I-Phone Joins the Suits March 6, 2008
Posted by Steve in : Breaking News, Technology, Tech Tips , add a commentApple made a major announcement today – they will begin offering “enterprise” support for the iPhone – meaning direct support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync!
One of the most requested corporate features is support for Exchange, Jobs said. To meet the demand, Apple licensed Microsoft’s ActiveSync protocol for connecting the iPhone’s e-mail client directly to an Exchange server. As a result, e-mail, calendaring and contact items can pushed directly to the smartphone, a feature that Apple demonstrated at the event. In addition, Apple will be adding Exchange as an e-mail option on the iPhone, along with Yahoo and Google mail and other options. Apple will build software for easy configuration of the device to an Exchange server.
Apple is currently testing the iPhone enterprise features, including the Exchange support, with Nike and Disney, Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior VP of worldwide product marketing, said. “It’s real and it’s exciting,” Schiller said of the new technology.With this announcement, Apple has moved with great intentionality to take on the Blackberry by allowing its iPhone to link up to corporate email systems. Until now, the Blackberry has been the preferred gadget of the business community as it allows executives to synchronize Microsoft applications, such as Microsoft Outlook email, contacts and calendar, with the smartphone. Many businesses shied away from using the iPhone as it does not work well with their email systems.
Apple hopes these steps will convince corporations to adopt the iPhone as the device of choice for mobile workers.
Differencemakers: Golf to God July 7, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Sunday Services, Methods & Strategies, Missional, The Cultural Conversation, DifferenceMakers , add a comment
I love golf and am excited about a successful ministry founded by a professional golfer that is using golf to help others find Jesus on the fairways. This ministry is called “In His Grip” Golf Association, a ministry that teaches churches how to use golf as a way to share the Gospel. Founder Scott Lehman said he got the idea for In His Grip from driving by golf courses on Sunday mornings and seeing men teeing off instead of going to church.
“A lot of Sundays, you go by the golf course and they’re really packed,” Lehman said. “We felt like there was an opportunity to take our faith to the fairways and just meet them (golfers) where they’re at and introduce them to the church and ultimately to Jesus Christ.”
In His Grip holds training workshops for churches and shows them how to host golf tournaments to reach out to men who aren’t active church-goers. Scott said “Golf courses are ideal places to share the Gospel because it takes hours to play a round, and it’s easy to talk while walking along fairways and riding in golf carts”. In His Grip held its first tournament nearly 10 years ago and has hosted about 150 tournaments across the country. Lehman, 46, a golf teaching professional, holds training sessions for churches in different regions of the country. “Our vision is to reach every golfer in every nation,” Lehman said. “Right now we’re seeing a big trend of churches looking to meet people outside the four walls of the church, and this is a strategy to help them do that.”
I love this ministry that is going out to reach those who would not otherwise attend church! They even have a Golfer’s Bible printed that intersperses throughout the biblical text thirty-two full-color pages of inspirational messages teed up to reach the golfer’s heart, plus thirty-two more pages of devotions at the back of this special edition. Check it out!
Sliding into Vacation July 1, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Family , add a comment
Wisconsin Dells, Here We Come!
I am off with the whole family for some quick R&R in the Wisconsin Dells. Got a great deal at Wilderness Resort and looking forward to a couple of mid-day naps with my IPod going (and dreaming about getting one of the precious IPhones)!
Katie turns 8 this week and this will give us a head start on celebrating her “birthday week” (we have a whole week of celebration in our family — one day seems to be to short to celebrate your birthday, don’t you agree?)
Summer seems to be rushing by and this will be a good stress reducer for me. Maybe I will go in for one of those “Man-spa” treatments — whaddya think!
iPhone - Is it worth it? June 25, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Breaking News, Technology, Methods & Strategies, Tech Tips , add a comment
It retails for $500….It has lead to a huge increase in Apple’s stock price since the announcement of the iPhone in January. The hype around Apple Inc.’s upcoming iPhone is abundantly clear. So is the hysteria. But is it worth it? Will the gadget - which triples as a cell phone, iPod media player and a wireless Web device - be as “revolutionary” as Apple CEO Steve Jobs has claimed? Will it revolutionize your life?
The proof will come June 29 when the iPhone gets into users’ hands. The all-touch-screen device, which lacks a button keyboard, will force users to get accustomed to typing messages on a virtual keyboard instead of regular buttons. It will also be using a slower 2.5-generation network instead of a 3-G network, which might also hamper the experience of data transfers or Web access. Many people are already clamoring for the gadget. More than 1 million people have signed up with Apple and AT&T for more information.
I am in the market for a replacement to my 2 year old Treo 650 — but I am not sure I want to make the swap to a rookie in the phone business. While Apple does many things well, they have not been a long term player in the phone business. Should I wait and see? Are you planning to switch? What do you think?
