About a month ago we first started hearing rumors about a RIM and Intel partnership. Today we can put those rumors to rest as both parties have agreed to a deal where Research in Motion will use battery-saving chip technology in future versions of wireless handsets and support Intel’s push to encourage WiMAX long-distance wireless communications technology.

A Research in Motion / Intel partnership may also give us a glimpse of what is to come in future versions of BlackBerry handheld devices. One can only speculate when you hear about Intel getting into bed with a wireless handset maker to offer low-power, battery-saving chipsets that you could be talking about some type of Centrino technology. When I think of a Centrino powered next-gen BlackBerry that is WiMAX ready I just get all tingly inside.