New BlackBerry to change work culture

Ushering in a big change in work culture, BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM) in Toronto have announced it would soon unveil new smartphones with a mobile software that allows access to business data for users "anytime, anywhere".

The Canadian leader in mobile connectivity said it has joined hands with German software giant SAP to install a mobile version of SAP's business management software in its devices that will available in the market soon.

Though this software, known as customer relationship management (CRM) software, is already installed in the Blackberry and is used through a browser, its mobile version will put all information directly on the device. Thus mobile users will soon be able to work freely on SAP, no longer tied to their desktops or offices to perform their jobs, a RIM press statement said.

With the installation of SAP's mobile software, sales data, purchase orders, contact information and customer records will become available on the BlackBerry. The device will also be GPS-enabled and capable of storing hours of video data which could be used for training the sales people while they are traveling.

``Just as the BlackBerry wireless platform has transformed the way people use e-mail, SAP and RIM will bring the power and productivity of SAP enterprise applications to the BlackBerry platform in a similarly robust and user-friendly manner,'' the statement said.

By tearing down the walls between enterprise computing and mobile connectivity, it said, SAP and RIM will enhance employee productivity.

The statement said their partnership will merge the power of CRM software with core BlackBerry smartphone applications, including email, address book and calendar applications, to `deliver an indispensable tool for sales people.'

``SAP is thrilled to bolster its long-standing relationship with RIM through the co-development of this breakthrough offering,'' Bill McDermott, president and CEO of SAP Americas and Asia Pacific Japan, was quoted as saying.

``By combining RIM's expertise for empowering the mobile worker and SAP's strength in business computing, we are embarking on an exciting future to make it easier and more convenient for today's business users to perform their jobs.

``Our extended partnership with RIM will open many new doors for mobile workers around the world who require real-time mobile access to enterprise applications in a secure setting,'' McDermott said.

As per the data by research firm IDC, 800 million professionals - about 25.7 percent of the workforce - used mobiles worldwide last year.

This figure will touch the one billion-mark by 2011, leading to a fierce competition among BlackBerry, Apple's iPhone and Nokia.

BlackBerry is set unveil many new devices this year.