IBM Previews Lotus iNotes For iPhone

MacRumors · Aug 10, 2008, 02:46 PM

IBM has launched a website previewing their forthcoming version of specialized Lotus Notes access for the iPhone.

Dubbed IBM Lotus iNotes 'Ultralite', the web-based application built on Lotus Domino Web Access will provide corporate email, calendar, and contacts in a specially formatted iPhone version. Several preliminary screenshots are available, though IBM notes they are subject to change.

The software has been expected since January and will be released later this year.

Article Link

The General · Aug 10, 2008, 02:50 PM

Cooool ... a web app.

I like how in the little banner there they felt the need to add in a fake Mac OS X scroll bar on the iPhone.

thecartoonguy · Aug 10, 2008, 02:51 PM

While I have not used "Note" is about seven years, I'm sure this will make someone very happy. I wonder what the percent of users are on this application compared to the other services out there?

Trip.Tucker · Aug 10, 2008, 02:51 PM

*puke* if Notes wasn't bad enough in our work environment, now I'll have to carry it with me. *ack*

Trip.Tucker · Aug 10, 2008, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thecartoonguy

While I have not used "Note" is about seven years, I'm sure this will make someone very happy. I wonder what the percent of users are on this application compared to the other services out there?

How many people are using Lotus Notes in the world? Many corporations use it.

mitchellh · Aug 10, 2008, 02:54 PM

Why wouldn't they just make this into a native iPhone app? It seems like it'd be much more fluid that way, less clunky, as most web apps are. Although they could prove me wrong... I find it unlikely.

longofest · Aug 10, 2008, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mitchellh

Why wouldn't they just make this into a native iPhone app? It seems like it'd be much more fluid that way, less clunky, as most web apps are. Although they could prove me wrong... I find it unlikely.

While you have a good point, it's less risky to make a web application that uses the same framework that the existing iNotes Web Access portal uses. Less security risks, etc. Either way, it's a huge step in the right direction.

tobyx · Aug 10, 2008, 03:00 PM

I'd say wait until Apple does the push notification service and do a native app but Lotus Notes is clunky and bad as it is, this web app will actually be an improvement.

EagerDragon · Aug 10, 2008, 03:07 PM

in my company of 46,000 employees only about 1,800 are using notes, every one else is happy using exchange.

LFCRules · Aug 10, 2008, 03:14 PM

Well there are about 380,000 IBM'ers around the globe who use it

bstreiff · Aug 10, 2008, 03:18 PM

In the company I work for (4000ish employees), we use Notes. Outlook shines in comparison.

And the worst part is, migrating away would be hard-- not only do we use it for mail/calendaring (for which it does a horrible job at both) it's also integrated into a whole bunch of Oracle services as well (such as our phone support department's systems). I've seen hints that our bug-tracking system used to be in Notes as well, though I don't know that for certain.

Our IT department is apparently now running a beta program for moving to Notes 8 in which they finally turned IMAP support on, though I haven't yet figured out how to take part in the beta.

Rocketman · Aug 10, 2008, 03:18 PM

I for one see this as a seminal moment. IBM is now largely a software and services company. Here is IBM using the iPhone device as a front end for its software and services. It would only take IBM Doing a similar thing for 2-3 more applications to make a real dent in iPhone sales rates, and corporate adoption.

It almost doesn't mater if this application sucks or not.

Rocketman

twoodcc · Aug 10, 2008, 03:25 PM

so is this really just a web app?

OriginalMacRat · Aug 10, 2008, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EagerDragon

in my company of 46,000 employees only about 1,800 are using notes, every one else is happy using exchange.

Crap choice A vs crap choice B.

viperguy · Aug 10, 2008, 03:27 PM

Apple is conquering the world.

sebimeyer · Aug 10, 2008, 03:29 PM

looks like big blue is about to jump onto a very tiny, yet fast moving bandwagon.

A "proper" email app would be nice. If you have only a .mac/me account mail.app is ok, I guess, buyanyone who has more thanone account and gets more than a fewemails a day will learnto hate it. Why no unified inbox? Smart mailboxes that sync over from the mac? And a huge one: junk mail filtering?

