refresh your points balances. Pointfolio was also designed from the ground up as an iPhone app: no annoying loading dialogs between each screen, and all of your points balances and frequent flyer numbers are available even when you are offline.

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Motorola Droid RAZR Car Dock

Looking for Droid RAZR accessories? Let's start with the excellent car dock. It's sort of your standard kit, with a ball-and-socket mounting assemble that can attach to your windshield, or your dash (with the help of a plasting mounting disc). There's a locking nut to make sure the whole unit stays put while still allowing articulation for that perfect viewing angle. And then it's time to get down to business.

Because the microUSB charging port is on top of the device, you'll slide the phone into the dock sideways, then snap in the bottom edge which is now on the right. It can take a little bit of practice at first because you also have to get the HSMI port to fit just right. (That's all where you see that big hump on the left.

Once you're plugged in, Motorola's excellent car app takes over. You're greated with options for Navigation, Calling, Voice Search, Music and Main, and each button takes you to car versions of the respective apps, with large, easy-to-press buttons.

We're quite impressed with what Motorola's done here. It's a thoughtless process, which in turn shows the thoughtfulness of those who designed it. Because if you are going to use your phone at all in a vehicle, you need to think about it as little as possible and concentrate on driving.

We've got more pics and examples of the car apps after the break.

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Sony Ericsson confirms a Christmas stock shortage

Manufacturer informs distribution and network partners of likely inability to meet stock demands
Sony Ericsson has warned its distribution and network partners it is unlikely to meet their stock demands over the Christmas period.

The Swedish handset manufacturer confirmed to Mobile News last week it is experiencing a shortage of key components for its feature phones including the Txt, Txt Pro and Mix Walkman.

Sony Ericsson has handset distribution deals with 20:20 Mobile, Data Select and Brightstar.
Distribution partners were informed last month to expect shortages, with some claiming delays of up to five weeks for high-end handsets such as the Xperia Pro, Xperia Arc S, Xperia Play, Xperia Ray and the Xperia Neo.

Stock of the Xperia Pro and the Xperia Neo were scheduled to be released during November, but this may now be delayed until mid-December, it has been claimed.

Sony Ericsson also this month reduced the cost of the Xperia Play gaming device from £350 to £150, but distributors say stock for the product will be minimal. A follow-up to the Play is expected to launch in Q1.

Some have suggested the issues with stock are down to Ericsson’s decision after 10 years to sell its 50-per-cent stake in the Sony Ericsson joint venture, which is expected to go through in January for £911 million (see page 8).

Nokia, HTC and Samsung experienced shortages of stock during the Christmas period last year as a result of component issues.

All other major manufactures insist they do not expect any handset shortages over the Christmas period and will meet demand.

A spokesperson for Sony Ericsson said: “Sony Ericsson can confirm it is experiencing supply shortage of key components used in some feature phones, affecting volumes of these products. We have informed our operator customers and distributors and are working to secure secondary sources of supply. The situation is subject to change and we will update operators and distributors accordingly.”

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Sprint Announces Pricing of $1 Billion of Notes Due 2021 and $3 Billion of Notes Due 2018

Overland Park, Kan. -- Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE:S - News) announced Friday that it has priced its previously announced offering of $1 billion aggregate principal amount of 11.5% notes due 2021 (the “2021 Notes”) and $3 billion aggregate principal amount of 9% guaranteed notes due 2018 (the “2018 Notes” and, together with the 2021 Notes, the “Notes.”) The 2018 Notes will be guaranteed by the company's wholly-owned subsidiaries that guarantee its existing credit agreements. The sale of the Notes is expected to be completed on Nov. 9, 2011, subject to customary closing conditions.

The company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of the Notes for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, redemptions or service requirements of outstanding debt, network expansion and modernization and potential funding of Clearwire Corporation and, its subsidiary, Clearwire Communications LLC. The consummation of the offering of Notes is conditioned upon customary closing conditions.

