iPhone: The Missing Manual, 2nd Edition

Chapter 15. The Corporate iPhone

No, the chapter name "The Corporate iPhone" is not an oxymoron. Yes, for the first year of its existence, people thought of the iPhone as a personal device, meant for consumers and not for corporations. But somebody at Apple must have gotten sick of hearing, "Well, the iPhone is cool, but it's no BlackBerry." With the introduction of the iPhone 2.0 software, the iPhone is ready to start nipping at the BlackBerry's heels. The iPhone now has security and compatibility features that your corporate technical overlords require.

Even better, the iPhone can now talk to Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync servers, staples of corporate computer departments that, among other things, keep smartphones wirelessly updated with the calendar, contacts, and email back at the office. (Yes, it sounds a lot like MobileMe. Which is probably why Apple's MobileMe slogan was, "Exchange for the rest of us.")

The Perks

This chapter is intended for you, the iPhone owner—not for the highly paid, well-trained, exceedingly friendly IT (information technology) managers at your company.

Your first task is to persuade them that your iPhone is now secure and compatible enough to welcome into the company's network. Here's some information that you can use to convince them:

• Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. Exchange ActiveSync is the technology that keeps smartphones wirelessly synced with the data on the mother ship's computers. The iPhone now works with Exchange ActiveSync, so it can remain ...