IPHONE – A phone for All

 

Apple is pushing to meet or exceed its current target of selling 10 million Iphones this year.  However, Apple COO believes that in order to reach that target, they would have to implement some new features as well as tweak the Iphones.

Analysts claim that it is wishful thinking on Apple’s part to realize their goal of 10million units this year.  However Apple has plans to realize this target.  Apple understands its lack of penetration into the enterprise user segment and has realized in order to achieve its sales target for the year – the only possible way is to attract enterprise users.   This has caused Apple to focus on their enterprise potential customers and would address two primary areas of concern in the enterprise arena:

• Email – Email is harder to type on an Iphone and is not compatible with Microsoft Exchange. Blackberry is the favorite of enterprise users due to the above mentioned issue.
• 3G – There are 3G phones out in the market however Apple’s Iphone still isn’t 3G.

In order to penetrate this segment of the market, Apple would have to resolve these issues as promptly as possible.  They have already started working on the 3G model and would be out around June.  As far as the enterprise email and Apps is concerned, Steve Jobs promised that the software update to be released in June would have all the necessary additions needed by enterprise users.  This list included:

• Push email and Calendar items from the Company’s servers to the iphone
• synchronize contact lists
• Enforce securities policies – Wipe out data on an iphone remotely in case it is stolen.
• Support for Microsoft Exchange – “To meet the demand, Apple licensed Microsoft’s ActiveSync protocol for connecting the iPhone’s e-mail client directly to an Exchange server. As a result, e-mail, calendaring and contact items can be pushed directly to the smartphone”, Steve Jobs stated.
• Move user profiles into Iphone painlessly from Blackberry – Apples competitor in the enterprise sector.

Apple is currently testing its Iphone enterprise features with Nike and Disney to attract feedback from the users before its official release in June this year.

All these additions would make one less reason of not buying the iphone which is apparently loved by all, but due to lack of enterprise features, the Iphone didn’t penetrate that segment very well.

Apple also released a Software Development Kit’s beta edition for enterprise customers to be able to write custom applications suiting their needs for their Iphones.   All of this is to gain competitive advantage over RiM’s Blackberry which is the favorite among enterprise users currently.

Another glimpse of how fiercely Apple is targeting the enterprise segment – As quoted on Silicon Alley Insiders article titled Apple/Kleiner Iphone Apps Fund.

Valley-based VC firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers has earmarked 100 million to fund companies developing apps for Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch. Companies large and small are eligible, and the fund will focus on apps including “location based services, social networking, mCommerce, communication, and entertainment.” Sounds like… everything!

More reading on this IFund at KPCB article.

Apple would keep 30% of the revenue generated through the Iphone apps while the developers would keep the rest.

This move from Apple to allow developers to develop new Apps for the Iphone would be welcomed heavily.  However Apple would have to approve every application for the Iphone – which is sort of a setback.

By researching quite a bit on this topic, it is quite evident how Steve Jobs and his team believe that in order to reach their target sales, the enterprise users would prove to be the deciding factor.  With opening their platforms for developers, I believe Apple might just about reach that target!

Video of Microsoft CEO laughing at the Iphone:

Note in the beginning how Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer laughed at how the iphone did not appeal to business customers! Well Steve  – now what do you say?

Google Offers Google Map on Cell Phones

Google map + Cell phone photos + Dumpster diving = Awesome

Last night I was reading TeachCrunch blog and I found this article interesting Google Gears Goes Mobile. This article has talked about Google’s various tools and techniques, but I feel interested about Google Map in handsets and I decided to bring it here.

Recently Google has introduced version 2.0 (v2.0) of Google Maps for cell phones. This mobile mapping and local search is a beta version of Google “My Locations”. It is a device with GPS built and a new feature which uses data from cell phone towards to provide an approximation of your location on a Goolge Map. But it does not work for every cell phone unfortunately.

Which phones does Google Maps support?

Google Maps works with the following devices:

• Most Java-enabled (J2ME) mobile phones.
• Palm devices with Palm OS 5 and above.
• All color BlackBerry devices.
• Windows Mobile devices with Windows Mobile 2003, 5.0 and above.
• Symbian Series 60 3rd edition devices.
• Some recent Motorola devices
• Some recent Sony Ericsson devices

Visit here for How do you start using Google Maps once I’ve installed it onto my phone?

Another one: Take the power of Google Maps with you on your mobile phone.

Is it free?

Google is providing free of cost for Maps for cell phones. It is free of cost if you have Windows Mobile and then just visit the site and download the CAB file. But you have to pay the costs of contract net. So to make sure you have to contact with cell phone provider about your plan and monthly fees.

Does Goolge Map work everywhere?

Currently Goolge Map for cell phones is available for just over 20 countries. They are still working on to spread it all over the world.

I think it is really cool and easy to install. It is a great innovation from Google and so much better than map search function anyone have it before. In overall, Goolge Map for mobile is a pretty efficient program, it’s free and very simple to use/settings and there is no reason you should not have it on your phone.

Classroom Twittering

I was just reading one of Mike Arrington’s blog posts on Twitter about how Twitter can be used in classrooms for reminders of whats going on in class. An example was if there was a test or assignment due the next day in class, Twitter could be used for a friendly reminder.

Would this be possible in our class or is it going too far? I haven’t yet used Twitter, only read about it, so would it be too much of a hassle to try a class Twitter blog that everyone could Twitter too?

Just a thought.

Also, just a side note, one of Robert Scoble’s post called “Diapers that Twitter when they are dirty…” referred to a post written by Phillip Torrone called “HOW TO – Make plants talk! […]”, which, in a sense, does exactly that.  He has been able to hook up a device to plants that will Twitter your “twitter blog” (for lack of knowing the right term), when they need to be watered.  If this is possible, almost anything could be possible.  Can you image how Blackberry addicts would use this.  They’d get twittered for just about anything.  I can’t wait to be one:P

Cheers,

David McKenna