“Having owned my iPhone since about 20 minutes after they went on sale June 29, I’m comfortable in saying that, while the iPhone isn’t perfect, and has some real flaws, it’s nevertheless the best-designed, most pleasurable to use device I’ve ever owned,” John C. Welch reports for InformationWeek.
“Keep in mind that I’m no newbie, having used smartphones since 2001. Along the way, I’ve owned a Sprint Kyocera 6035 smartphone, an Audiovox PPC-6601 Pocket PC phone, also from Sprint; and two Verizon XV-6700 smartphones. I also support four models of Palm Treo, the aforementioned 6700, and the Motorola Q Windows Mobile 5.0 smartphone, all in an Exchange/GoodLink environment. So I’m hardly new to the joys of either smartphones or corporate uses thereof,” Welch reports.
“In reflecting on my two weeks with the iPhone, my objective is to move beyond nattering about its specs or complaining about what it doesn’t do, and shed some serious light on security issues, corporate e-mail syncing, iPhone application development, and a bunch of other areas of interest to serious users, both corporate and otherwise,” Welch reports.
Full comprehensive review – very highly recommended – here.
@another steve,
Thank You…… just that, I appreciate the few here that get it.
MDN Word…”student”
You should all be students.
@yet another steve:
Very well said indeed.
I just finished reading the entire review. I actually think this is the best, most objective review yet, at least among the ones I’ve read, and I think I read most of them. There is a kind of sober, thoughtful appraisal in this review that can be hard to find.
Of note, what usually happens with most products is that reviews get worse with time. It’s only been 3 weeks since the iPhone came out, but it seems that reviews are either steady or getting better. Just my perception.
I too am really eager to see some new macs. I’m also really hopeful there will be a stunning new generation of Xserves. I think we will definitely see some amazing products once Leopard is released. So I guess I’ll just have to be patient if I want the same or better kind of quality products I got used to from Apple.
It will certainly be worth the wait.
Mmmmmm … pleasurable.
Yeah, that’s what I’m saying.
In Fortune 500 companies, I guarantee you 498 of them are running Exchange, Notes or both. Not .Mac mail or Yahoo or POP accounts, but enterprise-worthy collaboration systems.
I’m sorry the RDF doesn’t allow you to recognize the facts, but without OTA connectivity to those systems this thing is a dud in the enterprise. There’s a reason why RIM sells Blackberries by the case to those companies.
This isn’t hard stuff. The iPhone can be a player in businesses, but AT&T exclusivity, no collaboration connectivity and a pricetag 3x what we pay for a Blackberry doesn’t help it. We’re not talking about what was, we’re talking about what is.
I think that’s the point. The iPhone can be a player in business, but it won’t likely be used to connect with corporate bureaucracy-ware.
And don’t embarrass yourself by throwing that RFD crap out there.
nerds without meds are dangerous.
Apple is targeting the consumer market, but of course consumers will demand to be able to use it at work, so the enterprise will be forced to remake itself in Apple’s image. Don’t expect the reverse to happen.
When you get out of high school and into a business you’ll understand.
@Chris & @ Justified,
You need to wake up and take a look around. The world is much bigger than Microsoft, and their proprietary products are NOT standards. Don’t think they are just because you and your buddies who haven’t retired yet managed to con your company into ‘standardizing’ on Microsoft products.
The day is coming when those in the board room will recognize the drain on corporate finances that most IT departments are because of their insistence on using Microsoft crapware.
Shoeman,
You need to go with Dell and MicroSoft so you can always experience cutting edge technology. Just ignore all the Windows equipped junk that uses single core Celeron and Pentium 4 processors. Yeah, Apple is totally prehistoric.
Shoeman is an anagram of ‘no shame’ as in no shame talking out my backside.
iPhone will create its own market – as the ipod did. So corporate customers will go with it and others won’t.
The blackberry market in global terms is peanuts just as the Sony microdisk and high end portable devices that were out there long before the ipod.
A slick UI and ‘usefulness’ as far as the target audience is concerned is all Apple have to aim for and for Version 1 the iPhone does a good job.
@ Max – Shoeman is an anagram of ‘no shame’ as in no shame talking out my backside.”
And you are a blind follower. Every PC manufacturing the world makes machines with up to date specs… But no, that doesn’t matter… Steve says a 2 year old design is great and wonderful and it’s all we need, so you are more than happy to pay a 15-20% premium for yesterday’s technology….
Common sense doesn’t matter… “Steve says it’s all we need” so morons like you just accept it… I guess it will be a few more months and then of course Apple just can’t introduce the new machines, …. they will have to schedule a “special event” so people like you can hoop and scream like you’re at an Amway rally…
“@ Shoeman
Exactly how often do you need to buy a new computer? What work are you involved in that requires the absolute latest specs?”
