IrvRobinson

First report of the iPhone and iDrive paired together.


The iPhone is FULLY FUNCTIONAL with iDrive and the integrated bluetooth.

No more:
Incorrect incoming calls
Abbreviated Phone Book List
One name and number per user


enjoy

http://edbmw.com/blog/2007/06/29/bmw-3-ser...ty-user-report/

freed0m

Sweet!!! Just got me an iPhone as well

vandal1x

how did you get your background color blue?

Rudy

That's the background color of the communications screens but since the photo is of an E90, there may be a difference in the hue...

Hormazd

I must second Rudy's comments and also add that until Apple gets the I-phone actively synching with corporate messaging systems its target market will be just wealthy consumers who want an I-pod, phone, camera, PDA and game player all in one.

bceverly

For what it's worth, there is a Microsoft Exchange menu item on my new iPhone and it is syncing to my MSExchange server just fine!

nickolas_g

Add to this that both iPhone and Blackberry do not address for corporate mail and that is a security layer on most PCs and laptops.

VPN

Until VPN is integrated into the iPhone or Blackberry companies are going to be looking to the Microsoft solution.

From my history, and Steve Jobs detest of corporations (even though he is one) Apple will never have a VPN solution for the iPhone. There isn't even a SDK!

das

Actually, iPhone includes VPN support for L2TP (IPsec) and PPTP, which will support many corporate VPN systems from various vendors (Cisco, Microsoft). (I'm using it right now.)

Additionally, support for synchronizing with various corporate email/calendaring systems is just a matter of time. Remember also that just about anything that is possible with the hardware of the phone can be added via software updates.

I understand that we have a lot of haters right now, but for all its shortcomings, it's pretty clear that the iPhone is not just an incremental improvement in phones or a curiosity, but actually a breakthrough in such devices, and this from a first gen device no less. All you have to do is use one for ten minutes to figure that out.

That said, sure, if it doesn't support X, Y, or Z that is a deal breaker in your environment, then obviously iPhone isn't the right choice. And at this point, it's definitely a consumer-targeted device. Apple isn't targeting enterprise at all with iPhone. As someone who has used things like Treo, Blackberry, and Motorola Q heavily, I can say that from a general technological perspective, those things don't even come close. Anyone can say "But my Blackberry can do..." or "But on the Treo I can..." That is totally missing the point. These devices are no longer even in the same class.

I see we have a few people posting everything negative they can find out about the iPhone. The really interesting, and kind of humorous, part is that none of the negative "reviews" are from people who have actually used an iPhone. Here is a sampling from people who have:

And, the first reviews have started to come in:

David Pogue, New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/technolo...ts/27pogue.html

- "so sleek and thin, it makes Treos and BlackBerrys look obese."
- After walking around with the iPhone unprotected for 2 weeks, no marks on it. Glass smudges are easily wiped off.
- 700 megabytes is occupied by the phone's software
- Making calls can be a 6 step process if phone is off.
- Web, Email is superior
- Battery Life Test: 5 hours video, 23 hours audio. Note: did not turn off Wi-Fi and other features as Apple suggests.
- Typing was OK. Difficult at first, but learned to "trust" the keyboard. "The BlackBerry won't be going away anytime soon."
- Cites AT&T network as iPhone's biggest downfall. Cites Consumer Reports survey which ranks AT&T network as last or second to last in 19 out of 20 major US cities.
- AT&T's EDGE cellular network: "excruciatingly slow"
- Slideshow of photos taken with iPhone http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/06/2...LIDESHOW_1.html
- Video Review http://video.on.nytimes.com/index.jsp?fr_s...f3940afb8a3f7c8

Steven Levy, Newsweek <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19444948/>

- bottom line is that the iPhone is a significant leap
- The iPhone is the rare convergence device where things actually converge.
- e-mail looks more like you're working on a computer than a clunky phone
- YouTube videos work great on Wi-Fi, but can display in a lower quality when you're not at a hotspot and are using AT&T's EDGE network
- unless I did a lot of video watching or Web browsing, [the battery] could generally last the day
- I've been jamming it in my pocket with keyrings, coins and pens, and so far it's nearly as good as new.

Edward Baig, USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edw...ne-review_N.htm

- Apple's iPhone isn't perfect, but it's worthy of the hype
- The revelation is that it's also comfortable to hold and touch.
- I expected to miss the tactile feel that a physical keyboard provides. I didn't.
- You can hold a conference call with up to five people.
- No voice recognition or voice dialing
- halfway decent internal speakers for listening if you set the thing down
- iPod games are not compatible with iPhone
- our company tech department raised questions about the security settings Apple required with our Microsoft Exchange servers.
- Battery life didn't prove to be a big problem in my unscientific tests

Walt Mossberg, Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118289311361649057.html

- Our verdict is that, despite some flaws and feature omissions, the iPhone is, on balance, a beautiful and breakthrough handheld computer. Its software, especially, sets a new bar for the smart-phone industry, and its clever finger-touch interface, which dispenses with a stylus and most buttons, works well, though it sometimes adds steps to common functions.
- largest, highest resolution screen of any smart phone they've seen, most internal memory
- Impressive battery life and thin
- Feels solid
- Regarding the touch keyboard: "After five days of use, Walt -- who did most of the testing for this review -- was able to type on it as quickly and accurately as he could on the Palm Treo he has used for years."
- Can't use T-Mobile SIM cards
- Wi-Fi capability doesn't fully make up for the lack of a fast cellular data capability
- Multitouch: "effective, practical and fun"
- No way to copy/paste text
- Microsoft's Exchange system support
- Voice call quality was good, but not great
- Can't record video
- No Adobe Flash support
- Songs can't be set as ringtones
- Apple says it plans to add features to the phone over time, via free downloads, and hints that some of these holes may be filled
- Video review http://link.brightcove.com/services/player...ctid=1077968178

JSpira

VPN isn't enough.

The iPhone lacks the security features that BlackBerry users take for granted. See my syndicated column for details about this.

das

First, iPhone is not targeted at enterprise.

Second, a user forwarding email to outside, non-company systems in order so it can be checked via IMAP/POP has ZERO to do with the iPhone's "security features". If that is a violation of any corporate policy, it has nothing to do with iPhone. That's a user issue.

Also, IMAP over SSL meets or exceeds any security requirements corporate IT might believe they're fulfilling with integrated solutions. IMAP over SSL is used heavily in academic, government, and military environments that prefer open standards over closed (but admittedly sometimes necessary) groupware systems. That said, secure email using IMAP over SSL, which can be accessed via iPhone AND over a VPN as well if necessary, can be easily provided by any corporate IT department if necessary.