BlackBerry Planet Timeline

From BlackBerry Planet Web Support

Jump to: navigation, search
  Appendix - Glossary → Timeline → Financials → Growth → Patents | Cases → Bibliography → Partners Fund → Techno Telepathy
[edit]

2010

Contents

[edit]

2009

  • 2009 Jan 15 - Research In Motion partners with Redington to distribute BlackBerry devices in India.
  • 2009 Feb. 5 - RIM officers and directors, Jim Balsillie, Mike Lazaridis, Dennis Kavelman, Angelo Loberto, Kendall Cork, Douglas Wright, James Estill and Douglas Fregin reach a settlement agreement with the Ontario Securities Commission relating to RIM's historical stock option granting practice.
  • 2009 Mar 24 - Research In Motion acquires all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Certicom Corp., its provider of security software, at a price of CAD $3.00 for each common share of Certicom or approximately CAD $131 million (approximately US $102 million).
  • 2009 Apr 1 - RIM Launches BlackBerry App World, an online store where users can purchase and download BlackBerry programs.
  • 2009, June 5 - Mike Lazaridis and his wife Ophelia Lazaridis donate a further $25 million to the University of Waterloo's Institute for Quantum Computing, bringing their total donations to the centre to $101 million.
[edit]

2008

  • Feb. 19, 2008 - RIM launches a Texas court case accusing American cellphone maker Motorola of infringing on several of its patents. RIM also said Motorola is charging it "exorbitant royalties" for the use of some Motorola technology, the Canadian Press reported. Motorola also sued RIM, claiming its BlackBerry wireless e-mail device violates seven U.S. patents.
  • Apr 8, 2008 - Verizon Wireless deploys 19,500 BlackBerry 8830 World Edition Smartphones for the FBI.
  • May 12, 2008 - RIM introduces the Bold, its first major new BlackBerry model in more than a year. The new model doubles screen resolution of the Curve model. It matches resolution, but not size, of Apple's iPhone.
  • June 4, 2008 - Mike Lazaridis donates a further $50 million to the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.
  • June 20, 2008 - Ottawa-based intellectual property holder Wi-LAN Inc. files patent infringement litigation in Texas against BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion Ltd. and U.S. mobile-device giant Motorola Inc.
  • June 26, 2008 - RIM shares knocked down more than 10 per cent after the company misses first-quarter analysts' consensus profit target by two cents — reporting 84 cents US a diluted share, compared with analysts' expectations of 86 cents. Company said it added 2.3 million net new BlackBerry subscriber accounts in the quarter, raising the total to more than 16 million.
  • September 10, 2008 - RIM Introduces the Pearl Flip, the first BlackBerry flip phone.
  • September 11, 2008 - Google rolls out a BlackBerry app.
  • October 8, 2008 - Verizon Wireless and Vodafone launch the BlackBerry Storm, "the World's First “Clickable” Touch-Screen Smartphone."
[edit]

2007

  • March 5, 2007 - RIM takes a $250-million US accounting charge for issuing stock options at less than fair market value. Co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie agree to pay the company up to $5 million each toward the cost of its accounting review. The two, plus many other RIM execs, repay gains from the improperly priced options. The Ontario Securities Commission and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigate RIM's option grants.
  • Oct. 4, 2007 - RIM announces that its BlackBerry subscriber list has passed the 10-million mark.
  • Oct. 23, 2007 - Alcatel-Lucent announces an agreement to distribute BlackBerry smartphones in China. The news sends RIM shares up eight per cent, making RIM the most valuable company in Canada, based on market capitalization. Its $68-billion market worth briefly eclipses Royal Bank's during intraday trading on the TSX. RIM's shares are up 150 per cent since the start of the year.
  • Nov. 5, 2007 - RIM unveils BlackBerry Professional software, which allows a company's e-mail server to transmit to the devices, is aimed at companies with 30 or fewer people. Smaller businesses previously had to shell out for separate server computers to perform the same function.
  • Dec. 12, 2007 - RIM opens its first BlackBerry-branded store in the Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills, Mich., in conjunction with U.S. cellphone retailer Wireless Giant. The store sells BlackBerry devices, accessories and software, and service plans from all the major U.S. providers, including AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile.
  • Dec. 21, 2007 - RIM said it added another 1.65 million subscribers in its third quarter, pushing its total subscriber base to 12 million. Revenue doubled to $1.67 billion.
[edit]

