RIM snaps up JayCut for video editing

RIM on Friday said it had bought JayCut in what's a likely attempt to counter iMovie on the iPad. The deal gives it access to a mix of video editing and cloud services. The BlackBerry maker made it clear the acquisition was to bolster video editing on the PlayBook as well as future BlackBerry phones.

Terms of the deal weren't given out but were likely small enough that RIM didn't have to report its conditions.

Adding JayCut's tools reflects a gradual recognition of the importance of non-business users and media at RIM. Until the PlayBook's dual cameras and revamped OS, BlackBerry devices only had basic photography and low resolution video recording. The tablet's video capture is still basic and doesn't have any post-shot editing on the device itself.

Many hardware makers have had basic video editing on phones, but Apple's adaptation of iMovie to the iPad has been used as a demonstration by many that modern tablets are now capable of running desktop-quality apps and can be used for creation, not just consumption. RIM has repeatedly pitched the PlayBook as ending "amateur hour" but has so far been criticized for a lack of creative apps either from itself or from third-party developers.

By Electronista Staff

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