RIM chasing Apple with "lifestyle" features?

In what looks like an attempt to compete toe-to-toe with Apple's iPhone, RIM announced a slew of new integrated application deals on Thursday to make its email-optimised smart phone more appealing to consumers.

Email was the killer application that catapulted RIM's BlackBerry device into near cult status in the corporate world. And now the company is trying to win the hearts and minds of consumers, not only with new phones - like the flip-style Pearl 8220, which was announced on Wednesday, or the BlackBerry Bold, which recently launched - but it's also loading BlackBerry devices with what its co-CEO Jim Balsillie called "lifestyle" applications.

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On Thursday, at the CTIA autumn 2008 trade show, the company made a series of announcements about different applications it's customised for BlackBerry devices.

This is not the first time RIM has announced special relationships with specific application developers. At last year's CTIA show, it announced it had integrated the Facebook application into its platform. Balsillie said during a keynote address on Thursday that the Facebook for RIM application, which launched about a year ago, has been downloaded 2.5 million times.

He said: "It's been the fastest take up of any application that we've ever had."

But now RIM has upped the ante adding a slew of new customised applications for its smart phones including: a deal with Microsoft to integrate search, MySpace to provide quick access to another social-networking site, TiVo to offer remote scheduling and browsing to a DVR, Ticketmaster to buy concert and event tickets and Slacker to offer a music library for BlackBerry users.

In more detail, RIM has integrated the Microsoft Live Search engine into the BlackBerry Browser making Microsoft the default search engine for BlackBerry devices. The mobile search platform will let BlackBerry users get contextual, location-based search results or look for nearby points of interest, such as restaurants or cinemas, from inside BlackBerry Maps.

Separately, Google announced earlier this week that it's launched a Google Mobile App for BlackBerry, a free download that offers faster search and a slew of Google services for BlackBerry devices. The new mobile application gives BlackBerry users Google Apps support, a search history, software update alerts, and easier access to Google programs like Gmail, Maps and News.

For the MySpace deal, RIM will now offer customised access to the popular social-networking site, including instant, push-based messaging to BlackBerry and MySpace users, real-time status and mood updates, camera integration, and optimised photo management. Also as part of this collaboration between the two companies, RIM has created a BlackBerry community page on MySpace for users to access BlackBerry smart phone, content, videos, games, ringtones, skins and other features.

Original article: RIM announces 'lifestyle' apps for BlackBerry from CNET News.com