Besides unveiling two new smartphones in the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930, Research In Motion’s (RIM’s) BlackBerry Partners Fund has also launched the fourth annual BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge.

 

This year, developers of BlackBerry smartphone and BlackBerry PlayBook tablet applications can enter their applications in a series of competitions to win $3 million in prizes. Winners will be selected on a regional basis across four global regions – North America, Latin America, Europe/Middle East/Africa and Asia Pacific.

 

 

This year’s challenge includes the following competitions:

“The BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge was created three years ago to recognize, reward and celebrate innovation within the BlackBerry developer community. While the structure of the Challenge has evolved each year, our focus remains the same – to uncover the best apps around the globe that people cannot live without,” said Kevin Talbot, co-managing partner at BlackBerry Partners Fund.

 

“For this year’s Challenge, we’re also very excited to be inviting app submissions for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.”

 

 

Both newly developed and existing applications are eligible to compete in this year’s BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge. In order to participate in the Challenge, application forms for each competition, available on the BlackBerry Partners Fund website, must be completed and submitted within the following dates:

 

In addition to the challenge, the BlackBerry Partners Fund will also be honouring applications in six categories with a Recognition Award. The recipients will be recognised regionally and will be selected in the following categories:

 

All winners of the 2011 BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge will be recognised at the 2011 BlackBerry Developer Conference (DEVCON), taking place between 18 and 20 October in San Francisco. Judges will evaluate all applications submitted based on their quality, innovation, creativity and compelling user experience.

 

This year’s prizes are valued at $3 million, almost double the value awarded last year. The first 100 eligible applications submitted to each of the three competitions in the Challenge will receive prize packages. In addition, prizes will be awarded to applications selected as the first and second runners-up and winner in each competition in each region.

 

Some of the prizes and awards on offer in this year’s competition are placement on the BlackBerry App World featured carousel for one week, BlackBerry smartphones and tablets, membership in the BlackBerry Alliance Program and BlackBerry accessory gift certificates.

 

 

In related news, the Canadian smartphone- and tablet PC maker also announced its new Facebook for BlackBerry PlayBook app, which delivers enhanced features for Facebook, optimised for the 7" high-resolution, multi-touch LCD display of the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

 

“There are over 30 million users of our Facebook for BlackBerry smartphones app who are staying in touch with their social network while on the go,” said Tom Goguen, VP, Collaboration and Social Networking at RIM.

 

“Now with Facebook for BlackBerry PlayBook we can also offer customers highly engaging social experiences optimized for the PlayBook including the ability to share FaceBook pictures and videos with friends and family on an HDTV.”