The Notes and the guarantees related to the 2018 Notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act") or the securities laws of any other place and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption therefrom. The Notes will be offered only to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A and to persons outside the United States under Regulation S.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of any Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. This notice is being issued pursuant to, and, in accordance with, Rule 135c under the Act.

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BlackBerry Bold 9900 and BlackBerry Curve 9360 Are World's First SIM-Based Smartphones to Receive MasterCard PayPass Handset Certification

Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced the BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 and BlackBerry® Curve™ 9360 smartphones are the first SIM-based NFC smartphones to be certified by MasterCard Worldwide as PayPass-approved devices.

The certification was granted on the basis of the BlackBerry® smartphones meeting the functionality, interoperability and security requirements of MasterCard. With this certification, any MasterCard PayPass-issuing bank globally will be able to deploy MasterCard PayPass-enabled accounts to the SIM card of these smartphones.

The ecosystem to allow customers to take advantage of the certified BlackBerry smartphones for NFC payments is already growing. France Telecom - Orange believes that mobile NFC has the potential to enable a new revolution in mobile by further connecting people’s mobile digital world with the physical world around them. France Telecom – Orange is the first operator worldwide to have commercial NFC launches in two countries, UK and France, with trials in several European markets.

“We are happy to offer the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and BlackBerry Curve 9360 as part of the Orange range of mobile NFC devices. We are committed to actively marketing NFC devices, and these new smartphones will help accelerate the adoption of mobile NFC services secured by an Orange SIM, including mobile payments,” said Vincent Barnaud, Director of Contactless Services at France Telecom – Orange. “We have a strong partnership with RIM, and look forward to working together on more NFC initiatives in the future.”

Andrew Bocking, Vice President, Handheld Software Product Management at RIM said, “NFC technology is making smartphones even smarter and the MasterCard certification is a significant step forward in helping transform the way we use mobile devices for payments. We are working proactively with our carrier partners, banks, retailers and other industry players and we are excited to push the boundaries of how NFC can enable new mobile experiences for BlackBerry smartphone users around the world.”

“MasterCard is proud to be the first to certify these popular BlackBerry smartphones for mobile payments, and offer consumers another simple, easy, safe and convenient way to pay. In card payments, MasterCard has long been a leader in the testing and certification of products – for the benefit of customers, issuers, merchants and acquirers. We are delighted to extend this leadership role into the mobile payments arena and applaud RIM’s efforts to usher in the next phase of NFC adoption by delivering compliant devices to the market,” said Mung Ki Woo, Group Executive, Mobile at MasterCard Worldwide. “The availability of NFC on popular BlackBerry smartphones is an important milestone for the mobile contactless payments business.”

About Research In Motion
Research In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry® solution in 1999. Today, BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. 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.

Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used herein, words such as "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "intend," "believe", and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by RIM in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that RIM believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause RIM's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section of RIM's Annual Information Form, which is included in its Annual Report on Form 40-F (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on RIM's forward-looking statements. RIM has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.

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Mobile Device Retail Traffic to More Than Double This November Holiday Season

Armonk, NY -- During this year's November holiday season an unprecedented 15 percent of people in the U.S. logging onto a retailer's Web site are expected to do so through a mobile device, according to cloud analytics-based findings by IBM (NYSE: IBM).

Based on data from the IBM Coremetrics Benchmark, all online holiday shopping in November is also expected to grow as much as 15 percent versus November 2010, with the growing influence of mobile devices such as iPads and Android phones being among the key factors.

The IBM Coremetrics Benchmark analysis gathers data directly from the web sites of more than 500 leading U.S. retailers. Using sophisticated analytics technology, the benchmark measures real-time sales data and online marketing results to uncover shopping trends across a wide-variety of channels including social media, mobile devices and other online sources where consumers interact with their brands.