Ahhh, I don’t use a Mac at work. I unfortunately have to use a company supplied Dell laptop. They are rotated out every 18 months (as most companies do).
I do however my a new home computer every 12-18 months. I have done this since 1985 when I entered the PC world.
I bought my Intel Mini in February 2006. It’s time.
Shoeman,
Apple’s hardware is at times ahead of Windows box assembler’s and sometimes a little behind, but that just doesn’t matter. You’ve said it yourself: “I unfortunately have to use a company supplied Dell laptop.” That feeling has nothing to do with the hardware and whether or not it is state of the art.
The real difference is the OS, and even a 5 year old Powerbook running 10.4.x is going to be a lot more fun and a lot more productive than the latest Windows box. Be patient. In a few months, you’ll see new Macs with new capabilities.
Chris…
Since I got my Mini, I bought 4 iBook G4’s for myself, wife, and 2 kids. And they are find for what they do, and as my “motel” machine.
Now that I have completely switched in my home, I feel I have outgrown the Mini (which is my main home computer) and am ready to move up to an iMac. I don’t believe that it is too much to ask to expect modern hardware to be available.
The basic $1000 iMac has specs equivalent to a $600 PC, I understand that. I suppose it’s worth the price to run Apple’s “Machine Limited” OS.
As mentioned, I am used to building a new machine once a year or so, with the latest processor, more RAM, and latest Video card. I don’t believe it’s asking too much for Apple to upgrade their machines once a year with the latest and greatest components.
Unfortunately, I see no news from Apple about their PCs. All I hear is iPhone this and iPhone that…
LOL! The $1000 iMac has specs better than a $600 PC. The case alone is worth nearly as much as the PC.
You’re used to building a new machine every year because with a Windows PC, that’s what you need to do. That’s part of why the iMac is worth more.
“The case alone is worth nearly as much as the PC. “
Hahahahhahaha, Ahh, I see, you also are just an unthinking fanboy…
They Macs are “really Gorgeous”, and the “back of them looks better than the other guys front” hahahahahahaha LOL!!! Damned right that’s a good reason to pay $1000 for a Core Duo with 512 meg of Ram and Integrated Graphics!!! That’s a REAL DEAL!!!! Maybe they won’t upgrade them for another year or so, afterall the iPhone is the #1 priority!!!
Tell ya what Chris, learn just a little bit about hardware then come back and talk.. Oppps, that’s right, you don’t care about specs.. What really important is that it’s “really beautiful”…
You don’t see at all. The iMac’s case is not only built with better materials, it’s designed better. The fact that you want to compare the iMac to a cheap clone maker’s flimsy plastic box shows that you’re the very definition of unthinking.
Think about this spec: more than 99% of the time even the slowest computer is waiting for the user to do something. To get more performance out of the computer you need to get more out of the user, and that’s what OS X does far better than Windows. The value in the computer is in the OS, which is why the Mac is worth more than a PC. If you can’t accept that, then maybe you should go buy some parts and build a PC.
“The iMac’s case is not only built with better materials, it’s designed better. The fact that you want to compare the iMac to a cheap clone maker’s flimsy plastic box shows that you’re the very definition of unthinking.”
OK, I’m unthinking because I am not willing to pay a premium for a computer with 2 year old hardware and a pretty case. I don’t really care if the hardware’s jammed into a cardboard box. I’ll leave you fanboys to droll over the “gorgeous” cases on the iMacs with 2 year old technology.
“The value in the computer is in the OS, which is why the Mac is worth more than a PC. If you can’t accept that, then maybe you should go buy some parts and build a PC.
I agree. I have said many times, I’m a OSX fanatic, not a real big fan of the Mac. Unfortunately Apple’s OS is Hardware Limited. You are required to buy their overpriced hardware to run their OS. Still, I am willing to do this if I could find a modern computer that was available.
As far as building a PC today, I did about 7 months ago and it runs OSX-86 just fine.
I’m getting a real kick out of this forum. Every time an article is posted, some idiot immediately posts some sort of flame is posted by a troll, AND THE REST OF YOU IDIOTS SPEND ALL DAY RESPONDING TO IT !!!
This is worse than 10 years ago when there really was concern that Apple would not make it.
Now really folks, get a life!
I’m really interested on what Apple groupware product I might use. I need for my e-mail, calendaring and contacts to sync with my iPhone over the air.
I’ll wait for your answer.
For a long time.
