“I’ve been a big proponent of smartphone technology for a long time, and have been chasing the “perfect smartphone” for a while. Specifically, I’ve been hooked on using Windows Smartphone devices, because of the seamless integration with Outlook and the resulting automatic synchronization of all my contacts, calendar entries, tasks, notes, and e-mail over the air. And my favorite Smartphone so far was the Cingular/AT&T 8525,” Alexander Falk reports for AjaxWorld.
“So when my wife wanted a new iPhone when it came out, I was very sceptical,” Falk reports. “Sure, I do use an iPod Video and have been a big fan of the early Macs from 1986-1996, but I could no conceive of how the iPhone could offer anything to me – especially since my AT&T 8525 device had it all: UMTS, Wi-Fi, Push-Email, Windows-based Smartphone, PDF Reader, Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Video, etc.”
Falk reports, “It took just one week.”
“I played with her new iPhone while we were in New York. I played with her new iPhone at home. I played with her new iPhone on the boat. After a few days she said “Buy your own iPhone!” Falk reports. “So I did (at the Apple Store on 5th Avenue in NY) and I haven’t touched the Windows Smartphone since.”
Falk reports, “The reason is very simple: UI design, UI design, and UI design!”
Full article here.
“I played with her new iPhone while we were in New York. I played with her new iPhone at home. I played with her new iPhone on the boat”
Did’t you forget to play with your wife from time to time?
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Did you play with it, with a goat?
Did you play with it, near the moat?
Just got an email at work this past week that had lots of IT pinhead gobbledygook in it, but the key message of the thing was “We know you all want smartphones. We’ll consider it for some of you, IF you are executive level or higher. But if you want an iPhone, don’t even think about it. They won’t work with our stuff.”
I work in a particularly boneheaded and backward industry, so it doesn’t surprise me. But it just seems so sad. Poor Microsoft admin zombies can’t handle the iPhone. (Boooo! Hissss! Bad, iPhone, BAD!)
It’s reviews like this (and there’s been quite a few) plus the hefty price reduction that’s going to make the iPhone the most successful electronic device ever.
Windows smartphones, like HTC’s Touch are a weak competitor for the iPhone. However, different markets have different needs. Where Windows Mobile-based phones shine is when you consider highly functional devices, like the HTC “Kaiser” (a.k.a. TyTN II – aka. AT&T;8925) for use in business IT environments.
For instance, at many companies where the workers are forced to use technologies like Goodlink for their jobs to get push email instead of an IMAP account, the HTC Kaiser is perfect, since it has the ability to run the Goodlink application, which the iPhone does not. Additionally, for those companies that use MS Exchange exclusively and will NOT open up IMAP or Outlook Web Access over the Internet, direct Exchange synchronization through Windows Mobile 6 Pro is the only way to get email that will work.
The built-in GPS on the Kaiser is a huge advantage for those of us that travel a lot and would prefer to not be limited to the small availability of rental car company GPS units.
Electronic Books are a huge convenience for not taking yet another thing on the plane (think constant travel – ergo the need to travel VERY LIGHT), and Mobipocket Reader and Microsoft Reader are both available for the HTC Kaiser / TyTN II, but not for the iPhone.
Finally, for those circumstances when you need a quick Internet connection (ala 3G), but do not own a PCMCIA card, tethering the Kaiser is a great solution.
I would personally LOVE to get the iPhone, as the iPhone looks better, has much, MUCH better media support (esp. for movies and TV shows with that gorgeous screen), and the most kick butt OS in existence. On the other hand, Windows OS’s make me nauseous.
That said, however, until the iPhone is 3G, has native support for MS Exchange Environments (preferrably with a native Goodlink client), GPS integrated, and ideally a native electronic book client, it will remain unfortunately on the list after the HTC Kaiser.
I would not play with it, with a goat!
I would not play with it, near a moat!
I do not like non-Windows stuff!
I do not like it, sure enough!
BINGO.