This latest installment serves as the commencement of IBM's fourth-annual Benchmark Campaign and reveals the following 2011 online retail predictions for the November holiday season:

* Online Shopping Growth: Total online sales in November will experience impressive growth of 12-15 percent over the same period in 2010.

* Mobile Traffic and Sales: Record numbers of consumers will shift their shopping from the PC to their mobile device this holiday season. In October nearly 11 percent of people used a mobile device to visit a retailer's site, up from 4.2 percent in October 2010. Additionally, mobile sales continue to increase, reaching a high of 9.6 percent in October 2011, up from 3.4 percent in October 2010.

* iPhone & Android: For the first time, Android users will demonstrate similar levels of mobile shopping as iPhone users. These October 2011 numbers show iPhone accounting for 4.0 percent of mobile traffic and Android 3.5 percent.

* The iPad Factor: Shoppers using an iPad will lead to more retail purchases more often per visit than other mobile devices. This trend is based on October 2011 figures where iPad conversion rates reached 6.8 percent as compared to the overall mobile device conversion rate of 3.6 percent.

* Surgical Shopping Goes Mobile: Mobile shoppers will display a laser focus on buying this season that surpasses that of other online shoppers with a 44.2 percent bounce rate on mobile devices versus online shopping rates of 37.3 percent.

* The Social Influence: While the industry will see modest increases in direct social buying, the influence of these sites and services will eclipse that of other channels. According to October conversion rates, 9.2 percent of consumers that visited a retail site from a social media site made a purchase. This compares to 5.5 percent of all direct online shopping last year. Also in 2010, the vast majority of social shopping will continue to come from Facebook, which in October accounted for 77 percent of all traffic from social networks.

"This November holiday season will mark the true advent of the post-PC era with consumers demonstrating a heightened interest in adding mobile devices to their holiday shopping arsenal," said John Squire, Director, Product Management, Enterprise Marketing Management Group, IBM Industry Solutions. "In response, savvy retailers must invest in delivering hyper-personalized, smarter commerce shopping experiences that are capable of building loyalty through multiple channels with exceptionally relevant promotions, free shipping and more."

About IBM Smarter Commerce

The growth of mobile, social and online commerce are key trends within Smarter Commerce, an evolving market defined by rapid shifts in digital buying patterns and the adaptations businesses are making to capitalize on them.

Source

These early holiday season findings are based on data from IBM Coremetrics Benchmark, the only analytics-based, peer-level benchmarking solution that measures online marketing results, including real-time sales data. All of the data is aggregated and anonymous.

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Happy Birthday Android

It was 4 years ago today that Android was first introduced, and it has been one amazing ride from Android 1.1, Cupcake and all the way to the soon to be released Ice Cream Sandwich. For me personally, my first experience with Android was November 6, 2009, which was the day the original DROID was released. I am so thankful to be part of TalkAndroid, sharing my passion with each and everyone of you for the greatest mobile OS in the world. I am looking forward to many more wonderful years.

I will make one small prediction for next year’s 5th birthday, which I think will be the day the next Nexus device will be released. Until then, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Android and enjoy this video from 4 years ago today.

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Introducing the Porsche Design P’9981 Smartphone from BlackBerry

Stuttgart, Germany/Waterloo, Ontario - Today, Porsche Design and Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) announced the elite new Porsche Design P’9981 smartphone from BlackBerry®. Designed by Porsche Design, in collaboration with RIM, the luxury brand’s first smartphone delivers engineered luxury and performance.

The Porsche Design P’9981 smartphone from BlackBerry is instantly identifiable as a Porsche Design product. The exclusive material choices for this unique smartphone include a forged stainless steel frame, hand-wrapped leather back cover, sculpted QWERTY keyboard, and crystal clear touch display. This customized Porsche Design P’9981 comes with an exclusive Porsche Design UI and a bespoke Wikitude World Browser augmented reality app experience. It also includes premium, exclusive PINs that help easily identify another P’9981 smartphone user.