Me1000 · Aug 10, 2008, 03:30 PM

Screenshot: Attach and send files

How do they plan to do that? Or are you attaching files that are already on your server?

babyj · Aug 10, 2008, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thecartoonguy

While I have not used "Note" is about seven years, I'm sure this will make someone very happy. I wonder what the percent of users are on this application compared to the other services out there?

To date IBM state that they have sold over 140 Million licenses for Lotus Notes, they don't say how many are still in use / paying annual maintenance but I'd imagine it is a lot of people (10's of Millions).

So something like this is big, big news for a lot of major companies - companies that could very easily go out and buy many thousands of new phones for their staff at once. So it could be big news for Apple as well - the first major corporate switch to the iPhone will be headline news.

Bambeezer · Aug 10, 2008, 04:04 PM

A web app is disappointing compared with a native app, but I'll take what I can get. I think this iNotes template requires Notes server 8. The reality is that a few significant prerequisites are required to make this work.

Santa Rosa · Aug 10, 2008, 04:05 PM

I also think this would be better if it was a native app, but I was wondering, would that not be possible to do, as it would be direct competition to the iPhones mail app? Isn't that something that Apple would disallow?

3Tabernacles · Aug 10, 2008, 04:09 PM

Kodak forces their people to use this crap and they're still using version 6.5! Their IT NAZIs won't allow iPhones, They use the security risk as an excuse. They only allow Crackberries to Upper management who dwell in the same building as the freakin Domino server. Go Figure! I can't wait for the day IBM end of lifes Notes.

thecartoonguy · Aug 10, 2008, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trip.Tucker

How many people are using Lotus Notes in the world? Many corporations use it.

Makes sense. I guess I have been sucked into the Exchange world.

JasonD · Aug 10, 2008, 04:31 PM

The worst email/calendar software out there is coming the iPhone? Wow, I can't wait.

dannyminick · Aug 10, 2008, 04:59 PM

they made the iphone look like a freaking Treo... how disgusting...

alphaod · Aug 10, 2008, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonD

The worst email/calendar software out there is coming the iPhone? Wow, I can't wait.

It's better than Novell Groupwise!

Aug 10, 2008, 02:46 PM	#1
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	IBM Previews Lotus iNotes For iPhone IBM has launched a website previewing their forthcoming version of specialized Lotus Notes access for the iPhone. Dubbed IBM Lotus iNotes 'Ultralite', the web-based application built on Lotus Domino Web Access will provide corporate email, calendar, and contacts in a specially formatted iPhone version. Several preliminary screenshots are available, though IBM notes they are subject to change. The software has been expected since January and will be released later this year. Article Link

Aug 10, 2008, 02:51 PM	#3
thecartoonguy macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jun 2008	While I have not used "Note" is about seven years, I'm sure this will make someone very happy. I wonder what the percent of users are on this application compared to the other services out there? __________________ Windows users laugh at my Apple but I continue to use MY APPLE while you're removing viruses, spyware or reformatting your drive.... Oh and there's this too- http://tinyurl.com/lunlf7

Aug 10, 2008, 03:07 PM	#9
EagerDragon macrumors 68010 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: MA, USA	Not Very popular in my company of 46,000 employees only about 1,800 are using notes, every one else is happy using exchange. __________________ Security is a state of mind, Nothing can ever be fully secured and be functional. Therefore iBricks are fully secured.

Aug 10, 2008, 03:14 PM	#10
LFCRules macrumors newbie Join Date: May 2008	Well there are about 380,000 IBM'ers around the globe who use it __________________ MBP 15" / 2.33 / 3Gb RAM & Apple TV 40Gb & IPOD Classic 160Gb & Ipod Nano 4Gb

Aug 10, 2008, 03:18 PM	#11
bstreiff macrumors regular Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Austin, TX, USA	In the company I work for (4000ish employees), we use Notes. Outlook shines in comparison. And the worst part is, migrating away would be hard-- not only do we use it for mail/calendaring (for which it does a horrible job at both) it's also integrated into a whole bunch of Oracle services as well (such as our phone support department's systems). I've seen hints that our bug-tracking system used to be in Notes as well, though I don't know that for certain. Our IT department is apparently now running a beta program for moving to Notes 8 in which they finally turned IMAP support on, though I haven't yet figured out how to take part in the beta. __________________ • iPhone 3G (16GB, Black) • Mac mini Late 2007 (1.8GHz, 2x2GB, 160GB) • Blackbook Late 2007 (2.2GHz, 2x2GB, 320GB)

Aug 10, 2008, 02:50 PM	#2
The General macrumors 68040 Join Date: Jul 2006	Cooool ... a web app. I like how in the little banner there they felt the need to add in a fake Mac OS X scroll bar on the iPhone.

