Research In Motion announced new partnerships, including one with Travelport for the corporate market, to help its launch of the new BlackBerry Travel app built with WorldMate

, offering smartphone users itineraries, profiles, flight status updates, hotel bookings, currency converters, weather forecasts, LinkedIn integration and local searches. "The BlackBerry Travel app represents a great opportunity for travel industry leaders to work with RIM to deliver enhanced services and better travel experiences for their customers, and new revenue opportunities for travel providers," according to a company statement. "Travel industry leaders will be able to work within the BlackBerry Travel partner program to point users back to their mobile sites for additional information, as well as access the itinerary API in the BlackBerry Travel service to enable the delivery of up-to-date information and itinerary details." The app offers automatic updates of travel itineraries that arrive in the user's email inbox, leveraging WorldMate's TripCatch technology already available on the WorldMate BlackBerry app. "The BlackBerry Travel app also features a desktop component that allows users to book flights and car rentals, as well as print and edit itineraries, from their computer," according to RIM's statement. Hilton Worldwide as well as Continental and United airlines are integrating with the new app, which is available as a beta download for Bold, Curve and Torch BlackBerry phones running, at minimum, the BlackBerry 5 OS device software.