2006

  • Jan. 17, 2006 - NTP proposes 30-day grace period before any cut-off of BlackBerry service to U.S. users, and also says federal, state and local government users of the BlackBerry should be exempt from a halt in U.S. service.
  • Feb. 9, 2006 - RIM says it has tested software workaround designs for BlackBerry service in the U.S. market, if needed.
  • Feb. 17, 2006 - RIM says it remains open to a "reasonable" settlement with NTP.
  • Feb. 22, 2006 - U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issues final rejection of one of the five disputed patents owned by NTP Inc.
  • Feb. 23, 2006 - RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie tells a technology conference in Whistler, B.C., that the company has developed and tested a way to continue to allow BlackBerry service to continue in the U.S., should a judge order it to immediately stop infringing on NTP patents. Balsillie also says the company would be willing to boost its payment to NTP to settle the dispute.
  • Feb. 24, 2006 - U.S. District Court Judge James Spencer declines to issue an injunction that would have immediately shut down BlackBerry service to American customers. In his ruling, the judge said it was clear that RIM had infringed on NTP patents. He said he would decide on damages and whether to eventually issue an injunction "as soon as reasonably possible." NTP had asked for an immediate injunction that would have shut down BlackBerry after 30 days, as well $126 million in damages. Royalty payments would be on top of that award. Observers said the judge appeared upset that the two parties had not resolved the dispute on their own.
  • March 3, 2006 - Research in Motion and NTP finally announce a settlement of their long-running patent dispute. RIM agrees to pay NTP $612.5 million US to settle all claims and for a "perpetual, paid-up licence going forward." Under terms of the deal, NTP will give RIM the "unfettered right" to continue all of its BlackBerry services. The agreement allows RIM to sell all of its products and services without the need to pay further royalty payments to NTP. RIM's wireless carriers, partners, suppliers and customers will not have to pay licensing or royalty fees to NTP. The settlement is approved by the court and all NTP litigation against RIM is dismissed. Research in Motion has already put aside $450 million to account for a possible settlement. The additional $162.5 million US will be reflected as a charge in the fourth quarter. In a separate announcement, RIM warns that the number of new subscribers to its BlackBerry service will fall short of expectations by as much as 120,000 subscribers in the fourth quarter. The uncertainty caused by the dispute with NTP was evidently causing many potential customers to either put off their BlackBerry purchases or choose a competing wireless product, like Palm's Treo. For RIM and its customers, the uncertainty is now over. BlackBerry service will not be shut off.
  • 2006 - Mike Lazaridis In 2006 made an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of Ontario.

Corporate Milestones

  • RIM surpassed the 5 million subscriber milestone
  • RIM acquired Ascendent Systems

Product Announcements

  • CESG approved BlackBerry for use by government workers handling restricted data in the U.K.
  • BlackBerry WLAN Solution Enhances Productivity for On-Campus Mobile Workers through Wireless Data Access and Wireless VoIP
  • RIM launched BlackBerry Enterprise Server™ v4.1 and BlackBerry Enterprise Server – Small Business Edition v4.1 for Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise
  • RIM launched BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express™ for small and medium-sized businesses, branch offices and companies new to BlackBerry – available as a free download from RIM to any customer who purchases a new BlackBerry device
  • RIM announces BlackBerry Enterprise Server for MDS Applications to provide organizations the ability to deploy wireless applications independent of email
  • RIM introduces the UMTS-enabled BlackBerry 8707 Wireless Handheld - UMTS support enables users to simultaneously send and receive email, browse the Internet and use other applications while speaking on the phone, even while the handset is being used as a tethered modem
  • RIM Announces Hosted BlackBerry Enterprise Server to enable service providers to offer a hosted managed service of the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution to Small and Medium Sized Businesses

Partnerships & Alliances

  • Yahoo! and RIM announced an expanded global relationship
  • RIM and IBM announced plans for further collaboration to mobilize enterprise applications to the BlackBerry platform
  • RIM announced BlackBerry Connect for the Sony Ericsson P990 and M600 phones.
  • RIM announced support for Google Talk™ and Google Local on the BlackBerry wireless platform
  • RIM announces agreements and launches on carriers around the globe, including
  • RIM announced plans to launch BlackBerry service in China with China Mobile
  • SouthernLINC announced plans to introduce BlackBerry in the U.S.
  • NTELOS in the U.S
  • Cbeyond in the U.S
  • Etisalat in the United Arab Emirates
  • China Mobile in China
  • KT Powertel in Korea
  • Vodafone Fiji in Fiji
  • PCCW in Hong Kong
  • Mobiltel in Bulgaria
  • NTT DoCoMo in Japan
  • Taiwan Mobile in Taiwan
  • U.S. Cellular in the U.S
  • Movilnet in Venezuela
  • COSMOTE in Greece
  • Dialog Telekom in Sri Lanka

Awards

  • BlackBerry receives the
  • CNET.com Editor’s Choice Award
  • Brandweek Customer Loyalty Awards powered by Brand Keys
  • PC Magazine's Best PDA Award
  • Best of FOSE Award
[edit]

