October 8th, 2009

Verizon ad trashes AT&T's 3G coverage

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 10:48 am

Categories: 3G, AT&T, Verizon

Tags: Advertisement, Verizon Communications Inc., AT&T Corp., Apple Inc., Tagline, 3G, Cellular Phones, Wireless And Mobility, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology

A new Verizon TV commercial criticizes AT&T’s 3G coverage in the United States and claims that the carrier has fives times the amount of 3G coverage as “the nation’s number 2 wireless company” — AT&T. The Verizon ad mocks Apple’s famous “there’s an app for that” tagline, changing it to “there’s a map for that.”

Tip: Edible Apple

July 21st, 2009

Apple: iPhone adoption in the enterprise to climb

Posted by David Morgenstern @ 2:50 pm

Categories: 10.6, 3G, iPhone OS 3.0

Tags: Apple iPhone, Apple Inc., Smart Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, David Morgenstern

In its quarterly investor report, Apple executives said that 5.2 million iPhones were sold in the quarter, a year-over-year unit growth of 626 percent thanks to the release of the iPhone 3G S. The new iPhone is currently constrained worldwide, and managers couldn’t say when the supply problem would ease. In addition, the supply issue could slow upcoming introductions in some world markets by a number of week, executives said.

Just as interesting were the statements about acceptance of enterprise and government market customers for the iPhone. In Tuesday’s analyst conference call, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer said the company saw great opportunity in these markets.

According to Oppenheimer, some 20 percent of Fortune 100 companies had placed orders of 10,000 units or more. And some governmental agencies had made orders up to 25,000 units.

The security and encryption features of iPhone OS 3.0 is the difference, he said.

Check Out: Bits from Apple’s iPhone deployment guide for the enterprise

This is very positive news for customers that have traditionally been hostile to Apple products. Certainly, Apple’s moves towards Windows integration in the iPhone and in the coming Snow Leopard version of the Mac OS will continue to warm up the usually chilly reception in enterprise IT departments.

July 14th, 2009

Bits from Apple's iPhone deployment guide for the enterprise

Posted by David Morgenstern @ 9:56 am

Categories: 3G, iPhone 3.0, iPhone 3GS, iPhone OS 3.0, iPod touch

Tags: Apple iPhone, Device, Apple Inc., Configuration Profile, Smart Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, David Morgenstern

Following the release of the iPhone Software 3.0, Apple also presented corporate customers with its first edition of the iPhone OS Enterprise Deployment Guide. This manual is packed with instructions for setting up mass quantities of iPhones and iPod Touches as well as some interesting “important” notes and tips.

Here are some of these items that the guide considered important as well as some other items I found interesting:

First was a warning about the time it takes to remotely wipe an iPhone. This action removes all data and config info from the device, which is restored to its factory settings. But this all takes a while, a number of hours depending on how much memory the iPhone contains.

Important:  With some devices, such as older iPhone models and iPod touch, wiping can take approximately one hour for each 8 GB of device capacity. Connect these devices to a power supply before wiping. If the device turns off due to low power, the wiping process resumes when the device is connected to power.

Read the rest of this entry »

June 11th, 2009

How mad are iPhone customers at AT&T? The ways are counted!

Posted by David Morgenstern @ 1:12 pm

Categories: 3G, AT&T, iPhone, iPhone 3.0

Tags: Apple iPhone, AT&T Corp., MacTech, Text Messaging/SMS/MMS, Advertising & Promotion, Business Services, Internet, Cellular Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology

As I mentioned in a post following the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, iPhone customers of AT&T are hopping mad. Now, the results of  a poll shows exactly how mad.

Read: iPhone Software 3.0: Outrage climbs over missing AT&T support for new iPhone features

To give the culprit (and Apple too) a reading on dissatisfaction levels, MacTech magazine posted a poll, Shame on you AT&T, which went live during the keynote. The results were announced on Thursday.

Here are the numbers:

Question 1:  AT&T: You should be embarrassed for your support. Shame on you.
1. I agree: 97.8%
2. I disagree: 2.2%

* Question 2: AT&T is not supporting tethering of the iPhone. This feature is:
1. Not important to me: 4.4%
2. Somewhat useful to me: 25.8%
3. Very important to me: 69.9%

* Question 3: AT&T’s network is not as robust as other networks. This
feature is:
1. Not important to me: 0.7%
2. Somewhat useful to me: 5.5%
3. Very important to me: 93.7%

* Question 4: AT&T is not supporting MMS for several months. This feature is:
1. Not important to me: 9.3%
2. Somewhat useful to me: 26.6%
3. Very important to me: 64.1%

* Question 5: The following describes me best:
1. I’m happy with AT&T: 3.8%
2. I’ll go with whatever carrier supports the iPhone: 50.6%
3. I’m looking for any way to leave AT&T as soon as possible: 45.6%

Read the rest of this entry »

June 8th, 2009

iPhone Software 3.0: Outrage climbs over missing AT&T support for new iPhone features

Posted by David Morgenstern @ 3:19 pm

Categories: 3G, WWDC, iPhone 3.0

Tags: Apple iPhone, AT&T Corp., Apple Inc., Text Messaging/SMS/MMS, Cellular Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Online Communications, David Morgenstern

The grumbling began in the audience during the keynote address to the Worldwide Developers Conference. Some of the most requested features available in the forthcoming iPhone software update won’t be supported at launch by AT&T, the U.S. carrier.

To give Apple and AT&T a quick reading on customer dissatisfaction, MacTech, a Mac developer magazine and online resource, on Monday started up a poll on the topic named: Shame on you AT&T. It went live during the keynote!

For example, tethering, or using the phone as a cellular modem for a MacBook — with either the standard iPhone USB adapter or through Bluetooth connection — won’t be supported by AT&T. Apple said that 22 carriers were ready to go with this capability, but there was no no word in the keynote address about if and when this would be offered to AT&T customers.

Another missing feature is MMS support. However, Apple said this support would follow in the summer.

Here’s the the statement from MacTech:

Today, in addition to a new iPhone 3GS phone, Apple spoke about iPhone 3.0 software and new features coming. Absent from the announcement is support for features in the United States at the same level as the support in other countries.

In an effort for AT&T to understand the ramifications of their decisions, support levels, and more, MacTech Magazine has opened a survey for all to participate in to send AT&T a clear message as to what the community thinks.

The poll asks responders if these features are important to them, such as tethering, video SMS, and network quality. It starts with “AT&T: You should be embarrassed for your support. Shame on you.” That’s a yes-no question.

AT&T and Apple executives may want to check out the responses to Question 7:

The following describes me best:
- I’m happy with AT&T
- I’ll go with whatever carrier supports the iPhone
- I’m looking for any way to leave AT&T as soon as possible

Another great day in AT&T branding history!

June 7th, 2009

Apple's WWDC announcements vs. the online rumor machine

Posted by David Morgenstern @ 8:51 pm

Categories: 10.6, 3G, Leopard, Server, Tablet, WWDC, Windows

Tags: Apple iPhone, Apple Macintosh, WWDC, Apple Inc., Desktops, Apple Mac OS X, Hardware, Operating Systems, Software, Apple Mac OS

The pitch of iPhone rumors keeps climbing towards a teeth-grinding, mind-numbing howl in advance of Monday’s announcements at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. Will the likely actual announcements and demonstrations — of an iPhone software platform that really can be used for the enterprise, of an improved Mac OS X OS for client and server machines, of better tools for developers, and of improved support for the Mac in the SMB space, and dare we say it, the enterprise — be a total letdown for the rumor machine?

The community and Wall Street appear to be single-mindedly focused on hardware announcements, either a low-end $99 iPhone or an Apple netbook. Or a refresh of the iPhone 3G, with more memory or more everything.  Or news of a tablet-style Mac from Apple.  For example, a CNET story runs down the “things that appear likely.”

Of course, there could be some hardware announcement. Or not, which will likely rile the rumor machine and “The Market,” with their common wisdom about what should have been introduced.

Several years ago in a post, I recalled an Apple introduction in 1997. We would do well to remember this event at this moment.

I was then the executive editor for news at MacWEEK. One of the nerve-wracking parts of my job was to bet on exactly what products Apple executives would announce on a given launch event and then dig out the details of the products, such as the processor speeds and cost for the models. Despite our many sources, there was always a worry since stories on the front page of the newsweekly were written days in advance of the Monday publishing date. Things can change,

Just as tough as the reporting from inside the curtain in Cupertino was going up against the tide of rumors floating about outside Apple (and sometimes inside). Then, just as now, there were all kinds of rumors of what Apple would announce and what the company should announce.

Back in 1997, the strongest rumor was about some kind of mobile computing device or a tablet. Sound familiar?

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May 25th, 2009

iPhone: the greatest mobile fingerpainting platform?

Posted by David Morgenstern @ 2:56 pm

Categories: 3G, App Store, Boot Camp, WWDC, Windows Mobile, iPhone, iPhone SDK

Tags: Apple iPhone, Apple Macintosh, Mobile, Desktops, Hardware, David Morgenstern

In yet another example of amazing iPhone apps (and amazing users), an artist paints the coming week’s cover of the New Yorker magazine with his iPhone. And the story also points out how far Apple’s competition has to climb to even come close.

The artist is Jorge Colombo, who used Steve Sprang’s $4.99 Brushes app to create the cover art. He also is selling limited-edition “iSketches,” hardcopy prints made with archival inks.

Another app can create a flipbook movie of the making of the painting, which you can see at the bottom of this New Yorker blog posting.

What comes to mind here is that anyone who uses the words “iPhone killer” when referring to an iPhone competitor should watch this video and really think hard about the iPhone ecology before hitting the publish button.

Read the rest of this entry »

March 16th, 2009

Apple Warning: Water and iPhones don't mix

Posted by David Morgenstern @ 5:16 pm

Categories: 3G, iPhone, iPod touch

Tags: Apple iPhone, Headphone, Apple Inc., PocketSolutions, 3G, Cellular Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, David Morgenstern

According to a recent technical note, Apple says neither its warranty nor its AppleCare Protection insurance will cover water damage for iPhones and iPods. The devices incorporate technology that tells technicians whether or not the hardware has been submerged.

Liquid Submersion Indicator is triggered when liquid enters the iPhone or iPod. The indicator will turn red or pink when the device has been submerged in liquid.

You can tell if the Liquid Submersion Indicator has been triggered by looking directly down into the headphone jack. Either use a lighted magnifying glass, or angle the iPhone or iPod so light shines down into the headphone jack. At the base of the headphone jack, you should see what is normally a white or silver colored dot. Half of the dot becomes red (or a pinkish color) when the device has been submerged in liquid. iPhone 3G models also have a Liquid Submersion Indicator located on the bottom of the connector housing, just under the 30-pin dock connector. To view the indicator, use a lighted magnifying glass and hold the iPhone 3G so that you can view the center bottom of the dock connector housing. A full red dot will appear if the indicator has been triggered.

Of course, since the iPhone can be used without headphones, most cases leave the headphone jack uncovered. And many styles leave the dock connector open. That’s a problem out in the rain or in the bathroom.

A quick search showed a couple of waterproof (and shockproof) cases for the iPhone 2G:

Read the rest of this entry »

March 10th, 2009

AT&T: Less bars in more places

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 9:51 am

Categories: 3G, AT&T, iPhone

Tags: Mobile, AT&T Corp., Advertising & Promotion, Marketing, Jason D. O'Grady

This weekend I had the good fortune to visit some phamily in Virginia and was embarrassed at the poor performance of the AT&T network on my iPhone. It  would probably sting a little less if AT&T didn’t run obnoxious ads touting “more bars in more places” — which couldn’t be further from the truth.

In and around Hampton, VA (and especially during the Phish reunion shows this weekend) AT&T’s network was abysmal. Text and phone calls routinely phailed, and voice and text messages that eventually did go through we delayed anywhere from ten to 30 minutes. Nothing like getting that “need a beer? I’m in line” text a half an hour too late.

Twitter was almost completely unavailable at Hampton, at least on iPhones on AT&T. Tweetie couldn’t connect at all during the shows and I had to resort to using Twitter’s mobile interface (m.twitter.com) which was fair at best. About one in every four Web tweets went out.

Compounding matters was the horrible AT&T reception during Macworld Expo in San Francisco in January. I guess that AT&T doesn’t scale very well and/or doesn’t roll out the mobile antennas to sites where large amounts of their customers will be congregating. Which is a real shame. Will AT&T phail again during WWDC in June? My advice: don’t plan on liveTweeting the keynote.

Dear AT&T: there’s a large conference of 20,000+ iPhone-toting Mac heads coming to Moscone sometime in May or June. You may want to truck in a couple of mobile cell sites. I’m just sayin’…

In my part of the the northeastern U.S. (southern NJ) Verizon Wireless has always had the best mobile & data reception with AT&T coming in a distant second (maybe third, behind Sprint) — especially at the beach. More bars in more places? I don’t think so.

How’s the AT&T by you? Who has the best mobile and/or data reception in your neck?

February 15th, 2009

Free iPhone tethering options

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 8:24 pm

Categories: 3G, AT&T, iPhone

Tags: Apple iPhone, Option, Tools & Techniques, Telecom & Utilities, Management, Jason D. O'Grady

Tethering your iPhone for free used to simply require jailbreaking your phone and installing PDAnet, but JuneCloud got wise and has since have since started charging $30 per year for the software.

But don’t fret, Gizmodo reports that there are at least two free options for tethering. One is iPhoneModem.de the other is iPhoneModem ($10 gets rid of the nags). The piece notes that there’s a third option called 3proxy but that it requires lots of manual configuration.

If you’re gun shy about jailbreaking your iPhone in light of Apple’s insistance that it’s illegal, you’ll have to wait for the rumored official tethering from AT&T. Good luck with that.

How do you tether?