IBM's Lotus Notes/Domino collaboration platform is adding support for Apple's iPhone. Domino server 8.5.1 is the first version to natively support the iPhone via Lotus Notes Traveler software, allowing automatic synching for e-mail, contacts and calendar data to the popular handset. The new features, which include push e-mail, contacts, and calendar, enable iPhone users to work off-line, while allowing confidential data to be erased remotely if an iPhone is lost or stolen. iPhone users can also take advantage of a corporate directory look-up feature which helps them find contact information behind their company firewall.
Updates in version 8.5.1 for the Nokia Symbian platform include remote wipe, device lock, password management and external calendar integration. The IBM software provides all of these capabilities for Windows Mobile devices as well.
In addition, IBM said it is making Lotus Domino Designer tools available at no charge to spur use of Notes/Domino. Based on the Eclipse platform, Domino Designer enables developers to quickly learn to build and extend existing business applications for Notes and Domino. Designer can be downloaded at www.ibm.com/developerWorks/downloads.