RIM, RBC, Thomson Reuters form $150 fund to invest in BlackBerry, other mobile platforms

A joint news release says Research In Motion (TSX: RIM), RBC (TSX: RY) and Thomson Reuters (TSX: TRI), along with several private Canadian investors have formed the BlackBerry Partners Fund LP, co-managed by RBC Venture Partners and JLA Ventures.

RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie says the new fund recognizes that mobile applications and services represent some of the hottest opportunities in the technology sector today and "will seek to fund the best and brightest innovators from around the world."

Meanwhile, RIM announced the release of its BlackBerry Bold smartphone Monday, saying it is the first BlackBerry smartphone to support tri-band HSDPA high-speed networks around the world.

The company says in a news release that the new mobile has integrated GPS and Wi-Fi(R) as well as BlackBerry applications, including phone, email, messaging, organizer and browser.

It says users can talk on the phone while sending and receiving email or accessing the web, as well as download Word, Excel or PowerPoint files and edit them directly on the handset.