Slashdot Mirror
Corporate IT Hanging Up on Apple's iPhone
WSJdpatton writes "iPhones can be used for email, but many businesses don't plan to sync them with internal systems used to power Blackberries and Microsoft mobile devices. Employees eager to use the cool new gadget, however, may pressure IT departments to support iPhones even if it means incurring more costs and changing policies. The WSJ reports: 'Incompatible technology has become an increasing problem for businesses as hand-held email and phone devices are evolving into minicomputers that can do such things as download music, take pictures and surf the Web. In the past, businesses have been unwilling to support certain devices, like those with cameras, for instance, because of concerns employees could use them to document company secrets. But these tensions would be magnified if the iPhone is as popular as Apple is hoping and some analysts expect.'"
The corporate "standard" is Microsoft Enterprise Windows Email Exchange Protocol Vista Ultimate Edition 2007, not one of those pesky "open" standards that anyone can implement. Only communists use POP and IMAP, you know.
The only people that really worry about that shit are Paris Hilton and corporate power brokers. I've got about 5 numbers in my address book and I don't even use the calendar/todo thing on my phone because it sucks. If I want to remember something we have a calendar next to the fridge that we note it on.
It seems obvious to me that the point was that the iPhone's appeal lies in its style, UI, etc., rather than in a laundry list of features.
Yup, Apple has redefined how you make a product. It's not about the features it has, but rather those it doesn't have.
What makes the iPod attractive is that it's not durable, doesn't have replaceable batteries, FM tuner, and for a long tmie couldn't play videos (everybody swore it won't play video since that's kinda the benefit of using an Apple product). The shuffle doesn't have screen and doesn't have sequential playback ability.
iPhone is great since it doesn't have SDK, keyboard, 3G camera and mobile internet, doesn't have Java, and again doesn't have replaceable battery, doesn't have GPS. Safari doesn't have Flash, unlike many other phones, which is a great thing.
And of course, all Apple products are expensive, since it's really hard to not have so many things in a product. The other companies just resist to the pressure and put all kinds of stuff in their products, that's why they're so cheap.
Confused?
I hear they'll be releasing a version more targeted at Corporate IT - called the itPhone.
ccalam - acoustic versions of new songs.
Yeah, those darn proprietary open standards that are supported by most calendaring and email systems! I hate having to pay my IMAP tax every time I check mail, and I hope nobody finds out I'm using a pirated LDAP specification! The CalDAV group keeps sending me an invoice for $0 every six months, it's going to bankrupt me!
Recursive: Adj. See Recursive.
Cut back on picking your nose, that ought to help a bit.
-30-