At RIM's BlackBerry World conference this week Steve Ballmer, a CEO of Microsoft, announced the partnership with Research in Motion. Now Microsoft’s Bing becomes default search engine and maps provider for RIM’s smartphones as well as Playbook tablet.

"We're going to invest uniquely into the BlackBerry platform," Ballmer said according to bloggers covering the event. "Bing will become the default search provider in the browser and maps" on BlackBerry devices.

Neither Microsoft nor RIM's spokespeople provided details on how the technologies or the companies might work together.

"Central to this collaboration, BlackBerry devices will use Bing as the preferred search provider in the browser, and Bing will be the default search and map application for new devices presented to mobile operators, both in the United States and internationally," Bing director Matt Dahlin wrote. "Also, effective today Bing will be the preferred search and maps applications with regular, featured placement and promotion in the BlackBerry App World carousel."

Dhalin said Bing is also now shipping as the default search engine and map app for the newly released BlackBerry Playbook.

According to a RIM blog, Bing will be “deeply integrated” into the BlackBerry experience starting this holiday season.