2005

  • Mar. 16, 2005 - RIM agrees to pay $450 million to settle the NTP dispute, sending its stock soaring more than 17 per cent.
  • May 3, 2005 - Mike Lazaridis donates an additional $17.2 million to the University of Waterloo, primarily to aid the construction of a new building jointly shared by the Institute for Quantum Computing and the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology.
  • June 9, 2005 - RIM and NTP fail to finalize a settlement, and RIM says it will ask a judge to enforce the terms of the March deal.
  • Aug. 2, 2005 - The NTP case is sent back to the Federal Court in Richmond, Va., after the Appeals Court scales back its 2004 ruling.
  • Oct. 7, 2005 - U.S. Appeals Court refuses to reconsider its ruling. RIM announces it will appeal the NTP case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
  • Oct. 26, 2005 - U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts rejects RIM's motion to stay case while the high court decides whether to hear an appeal.
  • October 2005 - Bill Gates visits the University of Waterloo to receive an honorary degree.
  • Nov. 30, 2005 - The NTP case returns to Richmond, where a judge refuses to force NTP to accept the proposed $450-million settlement with RIM.
  • Dec. 7, 2005 - NTP says it is willing to settle the case in exchange for a royalty rate of 5.7 per cent over the life of the patents.

Corporate Milestones

  • RIM surpassed the 4 million subscribers milestone

Product Announcements

  • BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.0 received FIPS 140-2 security certification
  • RIM and various partners announced plans to develop location-enhanced applications for the BlackBerry platform
  • RIM previewed its next generation of BlackBerry MDS™ technology with support for web services.
  • RIM announced the security-enhanced BlackBerry Smart Card Reader
  • RIM and Avaya announced plans to extend Avaya secure enterprise communications applications to the BlackBerry platform over WLAN
  • RIM and EADS formed a strategic alliance focused on delivering localized wireless data solutions to government organizations across Europe
  • RIM launches BlackBerry 8700 Wireless Handheld Series
  • RIM and Nokia Announces Availability of BlackBerry Connect on High-end Business Devices in Singapore
  • RIM Introduces the Sony Ericsson P910i Smartphone with BlackBerry Connect
  • RIM Introduces BlackBerry Built-In for the Siemens SK65 Handset
  • RIM Introduces the BlackBerry 7130 Wireless Handset Series

Partnerships & Alliances

  • RIM and Microsoft Corp. announced a product collaboration and joint marketing agreement focused on extending enterprise instant messaging and presence to BlackBerry subscribers
  • RIM and IBM previewed Lotus Instant Messaging for BlackBerry
  • RIM and Novell announced plans to bring Novell GroupWise Messenger instant messaging to BlackBerry users
  • RIM and AOL announced plans to support mobile AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) and ICQ services on the BlackBerry wireless platform
  • RIM and Yahoo! Inc. announced plans to provide Yahoo! Messenger to BlackBerry users
  • RIM and Intel announced a technology collaboration
  • RIM announces BlackBerry Connect agreements for enabling BlackBerry connectivity on third party handsets and operating systems, including:
  • Nokia E60, Nokia E61 and Nokia E70 devices
  • Palm® Treo™ 650 smartphone
  • HTC Windows Mobile-based devices
  • MDA III
  • Sony Ericsson P910i
  • Siemens SK65
  • Nokia 6820
  • RIM and PGP Corporation announced plans for the new PGP Support Package for BlackBerry
  • 3Com and RIM announced plans to deliver WLAN mobility solutions for the enterprise
  • Nortel and RIM announced plans to integrate IP telephony with the BlackBerry platform
  • RIM announces agreements and launches on carriers around the globe, including
  • 3 Hong Kong and Partner Communications Company Ltd. in Israel
  • AIS in Thailand
  • Airtel in India
  • CTM in Macau
  • Cable & Wireless in the Eastern Caribbean islands
  • Cable & Wireless announced in Panama
  • Cellcom Israel Ltd. in Israel
  • Connex announced plans to offer BlackBerry in Romania
  • Digicel Group in eight countries throughout the Caribbean
  • Entel PCS in Chile
  • Indosat in Indonesia
  • M1 in Singapore
  • Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) in Russia
  • Og Vodafone in Iceland
  • Orascom Telecom in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
  • Orange in Romania
  • P&T Luxembourg in Luxembourg
  • PERSONAL in Argentina
  • Siminn in Iceland
  • TA Orange in Thailand
  • TIM launched BlackBerry in Brazil
  • TIM Hellas in Greece
  • Tango in Luxembourg
  • Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) in Trinidad and Tobago
  • Telecomunicaciones Movilnet CA in Venezuela
  • Telefónica Móviles in 13 Latin American countries beginning in early 2006
  • True in Thailand
  • Turkcell in Turkey
  • Vodafone in Greece
  • Vodafone in Slovenia

Awards

  • Jim Balsillie receives the:
  • Canada's 50 Most Influential People in Graphic Communications
  • TIME Magazine's TIME 100
  • Mike Lazaridis receives the:
  • Computer Reseller News (CRN), CRN Hall of Fame
  • Computing Canada's Top 30 Canada's IT Movers and Shakers
  • TIME Magazine's TIME 100
  • BlackBerry receives the:
  • Baig's Best Award
  • Brandweek Customer Loyalty Awards powered by Brand Keys
  • Datamation's Product of the Year
  • Digital World Innovations Award
  • Editor's Choice and Best Buy Award
  • Government Computer News "Best of 2005"
  • IT Week Magazine Best Buy Award 2005
  • LAPTOP Magazine Editors' Choice
  • Mobile PC Magazine's Mobile Choice
  • MobileTrax Mobility Award
  • PC World 2005 World Class Award
  • PC World's Editor's Pick
  • Portable Computing Magazine Best Products of 2005 Award
  • Service Provider Weekly
  • TIME Magazine's Gadget of the Week
  • Web Week Magazine Best Products of 2005 Award
[edit]

