iPhone: A Productivity Tool?

For the record I did not require multitasking since taking notes while recording a lecture wasn't necessary for me. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. And since I have owned and used extensively every major device but a BB and have done similar tasks with them I can say that none would have faired any better. And to some degree those devices would have faired worse. If I would have used my Dash or still had my hx4700 I would have had to purchase another SD card (at least 8GB) or transfer recordings each night just to be ready for the next class which I don't have time to do each night or even every other night. The iPhone I use has 16GB with more than enough space for me not to worry about recording or anything else I need to do on a daily basis.

My reason for writing what I was able to do with the iPhone was just to show it is possible. The complicated part was figuring out just how to setup eWallet with only relative and important information.

Interstink,

I can see by the fact that you are selectively taking parts of my comments out of context, partaking in ad hominem attacks and regurgitating previous positions on this thread that you are flame baiting at this point.

Enjoy posting against yourself. Not gonna bite.

BTW, people who are "Just disappointed with Microsoft's direction or lack there-of", don't generally take every opportunity they can to bash the company for it, especially when most of the time the bashing is based on falacious claims and circular arguments.

You are truly a WM hater through and through or your just fronting. Either way I'm done.

You mean the "X" in the corner now closes the running application in WM now? Hmmm, we still use a 3rd party WM app. to truly close an app. WM just minimizes everything, unless something has changed in the last few weeks?

I dont hate Windows Mobile in the least... I continue to develop software for Windows Mobile. Just disappointed with Microsoft's direction or lack there-of.

The problems with Windows Mobile are not just skin deep, and still exist as I remember them. A few of my employees still use WM and complain about the same issues I once dealt with daily.

I was just curious where all your iPhone knowledge/dislike came from, I guessed it was not from personal experience.

Before you can truly be taken seriously, you really should have hands on experience (Which means more then walking into a store and playing with a device for a few minutes). You are simply not qualified to speak about a product you have not used extensively.

Interstink,

I don't own one. It does not suit my needs without time consuming workarounds like the one in this article, especially when it comes to multi-tasking or the lack there-of. It also does not have any client MS RDP software, Watchguard Mobile User VPN software nor does it have a pocket version of QB Pro. In addition, the iPhone interface is unappealing to me beyond the smooth flow. I can not get to my pertinent information by just looking at the home screen, and it takes more time to do basic tasks than it does on my WM device. I have reviewed the store models and my clients' iPhones every time there is an update. I currently manage 3 iPhones and about 6 iPod Touches for my clients ever since they came out.

FYI, the iPhone Safari vulnerabilities are current as I mentioned before, which was one of the points to begin with.

BTW, no OS can multi-task an infinite amount of programs. All fully functioning OS platforms have a way to close processes (usually with an "X" button somewhere at the top of a window) for that reason, not because multi-tasking makes the OS unstable. lol

C'mon interstink is there no end to your WM hatred? You wanna talk about dealing with issues from the here and now, but then turn around and complain about WM issues from the past that do not exist now. lol

Physboy, you are talking about vulnerabilities from two years ago? Ahhh, ok... My comments are based on present day reports and this article. If you want to look to the past, I guess MS has a history of being "very secure", looking to the past may dictate what we will see in the future from MS. If you haven't figured it out yet, nothing is totally secure, not even the the great iPhone and Mac OS.

Physboy, how long have you owned or used an iPhone? Just curious...

LOL, that was a great pictorial analogy J2!!

Interstink, I was referring to the days when the Jailbreak was done via software vulnerabilities which are still there (not the same though) and are sure to be exploited during the next CanSecWest event provided that Apple does not pay Tipping Point the amount that he wants for the info on the vulnerability.

Agreed... Skin deep...

It's all about usability for the End User. It's great to have so many options for all types of consumers.

Physboy... BTW, "The iPhone Jailbreak are at the hardware level, nothing can be done about them via software."

Hope ya'll don't mind me interjecting into your dialog.

I can't help but get the feeling that Windows Mobile vs. iPhone comparisons are usually skin deep (please note: I'm not talking about the discussion you two are having but many comparison's I've seen in general). Many of them begin and end with a discussions of the user interface and totally ignore the functionality that either platform offers. I think that Koushik Dutta sumarized the comparisons best with a picture (I've you not seen his opinion on the whole thing google his name while you are some place other than work, the image is potentially funny or offensive).

I think it may be a little too soon to say that WM has gone the way of Palm with respect to OS updates. WM is derived by the latest stable version of Windows CE. At the time WM6.1 was developed they used CE5.2. Looking at the differences in functionality from CE5.2 to CE6.0 the extended capabilities are pretty compeling (from a developer perspective).

Okay, I'm done. continue your conversation :-)

Physboy, looks like this is our personal thread.