See, while you can talk about Exchange and what crap it is (and I would even agree with you), there simply isn’t an Apple equivalent that syncs with an iPhone OTA. It doesn’t exist. When there is one I’ll be happy to bring it to the attention of my company. Until then, I need a solution that gives me push e-mail and syncs my contacts and calendar OTA. Where is Apples?
@@Chris,
http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/07/02/iphone.contacts.app/
Happy now? By the way, there are these portals on the web that we call search engines. You should try to learn how to use them.
@Shoeman,
You’re unthinking because you can’t see that the value of OS X cannot be separated from the hardware that it is so well integrated with. Allow OS X to run on a cheap PC and you’ll see many of the stability problems PCs have. You need to either accept that fact, or spend a few dozen hours and who knows how much money trying to get your 7 month old PC up to spec so it can do a half way decent job of running Vista.
Good God Almighty, does anyone wonder why Mac users are called zealots and fanboys? One of us steps out of line, and oh my God, says that there’s something they don’t like about Mac, and a horde of villagers fire up their torches and jump on the post to attack him. Shoeman may have a point, it seems like Apple is a little slow to adopt the newest chip or whatever compared to the windowz world. Apple needs to be better about matching its hardware pricewise to the grey box guys, or do a better job at explaining the difference in price and features. I think that’s the major reason why osx is not the predominant os for consumers, despite its superiority.
After a coffee spill ruining my 3rd osx keyboard, I can’t help but wonder why Apple can’t come up with a reasonably price, spill resistant keyboard. The best solution they have is a 25 dollar condom to go with their plain jane, 30 dollar keyboard. And after reading the condom description, I’m not even sure that it will protect against an accidental spill.
I know there’s a lot of people who are about to admonish me to be more careful, or flame me for not drinking my coffee out of a sippy cup or something. But here’s the deal, a spill resistant, mac compatible, is made for 20 dollars by…microsoft. I don’t see why Apple or someone else can’t make a spill resistant mac keyboard. I like my powermac, love the OS, but I’m not drinking the kool-aid. There’s no reason why a mac keyboard can’t have the same features as windows ones, and no reason why it has to be two or three times more expensive. And don’t get me started about mac video cards or the frakkin’ mighty mouse.
Microsoft’s consumers should start calling Redmond on the carpet about windows security and reliability. Apple consumers need to call out Cupertino on some of the crap that they pull. Like Apple memory prices.
If everyone’s going to throw me out of the cult now, then so be it.
Clyde,
No, he doesn’t have a point. There are literally dozens of cheap PC clone assemblers out there, and for most of them, there are only two ways to distinguish themselves. One is by price, and the other is to use the latest bleeding edge hardware, and push that to it’s limits.
Price is irrelevant because the OS will cost you more than any savings, not to mention Windows PCs have virtually no resale value, so you can’t recoup any of what you spent when it’s time to buy a new one.
Bleeding edge hardware sounds nice, but the fact is that the slowest computer available today has more raw power than most people really need. Apple doesn’t cater to the 1 in 10,000 users who think they want the absolute bleeding edge. If you’re one of them, you need to look elsewhere or get a Mac Pro and max out the RAM. Will it cost you? Sure, but so will any other box you buy. The difference is that with the Mac Pro you pay up front, and a Windows box will continue to cost you both time and money long after the sale.
You’re kidding, right? That isn’t an Apple e-mail system, it’s an external portal that I can’t install at my company, I can’t maintain and doesn’t let me do away with Exchange. In fact, I have to HAVE Exchange or some other system to use it.
THIS is your enterprise-level solution? LOL
myFUNAMBOL enables iPhone users to:
* Sync contacts from other phones, over-the-air, to myFUNAMBOL. myFUNAMBOL would then contain the contacts (address book) from other phones.
* Wirelessly sync contacts from Outlook (or other email clients such as Mozilla Thunderbird) to myFUNAMBOL.
* Access and use these contacts on the iPhone. To do this, a user enters http://my.funambol.com/iphone in the Safari web browser on their iPhone. This displays a page that allows the user to enter their username and password to log in to myFUNAMBOL. Once logged in, a page displays a sorted list of their myFUNAMBOL contacts. The page looks and operates virtually identical to the native address book on the iPhone e.g. users can tap their finger on the touch screen to scroll the list and select an entry. A selected entry shows a page that also looks practically identical to the native address book, with the contact’s phone #s, email addresses and location. The phone number can be tapped to call the person, the email address can be tapped to start an email with their email address and the location can be tapped to view it on Google Maps.
I’m sure there are other solutions too. The point wasn’t to show the best solution, only that they are out there and can be found with minimal effort.