2004

[edit]

2004

  • 2004, April 30 - Mike Lazaridis and his wife together donate $33.3 million to the University of Waterloo for its Institute for Quantum Computing.
  • 2004, December 14 - An appeals court upholds most of the claims that RIM infringed on NTP's patents. The court also says part of the lower-court ruling was flawed and orders the lower court to take another look at the case.

Corporate Milestones

  • Research in Motion celebrates its 20th anniversary as the BlackBerry surpasses one million subscribers worldwide.
  • Later that year, BlackBerry reaches over 2 million subscribers worldwide.
  • RIM Added to S&P/TSX 60 and S&P Global 1200 Indexes

Product Announcements

  • RIM introduces the color BlackBerry 7520™ with speakerphone and walkie-talkie for the Nextel network
  • RIM introduces the BlackBerry 7750 for CDMA2000 1X networks
  • RIM introduced the new BlackBerry 7100 Series, which features the power of BlackBerry in a new sleek design with many enhanced phone features, quad-band and Bluetooth support, speakerphone, large color screen and SureType keyboard technology
  • RIM introduced SureType, a breakthrough keyboard technology for smaller handsets
  • RIM introduced the new BlackBerry 7290, which features quad-band and Bluetooth support, a brighter screen and enhanced memory
  • RIM announced the availability of BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.0 for Microsoft Exchange
  • RIM announced the availability of BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.0 for IBM Lotus Domino
  • RIM introduced the new Java Development Environment for BlackBerry
  • RIM previewed a new BlackBerry handheld for WLAN networks
  • RIM introduced the Plazmic Content Developer's Kit v.3.7 for the BlackBerry wireless platform

Partnerships & Alliances

  • RIM announces agreements to enable BlackBerry connectivity on third party handsets and operating systems, including:
  • Samsung
  • PalmSource and Palm OS
  • Sony Ericsson
  • Siemens
  • Motorola
  • Nokia and Symbian OS-based devices
  • RIM and SAP announce new Mobile CRM applications
  • The MDA II from T-Mobile
  • The XDA II from O2
  • RIM announces agreements and launches on carriers around the globe, including
  • BASE in Belgium
  • BT in Europe
  • Bharti in India
  • Cable & Wireless in the Cayman Islands
  • Cable & Wireless in Barbados
  • Cable & Wireless in Jamaica
  • Dobson Communications in the U.S.
  • E-Plus in Germany
  • Indosat in Indonesia
  • KPN in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium
  • MTN in South Africa
  • Maxis Communications in Malaysia.
  • Mobistar in Belgium
  • Orange in the UK
  • Orange in France
  • Polska Telefonica Cyfrowa in Poland.
  • Proximus in Belgium.
  • SingTel in Singapore and in the Philippines (via Globe Telecom) and Australia (via Optus)
  • Sprint in the US.
  • StarHub in Indonesia
  • T-Mobile in Hungary
  • Vodacom in South Africa
  • Vodafone in Austria
  • Vodafone in Australia
  • Vodafone in Portugal.
  • Vodafone in Sweden.
  • Vodafone in Ireland.
  • Vodafone in New Zealand.
  • Vodafone in Hungary

Awards

  • Mike Lazaridis receives:
  • CRN's Top Innovators 2004
  • VAR Business Top Technology Innovation
  • RIM receives the:
  • Corporate Knights Best 50
  • Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) and Economic Development Canada Innovative Business of the Year Award
  • Deloitte & Touche Technology Fast 500 Award
  • Deloitte & Touche Technology Fast 50 Award
  • Deloitte & Touche Sustained Excellence Award
  • KPMG/Ipsos-Reid Top Technology Award
  • RIM and BlackBerry receive the:
  • Baig's Best Award
  • Best Magazine Award
  • Best New Technology Award
  • Best of Executive Travel Award
  • BusinessWeek's Best Products 2004
  • CNET Editors' Choice Award
  • CRN: Product of the Year
  • International Stevie Award for Best New Product or Service
  • LAPTOP Editors' Choice Award
  • Law Technology News Award 2004
  • MSD2D People’s Security Choice Award
  • Mobility Award for Wireless Data, Software and Devices
  • PC Magazine's Best of the Year
  • PC Magazine Best in Show Award
  • PC Magazine Editors' Choice Award
  • Shoppers' Choice Award 2004
[edit]

2003

  • 2003, June - Mike Lazaridis installed as eighth chancellor of the University of Waterloo.
  • 2003, August 5 - A judge issues an injunction banning sales of the BlackBerry in the United States. But the ruling is stayed, when RIM files an appeal.

