Lotus Notes Traveler on the iPad: Now supported

June 8 2010

This morning at the Deutsche Notes User Group, and later today in San Francisco at the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference, IBM Lotus is announcing official support for Lotus Notes Traveler on the iPad.  I will add a link to the press release once it is on the wire.

Notes Traveler on the iPad is, as I learned last week, exceedingly simple.  It.just.works.  I connected up to my Notes Traveler server via a clientless-VPN session established through Lotus Mobile Connect.  After that initial log-in, a bootstrap configuration was sent down to my iPad.  The Notes Traveler server in IBM was ready for me as well as with IBM's specific configuration needs: I was prompted to create an unlock passcode on my iPad that conformed to IBM's deployment security guidelines, and that was about it!  After some initial sync'ing, my mail, calendar, and contacts were all in place on the iPad.  No app store, no local sync, nothing.  Beautiful.

Using the iPad for mail/calendar services from Notes the last few days has been a joy.  I definitely can type faster on the iPad's screen keyboard than I can on my smartphone.  Last evening, Kevin Cavanaugh, Brent Peters, Maja Kumme and me were sitting in the bar over a beer, and I found that I could pop out some emails easily as our conversation covered off a few topics, and even quickly surf over to wikipedia to answer important questions like "what is sweet woodruff?"  (Answer: A plant whose extract is used to create Berliner Weisse mit Schuss: Waldmeister, the green beer we were drinking last night. Eww.)  The calendar interface is especially slick, the whole device is quite readable, and our engineering team did a great job of implementing features to allow for the speedy on-device type-ahead addressing, unread marks, and the like.

We plan to do more for iPad, including web-optimized user experiences for iNotes/DWA (hoping to get some base level of this in 8.5.2), Sametime, etc.  And IBM Research is working on some really cool iPad concepts which will be part of the IBM Mobility Day in our Mass labs next week.

From DNUG today, we are also providing updates on some of the Lotusphere announcements and 2010 projects.  I'll write a summary blog on those later this afternoon.

Ed Brill DNUG Konferenz, Berlin, Germany Category: Add/View Comments [53]

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  1. 1  jmlosada http://chemalosada.com | 6/8/2010 4:45:09 AM

    Hi Ed:

    I develop applications for Lotus Notes since more than 10 years ago. Many kind of apps for SMEs: Document Management apps, and Management apps: Invoicing, CRMs,...

    I develop 99% in formulas and 1% in XPAges. All the apps are used in Lotus Notes Cliente.

    I have just bought an Ipad and I am impressed for the opportunities that this new gadget bring us.

    I would like to see a Lotus Notes Cliente for Ipad: Not only for email, agenda,... Many apps could be used with the iPad.

    Do you know or can you tell me if IBM is thinking to develop a "thin lotus notes client" for ipad?

    Perhaps without replication, without db locales, without other no important things of Lotus Notes cliente in windows, but obviously with functions support.

    Thanks.

  1. 2  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 6/8/2010 6:56:36 AM

    I deleted a few comments here that were pretty irrelevant.

  1. 3  Notes-User  | 6/8/2010 7:57:48 AM

    I say "perhaps in 10 years!"

    What is pretty irrelevant?

  1. 4  Tim Tripcony http://www.timtripcony.com | 6/8/2010 8:27:38 AM

    Ed, my Traveler experience on the iPad has been quite similar. It took under a minute to add the account, and almost as soon as I'd set it up, I forgot it was there: like you said, it just works. Kudos to the Traveler team for enabling this seamless interaction with the device.

  1. 5  Bill Geimer  | 6/8/2010 8:41:03 AM

    But what will the Brill girls do with it?

  1. 6  John M  | 6/8/2010 10:57:27 AM

    Its great that it works with the iPad (in reality how much is it going to be used in business)...but when can we expect to get proper Traveler support for Lotus Foundations? Which I would think is more of business priority that any dev plans for iPad.

    With the release of Foundations 1.2 its very disappointing to find that it's iNotes lite and not the full Traveler functionality thats been released.

  1. 7  Henning Heinz  | 6/8/2010 11:14:28 AM

    You were fast this time. Thank you.

    There already is a lightweight client for the iPad (the Safari browser) and I think it can handle various kinds of Xpage applications very well.

    For a small lightweight client. This would only make sense if it supports the majority of existing features of what Notes can do today. The iPad is a machine with 256MB memory (although it seem to be fast). Porting the full Notes client to this device seem next to impossible to me. Also Apple has strict restrictions how you develop applications for iOS.

