RIM buys Tungle for BlackBerry calendar sync

RIM on Wednesday bought Tungle. The company is best known for a calendar sync service that lets users keep their schedule updated across desktop apps and platforms as well as share available scheduling time with others. Users could either update on the web as well as on BlackBerry and iOS mobile apps, with an Android version still in the works before the takeover.

Tungle's CEO didn't say whether or not the Android and iOS versions would survive. It promised that the service would only improve and would be "ubiquitous within the applications you’re already using." All of the team was nonetheless joining RIM and would be "sporting new BlackBerrys." RIM has bought mobile app developers in the past, such as Documents To Go creator DataViz, where it has kept support for competing platforms active.

Neither RIM nor Tungle has explained the plans for the deal, but the company has usually had relatively little calendar syncing outside of Microsoft Exchange. Calendaring has been a sore point in its tablet strategy, since the BlackBerry PlayBook has no calendar at all without a tethered BlackBerry phone and might go without it until mid-June. Apple and Google devices both tie into Google Calendar and Exchange, and Apple can also claim support for MobileMe.

By Electronista Staff