The new BlackBerry Pearl from Waterloo, Ontario
Research In Motion (RIM) is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market.
Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, text messaging (SMS and MMS), Internet and intranet-based applications.
RIM was founded in 1984 by Mihal (Mike) Lazaridis, Michael Barnstijn, and Douglas Fregin. They launched RIM with a $15,000 loan from Mike’s parents, a small government grant and a contract from General Motors. Ten years later, some of RIM’s early development was financed by Canadian institutional and venture capital investors.
Science Notes 
September 17, 2008 at 06:55
Did you run this to show that John McCain didn’t invent the Blackberry?
September 18, 2008 at 07:47
Yep. It seems like the founders are really nice guys: Science geeks, some of them friends since childhood, now local philanthropists. also funding basic research, etc.