    Maybe IBM will be able to push XPages in a way that it can translate simple traditional Notes code elements to XPages!?

    They could ask Microsoft how they do this within their Notes Application Converter (just kidding here please).

    XPages seem to be the way to go.

  1. 8  peter b  | 6/8/2010 5:17:32 PM

    I think the potential of Lotus Notes and the iPad could be huge for warehouse or hospital situations or anywhere where people are accessing data on the move.

  1. 9  Ian Randall  | 6/8/2010 7:12:38 PM

    @8, Peter, Not just for warehouse or hospital situations, but for most organizations in most countries.

    For example: internal & external auditors, people needing to log environmental or safety incidents, people performing corrective actions, people performing risk assessments, sales staff, factory workers needing immediate access to work instructions and procedures, general practitioners, insurance loss assessors, police, emergency services staff, psychologists & counsellors, finance workers involved in loan application approvals, mobile service staff, executives, researchers, trainers & teachers, students & trainees, .... everyone.

  1. 10  Henning Heinz  | 6/9/2010 1:12:19 AM

    @6 John M and your Foundations comment

    So far Traveler was a Windows only service. Porting and testing an application may be a bit more difficult than supporting a new device (that shares its OS with supported ones).

    No secrets as you can read about planned Linux support in 2010 here here { Link }

    Porting the code to Linux may be the missing requirement for Foundations!?.

  1. 11  Mat Brockway  | 6/9/2010 4:25:11 AM

    I love the idea of Traveler and think that it's going to become a must with the continual growth of smart phone and now tablet markets.

    But the issue that I have is how do you scale the traveler backend to support user numbers in the 1000's. Which is what I'd end up with if we were to release it.

    An iPad web-optimized user experiences for iNotes would be a big help. I'm already getting questions about the problems our current iPad users are having with the current iNotes (8.5.1).

  1. 12  Henry Ferlauto  | 6/9/2010 11:02:26 AM

    Ed - You guys definitely got a lot of mileage from the press release. My "Lotus Notes" alert e-mail was filled with various news articles.

    Semi-related out-loud thought:

    I wonder how the Sametime crew is reacting to the FaceTime announcement for the iPhone 4.

  1. 13  Rob Ingram  | 6/9/2010 12:39:36 PM

    @12 Noticed that Facetime has in fact sold their brand name to Apple for an undisclosed sum - hope they got a good price!

    { Link }

  1. 14  Al  | 6/9/2010 12:56:55 PM

    I hope the surprise news is a release of Lotus Traveler for Android.

  1. 15  Al  | 6/9/2010 1:06:55 PM

    @Ian Randall and peter b,

    You guys make it sound like iPad is ground breaking for what it can do for corporations.

    Any company that would benefit from the use of a mobile device such as the iPad and hasn't implemented tablet PC's has waited too long. Heck, my local Ford dealer uses HP tablets in the service area. I drive up, garage door opens up, i pull up and there's a person with a tablet pc waiting to input the VIN#.

  1. 16  Bill Geimer  | 6/9/2010 2:43:11 PM

    XP tablet, I bet. Or since HP now owns the Palm WEbOS, perhaps HP went that way. Did you get a look?

    Windows 7 had great promise for tablets until most of the"Surface" technology was quietly dropped in 08. I hope they have written their own application at your Ford dealer, as native apps are not designed for touch or pen input.

    Aside from that, and I applaud them for creating such a useful application, folks who go with Windows have the WEC7 API, which has nothing to do with Windows 7. Then there is WIndows Phone 7, which is not WIndows 7 and not Windows EC, but a third API and GUI. Then, there is the Windows KIN O/S for phones, which nobody thinks will fly.

    I think that the reason the iPhone has done well in the Medical profession is the encryption and the widespread API. Windows reports 5,000 downloads of the Windows 7 Touch API by just 250 companies in 18 months while Apple had over 100,000 downloads of its iPhone OS SDK in the first four days after the June 2008 iPhone launch. Seems like developers voted.

    But then, my local hospital just got rid of their Wyse vt220 screens a few years back.

    I disagree that its too late for companies to start with tablet and wireless applications. I think this may be the year many roll out on Android, iPhone, iPad, and Windows phones.

    I do not think we have seen the real start yet.

  1. 17  BAM  | 6/9/2010 3:18:53 PM

    The ONE thing I would like to point out is the extra effort IBM may want to do to make sure the iPad / iPhone tools work with EXISTING domino config... not the next even minor release.

