RIM and QNX Initiative Encourages Young Talent in China to Develop Apps on the BlackBerry Platform


Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) and its subsidiary, QNX Software Systems, announced a new initiative to encourage university students in China to develop more apps and services on the BlackBerry® platform. RIM and QNX are working with a number of universities in China to launch an app development competition at the end of May, providing further incentive for student software developers in the country to turn their creative ideas into apps and services that can be commercialized on BlackBerry® smartphones and BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets.

The initiative aims to nurture the spirit of innovation among young Chinese developers and provide a means for students to gain technology know-how and expertise in taking an idea from concept to market. The competition will focus on two categories: “Mobility Lifestyle Use” and “Automotive Experience”.

RIM and QNX will provide BlackBerry devices, software development tools, technical support and other resources. RIM has also been working with universities in China to provide training courses for developing apps on the BlackBerry platform.

“We are pleased to expand our work with universities in China to provide students with more opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge in the exciting and rapidly growing fields of mobile computing and automotive infotainment,” said Urpo Karjalainen, Regional Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Research In Motion.

The winning apps will be made available on BlackBerry App World™ and winners of the competition will have the opportunity to participate in internship programmes at leading Chinese and multinational companies.

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.

About QNX Software Systems Limited
QNX Software Systems Limited, a subsidiary of Research In Motion Limited, is a leading vendor of operating systems, development tools, and professional services for connected embedded systems. Global leaders such as Audi, Cisco, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, and Siemens depend on QNX® technology for vehicle infotainment systems, network routers, medical devices, industrial controllers, and other mission-critical applications. Founded in 1980, QNX Software Systems Limited is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada; its products are distributed in over 100 countries worldwide. Visit www.qnx.com. For more information on QNX Software Systems’ automotive work follow @QNX_Auto on Twitter or visit http://qnxauto.blogspot.com/.