iPhone Thread

[sls.stormyrider]

am I reading this wrong or does part of the function look like a "big brother" for iphones?

[rowjimmy]

am I reading this wrong or does part of the function look like a "big brother" for iphones?

It is. And some of that already exists if you integrate your iPhone with a corporate network. Those kind of controls are desirable for a number of reasons from a corporate IT perspective.

Imagine if an attorney loses his blackberry.  We can wipe that fucker before any privileged info is accidentally exposed.  I'd think that the health care privacy rules would make such features necessary for any healthcare provider too. 

[zimbra]

am I reading this wrong or does part of the function look like a "big brother" for iphones?

It is. And some of that already exists if you integrate your iPhone with a corporate network. Those kind of controls are desirable for a number of reasons from a corporate IT perspective.

Imagine if an attorney loses his blackberry.  We can wipe that fucker before any privileged info is accidentally exposed.  I'd think that the health care privacy rules would make such features necessary for any healthcare provider too.

These were my thoughts exactly.  People will say that this is an invasion of privacy and it allows people to spy on us and so forth.  IMO, if you are dumb enough to think doing fradulent activity on a smart phone was safe previously you are in an idiot and deserve all consequences. 

[sls.stormyrider]

I agree. I have mine set up it to wipe itself with > 10 unsuccessful passwords and have the ability to do it remotely wipe it in case it gets lost or stolen.

I was referring more to the ability to control what apps get downloaded.
For instance, the network at the hospital limits downloads for security reasons, so that a virus doesn't inadvertently infect the network. It also blocks ESPN, Zagats,  and similar entertainment sites because you shouldn't be looking at those at work. They remotely removed FF from my pc a while back because they couldn't control it as well as IE. I have no issue - it is their pc on their network in their building.
but -  I wouldn't want them blocking me from d/l ESPNs app or other entertainment apps on my iphone.

[zimbra]

I agree. I have mine set up for that and have the ability to do it remotely wipe it in case it gets lost or stolen.

I was referring more to the ability to control what apps get downloaded.
For instance, the network at the hospital limits downloads for security reasons, so that a virus doesn't inadvertently infect the network. It also blocks ESPN, Zagats,  and similar entertainment sites because you shouldn't be looking at those at work. I wouldn't want them blocking me from d/l ESPNs app on my iphone.

Oh ok.  They wouldn't be able too unless you are using the hospital's network, I think?  I may be misunderstanding you still.

[rowjimmy]

am I reading this wrong or does part of the function look like a "big brother" for iphones?

It is. And some of that already exists if you integrate your iPhone with a corporate network. Those kind of controls are desirable for a number of reasons from a corporate IT perspective.

Imagine if an attorney loses his blackberry.  We can wipe that fucker before any privileged info is accidentally exposed.  I'd think that the health care privacy rules would make such features necessary for any healthcare provider too.

These were my thoughts exactly.  People will say that this is an invasion of privacy and it allows people to spy on us and so forth.  IMO, if you are dumb enough to think doing fradulent activity on a smart phone was safe previously you are in an idiot and deserve all consequences.

It's not even remotely an invasion of privacy. These features only exist when installed by your employer onto a phone that they provide. This sort of thing has been on Blackberries for years and is why they are still the most used device in legal and government IT. RIM is looking to broaden their customer base even while they lose their foothold in the handset realm. Make sense to me.

[Casey Lenahan]

Im waiting for the iphone 4s to be back in stock, is this better than any of the other smart phones? I think it is but ive never really played with one or anyother kind of smart phone

[zimbra]

am I reading this wrong or does part of the function look like a "big brother" for iphones?

It is. And some of that already exists if you integrate your iPhone with a corporate network. Those kind of controls are desirable for a number of reasons from a corporate IT perspective.

Imagine if an attorney loses his blackberry.  We can wipe that fucker before any privileged info is accidentally exposed.  I'd think that the health care privacy rules would make such features necessary for any healthcare provider too.

These were my thoughts exactly.  People will say that this is an invasion of privacy and it allows people to spy on us and so forth.  IMO, if you are dumb enough to think doing fradulent activity on a smart phone was safe previously you are in an idiot and deserve all consequences.

It's not even remotely an invasion of privacy. These features only exist when installed by your employer onto a phone that they provide. This sort of thing has been on Blackberries for years and is why they are still the most used device in legal and government IT. RIM is looking to broaden their customer base even while they lose their foothold in the handset realm. Make sense to me.

Makes since to me too, that's not what I was saying... I was saying that I agreed with you, and was simply stating what the other side's argument would be.

[sls.stormyrider]

I'm not calling it an invasion of privacy - it's all their stuff. They have a similar deal now - if I use their wifi network as an employee I have to register my device with them so they can watch what I'm doing on their network. I choose to just use 3G (don't mind the slightly slower speed) to get around it. It's fine and makes sense from a security standpoint.
doesn't mean I have to like it, and will try simple measures to avoid scrutiny.

regardless, I stay away from any site that will embarrass me if it became public (maybe I have more faith in you all than I should )

[VDB]

I'm glad my company's still small enough that I'm the defacto IT guy. I would not like it if I had to have a passcode on my iPhone in order to get company e-mail (as is the case with my wife's company). They pay for my plan but didn't pay for the device itself.

[UncleEbinezer]

I'm glad my company's still small enough that I'm the defacto IT guy. I would not like it if I had to have a passcode on my iPhone in order to get company e-mail (as is the case with my wife's company). They pay for my plan but didn't pay for the device itself.

Here at my company I supply the phones and have the ability to wipe and monitor everything.  In the future, I may just provide a stipend for monthly charges and allow users to choose devices, but in order to get email you have to let me be able to monitor and wipe your phone. 

I read about this really briefly and it sounds pretty sweet from an IT side. 

Some of the rules of security also depend on the industry.  When I was in banking, I was really tight on security, obviously.  When I worked for a coffee manufacturer, we were pretty loose.  Some just depends on the type of data.

[rowjimmy]

My iPhone is personal. Never again will I rely solely on a work-supplied phone.

[PIE-GUY]

My iPhone is personal. Never again will I rely solely on a work-supplied phone.

I rely solely on a work supplied phone... But I also have an iPad with me at all times for personal stuff.

[antelope19]

Soooooo....I can't be the first person to read about this this, but did you know that you can use your Apple headphones as a remote camera shutter?

Since Apple allowed the volume + button to take pictures, it also allows the volume control on your headphones to do the same.

Some of you may ask why this matters?  But it eliminates the "shake" of your hand.  Most cameras come with this function anyway(image stabilizer), but your iphone doesn't.....

[UncleEbinezer]

Soooooo....I can't be the first person to read about this this, but did you know that you can use your Apple headphones as a remote camera shutter?

Since Apple allowed the volume + button to take pictures, it also allows the volume control on your headphones to do the same.

Some of you may ask why this matters?  But it eliminates the "shake" of your hand.  Most cameras come with this function anyway(image stabilizer), but your iphone doesn't.....

So you're getting a tripod?