Let me clarify... I have used PocketPC and WM for many years and enjoy many aspects about that experience. I did not enjoy having to reset my device's almost daily, but did like it's openness. There are a few features (Software) I do miss from the "Old" WM days, Mortscript for one! I also recall having to hack the crap out of my WM device to get it to do exactly what I required from WM. Not to different from my iPhone experience...

A more "Open" OS may benefit some people a lot more then others. I do prefer a more open device (I Jailbreak my iPhone), but wont be going back to WM until I see something that can compete with the iPhone experience.

WM fast becoming the old Palm OS. That Palm OS didnt change it's core since it's inception, and look what happened to Palm. I think it's safe to say, if Palm Pre doesn't deliver, Palm may not survive for very long. We know Microsoft isnt going anywhere, but WM has "Jumped the Shark".

I disagree with most of that Interstink. The WM platform is an ever evolving platform that is becoming more and more stable and secure while not sacrificing it's openness. Before you go on your WM hating rant, understand that BB, Palm and Android also offer multi-tasking.

In all their quests to provide mobile usability, they have all made mistakes along the way. To their credit, some of the mistakes were simply not due to them but more the HW not meeting the needs of the platform (ODM fail), and then being mass marketed for profit and upgrade path purposes regardless. In addition, there was the influence of inappropriate software (Dev fail) which would not even uninstall properly in many cases.

To Apple's credit they provided HW that was more appropriate for the OS, and a more controlled App offering process with their App store. However, regarding openness, they have only showed that they have yet to be able to offer a platform which they are willing to stand behind which is as open as the WM, BB, Palm (new and old OSes) or even Android.

They will though, at some point, just like when they gave up the EXACT same lame excuses for not doing 3G.

Just like there is NO excuse for WM waiting so long to create a more user friendly and a non-stylus dependant OS interface, there is NO excuse for Apple to be taking so long to create an equally open platform to their mobile counter parts. Some might say that they are just trying to avoid the potential that they are not able to be as stable while providing the same openness as their to be competitors. (Not verifiable of course, until they actually reach that point.) Others have said that they are just creating hype by giving so many menial software updates to the original HW which are just simple additions which are slowly but surely allowing the iPhone to meet the standard feature sets already out there in the smartphone arena platforms.

The story will be told when the iPhone actually reaches the point of being as open as their mobile (at that point) true competitors.

BTW, that whole bit about "Ooooh, I would rather have a stable platform than more functionality..." bit is sooooo beat. If that were true, why not just keep all of your iPhones as 2Gs with the same firmware version prior to the 3rd party app featured 3G iPhone firmware? It was more stable then, than it is now, but of course with less features.

The fact of the matter is that a lot of the iFans (especially the ones bloggidy blogging) like the interface, and are hoping, and waiting to one day get the same functionality out of it as one can from the other platforms. All this while hoping that the stability will be the same as the original offering. (IMO, not realistic given current evidence)

My point exactly Physboy... WM does require a 3rd party app. in order to CLOSE running applications. Why, because background applications do in fact slow the OS and hinder the usability of a WM device.

Apple, is looking at this process much differently. Which I can agree with for MANY consumers, just not for the consumers that once owned a Windows Mobile Device or know what background processing means.

WM Device owners are more tech savvy then the average iPhone user. My mother could never used a WM device, but she now owns an iPhone and loves it. If she had to learn to close apps in a specific way, or allow certain applications to run in the background I have no doubt her iPhone experience would be less then stellar.

Again, history shows us, Apple and Microsoft Think Different. And one company cares more about the experience, the other more about wide adoption no matter the cost.

Interstink, SPB Pocket Plus does that for me, plus enables finger scrolling in all basic WM windows, as well as PIE enhancements and added button app settings.

No doubt that there are always going to be enhancements which 3rd party apps offer to the native OS setup. That is the beauty of the WM OS, anything is modifiable without necessarily comprimising security and stability.

Your background app is only for Jailbroken phones which has been proven to be an issue for stability on many iPhones. Incidently what allows the Jailbreaking is the same vulnerability that has been exploited for breaching the iPhone as exposed by the latest CanSecWest conference.

The conference where it was predicted that Apple's Safari would fall first within seconds are predicting that next year iPhone will also be breached.

Physboy, there is an application made for lectures/meetings that will record audio as well as giving you a notes entry window. It also allows you to email the notes and audio file.

But I do agree NATIVE background applications would be nice. I can do background applications (Allowing apps to keep running) using a 3rd party app called Backgrounder. But Apple should work on this regardless of the battery hit your device may take.

Physboy, what 3rd party WM app do you use to CLOSE (Not the X to minimize) an application?

How will he be able to take notes on your iPhone, during class, while simultaneously recording your lecture since there is no multi-tasking?

In addition, this seems like quite a complicated workaround for what comes so simply on a Palm, BB, or WM device, especially given that all of these platforms support multi-tasking.