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Most people think the iPhone — with its games and other apps — is a toy, and the BlackBerry is for serious stuff. The latter is fantastic for emails and that’s why almost all companies in India have given their executives this smartphone to use. Email is pushed into your device the moment it arrives.
The iPhone too pushes in the email the moment it arrives. It also supports Gmail, Yahoo mail, AOL and many other web-based email services. And it’s much better. So why didn’t companies embrace the iPhone? That’s because Apple made a huge mistake by leaving out support for Lotus Notes that banks and a majority of the companies use.
However, now there is an app called IBM Lotus Notes Traveler Companion. This app is only for those who are already using Lotus Notes Traveler.
The iPhone supports Microsoft Exchange only. With it you get over-the-air push email, calendar and contacts from your Exchange server. Or you can easily connect to standards-based servers. But not too many companies use Microsoft Exchange in India.
Second, the carriers — Airtel and Vodafone — in India have been actively pushing the BlackBerry to companies by offering them discounts. Abroad, it is the other way around. In the UK, the iPhone is given free if you become their customer. In the US, AT&T subsidises the iPhone. That’s why the gadget is cheaper. You are locked to your carrier for almost two years during which time the provider makes up the money and even profits.
The carriers abroad make up for the subsidy from their customers by charging them quite a bit for the plans. I had written last year that in the long run it is much cheaper to use the iPhone in India even though you pay a higher price for the gadget. It still holds true. (See www.telegraphindia.com/1090223/jsp/knowhow/story_10574395.jsp.)
A word of warning. Do not accept an iPhone that has been bought abroad. That’s because nobody has been able to unlock the software version 3.1.3 as yet. If you could unlock it then you could use it in India.
The iPhone 3G S is incredibly fast even on our existing EDGE network. So, you can well imagine how fast it will be when 3G is introduced at the end of the year.
The iPhone 3G S is the best phone for business and it’s going to get better when Apple updates the software. Meanwhile, executives can increase their productivity by using some terrific existing apps. With over 2,00,000 apps on the iTunes store you will need help to get to the good business apps. Here are some of them.
Documents to go Premium: Work with important business documents directly on your iPhone with apps like this one. Create and edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, view PDF and iWork files, and send Microsoft Exchange email and attachments. Includes a desktop app (Win / Mac) for two-way file transfers and synchronisation via Wi-Fi. This costs $14.99.
Risk Manager Mobile: Evaluate your company’s business risks on the iPhone. Record audio, photos and GPS data, and complete questionnaires to form a complete risk management plan.
Cisco SIO to Go: Keep an eye on your network via Cisco Security Intelligence Operations. Monitor and respond to IT alerts and threats directly from your iPhone. It comes for free but requires server integration.
Currency Exchange Rates Pro: Calculate the latest exchange rates for 226 currencies and get automatic updates over the air or via Wi-Fi. It is priced at $0.99
SAP BusinessObjects Explorer for iPhone: Get new insights into your business with this app. See key business data, such as product and store performance through multiple easy-to-interpret chart and table views. Use keywords to quickly navigate corporate data, and share results directly from your iPhone. Requires a software license and SAP BusinessObjects Explorer SP1 or SP2. It’s free but requires server integration
MiniBooks for Freshbooks: This costs $14.99 but is worth it. In the field or in the office, iPhone streamlines sales management with dozens of versatile salesforce automation apps. MiniBooks for FreshBooks lets you manage client records, record time against projects, generate invoices and track payments on your iPhone. Effortlessly synchronise data with your online FreshBooks account.
Hours Tracker: For $ 2.99 you can Track time spent on projects and view earnings, including different rates for different tasks. Clock in or out multiple times, add notes and email reports.
Roambi: This app quickly transforms your business reports and data into secure, interactive mobile dashboards. It instantly delivers the result to any iPhone or iPad. It lets you view and interact with any up-to-the-minute company information. This helps you make smart decisions on the go.
App Corner
For the latest games released this week go to www.telegraphindia.com/bitsnbytes/appcorner.
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