David Yach, Chief Technology Officer for RIM, announces support for OpenGL ES so devs can create 3D games and animations for BlackBerry smartphones.

CORP TALK: Finally, Research in Motion also announced several enhancements to its BlackBerry Application Platform that will empower developers to quickly create rich content and apps for the BlackBerry platform.

OpenGL ES enables 3D games and graphics for BlackBerry smartphones

That's Electronic Arts' Need for Speed running on a BlackBerry smartphone, thanks to RIM's OpenGL ES support.

EA Mobile appeared on stage during the General Session and demoed Need for Speed. With OpenGL ES, Java developers can now build 3D games and graphics for BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry OS 5.0 or higher. The support is available via an update on the Java SDK, of which the beta is available here.

Tyler Lessard, VP for Global Alliances & Developer Relations at RIM, announces the BlackBerry Theme Studio 5.0 that allows devs to create themes for BlackBerry smartphones. Also, in-app payment and carrier billing for apps will be up in 2010.

BlackBerry Theme Studio for Theme design, illustration and animation

The BlackBerry Theme Studio was announced and it comes with a free suite of theme design, illustration and animation tools for developers to create custom interfaces for BlackBerry smartphones running OS 4.2.2 and higher, including the new Storm2 and Bold 9700.

The Studio includes the Theme Builder, for customizing the user interface, and Composer, for creating animated SVG graphics such as animted themed buttons and backgrounds. The Theme Studio 5.0 replaces the previous Plazmic Content Developer’s Kit, will feature an integrated import with Adobe Photoshop. Devs can also add ringtones and build screen transitions (zoom, slide, wipe, fade, etc.).

Theme Studio is currently free and can be downloaded here.

HWM Indonesia

Martin (HWM Indonesia): Going the “multimedia” route is the best thing that has ever happened to RIM for 2010 which has never been a strong point for BB handsets.

Encroaching iPhone and Android segments will definitely be difficult if RIM does not have a strong multimedia platform to support.

These so called platform enhancements will catapult RIM from a business-centric to a more lifestyle flavor which will provide them a longer mileage in the non-business oriented segments.

A strong and rigid business platform, combined with a multimedia flavor, will raise the smartphone landscape to a new bar where no smartphone has ever reached before.

Once these enhancements are properly in place, the rest will be just cosmetic makeovers.

At the Developers Conference today, RIM announced that themes for BlackBerry smartphones can now be submitted to BlackBerry App World.

GUI Builder for BlackBerry Java Plug-in for Eclipse

One thing that got developers excited is the announced GUI Builder integrated into the BlackBerry Java Plug-in for Eclipse. Developers can quickly create and localize complex codes with a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) so that they can preview their UI design on different BlackBerry smartphones.