750 users and the IPHONE

[llarson]

So what do you do that you can't do on an iPHONE?

The iPhone is not a business phone, plain and simple. It can't compete with any of the Treo line or Blackberry for true enterprise level functionality. In that regard I don't think any comparison is needed - it's just not the same.

That being said, it sure is a cool device, it would be fun to have and play with but in the end it's not going to be the device I need to use for work on a day in and day out basis

just curious what do you do that makes the iPHONE a non starter? I have never understood why getting your email by POP or IMAP is a bad thing.

I get about 100 emails a day with large attachments and I currently use Snappermail on my 755p.

What else is a non starter for business people?

 

[surur]

just curious what do you do that makes the iPHONE a non starter? I have never understood why getting your email by POP or IMAP is a bad thing.

I get about 100 emails a day with large attachments and I currently use Snappermail on my 755p.

What else is a non starter for business people?

There are better ways. To give you a trivial example - I was fiddling with the pictures in the contacts in outlook, and a few minutes later all the changes were cascaded down to my two windows mobile phones, to use in the picture dialing app.

Less trivially, this would of course apply to a change in phone numbers made by your secretary.

Surur

 

[Kupe#WP]

Less trivially, this would of course apply to a change in phone numbers made by your secretary.

Or the constant changes made to my calendar every day - which are briskly and automatically forwarded to my phone.

 

[robbrick]

just curious what do you do that makes the iPHONE a non starter? I have never understood why getting your email by POP or IMAP is a bad thing.

I get about 100 emails a day with large attachments and I currently use Snappermail on my 755p.

What else is a non starter for business people?

I don't think getting email by POP or IMAP is bad, but most businesses rely on an Exchange Server to PUSH calendar, contacts, etc. to the mobile devices. I use this and would not like to go back to having to run to my desk to sync my phone with my desktop each time I need to make a change to one device. If Apple would have included EAS into the iPhone, it could have had a larger impact with people using them for their main business phone. I, for one, don't like to carry 2 devices and my BB Curve does what I need it to do for work - I can live without YouTube on my phone.

 

[oalvarez]

you mean you don't watch slingbox on your little screen all day long while you have nothing to do? some say "slingbox is where it's at." sounds like something a child would say. you know, with their love for television and the like...

 

[llarson]

Small and large businesses

I don't think getting email by POP or IMAP is bad, but most businesses rely on an Exchange Server to PUSH calendar, contacts, etc. to the mobile devices. I use this and would not like to go back to having to run to my desk to sync my phone with my desktop each time I need to make a change to one device. If Apple would have included EAS into the iPhone, it could have had a larger impact with people using them for their main business phone. I, for one, don't like to carry 2 devices and my BB Curve does what I need it to do for work - I can live without YouTube on my phone.

I see what you mean but if you are part of a small business, 10-15 people and you don't run Exchange I guess the iPHONE is okay.

Most of th people in my firm email calendar dates and contacts.

So I guess it is a difference of a BIG business and small business scenario.

 

[Malatesta]

sounds like something a child would say. you know, with their love for television and the like...

lol, unlike...

ewww that doesn't sound like a feature

C'mon, Slingbox is pretty cool on a Treo and is great when on the train or the doctor's office. Personally, I love getting a CNN breaking news alert, and if worth (rarely, lol) I can just throw on CNN. I think that's pretty darn cool, but alas, no way for the carriers or Apple to make money off a revenue stream.

 

[mikec#IM]

ha

Obviously you have never used a Slingbox...I control my content delivery.

It may sound "like a child", but remember all this gadget stuff being out the child in everyone.

 

[Certs]

I can't believe people would try to underestimate the value of the almighty slingbox. Small screen or not, if I am out and about and realize I'm going to miss a show/sporting event, I can just dial it up, set my dvr, and not worry about it. Or I can watch it, if conditions permit.

Or are you trying to judge value by how often its used? Irrelevant. If I use it once a month, then that's once a month that I would say to myself "I wish I had my PPC with me," whereas I will never see a situation that makes me say "man, I wish I had the iPhone with me." Is that value enough?

