Love ‘em or hate ‘em … the monolithic Microsoft has some pretty impressive tactics when it comes to the way they deal with their competitors. We’re all familiar with stories of their hostility toward open source software initiatives. But that hostility is actually quite targeted and deliberate. Microsoft doesn’t hate all things “open source” – Microsoft targets their cross hairs on all things “competitor.” That’s why they have (for years) been pouring money into various open source projects. Why? To commoditize their competition’s product and service offerings; essentially sucking the value out of a market that their competitor dominates. Whatever your stance on the ethics, you have to admit it’s a clever strategy. You don’t try take Goliath head-on, you undermine his footing and rob him of his strength. This is precisely what Microsoft is doing with Google Maps to help bolster it’s Bing Maps product.
Read more…
Home
It’s been over a month since I made the switch to the iPhone as my primary mobile device. On the whole, I am happy with the performance. What I find strking is how the iPhone has crystalized all the BlackBerry shortcomings that once irritated me. For some things, now I wonder how I ever put up with that frustration at all. But I still miss that keyboard!
I’d say the best thing to come out of this experiment is actually seeing the IT Weapons team join the dialogue and share their own insights. Each of our teams uses their mobile device in different ways. Our consultants have different demands than our account managers. I am compiling their feedback on iPhones and BlackBerrys, and I’ll post their insight soon. I’ll start with my own reflections.
Read more…
Stunning … but not surprising… news this weekend. RIM has finally decided to shake up it’s leadership team. According to the CBC this morning, “RIM’s co-CEOs stepped down as heads of the Waterloo, Ont.-based technology company, effective immediately. The company’s board of directors unanimously named former chief operating officer Thorsten Heins as president and CEO on the advice of the two co-founders.” (source here). This change in leadership has sparked plenty of conversation and speculation … but will it be enough for RIM to stay competitive in the mobile device marketplace? Read more…
Anxiety. The experiment is real now. I don’t have my BlackBerry anymore. It’s on my desk, but it’s no longer my mobile device. The first day with the iPhone is like a first date: it’s awkward, thrilling, and filled with uncertainty. It feels so foreign … and fragile. But I think I like it. The activation process and getting the iPhone synced up with our Exchange email server was a snap. Just like it was on the iPad when I got one in 2010. Setting up the Wi-Fi at home, getting a few cool apps installed, and checking work email went very smoothly. But there was no keyboard. How do you compose anything bigger than a Tweet with just a touchscreen? I need a keyboard. The BlackBerry has a keyboard. How do people send real emails as quickly as I did before without a keyboard? The first dance with my iPhone is causing me mixed emotions! Read more…
Perhaps the biggest problem with all these consumer devices on corporate networks is the lack of proper support tools and device management capabilities that BlackBerry users have long enjoyed. Happily, we see that supportability and manageability of iPhones for the enterprise is maturing. It’s almost where it needs to be for widespread acceptance and to be in line with security best practices. Wait … Did I say “almost there”? You might ask, “Aren’t there thousands of iPhones in corporate hands right now?” Yes. Unfortunately that’s true. Perhaps you’re one of those early adopters who’ve been accessing work email and data on an iPhone. Well, I have been watching you and your impact on business IT for a long time. You are causing a whole lot of issues, and you can be expensive.
Read more…