    I know how long it takes for Corporation to update and deploy templates, servers etc... years,

    So we are here, waiting for our internal IT "slow motion because of security concern" doing it's job... not being able to access our mail in Notes is a pain... when the solution is THERE but not deployed it's a pain. So please, make your iPad version independant of the wealingness of IT department to allow users to use it. Make it transparent. Make it so that if it's OK from a Windows Mobile or a BlackBerry, then it's OK from iPad with nothing else asked.

    Thanks :-)

  1. 18  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 6/9/2010 4:31:00 PM

    @17 that's not possible with the way the iPhone/iPad works.

  1. 19  Al  | 6/9/2010 5:03:02 PM

    @Bill Geimer

    It was running XP, but i didn't get to look at it much. He took my VIN #, I open the door and he said, Mr. XXXX ? I gave him the affirmative nod and he asked me what i was there for. Pretty slick.

    I also don't think it's too late for companies to look at tablet implementation. I just think they have waited too long.

  1. 20  peter b  | 6/9/2010 8:22:06 PM

    @15 Al

    What the iPad, (the iPhone is a little small), is doing is making the tablet commonplace and familiar to people.

    So I would say that the tablet's time is just beginning, not past. It's a concept whose time has come.

    I believe that a lot of technology decisions are made on the basis of what the boss is familiar and comfortable with, not on what is the most logical decision.

  1. 21  Ben  | 6/9/2010 10:33:26 PM

    "No app store, no local sync, nothing. Beautiful."

    Does this mean traveller was pre-installed? Is it possible to install traveller without touching itunes/app store at all? Can you provide more details on that please?

  1. 22  ed brill http://www.edbrill.com | 6/10/2010 1:32:42 AM

    @21 yes, traveler uses the built-in mail/calendar apps and needs only a bootstrap configuration file from the Traveler server.

  1. 23  Mike Kenny  | 6/10/2010 1:05:04 PM

    I don't get how you all are in good conscience deploying Traveler in a corporate or other secure environment.

    We just got our test server running, and the first thing we did was test the 'require passcode' function on the iPhone.

    We thought we were activating the feature in the Traveler settings. Then we discovered users could turn off the passcode and still access mail.

    My support call yielded a "Yes, we know about that and we hope it's fixed in 8.5.2."

    We immediately pulled the plug on our pilot, and our CIO directed us to look for a non-Lotus solution that might manage the local security concerns better. Or, at all.

    Do I have something wrong here, or is my understanding correct? If I'm correct, how in the world are you all allowing users to take away data on mobile devices without even a pretext of local passcode enforcement?

    BTW, this item does not appear on the device limitations list, and the support rep acknowledged this shortcoming is NOT made known in a prominent enough fashion.

    If I am incorrect, someone please set me straight. I also don't understand why the various "Lotus Bloggers" haven't jumped all over this. Home team and all, I guess.

  1. 24  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 6/10/2010 3:31:32 PM

    @23 can you please provide/email me your PMR?

  1. 25  Abraham V  | 6/10/2010 5:27:20 PM

    @23

    You need to modify the default client configuration file (Apple.xml) and create a security profile to request a passcode from there, you use a utility called "iPhone configuration utility" to do this, in here you can password protect the profile so it can not be removed unless a special password is typed.

    You can also add wireless configuration, vpn configuration or customize the traveler config.

  1. 26  Nathan T. Freeman http://nathan.lotus911.com | 6/10/2010 5:33:59 PM

    @23 - *shrug* I never enforced a passcode on my BlackBerry either. Of course, both devices support remote wipe via push, too.

  1. 27  Mike Kenny  | 6/10/2010 5:54:11 PM

    @26: You don't enforce it on yours, Nathan. That's fine.

    But were you responsible for 1000 users with incredibly sensitive and u$eful data, would you let people walk out the door without at least trying to enforce a passcode?

    I can think of a few hedge funds, members of the press, or other other entities that would love to get their hands on my users data. Stealing or 'finding' an iDevice loaded with deal data email would not be out of the realm of possibility.

    @Ed: It's on it's way. I've been told that this feature is coming in 8.5.2, so we've stopped our pilot, signed up for the beta, and we're making plans for that. It's disappointing, because it otherwise works pretty well.