Corporate Milestones

  • RIM added to the NASDAQ-100 Index

Product Announcements

  • RIM introduces the compact, lightweight BlackBerry 6210™, the BlackBerry 6220™ and the BlackBerry 6230™ to individuals and the prosumer market on the GSM/GPRS wireless network
  • RIM introduces the BlackBerry Connect licensing program, enabling mobile device manufacturers to equip their handsets with the integrated ability to connect to BlackBerry Enterprise Server
  • RIM introduces the color BlackBerry 7230™, the BlackBerry 7210™ and the BlackBerry 7280™ with international roaming capabilities
  • RIM introduces a new release of its BlackBerry development environment for J2ME (Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition) incorporating support for Over-The-Air application deployment and new BlackBerry API specifications
  • RIM provides S/MIME (Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) support for Javabased BlackBerry handhelds to government and corporate customers
  • BlackBerry Platform Received FIPS 140-2 Security Certification for Government Customers
  • RIM introduces the BlackBerry 7730™ featuring a large, bright, color screen and support for worldwide international roaming on GSM/GPRS networks

Partnerships & Alliances

  • RIM and Symbian Ltd. announce plans to provide BlackBerry connectivity solution to carriers and Symbian OS licensees to enable wireless email and corporate data services on Symbian OS phones
  • RIM and High Tech Computer Corp. announce the offering of BlackBerry connectivity for the Microsoft Windows Powered Pocket PC and Smartphone products
  • RIM and PalmSource announce the extension of BlackBerry wireless email and data connectivity solution to Palm powered devices
  • RIM and IBM announce developing and integration efforts focused on IBM's WebSphere® Everyplace Access (WEA) mobile middleware and BlackBerry Enterprise Server, allowing BlackBerry users to access and work with enterprise data and wirelessly synch their handheld with server applications
  • RIM announces agreements with:
  • Telef nica M viles in Spain
  • TELUS Mobility in Canada
  • Swisscom Mobile in Switzerland
  • StarHub in Singapore
  • America Movil in Latin America
  • Vodafone D2 in Germany
  • SMART Communications in the Philippines

Awards

  • Technology Fast 500 and Fast 50 Awards
  • TECH Edge Editors' Choice Award
  • Laptop Magazine Editors' Choice Award
  • CNET Editors' Choice Award
  • .NET Magazine’s 2003 Reader's Choice Award
  • Andy Seybold Outlook 4Mobility Innovation Award
  • KPMG/Ipsos-Reid Top Technology Award
  • Best New Technology Award at the FOSE Government Show
[edit]

2002

  • 2002, November 21 - A Richmond, Virginia, jury rules in favour of NTP and orders RIM to pay damages of $23.1 million.
  • 2002 - Mike Lazaridis named Canada's Nation Builder of the Year for 2002 by readers of the Globe and Mail newspaper.
  • 2002 - RIM upgrades the BlackBerry to include voice and data transmission. E-mail capabilities are improved so users can access multiple e-mail accounts.

Product Announcements

  • RIM introduces the data and voice BlackBerry 5810™ and a new family of OEM radio modems running on GSM/GPRS wireless networks worldwide
  • RIM introduces its BlackBerry Development Environment for the Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME)
  • RIM announces plans to offer a BlackBerry reference design program based on embedded BlackBerry and Java technologies
  • RIM introduces the Mobile Data Service feature of BlackBerry Enterprise Server which extends beyond email to access corporate data and applications
  • RIM introduces the BlackBerry 6710™ and BlackBerry 6720™ featuring an integrated speaker/microphone and international roaming capabilities operating on GSM/GPRS wireless networks worldwide
  • RIM introduces BlackBerry Web Client, an Internet-based email interface, allows users to access multiple existing corporate and/or personal email accounts from a single BlackBerry handheld
  • RIM introduces the BlackBerry 6510™ with a walkie-talkie feature on the Nextel network
  • RIM introduces the BlackBerry 6750™ for the CDMA2000 1X wireless network

Partnerships & Alliances

  • RIM partners with Analog Devices to provide participating manufacturers with an integrated processor that supports both wireless communications and Java applications on a single chip
  • RIM, Nextel Communications, and Motorola agree to develop a new Nextel/BlackBerry handheld that will operate on Nextel's national network using Motorola's iDEN® integrated digital wireless network technology
  • RIM licenses its keyboard technology to Palm and Handspring
  • RIM announces agreements with multiple carriers across the globe, including:
  • VoiceStream in the United States
  • AT&T Wireless in the United States
  • Rogers AT&T Wireless in Canada
  • T-Mobile across all of Europe
  • Hutchison Telecom in Asia
  • Vodafone and mmO2 in the UK and the Netherlands
  • Telstra in Australia
  • Telecom Italia Mobil (TIM) in Italy
  • SFR in France

Awards

  • MIT Sloan eBusiness Award
  • BlackBerry receives the:
  • SIIA Codie Awards for the Best Handheld Application of the Year and Best Wireless Solution of the Year
  • Cingular’s Best Solution Award
  • Network Industry Award for the Best Mobile Communications Product
  • HK Magazine’s Best New Gadget
  • InfoWorld’s Gadget of the Year and Best Wireless Product of the Year
  • PC Expert's Interop Award
[edit]

2001

  • 2001, November 13 - A group of Illinois-based inventors files a lawsuit in a U.S. Federal Court, accusing RIM of building its wireless e-mail network by infringing on patents held by an American patent holding company, NTP Inc. of Virginia.

