Get In My iPhone

If there’s one company that can go toe to toe with Apple in the smart phone space, it’s not RIM, and it’s certainly isn’t Microsoft.   That’s right, it’s Nokia.  With the impending release of their 5800 XPressMusic phone, complete with touch screen and a one-year-free all-you-can-eat music download service, it certainly deserves a look by potential iPhone buyers.   But the question is whether or not this 5800 is the revolutionary advance Nokia needs to compete with the iPhone, or if it offers an over-engineered, offputting user experience like many previous Nokia products.

On paper, this thing is killer, though:

• GPRS/3G data network support
• Bluetooth
• WiFi (802.11g)
• 8  or 16 GB SD storage card (an option I sincerely wish Apple had included in the 3G iPhone)
• Video out (cool!)
• Touch screen interface. Not sure if it’s going to do gestures or multi-touch.  It does claim tactile feedback, probably by means of vibration, etc.
• 3.2″ display (iPhone has 3.5″)
• 3.2 mpixel Zeiss camera, like those in the N-Series (this will likely spank the iPhone’s camera, which is 2.0 megapixel and pretty piss poor)
• A self-facing VGA camera for video calls
• Maps application with GPS and voice-guided navigation. (Also an iPhone spanking feature)
• Headphones
• Symbian S60 version 5 operating environment (an upgrade to the OE used on the E-Series and N-Series phones)
• Free unlimited music downloads (not rentals) for one year (Windows Media, DRM’d)

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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I had never heard of the Ped3 or thought out…, the company that makes the device. Why? They offer a collection of innovative solutions for iPhones and iPods (as well as improved scooter lights… really…). The Ped3 is very attractive, uses your existing iPhone (or iPod Touch) dock cable, and would grace the surface of most any desk.

The cradle (or whatever one calls the business end of an iPhone stand) of the device allows easy access to the dock connector, volume controls, mute switch, headphone jack, and power switch. It also does something very few of its competitors can: rotate… and it looks just as good in either position.

I’ve not seen these on shelves yet, but if though out continues to come up with designs like these, they won’t last long there either. I’ll be placing my order for one of these in the near future. Once I have a chance to check it out in person, I’ll be sure to share a follow up.

The Ped3 is made in America and retails in the thought out web store for $39.99.

(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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SIP is the empowering technology behind Voice over IP, which catapulted Vonage to fame and made it possible to get residential phone service for $8 a month.  But VoIP’s most compelling advantages exist in the enterprise, where the iPhone has begun to make a splash.  Yet there’s no SIP on the iPhone, so the iPhone can’t be used with corporate telephone systems.

How about it, Apple?  Why block VoIP developers from creating products that will allow iPhones to be used on corporate VoIP networks?  SIP, or Session Initiation Protocol, allows the iPhone to be used with corporate phone systems like Cisco CallManager, Avaya, and so forth, increasing the appeal of iPhones to the enterprise.  Of course, we all know the real reason for the iPhone’s lack of SIP is political: AT&T will almost certainly lose revenue if WiFi SIP ever hits the mainstream.

We know the iPhone is capable of running SIP apps–TruPhone utilizes SIP to connect phone calls to their central office on behalf of their iPhone-toting customers.  And, with a few modifications, it would in theory be possible to point TruPhone’s software at your company’s phone system instead of TruPhone’s.   Yet that option isn’t available…  Could this mean that Apple’s playing hardball with Appstore developers who make VoIP programs?   I think it’s a pretty safe bet…

(No Ratings Yet)

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According to various reports, the iPhone has sold 10 million units since launch. As we harken back to Steve Jobs’ prediction that just such a thing would happen, it seems clear that the iPhone eco-system is here to stay. Now, can I please have media messaging?

(No Ratings Yet)

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Another month has passed an our IT Security team has yet to allow iPhone integration with our Exchange system. Windows smart phone users and blackberry users have enjoyed the convenience of accessing their work email, calendar, and taks for years. However, fear of widespread adoption and loss of complete control over where data can be backed up has paralyzed our security team. We’re already aware that all of the data on an iPhone connected to Exchange can be wiped at any time. The concern is that data can be backed up at home (primarily contact info and data stored in calendar appointments). What is stopping people from printing out their contacts, exporting them into a web site, and forwarding contact info and appointments externally? Theoretically, strong network filtering and proxying can prevent this. In practice, it’s just wasted time and effort, not to mention hours of productivity lost by those trying to circumvent these restrictions. If you want your users connected, you have to give up a little control. If you have a problem with that, don’t announce support for the hot new mobile device on the block.

(2 votes, average: 4 out of 5)

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