“Since 1972 Porsche Design has presented milestone products with iconic style, and the P’9981 smartphone from BlackBerry will be our next landmark,” said Dr. Juergen Gessler, CEO Porsche Design Group. “The pure and distinctive design, coupled with authentic materials and an emphasis on the manufacturing process, perfectly match our philosophy and complement the Porsche Design product assortment.”

“This collaboration stems from a shared belief that form equals function ,” said Todd Wood, SVP for Industrial Design, Research In Motion. “The Porsche Design P’9981 is a truly modern luxury smartphone, where the timeless style of Porsche Design meets the unmatched mobile experience provided by BlackBerry.”

Powerful hardware and software
The Porsche Design P’9981 is built on a performance driven platform that features a 1.2 GHz processor, HD video recording, 24-bit high resolution graphics, and advanced sensors enabling new augmented reality applications. It comes with 8GB of on-board memory, expandable up to 40GB with a micro SD card.

BlackBerry® 7, the operating system for the new Porsche Design P’9981, includes a next generation BlackBerry® browser with a fast, fluid web browsing experience that is among the best in the industry. It also features Liquid Graphics™ technology, which delivers a highly responsive touch experience with incredibly fast and smooth graphics.

The Porsche Design P’9981 includes built-in support for NFC (Near Field Communications), which will enable many new and exciting capabilities.

The Porsche Design P’9981 smartphone from BlackBerry will be available from Porsche Design stores later this year.

For more information please visit www.BlackBerry.com/ae/P9981smartphone or www.BlackBerry.com/sa/P9981smartphone

About Porsche Design
Porsche Design is a luxury brand with a special focus on products that are technically inspired. The brand Porsche Design was founded in 1972 by Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. The products are the embodiment of functionality, timelessness and purist design. They impress by the technical innovations they incorporate. The product portfolio includes watches, sunglasses, luggage, electronic products, a line of fragrances for men as well as a sport and fashion collection. All products of the brand are designed at the Porsche Design Studio in Zell am See, Austria, and are sold worldwide in the brand’s own stores, in franchise stores, shop-in-shops, quality department stores and exclusive retailers.

About Research In Motion
Research In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry® solution in 1999. Today, BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ:RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:RIM).

Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used herein, words such as "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "intend," "believe", and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by RIM in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that RIM believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause RIM's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section of RIM's Annual Information Form, which is included in its Annual Report on Form 40-F (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on RIM's forward-looking statements. RIM has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.

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BlackBerry Recognized by International Medical Corps for Role in Assisting Humanitarian Relief Efforts

Waterloo, ON - International Medical Corps is recognizing Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) at its 2011 Annual Awards Celebration in Los Angeles next week for the role of BlackBerry® smartphones in assisting disaster recovery efforts around the world. International Medical Corps is a global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization that is a leading first-responder, providing medical assistance and healthcare to populations that have been impacted by natural disasters, conflict, and disease. Other International Medical Corps award recipients this year include its Darfur Country Director Dr. Solomon Kebede, long-time supporter Andrew Barth, Wells Fargo, and actress and global ambassador Sienna Miller.


“We are recognizing Research In Motion with the Global Impact Award for the role of BlackBerry smartphones in our operations on the front lines,” said Nancy A. Aossey, International Medical Corps President and CEO. “I can tell you that our use of BlackBerry smartphones literally saves lives.”

As a first-responder following the earthquake in Haiti, International Medical Corps was on the ground within 22 hours treating patients and coordinating medical personnel, supplies and providing other relief.

"You just don't know what kind of a setting you're going to arrive in,” said Dr. Neil Joyce, who has worked with International Medical Corps in Angola, Bosnia, and Afghanistan, among many others, and helped lead its Emergency Response Team in Haiti. “As we arrived in Port-au-Prince, the cell phones were not working, but I was able to send messages with my BlackBerry smartphone.”