Product Announcements

  • RIM introduces BlackBerry support for Lotus® Notes® and Domino®, the BlackBerry wireless calendar and debuts the first wireless handheld based entirely on the Java™ 2 Micro Edition (J2ME™) platform

Partnerships & Alliances

  • RIM works with IBM Global Services, Kasten Chase, WyndTell, Vaultus, Lucent Technologies, AvantGo, Neomar, Siebel, Computer Associates International, Informatica and VoiceStream
  • The BlackBerry wireless email solution becomes available in the UK through BT Cellnet
  • RIM signs BlackBerry agreements with Telfort Mobiel B.V. in The Netherlands, Esat Digifone in Ireland and DADA in Italy

Awards

  • Editor's Choice Award from Lotus Advisor Magazine, Cingular's Best Solutions Award, eWeek's eXcellence Award, the PC World World Class Award and the Mobile Innovators Award for Best Communications Device
[edit]

2000

  • 2000, October 21 - Mike Lazaridis receives an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Waterloo
  • 2000, October 23 - Mike Lazaridis founds the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics with $100 million of personal funds, along with $10 million contributions from fellow RIM executives Jim Balsillie and Doug Fregin.
  • 2000, November - RIM raises another $950 million through a share offering.

Product Announcements

  • RIM introduces the RIM 957 Wireless Handheld™ and announces a development environment for Java

Partnerships & Alliances

  • RIM forms alliances with Compaq, Nortel, Bid.com, Open Text, QUALCOMM, Aether Systems, OracleMobile, Certicom, Brience, Information Builders and GoAmerica
  • RIM signs BlackBerry supply agreements with Rogers AT&T Wireless, Motient, AOL, BT Cellnet, SkyTel, OneMain.com, Bell Mobility, Microcell, Group Telecom and EarthLink

Awards

  • Profit Magazine's 100 Award
  • Deloitte & Touche Canadian Technology Fast 50
  • BlackBerry receives Product of the Year Award from InfoWorld Magazine
  • PC World World Class Award
  • Best Telecom Product of the Year Award
[edit]

1999

Corporate Milestones

  • RIM lists on the NASDAQ (Nasdaq: RIMM) exchange. The company raises another $250 million to develop its BlackBerry technology.
  • RIM introduces the BlackBerry 850 Wireless Handheld PDA, putting together e-mail, wireless data networks, and a traditional - if tiny - QWERTY keyboard so successfully in a hand-held device that demand for it explodes. Some refer to the device as the "Crackberry."

Product Announcements

  • RIM introduces the BlackBerry wireless email solution, BlackBerry Enterprise Server Software for Microsoft Exchange and the RIM 850 Wireless Handheld™ as well as the RIM 802D OEM Radio Modem and the RIM 902M OEM Radio Modem

Partnerships & Alliances

  • RIM signs BlackBerry supply agreement with Dell, renews supply agreements with BellSouth Wireless Data (now Cingular) and extends its OEM radio modems supply agreement with Panasonic and Lipman USA
  • RIM works with WolfeTech Corporation and GoAmerica Communications to further develop BlackBerry applications

Awards

  • Best Pager Award from 'etown.com'
  • Deloitte & Touche Canadian Technology Fast 50
  • Market Engineering Product Innovation Award from Frost & Sullivan
  • Canadian-American Business Achievement Award
  • Smithsonian Award, the Mobility Award from Mobile Insights
  • Technical Achievement Academy Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
[edit]

1998

RIM is ranked as one of Canada's fastest-growing technology companies. The concentration of those companies in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont., region leads some to refer to the area as Silicon Valley North.

Product Announcements

  • RIM introduces the RIM 950 Wireless Handheld™, a wireless handheld computer later named the BlackBerry. It offers a six-line display and allows basic e-mail and two-way paging. Users can also browse specially formatted pages that offer news, weather, stock market data and travel information.
  • RIM licenses the Intellisync™ Synchronization Platform from Puma Technology to enhance its wireless handhelds

Partnerships & Alliances

  • RIM forms strategic alliances with BellSouth Wireless Data and Sybase
  • RIM signs wireless handheld supply contracts with American Mobile (now Motient), IBM, Rogers Cantel (now Rogers AT&T) and BellSouth Wireless Data (now Cingular)
  • RIM signs wireless radio modem supply contracts with Telxon, Panasonic, GMSI Fleet Management Systems, Itronix Ruggedized Notebooks and DataWave and Gooitech

