RIM today announced the BlackBerry Smart Card Reader, a lightweight, wearable smart card reader that enables controlled access to BlackBerry devices using Bluetooth technology and advanced AES-256 encryption. The BlackBerry Smart Card Reader is scheduled for Beta release in July 2005.

The BlackBerry Smart Card Reader provides support for a variety of industry standard smart cards including the US Department of Defense's Common Access Card (CAC). The BlackBerry Smart Card Reader also supports S/MIME and can be used in conjunction with the S/MIME Support Package v4.0 for BlackBerry. 

"The BlackBerry Smart Card Reader combines the convenience of short-range Bluetooth connectivity with the advanced and proven security features of the BlackBerry architecture including the use of AES-based encryption and the ability for IT administrators to set policies to remotely manage the smart card reader like any other asset on the network," said Scott Totzke, Director of Government Technology at RIM.

SRA International Inc. is a service provider and strategic consulting firm that will work with RIM to deploy the BlackBerry Smart Card Reader within government organizations.