  1. 28  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 6/10/2010 6:36:49 PM

    This is probably a useful link regardless: { Link }

  1. 29  John Piscitelli http://www.lecroy.com | 6/10/2010 10:03:10 PM

    We are testing 852 traveller on iPad and iPhone. Excellent. This is what we have been waiting for. Few issues. Calendar we noticed that if created on iPad and accepted on iPad that you cannot see that it is accepted. You get email entries even if you have that hidden by default. We would love to see lotus also sync the to do's. Whether you partner with someone like to do for iPad or create an app that syncs lotus to do for the iPad. I also noticed that in os 4 you can do more with the notes app. You can tag dates on notes like reminders . Any info on this would be great. To do is the only thing missing. We are very excited to run traveller and would love to continue to test new functionality! Please keep us informed.

  1. 30  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 6/11/2010 12:37:37 AM

    @29 we're not likely to pick one app to have a dependency on, but a lot of Notes+iPhone users are using ITANA for Notes, { Link }

  1. 31  Nathan T. Freeman http://nathan.lotus911.com | 6/11/2010 7:00:00 AM

    @27 - I was simply making the observation that my conscience is clear. For precisely the reasons you've mentioned. If I carried product source code on my phone, my attitude would be different.

  1. 32  Rob Axelrod  | 6/11/2010 8:09:30 AM

    This is generally great news. I can't stress the importance of iPad support enough. When it was first released I didn't see the business importance BUT in the past month at more than one of my clients I have seen C level executives (NON TECHIE) become really enamored with the device such that they no longer want a laptop, all they want is their iPad. Before people jump in and start talking about what the iPad doesn't do, think about what a top executive uses their computer for. They use it to consume information. They aren't creating spreadsheets or slideshows, others are doing that for them. Even the email they create is somewhat limited. They are consuming information and managing their lives and for that the iPad is an awesome device. We can't have full iNotes support fast enough because Traveler is not viable in the short term in many environments due to the infrastructure and policy change requirements.

    Thanks!

  1. 33  Mike Kenny  | 6/11/2010 12:53:27 PM

    @31: Hi Nathan. My "That's fine" was intended to be read in a collegial tone of general agreement, not as a passive aggressive smart-alecky thing. I think we're probably on the same page with personal vs managed users.

    I will say this: having had a passcode on my personal phone/Blackberry for many years now, it's not at all intrusive and after misplacing it a few times, I'm quite glad I've had it. I'm going to leave it in place on my iPhone as well. Try it for a few months and see if the "hassle factor" goes away.

  1. 34  Ed Brill http://Www.edbrill.com | 6/11/2010 4:43:54 PM

    Fwiw, I cannot disable the passcode on my iPad. I am not sure there is a bug in Traveler, but I will look more at the PMR and what Jan Kenney sent me over the weekend.

  1. 35  John Piscitelli http://www.lecroy.com | 6/11/2010 9:44:33 PM

    Ed.

    Thanks, Itana and maddress look like they are exactly what we need! Great information! This really makes notes portable something we have been desiring since the Iphone came out. A heavy blackberry shop, people want more choices and iphone and ipads are exactly that!

    Thanks again!

  1. 36  John Piscitelli http://www.lecroy.com | 6/13/2010 2:55:13 PM

    One other question. Is Lotus testing this on OS 4? With the new iphone out in a couple of weeks we will be getting a few and would like to know if this would still work. any help will be appreciated.

  1. 37  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 6/13/2010 7:03:45 PM

    @36 we will support the 4.0 OS but can't quite comment on it yet until it's out the door, until then it is Apple Confidential.

  1. 38  John Piscitelli http://www.lecroy.com | 6/15/2010 10:18:03 AM

    Ed.. do you know if there is any way on the ipad/iphone to open a password protected doc like from word or excel? I can get it to work using regular gmail tied into docs to go, but can't figure out how to do it in traveler.

    thanks again as always :)

  1. 39  Enrico ceccato http://Www.orlandoitaly.com | 6/16/2010 3:55:46 AM

    Hi ed , I followed the procedure you described but was unable to see the execution of the configuration file. I got a page with the config file icon but nothing else. Any idea?

    Thank you

  1. 40  John Piscitelli http://www.lecroy.com | 6/16/2010 9:36:34 PM

    @39. we got that on some ipads. download the iphone configuration utility, connect the ipad. then you should be able to look around and install the configuration file from there, once you start it on the computer you will get the install screen on the ipad.

  1. 41  John Piscitelli http://www.lecroy.com | 6/16/2010 9:38:28 PM

    we have seen a user trying to upload their id file and password and they get this error: Error 0x1728 processing command. the prompt for password was aborted by the user. i did then upload a different id for the person with a different password and that worked. my only concern is then is that password entered used in encryption app? if so i should change the pwd before uploading the other id and maybe his original id is corrupt?

