Gary Krakow is off his rocker, blames MSFT for iPhone battery woes

Gary Krakow has gone insane.  I was going to say he’s an idiot, but I’ll leave that up to Cali.

In his latest article on TheStreet.com, he writes (regarding the iPhone and battery life):

In our tests, iPhone batteries really can't handle the extra drain of Microsoft Exchange mail. Blame it mostly on Microsoft.

Microsoft's mobile email software is a pig. It always has been a battery hog. Everyone who has ever lived with a Microsoft Mobile phone knows that battery life stinks if you constantly "push" email to your device. That's why I'm surprised that Apple chose to default their Exchange mail software to "push" email. If you set up your phone without changing that setting, you will get only four to five hours before you have to recharge the battery.

source – TheStreet.com – New iPhone’s Battery Falls Down on the Job

C’mon Gary, pull it out man.  My Blackjack 2 connected to the same server using the same “push” settings (Windows Mobile calls this as items arrive) and with 3G enabled and I get at least twice battery life that I get with iPhone 3G.

Microsoft’s mobile email software is a pig.

What?!  What mobile software of Microsoft’s is on the iPhone?  Do you actually understand the technology you are writing about in this article?  The only think “Microsoft” on that device is the license to use the ActiveSync technology…which acts as a message broker.  Maybe Apple isn’t effectively managing the messages coming in/out?  Who knows, but your claim is just blatantly wrong to assert with that authority.

It always has been a battery hog.

I challenge thee on that statement.  HTC, Samsung and others have been able to create great WinMo devices that have good standby/call battery time with 3G/EVDO and “Push” features enabled.  So do they have smarter engineers than Apple?

How about a more balanced viewpoint Gary.  You say “mostly on Microsoft” but then don’t write about where other blame (to use your word) might lie.  This is the first time iPhone has enabled such “push” technology.  Wire up a MobileMe account and push “business grade” messaging through that…I suspect the battery life issues will be the same.  I’m not arguing that push mail is a battery drain on the iPhone, but certainly it can be improved looking at where the inefficiencies lie…and not just saying some server product is to blame.  Will you start blaming business power field users because they use email? 

Ridonkulous Gary.  Simply uninformed and scandalous.