RIM’s BlackBerry operating and software development platforms are not just Java anymore. Today, at RIM’s BlackBerry Developer Conference in San Francisco, CA - RIM’s CEO announced that BlackBerry will also support the creation of Web Apps for its platform via WebKit, a new Browser, Widgets support, and overall Web Standards support for HTML, JavaScript and more. A BlackBerry Web Apps development environment should be firmly in place by early to mid 2010 next year.

Beyond this important announcement, BlackBerry announced a Rich Gaming Platform for developers. BlackBerry is also announcing visible, strategic relationships with Oracle for Oracle applications and services to be available/running on BlackBerry and Adobe so that developers can create/develop RIAs using Adobe Flash, Flex, Catalyst and other development/design tools.

For more on what BlackBerry has announced at their event, see below.

1. No device was launched.
2. BlackBerry Developer Platform 5.0 Launched
- About Equal or 50/50 coverage on Java or JDE side of Platform AND Web Standards/Widgets/New Browser side of Platform or about 50/50 coverage of Java Apps creation vs. Web Apps creation.
- No Windows Development Kit/Platform, yet.
3. BlackBerry Platform 5.0 Web Standards Kit/Environment -
- Web Browser and WebKit initially Launched and to go final/be fully available in mid 2010 around JavaOne
- BlackBerry Widgets, Widgets, Widgets and support and ability to create/develop
4. BlackBerry Rich Gaming Platform announced, which supports OpenGLES
- Context aware networked games, P2P, in game advertising allowances, Push/Payment APIs support, etc.
5. BlackBerry announces a mSaaS or mobile software as a service Platform
- New Push APIs, carrier services APIs, Ad APIs, Payment APIs, Cell Site GeoLocator APIs and related
6. BlackBerry JDE enhancements,
- Integration API Extensions, deep native integrations, and soon Media Player UI and BB Messaging, etc.
- New JDE plug-inss for Eclipse and GUI Builder designer
7. BlackBerry App World push at this show.
- Will have Widget Apps support. 2010, Carrier services Apps to be available. Etc.
8. Oracle Apps run on BlackBerry.
- jDeveloper and other Oracle Fusion, etc. tools to allow developers to build and deploy on BlackBerry.
9. BlackBerry will support Adobe and run Flash 10 and support RIA development on Adobe Flash Catalyst, Flex Framework, Creative Studio, etc.

For more on BlackBerry, check out Apress new and forthcoming BlackBerry Books:

* Beginning BlackBerry Development — NEW
* Advanced BlackBerry Development — Coming Soon
* These and other BlackBerry books

So, if you have a BlackBerry, and want to develop Apps beyond Java or their JDE, then - your wish may have come true. Enjoy.