Aug 10, 2008, 02:51 PM	#4
Trip.Tucker Guest Join Date: Mar 2008	puke if Notes wasn't bad enough in our work environment, now I'll have to carry it with me. ack

Aug 10, 2008, 02:54 PM	#6
mitchellh macrumors newbie Join Date: Jan 2008	Why wouldn't they just make this into a native iPhone app? It seems like it'd be much more fluid that way, less clunky, as most web apps are. Although they could prove me wrong... I find it unlikely.

Aug 10, 2008, 03:00 PM	#8
tobyx macrumors newbie Join Date: Apr 2008	I'd say wait until Apple does the push notification service and do a native app but Lotus Notes is clunky and bad as it is, this web app will actually be an improvement.

Aug 10, 2008, 03:18 PM	#12
Rocketman macrumors 68020 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Claremont, CA	I for one see this as a seminal moment. IBM is now largely a software and services company. Here is IBM using the iPhone device as a front end for its software and services. It would only take IBM Doing a similar thing for 2-3 more applications to make a real dent in iPhone sales rates, and corporate adoption. It almost doesn't mater if this application sucks or not. Rocketman __________________ Think Different-ly! Looking for an iPhone dev with way too much time on her hands for BASIC programs I have.

Aug 10, 2008, 03:25 PM	#13
twoodcc macrumors 603 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Right side of wrong	so is this really just a web app? __________________ tville pump Smarter than the average bear

Aug 10, 2008, 03:27 PM	#15
viperguy macrumors 6502 Join Date: Nov 2005	Apple is conquering the world.

Aug 10, 2008, 03:29 PM	#16
sebimeyer macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2002	looks like big blue is about to jump onto a very tiny, yet fast moving bandwagon. A "proper" email app would be nice. If you have only a .mac/me account mail.app is ok, I guess, buyanyone who has more thanone account and gets more than a fewemails a day will learnto hate it. Why no unified inbox? Smart mailboxes that sync over from the mac? And a huge one: junk mail filtering? __________________ http://www.sebimeyer.com

Aug 10, 2008, 03:30 PM	#17
Me1000 macrumors 68000 Join Date: Jul 2006	Screenshot: Attach and send files How do they plan to do that? Or are you attaching files that are already on your server? __________________ TimeTable: The Freelancer's Tool

Aug 10, 2008, 04:04 PM	#19
Bambeezer macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dallas, TX	A web app is disappointing compared with a native app, but I'll take what I can get. I think this iNotes template requires Notes server 8. The reality is that a few significant prerequisites are required to make this work.

Aug 10, 2008, 04:05 PM	#20
Santa Rosa macrumors 65816 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Apple Store Buchanan	I also think this would be better if it was a native app, but I was wondering, would that not be possible to do, as it would be direct competition to the iPhones mail app? Isn't that something that Apple would disallow? __________________ \| Store \| Mac \| iPod + iTunes \| iPhone \| Downloads \| Support

Aug 10, 2008, 04:09 PM	#21
3Tabernacles macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2007	Eastman Kodak uses Lotus Croaks Kodak forces their people to use this crap and they're still using version 6.5! Their IT NAZIs won't allow iPhones, They use the security risk as an excuse. They only allow Crackberries to Upper management who dwell in the same building as the freakin Domino server. Go Figure! I can't wait for the day IBM end of lifes Notes. __________________ "Only a small man forces people to accept his opinion. No one who is great or honorable will coerce people." W.L.

Aug 10, 2008, 04:31 PM	#23
JasonD macrumors newbie Join Date: May 2006 Location: Annapolis, MD	The worst email/calendar software out there is coming the iPhone? Wow, I can't wait. __________________ Mac Mini 1.83, 1 gig RAM waiting for Leopard MacBook 2.16, 2 gigs RAM on order

Aug 10, 2008, 04:59 PM	#24
dannyminick macrumors newbie Join Date: Aug 2008	ugh... they made the iphone look like a freaking Treo... how disgusting...

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode