Business Users - how's the iPhone treating you?

[bubbatex]

Realizing this is an iPhone fan site, I thought I would still ask the question here particularly after I saw the thread about the phone(s) you had before the iPhone. I am currently a Sprint customer but getting tired of their lack of devices. I tried a Storm for a few weeks and really liked it except for one glaring error - the actual phone part of it was crap. The earpiece sounded awful (and I don't use BT all the time) and the outgoing was not good either. I was waiting on the RIM Niagara to come to Sprint, then saw the Pre announcement this week - but I still think I want a bigger display. My son got an iPod Touch for Christmas, so I am getting a feel for some of the iPhone's functionality. I think I could learn to type on it with one of those landscape keyboard apps.

Overall, I need a good phone (it is my business phone), Outlook sync (which the iPhone supports) and the browser (duh). I don't really care about cut-paste but I am a little worried about battery life. I am looking at the extra cost of a BB on Sprint (my data cost would go up) and moving to ATT (service is pretty equal among the big 3 here in Austin TX) will cost me a little more, but I don't care if I can get a device that fits me better than my Q9c currently does (tired of WM and small screen that has a crap load of dust under it now!).

For those of you here that use the iPhone as your business phone - has it treated you well? And forgoing any ATT network problems - does the damn phone part work well?

 

[Stevie No-Wonder]

It really depends on one's business. Some companies have some very wacked-out systems... making things more difficult, confusing, and incompatible than they need to be.

I have two ecommerce businesses and the iPhone (with a few purchased apps) does a fantastic job and handles everything I need on the go. I don't have to bother keeping my MacBook in my car anymore.

Are there missing features in the iPhone? Sure (right now), but the "iPhone is only good for entertainment" crowd are imbeciles... and couldn't be more wrong.

 

[JustinHorn]

I use it for business I guess. I have outlook/exchange sync setup for contact, cal and email and it works perfectly for what I need. It' so nice being able to manage contacts on the PC or the Phone and have it always in sync instantly.

The battery life is good compared to other 3g phones, it's just the phone is so much fun to use with all those work apps (games ) and internet surfing it can get burned up pretty quick. There are a lot of battery extenders on the market which can be good for a backup on a long day away form an power outlet. I use the mophie and it doubles the life so even on a heavy usage day you should be able to make it without a middle of the day outlet charge.

 

[Brickman]

My iPhone is my ONLY Business phone that I carry. I have an office phone but hardly anyone calls me there, because I am always on the road so they call my cell number.

I average about 4000+ minutes a month on my phone. That averages to about 3-3.5 hours of talk time per day. I do not know how many emails or text messages. I use MoMe for emails and Calender OTA syncing. Love it, Love it, Love it. I hardly ever sync my iPhone with a cable anymore. Everything is automatic.

I use my Jawbone 2 BT headset ALL day long. It never gets turned off. The Jawbone works perfectly all day long! This was one of the reasons I left my Treo. The BT never worked properly on any of my Treos. Even as much as I talk and as many emails as I get a day, I am able to get through he whole day usually without charging my phone. (I do keep a charger in the Truck though.)

I live and work in a very good AT&T 3G area. Call quality and clarity has always been good. Very few dropped calls while going up and down the hiway. Much, much, much better than Sprint. The other reason I left my Treo behind. Sprint seemed to be getting worse where I lived.

I have Music, Movies, and Games on my iPhone. I also surf the net a lot with my iPhone. But all of these things are done after hours when I get home and the kids are in bed. From 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM my iPhone is ALL business. I could not run my business without it.

 

[bubbatex]

My iPhone is my ONLY Business phone that I carry. I have an office phone but hardly anyone calls me there, because I am always on the road so they call my cell number.

I average about 4000+ minutes a month on my phone. That averages to about 3-3.5 hours of talk time per day. I do not know how many emails or text messages. I use MoMe for emails and Calender OTA syncing. Love it, Love it, Love it. I hardly ever sync my iPhone with a cable anymore. Everything is automatic.

I use my Jawbone 2 BT headset ALL day long. It never gets turned off. The Jawbone works perfectly all day long! This was one of the reasons I left my Treo. The BT never worked properly on any of my Treos. Even as much as I talk and as many emails as I get a day, I am able to get through he whole day usually without charging my phone. (I do keep a charger in the Truck though.)

I live and work in a very good AT&T 3G area. Call quality and clarity has always been good. Very few dropped calls while going up and down the hiway. Much, much, much better than Sprint. The other reason I left my Treo behind. Sprint seemed to be getting worse where I lived.

I have Music, Movies, and Games on my iPhone. I also surf the net a lot with my iPhone. But all of these things are done after hours when I get home and the kids are in bed. From 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM my iPhone is ALL business. I could not run my business without it.

Thanks - that is good, real world feedback - I have my own business and we use a hosted Exchange solution. One thing that has always chapped me about a Blackberry is the data cost - particularly for full Exchange sync. Even if data is $30 everywhere (ATT, VZW or Sprint), BES with my Exchange host is still another $15/mo on top of that.

 

[smileyboy]

I own my own Electrical Contracting business. I am one the phone with supply houses all day, I use my iPhone to send estiaates confirm apps, setup new apps, emailing clients back and forth and on and on. I have tried a number of devices over the years. IPhone has been the most relible. MobileMe takes so much of my after work work away. It is great.

Battery life isn't a huge issue since I am always close to a power source (wall charger, car charger or Incase Power Slider).

 

[Tunnelrunner]

@Brickman,

That's cool to hear. I don't work in the business world (instead, the medical field) but MobileMe allows me to sync to my Outlook and iCal work/personal calendars OTA. So basically, I use my iphone for not just my "business/work," but my personal life as well (kinda scary to think what would happen if I lost it). I'm with you on MobileMe: it's frikkin' addicting!

RE: Battery life. AFAIK, none of the 3G smartphones out there boast great battery life. My iphone seems to last as long between charges as my Treo 700p. As others have said, there's plenty of work-arounds (wall chargers, car chargers are musts. There's also the Mophie Juice pack).

 

[bubbatex]

BTW - I have not had a phone in 3-4 years that would make it through a busy day w/o a recharge. Now the Q9c from Sprint came with the extended battery, so that can make it, but I am used to being close to a charger!

 

[robdam1001]

I left VZW after 15 years, (and WM HELL), for AT&T and iPhone business bliss. I have ZERO regrets. GO FOR IT.

 

[BuddyDave]

I use iPhone for business vastly more than I do anything else. I never use it as an iPod, and I do very much use it as a mobile internet terminal. It is the best portable communications device I've owned, and the second best phone (after the Samsung BlackJack II) I've owned.

YMMV, but the BJII beat the iPhone in:

1) Call drops, quality of audio, rock solid stability of the phone stack
2) Battery life - probably 40% higher than iPhone
3) Sturdiness - I've had to return two iPhones to Apple already, now on my third
4) Can BT to my laptop and bring up a data connection for my laptop in ~8 seconds. Can't do that on an iPhone without jailbreaking it
5) Exchange support.

The iPhone beats the BJII in:

1) Internet connectivity - browser, providing connectivity to apps
2) Apps - say no more, Apple wins this game hands down
3) Overall usefulness and functionality

If you're a heavy Exchange client user then think before you purchase the iPhone, otherwise run don't walk, and pick one up today.

Oh - and re: the Exchange issues - there's nothing wrong with their Exchange support that can't be fixed in a firmware update if they so choose.

Thanks, Dave.