Any phone can add a camera, voice mail, movie, what ever. That is hardware basically. And the same companies make hardware for everyone.
But how you use it. The UI. that is what makes the difference. And Microsoft STILL does not get it. Recently, Bill Gates commented on how he just does not understand why Steve Jobs does not realize that he and Apple cannot win.
IMHO Bill Gates is a very smart man but he is forever a Master Geek. If it does not have 100 buttons, it is not done. Ease of use is defined by the larger number of hours to master the software.
As the author pointed out, MS mobile works, its just a real pain to use. And in todays world, we do not want to be bothered to become master programers to make our PHONE work.
Nuff said. Microsoft, the worlds latest dinosaur.
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Eric, I totally understand. But what I am hearing is that “I would love the iPhone if it had my current phone inside, was easier to use, and looked nicer.”
But as other authors have pointed out, there are other ways to do the things we currently do now. The key is “Are we willing to make the change.?”
Once more companies make the IT change, I think you are going to see iPhones just taking over more and more companies.
JMHO. en
“That said, however, until the iPhone is 3G, has native support for MS Exchange Environments (preferrably with a native Goodlink client), GPS integrated, and ideally a native electronic book client, it will remain unfortunately on the list after the HTC Kaiser.”
Some of your concerns will be addressed by Apple in the coming year. The iPhone is a brand new 1.0 version of a platform that I believe Apple sees as their future.
There may be technical (GPS/3G) issues for not including some functions related to battery drain or added bulk, or political (compatibility with proprietary MS formats) reasons for not having certain features now.
Technical problems likely can be solved in the future with better chip technology, political issues may not.
Your electronic book idea seems to be the most likely additional feature Apple could add in the future along with an improved note client.
The iPhone is a brilliant and attractive trojan horse. Demand from all levels of companies will for IT departments to evaluate their systems which will help pave the way for Apple computers and servers to enter the workplace. Brilliant move SJ!
would you play with it near the bay?
would you play with it in Redmond, C.A.?
Sorry folks, Mac addict at heart but the iPhone blows chunks functionality wise. I think Apple bit off more than they can chew in the cell market. It’s just to entrenched with cheap crap.
Sure the iPhone is 1.0, but I got a feeling Apple is planning to push the iPod Touch with a external attachment for getting cell phone reception.
Of course storage space is a problem still, I need many GB of space for all my music, tv content and movies. Sure the iPod Classic 160 GB would be more than enough, but I like the iPod touch interface.
I don’t like AT&T;lockin and possibly bricking the iPhone with a hack for other carriers.
Also did you know iTunes (not connected to the iTMS), Dashboard Advisory, AddressBook, iMovie, iDVD and now even FrontRow “needs” to contact Apple? Apple is sliding the DRM dick slowly up our collective asses, getting us to accept “it’s normal” for our computers to be in constant contact with theirs to monitor our useage and habits. I’m almost sure on the Intel Mac’s with EFI you eventually (or now) won’t be able to detect the “phone home” and observations of the content on your hard drive because EFI doesn’t work through the OS where you could have monitoring software like LittleSnitch installed.
Notice “Trusted Computing Group” at the UEFI web page?
http://www.uefi.org/specs/
Trusted Computing has proved controversial with opponents believing that trust in the underlying companies is not deserved and that the technology puts too much power and control into the hands of those who design systems and software. Many see trusted computing as an anti-competative practice. It is also seen by them as a possible enabler for future versions of mandatory access control, copy protection, and Digital Rights Management, all critized for undue censorship.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_computing
PCtroll….
Very funny stuff
From the article:
Sure, I’m missing out on over-the-air synchronization of my contacts and calendar at the moment, but Apple has already licensed ActiveSync from Microsoft, so it’s only a matter of time, before that will work on the iPhone.
Huh? When did this happen? Is this true? Does this mean complete Exchange compatibility soon?
“Bill Gates is a very smart man but he is forever a Master Geek. If it does not have 100 buttons, it is not done.”
That must annoy the hell out of Melinda when they’re in bed.