Awards

  • RIM receives the Editor's Choice Award by CNET, Andrew Seybold's Outlook Award, ranks fourth on the Fastest-Growing Top 100 in Technology published by Canadian Business and ranks among Canada's fastest growing high-tech companies in the Financial Post Technology Fast 55.
  • 1998 - RIM wins the 1998 Academy Award for technical achievement for the DigiSync Film Barcode Reader. Mike Lazaridis attends a pre-Oscar ceremony in 1999, and accepts RIM's Academy Award in person from actress Anne Heche.
[edit]

1997

Corporate Milestones

  • RIM is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE: RIM) as a publicly traded company - and raises more than $115 million from investors.
  • RIM wins a contract to provide a 9.2 kbit/s two way pager for the Motorola DataTAC data network operated in Canada by Bell.

Product Announcements

  • RIM rolls out the RIM 901M OEM Radio Modem, the RIM 801D OEM Radio Modem and the RIM Wireless PC Card for Mobitex

Awards

  • RIM receives the Award for Excellence In Innovation from the National Quality Institute, the Technology Development Award at the National IWAY Awards, the Network Technology Driver of the Year Award from Network Computing Magazine, the Ontario High Technology Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the CTIA APPY Award and the Outstanding Product of the Year Award from the Canadian Advanced Technology Association
[edit]

1996

  • 1996 - RIM develops the the RIM 900 OEM Radio Modem, a PCMIA plug-in card for computer-enabled wireless e-mail.
  • 1996 - RIM introduces its first wireless handheld, the Inter@ctive Pager, the first two-way messaging pager.
  • 1996, April- Palm starts shipping the PalmPilot, a device to connect users to the Internet.
[edit]

1995

  • 1995 - RIM introduces Freedom, the first Type II PCMCIA radio modem for Mobitex
  • 1995, November 17 - Apple Computer Inc., RadioMail Corp., Motorola Inc. and Ardis Co. announce the Newton 2.0 platform, a service that will enable users to send and receive email and send graphic images to fax machines among other applications. Reuters says it will combine "the power of the Apple MessagePad, the Motorola Personal Messenger 100D Wireless Modem Card, the Ardis wireless network and RadioMail's gateway services."
[edit]

1994

  • RIM introduces the first Mobitex mobile point-of-sale terminal (MPT)
  • RIM receives the Emmy Award for Technical Innovation and the KPMG High Technology Award
  • 1994 - Sun Microsystems introduces JAVA, which takes its name from a slang term for coffee, a staple part of programmers' diets. JAVA is the first universal software language -- the same program will run on any computer platform, including Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX.
  • 1994 - AT&T releases their vision of the future Personal Communicator.
[edit]

1993

  • RIM introduces RIMGate, the first general purpose Mobitex X.25 gateway
  • RIM launches Ericsson Mobidem AT and Intel Wireless Modem containing RIM modem firmware
  • 1993 - Apple Computer introduces the hand-held Newton computer.
  • 1993 - BellSouth and IBM unveil the Simon Personal Communicator. Simon is now considered to be the first Smartphone.
  • 1993 - AT&T in partnership with EO Inc. launch the EO Personal Communicator, a pen tablet computer with wireless communication capabilities.
[edit]

1992

  • 1992 - RIM introduces the first Mobitex point-of-sale solution, a converter box that interfaces with existing point-of-sale terminals enabling encrypted credit card transactions without the use of telephone line connections.
  • 1992 - Apples CEO Steve Scully announces the first PDA, the Apple Newton at COMDEX 92. It has no wireless capabilities.
  • 1992 - At the Mobile '92 conference in San Diego Scully said that the personal communicator would be "the mother of all markets”. Whereas Intel’s chairman Andrew Grove, said the idea of a wireless personal communicator in every pocket is "a pipe dream driven by greed”.
  • 1992 - Jim Balsillie joins RIM, putting $250,000 of his own money into the company.
  • 1992 - A digital cellular phone system is introduced in the US, tripling network capacity.
  • 1992 - In Paris an experimental digital FM transmitter starts operation.
  • 1992 - RIM’s sales revenue exceeds 1 million dollars.
[edit]

1991

  • 1991 - RAM releases RFP for the development and supply of a two-way acknowledgment pager for Mobitex.
  • 1991 - RAM Launches Mobitex in the US at the World Mobile Data Conference in Washington DC where CEO Carl Robert Aron sends the first mobitex email message from the Washington stage to a vehicle in downtown Los Angeles and return in less that 15 seconds. .
  • 1991 - RIM goes international and presents their Mobilib product at the RAM launch.
  • 1991 - Robert Fraser, Cantel’s technology consultant, publishes a Mobitex engineering article in the US describing what he calls the Personal Communicator, a handheld touch screen device that he and marketing director David Neale had envisaged in 1990. See The Mobitex Terminal Specification.
  • 1991 - RIM becomes the first wireless data technology developer in North America and the first company outside Scandinavia to develop connectivity products for the Mobitex wireless packet-switched data communications networks. See the The Mobitex Terminal Specification.
[edit]