As part of the disaster relief efforts following the earthquake in Haiti and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Dr. Joyce arrived with a BlackBerry device in hand. He used it to coordinate the setup of mobile medical centers, organize physicians, communicate with the central hospital, and direct material and equipment to where it was needed. On several occasions in Haiti, the team used their BlackBerry smartphones to coordinate with pilots flying in relief supplies, and help direct them to functioning airstrips.

“In doing humanitarian aid, we need to make contact with relevant people who can help, like DART [Disaster Assistance Response Team], the military, the United Nations, the Red Cross, and other agencies, as well as the media,” said Dr. Joyce. “BlackBerry puts you in contact with the people on the ground and the people on the outside who can help. We really could not have done aid work in the modern setting without a BlackBerry smartphone. It made a huge difference."

Margaret Aguirre, Director of Global Communications, was on International Medical Corps’ first Emergency Response Team that arrived in Haiti hours after the earthquake, also with a BlackBerry smartphone in hand.

“It is not only the device of choice, but the device of need,” said Aguirre. “Doctors and nurses treating patients amid rubble and under trees were able to communicate with each other about patients needing immediate surgery and to coordinate the urgent transport of blood supplies. BlackBerry helps us communicate to get the materials to where they’re needed and to find out where things are in the moment of an emergency.”

In Haiti, Aguirre used her BlackBerry handset to take photos and send updates to headquarters, as well as post images and information to Facebook and Twitter.

“Being able to upload pictures to social media was really important,” she said. “Our social media posts in the early days enabled military personnel to know the needs of various humanitarian groups on the ground and where to direct assets.”

Aguirre says, “It’s my personal lifeline, not just to be able to protect myself but to know I can get help right away if I need it. I can communicate with my family and let them know I’m alright. I did that after the second earthquake hit Haiti to let them know I was ok.”

International Medical Corps has delivered more than $1.1 billion in relief to tens of millions of people in more than 65 countries. They have responded to the world’s most devastating man-made and natural disasters, in areas including Afghanistan, Bosnia, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Darfur, South Asia, Pakistan, Haiti, Japan, Libya, and East Africa.

“Research In Motion is honored to receive the Global Impact Award from International Medical Corps,” said Richard Piasentin, Managing Director at Research In Motion. “We are pleased to see BlackBerry smartphones involved in global relief efforts and to know that they are making a difference to the staff and volunteers of International Medical Corps in their heroic efforts around the world.”

For more information about the International Medical Corps, visit internationalmedicalcorps.

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Halftone App Adds iOS 5 Face Detection Feature

Today, Juicy Bits released Halftone 1.6.5 , an update to their popular vintage photo effects app that takes advantage of new face detection features in iOS 5 to automatically position speech and thought balloons to add comic-style effects to an image.

The update also uses the new iOS 5 built-in Twitter functionality to quickly share photos with friends. Photos can also be posted to Facebook, sent via e-mail, and output to any AirPrint-enabled printer.

Halftone can now share images with Instagram, Camera , FX Photo Studio, Color Splash, and other PhotoAppLink-compatible apps. This makes it possible to use multiple tools and effects to produce a final image.

Halftone has been selected by Apple as its App of the Week in both Canada and the United Kingdom, has over 750,000 users, and has a 4 1/2 star rating in the App Store. It is consistently among the top 100 photography apps worldwide.

Halftone goes beyond typical “photo filter” apps to give images a unique, vintage style that makes them look like they came from an old comic strip. Users choose from over 25 paper styles, select from multiple layouts, and add speech and thought balloons. The app contains more than 25 stamps that can be placed on the image including sound-effect words like BLAM and shapes like bar codes, coffee stains, swooshes, explosions, and more. Halftone also includes three additional licensed fonts to add to the comic effect.