Welcome Falk! You have made an informed choice and the truth has set you free! The ball and chain of Microsoft is no more for you have found the light at the end of the tunnel.
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@jackspratt
Redmond is in Washington, not California.. Just aan FYI, not an ego bruiser
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Phoning home and DRM aren’t exactly the same thing. Those who know Apple’s philosophy (and specifically Steve Jobs’s) will know that they will encourage every effort to reduce or elliminate DRM. Practically none of their own applications (with the exception of Logic, which was actually an acquisition) has DRM-controlled activation/registration process. Two major software products are free of any copy protection (not even a serial number): the $129 Mac OS X (with th $200 Family Pack), and $99 iLife 08. I know, these are bundled with new Macs; us with the older ones, however, who want to buy them, don’t need to bother with registration of any kind.
Pretty much all apps out there now phone home. This has become standard practice, due to the assumption that vast majority of people have always-on internet. And vast majority of these apps that phone home just poll their update server for newer versions. We can be as paranoid as we possibly want, but for now, there isn’t anything seriously sinister going on here, and of all companies Apple is the one with the least sinister practices (WGA anyone?).
To go back on the topic, it is clear that iPhone is a runaway success beyond anybody’s wildest expectations. To say less than that would mean to be untruthful and seriously biased against the device or the company that makes it. Enterprises have been struggling to shoehorn it into their networks, despite the intended audience not including enterprise.
If anyone didn’t quite get it yet, Apple was trying to make a vastly superior CONSUMER device. Obviously, they succeeded. It seems, though that the feature set of this device made many people mistake it for an enterprise device (also known as the smartphone). This is great for Apple. Sooner or later, some more features that previously belonged only to the smartphone devices will find their way onto the iPhone. And that will be good for everyone.
“Redmond is in Washington, not California”
True.
But Microsoft’s main R & D facility is a 13 1/2 hour drive due south just west of San Jose.
Tergernev wrote “We’ll consider it for some of you, IF you are executive level or higher. But if you want an iPhone, don’t even think about it. They won’t work with our stuff.””
This Comany doesn’t get it. Since when to the IT staff tell the exec’s what they can and can’t do? If this were my comapny, these bozo’s would be out on the street very quickly.
Its the law of the jungle at work, adapt or be eliminated.
I stand corrected (re: DRM and activation/registration of software): Apple’s Logic no longer requires a hardware dongle. It now installs only with a serial number. And is cheaper. Apple is doing what Google is preaching (Don’t be evil) in their consistent efforts to elliminate DRM. If you look at the traffic that Apple’s apps generate when they phone home, they transmit practically nothing specific; they just ask for updates.
And if your Mac is a disconnected island, everything still works (contrary to what some may have you believe).
No need yet for paranoia here.
re: Just got an email at work this past week that had lots of IT pinhead gobbledygook in it, but the key message of the thing was “We know you all want smartphones. We’ll consider it for some of you, IF you are executive level or higher. But if you want an iPhone, don’t even think about it. They won’t work with our stuff.”
I work in a particularly boneheaded and backward industry, so it doesn’t surprise me. But it just seems so sad. Poor Microsoft admin zombies can’t handle the iPhone. (Boooo! Hissss! Bad, iPhone, BAD!)
—-
I work for myself as a design consultant so I AM my IT department, and the head of my IT department says everyone must have an iphone on European launch!
The head of my IT department also insists on using Apple Macs and everything Apple.
God I love IT departments!
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And if your Mac is a disconnected island, everything still works
Sure Frontrow works disconnected from the internet, eventually after a delay, then the iTunes icon is bouncing in the dock after you quit frontrow.
“itunes couldn’t connect to the server…”
Don’t beleive me? Install Little Snitch. It’s free for a time.
Hey Petey,
Could your IT department come and be the IT department for my company? They sound GREAT!
Honestly, the senior management teams of many small and mid-sized companies are well and truly terrified of their IT people. Especially if the senior management is near to retirement age.