1990

  • 1990 - RIM's Mike Barnstijn provides MobiLib to Cantel, the first wireless data communications API in North America.
  • 1990 - Mike Barnstijn provides MobiTalk to Cantel, the first PC based wireless “always on” email application.
  • 1990, May 17 - Cantel officially launches Mobitex in Canada at Toronto's King Edward Hotel.
  • 1990 - Cantel enters into a Joint technology development funding agreement with RAM Mobile Data in the US.
  • 1990 - Cantel releases the Mobitex Terminal Specifications and RIM’s MobiLib to North American terminal manufacturers.
  • 1990 - Cantel develops specifications for a Mobitex X.25 Gateway for connection to corporate computer networks and other non-internet email systems such as AT&T mail, AOL and CompuServe.
  • 1990 - RAM and Cantel fund RIM to develop a Mobitex Protocol Converter (MPC) to emulate AT modem connections to Mobitex.
  • 1990 - RIM introduces the DigiSync™ Film KeyKode™ Reader, a digital footage, frame and time calculator that soon becomes a big hit with film editors and negative cutters in Hollywood - work that used to take a film editor two days now requires only 20 minutes.
  • 1990 - Tim Berners-Lee creates the first World Wide Web Server and has it running on his own desktop computer by December 25.
[edit]

1989

  • 1989 - Rogers launches Cantel’s Mobile Data Communications division to operate Mobitex.
  • 1989 - Mike Lazaridis provides consulting services to Cantel.
  • 1989 - RIM’s Mike Barnstijn provides Mobicom to Cantel, a messaging demo.
  • 1989 - RAM mobile data in the United States purchases Mobitex and becomes the US provider.
  • 1989 - British engineer Tim Berners-Lee, working at the European nuclear physics laboratory CERN outside Geneva, S witzerland, presents a paper called "Information Management: A Proposal." Intended for use by CERN physicists, it becomes the theoretical basis for links used on the Internet and the World Wide Web.
[edit]

1988

  • 1988 - Ted Rogers purchases from LM Ericsson Sweden, a license for Mobitex, the first nation-wide public access wireless data communications network in North America.
  • 1988 - Japanese engineers at Sharp create a 14-inch liquid crystal display (LCD) TV , delivering flat-screen pictures in full color with full motion.
[edit]

1987

  • 1987- Fifteen European telecom operators sign an agreement that leads to what is now the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), the network standard that underlies GPRS, EDGE and 3G, and is the basis of 85% of today’s global mobile services market.
  • 1987 - Mike Lazaridis attends a trade show where a company was showing how wireless data technology could remotely manage vending machines and delivery trucks for Coca-Cola. The Coke machines could call home when they needed servicing. Lazaridis realized that's what I wanted to do, and since then, that's all we've done," he said. "Frankly, we've never looked back."
[edit]

1986

  • 1986 - European FM radio stations start using the radio data system (RDS) to transmit digital data via the subcarrier signal of FM. RDS can be used to transmit messages that appear on a small display screen attached to suitably equipped radios or for other purposes.
[edit]

1985

  • 1985 February - Mike Lazaridis and Doug Fregin launch Research In Motion (RIM), Inc.. Their first job is a $600,000 contract from General Motors for networked display terminals that could receive updates and scroll messages across LED signs on GM's assembly lines.
  • 1985 Cisco Systems of San Jose, California, introduces the first commercially successful router, enabling once-incompatible computers in remote computer networks to communicate.
  • 1985 - Intel introduces the 80386, a 32-bit microprocessor.
[edit]

1984

  • Mike Lazaridis has written a program that generates a video signal to send data to any computer monitor; discusses it with Larry Smith, his professor of economics.
  • Research in Motion, Inc. is founded by University of Waterloo engineering student Mike Lazaridis (President and Co-CEO) and University of Windsor engineering student Douglas Fregin (Vice President, Operations). The company is set up as an electronics and computer science consulting business in Waterloo. Within four years, RIM would start focusing on wireless data services and devices and setting up wireless point-of-sale customer terminals using radio waves.
[edit]

1983

[edit]

1982

[edit]

1981

[edit]

1980

  • Mike Lazaridis works for Waterloo branch of super computer maker Control Data Corporation (CDC) to get co-op credits in his first year at the University of Waterloo. His job is to research automatic error detection and correction in computer memory. He later recalls, "This made me realise that I could get paid to improve other research teams' operating systems, or build computer circuits for them."

Sources: RIM, CBC, Rob Fraser, various

  Appendix - Glossary → Timeline → Financials → Growth → Patents | Cases → Bibliography → Partners Fund → Techno Telepathy
  Welcome - SAMPLE CHAPTER → DEVICES → Image Gallery → Video Clips → Texts & Docs → Web Links → Appendix →

 

 

<google uid="C01" width="742">

Retrieved from "http://www.blackberryplanetbook.com/index.php/BlackBerry_Planet_Timeline"
Personal tools
download sample chapter
OTHER