RIM is headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, and is a sponsor of RIM Park in the north of the city. It was founded by Mike Lazaridis, who currently serves as its co-CEO along with Jim Balsillie.

Prior to the manufacture of the BlackBerry, RIM worked with RAM Mobile Data and Ericsson to turn the Ericsson developed Mobitex wireless data network into a two-way paging and wireless e-mail network. Pivotal in this development was the release of the Inter@ctive pager 950, which started shipping in August, 1998. About the size of a bar of soap, this device competed against the SkyTel two-way paging network developed by Motorola.

Since then, RIM has released a variety of devices running on GSM, CDMA, and Motorola iDEN networks. The ubiquity of these BlackBerry devices in the corporate environment and the compulsive use of its ability to quickly send and receive email has earned it the nickname "Crackberry".

RIM develops its own software for its devices, using C++ and Java technology. RIM also develops and sells embedded wireless data components