 

[oalvarez]

wow guys! c'mon....seems like you misinterpreted what i wrote, or maybe even took it out of context...

 

[Kupe#WP]

wow guys! c'mon....seems like you misinterpreted what i wrote, or maybe even took it out of context...

I think we all caught your gist pretty well. Without Slingbox, I wouldn't get to watch the morning news channels during my 45 minute slog through DC's traffic.

 

[braj]

I think we all caught your gist pretty well. Without Slingbox, I wouldn't get to watch the morning news channels during my 45 minute slog through DC's traffic.

Watching news on your business commute in DC sure sounds childish to me.

 

[Kupe#WP]

Watching news on your business commute in DC sure sounds childish to me.

No - but some of the gestures I make to the "less gifted" drivers I encounter might be considered so.

 

[robbrick]

i think it would be dangerous to drive and watch tv, dont you?

 

[Kupe#WP]

i think it would be dangerous to drive and watch tv, dont you?

Yes. But it's not dangerous to be stopped on a highway in bumper-to-bumper traffic looking at the screen - and it seems to be perfectly safe to listen to CNN/FAUX/MSNBC while moving. Besides - it's not always my turn to drive.

 

[robbrick]

Yes. But it's not dangerous to be stopped on a highway in bumper-to-bumper traffic looking at the screen - and it seems to be perfectly safe to listen to CNN/FAUX/MSNBC while moving. Besides - it's not always my turn to drive.

haha, true! except, i know that i would forget to look up when my time to drive came. haha. i guess the traffic where you are makes LA traffic look like nothing. at least i'm always moving a little here.

 

[bruckwine]

i think it would be dangerous to drive and watch tv, dont you?

What'll be dangerous is stroking that nice glossy( or greasy) glass iPhone, holding it in one hand and flicking with the other. Wait! I guess it may not be so bad after if it can stop ppl chatting on the phone and driving!

 

[Kupe#WP]

haha, true! except, i know that i would forget to look up when my time to drive came. haha. i guess the traffic where you are makes LA traffic look like nothing. at least i'm always moving a little here.

According to this report You're still #1, Frisco is #2 and we're #3. I think the difference is, we're more tightly packed with fewer and smaller roads, so the distance we drive is shorter, but the actual traffic stops are longer. In any case, whether sunny So. Cal. or the Potomac Playground, it sucks. ...but less so with a TV playing!

 

[Kupe#WP]

What'll be dangerous is stroking that nice glossy( or greasy) glass iPhone, holding it in one hand and flicking with the other. Wait! I guess it may not be so bad after if it can stop ppl chatting on the phone and driving!

They could always keep on hand on the steering wheel and scroll using their tongue! Knowing people might be doing that would sure prevent me from borrowing someone's iPhone!!

 

[seaflipper]

just curious what do you do that makes the iPHONE a non starter? I have never understood why getting your email by POP or IMAP is a bad thing.

I get about 100 emails a day with large attachments and I currently use Snappermail on my 755p.

What else is a non starter for business people?

Exchange is a pretty big reason, or BB service - the always on connection to my email, calendar, contacts and tasks is a big deal. Being able to accept meeting requests, make meeting requests all in the context of MS Exchange is very important for many business users. Push is more than just email and attachments - it's the entire package you get with it. Sure it's not perfect but it really is invaluable if you use exchange.

Additionally, the lack of a physical keyboard is going to kill the iPhone for business. No touch screen keyboard that I have ever used was good enough to use for very long. The iPhone simply has no chance to compete with any of the BB's, Treo's or other WM phones with keyboards - fingers on a totally flat LCD surface don't get any tactile feedback like you do with physical keys. People may be drawn to the iPhone because of it's sexy, sleek look but after anyone trys to use this thing for actually sending emails or SMS you are going to see all kinds of complaints from people who thought they could use it as a business phone.

I do think the iPhone will sell very well - it certainly is a huge step up from a standard phone, most users will find the keyboard a useful tool compared to t9, iTap etc - but for most business users it's not going to cut it.