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Swype BETA Rolls Out First OTA Update

I’m sure by now you are familiar with, or have at least heard of, Swype, an alternative keyboard for mobile devices. Last month, Swype announced that they would be initiating an OTA automatic update system for their Swype BETA app, replacing the need to uninstall older versions when receiving an update. Today, the very first OTA update rolled out, version 3.26, and should reach all devices within 72 hours from launch.

Within the update, BETA users will notice a new “Context Prediction Engine”, a form of prediction unlike that of SwiftKey and is best described by Swype themselves:

“Our context prediction engine is providing improved accuracy to words that you enter by Swyping. We aren’t doing any type of ‘completion’ or ‘next word prediction,’ only improving the accuracy of the words Swype offers to match the path the user traced.”

Another new feature is added support for Japanese language (kana-kanji conversion), and is only available in the pan-Asia language package. The OTA update will also bring a host of bug fixes which is always nice in any update.

If you are a user of Swype BETA and haven’t yet received the 3.26 update be patient, Swype says it can take up to 72 hours for the update to fully roll out to all devices.

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O2 in £4 million Priority Moments marketing campaign

Push in the run up to Christmas to promote offers from brands including House of Fraser, The Fragrance Shop, Café Rouge, Strada and Bella Italia

O2 has launched a £4 million marketing campaign to support its Priority Moments Christmas activity.
From today, a television advert runs for four weeks with an outdoor campaign running for two weeks from November 14. The print campaign will run in national, regional and consumer press for four weeks. The campaign will be supported by dedicated social media activity.

Offers being pushed include a £15 House of Fraser voucher with a £40 spend, 50 per cent off selected designer fragrances at The Fragrance Shop and a free hot drink and mince pie at Café Rouge, Strada or Bella Italia.

O2 said Priority Moments represents an opportunity for partner brands, enabling them to reach O2 customers in a “relevant and highly effective manner”.

It added that by delivering offers and experiences to customers wherever they are, partners will be able to drive additional business through their stores, reinforce customer loyalty and stay competitive during the busy Christmas shopping period.

O2 marketing and consumer director Sally Cowdry said: “We know that in the current financial climate this Christmas will be tough for everyone and so being able to offer money saving offers and experiences is a great way to help our customers make the most of the festive season.

“With a wide range offers available through our Priority Moments Christmas campaign there is something for everyone. The advertising campaign includes TV to create mass awareness but as Priority Moments is a location based mobile service outdoor advertising will also be key.”

Following the launch of O2 Priority Moments in July, the operator has made a recent upgrade to the mobile service. New features include the ability to filter moments by category and an upgraded search function that lets customers search for offers by any location, rather than being restricted to just the current area. The new features will also allow customers to access online offers in addition to the location based offers.

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Apple Plans Update to Address IPhone Battery Life

Apple Inc. (AAPL) is working on a software update that improves battery life on iPhones running its newest iOS operating system after some customers complained.
“A small number of customers have reported lower than expected battery life on iOS 5 devices,” Natalie Harrison, a spokeswoman for Apple, said in a statement. “We have found a few bugs that are affecting battery life and we will release a software update to address those in a few weeks.”
Harrison declined to comment further about what may be causing the problem. The statement comes after users took to message boards and discussion forums to complain about weak battery life after downloading the new iOS 5 mobile operating software that was released last month with the iPhone 4S.
The glitch is the second consecutive iPhone release in which Apple has had to issue a fix. Last year, Apple released a software update and gave away free cases after some customers complained that the handset would drop calls if gripped a certain way.
“I am experiencing very very poor battery life on iPhone 4 since installing iOS 5,” said one person on Apple’s discussion forum.
“I upgraded to iOS 5 last night and I noticed that my battery only lasts about 5 hours from full charge,” said another.
The battery complaints haven’t harmed Apple’s stock price, which rose 90 cents to $397.41 in U.S. trading today. The shares have gained 23 percent this year. The company sold more than 4 million of the new iPhone 4S in its opening weekend last month.

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