Mike Lazaridis, president and co-chief executive officer of Research in Motion, speaks at the RIM Blackberry developers conference in San Francisco
Cutting 2,000 jobs isn't going to solve RIM's major problems. Reuters

Research In Motion, maker of BlackBerry smart phone, agreed to buy Swedish software developer The Astonishing Tribe (TAT), a company that specializes in making software that lets smart phone users personalize their device the way they like.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

The Canadian wireless giant’s latest acquisition is part of its attempt to check the onslaught from iPhone and Google Android devices which have displaced the BlackBerry from its top slot in the US smart phone market.

The Astonishing Tribe’s uniquely designed software is found on 15 percent of all smart phones globally. By downloading the TAT software, even those using Google Android smart phones can make the icons on their device screens look three-dimensional.

“Today we are pleased to confirm plans for The Astonishing Tribe (TAT) team to join Research In Motion (RIM). We're excited that the TAT team will be joining RIM and bringing their talent to the BlackBerry PlayBook and smartphone platforms,” wrote David Yach, chief technology officer of RIM in a blog post.

“For those who don't know, TAT is renowned for their innovative mobile user interface (UI) designs and has a long history of working with mobile and embedded technology,” he said.

TAT focuses on delivering great user experiences, from a design, technology, and usability perspective. Their design technology is used today in a variety of industries, including consumer electronics and automotive sectors.

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