RIM Launching BlackBerry Social NetworkRIM Launching BlackBerry Social Network

Research in Motion is launching a community site that is aimed at making BlackBerry users more social.

The free site, called MyBlackBerry, will provide BlackBerry fans with a new avenue for discovering applications, sharing tricks and tips, venting about problems with the platform, and sharing information with other users. The site will look more like a forum board or wiki than a traditional social network like Facebook. While it is currently invitation-only, it will open to the public Tuesday night.

MyBlackBerry will be personalized based on what type of device the user has. For example, if a customer owns a BlackBerry Tour for Sprint, the information the user receives will be tailored for that device and carrier.

While RIM has a dominant position in the enterprise mobility market, this site is another signal that it is placing a stronger emphasis on the casual, or "prosumer" market. During its last earning report, RIM said more than 45% of its approximately 28.5 million subscribers were non-enterprise users.

The company has recently released many consumer-friendly handsets like the clamshell BlackBerry Flip and the BlackBerry Storm. The Storm was RIM's first touch-screen device, and it has sold more than a million units despite mixed reviews at launch.

Additionally, the company recently launched the App World, which is aimed at giving casual users a way to browse, buy, download, and install applications over the air. While this hasn't garnered as much excitement as Apple's App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch, RIM's store has over 2,000 applications in its catalog, and the company said it is happy with download numbers.

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