  1. 42  enrico ceccato http://www.orlandoitaly.com | 6/17/2010 6:09:49 AM

    thank you john , I have solved the problem resetting the Ipad to the factory original settings . Now it works!

  1. 43  Marcel Ribas  | 6/28/2010 11:25:48 AM

    Do we have an official release document that states that iPad is supported yet?

    Thanks

    Marcel

  1. 44  Jay Wilson  | 6/30/2010 3:51:47 PM

    How does one get in beta testing and pilots?

  1. 45  David Zeltman  | 7/1/2010 2:25:45 AM

    I have an iPad, and tried connecting to our traveler but failed. I can create the account, either by manual setup or config file. However when I go to the Inbox, I get a "Connection to server failed" message. I set this up fine for an Iphone 3G and 3GS with no issues whatsoever. Weird thing is it dropped some messages in my sent items folder but not my inbox. Any ideas?

  1. 46  MarvinK  | 7/12/2010 7:17:20 PM

    Is there any word on a date for remote wipe and real working passcode policies for Apple or Android devices? We're an all BlackBerry shop--but would definitely like to use something else.

    Our users are already quick to point out remote wipe is available for Exchange--which doesn't help make Lotus any more popular here.

  1. 47  Scott S  | 7/14/2010 10:40:41 AM

    I have both an iPad and an iPhone. Setup was simple and seamless but I am bothered by the post above.

    What bothers me about this is.....

    "We plan to do more for iPad, including web-optimized user experiences for iNotes/DWA (hoping to get some base level of this in 8.5.2), Sametime, etc."

    IBM/Lotus is simply missing the boat on this! Everything is web...web...web! While I agree that the browsing experience on the iPhone and iPad is better then any other mobile device available, most people I talk to including myself, want native applications to get maximum functionality.

    Take Sametime for instance, a powerful communication tool for a mobile work force but what good is a web based Sametime solution that when you close your browser you are "disconnected".

    My company is a long time user of Lotus and I've always felt that IBM is always a day late and a dollar short on driving solutions that customers truly want. A native iPhone sync'ing solution was almost a year behind the rest of the industry and while the rest of the industry get that smart phone users want native applications, IBM is spending it's time focused on web based apps.

    Sorry for the long rant.....Just had to get that off my chest.

  1. 48  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 7/14/2010 3:24:58 PM

    Scott,

    I phrased my comment poorly. We believe in building native apps. The comma after iNotes was meant to convey that the web-optimized bit was only for iNotes/DWA. We intend to do a native Sametime app and others.

  1. 49  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 7/14/2010 3:25:13 PM

    Marvin, Yes, in 8.5.2. Planned to ship this quarter.

  1. 50  Mike http://Www.syntax.net | 7/18/2010 6:20:04 AM

    Ever since we installed traveler a couple of months ago, the http task in notes gradually climbs in memory usage and eventually jams our Notes server requiring a reboot. Tried putting traveler on a separate server which slowed down the frequency of crashes. Down to about 1 every week. We're on latest patches for Notes and traveler, accessed via ipads. Anyone else experiencing this issue ?

  1. 51  Chris P.  | 7/22/2010 9:53:55 AM

    What is the best way to manage Calendar/Contacts/E-Mail with a foundations box outside of straight IMAP/POP? I know there's no traveler function... We're working with RIM/Blackberry on a spun up VMWare install, which seems like such overkill for an office of 20, when all we want/need is mobile e-mail capability

  1. 52  Colin Talbot  | 7/22/2010 3:16:18 PM

    Hi Ed,

    I have Traveller set up on my IiPad and it worked fine for about 4-5 weeks, but lately it has started falling over (randomly reverting to iPad homepage).

    I wanted to uninstall & reinstall, but can't find out how to uninstall and email account, which seems weird.

    I also have seen the stuff above about iPad support but there's nothing on our server at work about iPad (I work at a UK University).

    any advice welcome

    thanks

    (Prof) Colin Talbot

  1. 53  Jane Ambrose  | 8/4/2010 10:50:22 AM

    Hi Ed,

    Thanks for the info.

    I installed Traveler on my iPad, and mail and calendar are working fine but there are no contacts. The contacts database is on my PC not the server, so how do I get the contacts to sync to the iPad?

    Many thanks in anticipation of your reply...