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Hi everyone. I am sure I am not the first person to wonder about this. Microsoft’s “push” email technology that works with Exchange Server is entirely HTTP based. Obviously Microsoft wants this to work with only their server platform but couldn’t it be possible to use this with Gmail?
I can’t honestly see if being that difficult for the folks at Google to reverse engineer the exact format of the HTTP posts going back and forth between an Exchange server and a WM device. On top of this Gmail has Contacts and Calendar as well. If I could sync my WM device with Gmail I wouldn’t need Exchange anymore. I could even use Google Apps to get my email at my own domain name.
I tried setting up mail.google.com and also www.gmail.com as ‘exchange’ servers on my HTC Touch but it didn’t work :-(
The Fish.
thefish123 said:
Hi everyone. I am sure I am not the first person to wonder about this. Microsoft’s “push” email technology that works with Exchange Server is entirely HTTP based. Obviously Microsoft wants this to work with only their server platform but couldn’t it be possible to use this with Gmail?
I can’t honestly see if being that difficult for the folks at Google to reverse engineer the exact format of the HTTP posts going back and forth between an Exchange server and a WM device. On top of this Gmail has Contacts and Calendar as well. If I could sync my WM device with Gmail I wouldn’t need Exchange anymore. I could even use Google Apps to get my email at my own domain name.
I tried setting up mail.google.com and also www.gmail.com as ‘exchange’ servers on my HTC Touch but it didn’t work :-(
The Fish.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Option 1. forward your gmail account to mail2web or one of the other free services which is a free hosted exchange account (more or less).
Option 2. Set up your gmail for I-map and "idle" it. I know it can be done using flex mail, but not sure about idle in Pocket Outlook.
Option 3. Set up your device to check for mail every X minutes. You already new that one though.
Option 4. Set up to forward your mail to your device. IE: on cingular, it used to be you could forward it to "[email protected]" That one, you would need to check with your service provider.
hth
Hi ssschmidt,
I know there are ways I could forward my Gmail to another email service that is an Exchange Server and so does support Microsoft-style push email BUT I am wondering why Google doesn’t implement this themselves.
There are a tone of Windows Mobile devices out there AND Google is already offering Gmail at your own domain name with “Google Apps” service. If all of a sudden I could get true push Gmail with my own domain name (part of Google Apps) I think a lot of people might reconsider that upgrade to Exchange 2007.
Figuring out the exact format of the HTTP conversation between the WM device and the Exchange server couldn’t be that hard. Heck, I think I might be able to take a crack at it myself
In case anyone is wondering what happens is this. The WM device makes an HTTP request to the Exchange server and says “notify me if anything changes in these folders within the next X minutes”. The Exchange server the starts monitoring the folders in question for the specified period of time. If the folder “changes” (a message arrives, a contact is updated, an appointment re-scheduled) Exchange sends the changed items back as part of the HTTP response (the connection is left open and ‘hanging’ for the specified period of time). If nothing happens and the time period lapses the Exchange server sends an empty response and the HTTP connection is closed. The WM device then resumes the process over again by making another request. This it why it is called “client initiated ‘push’” because in reality the WM device is continually asking for changes. The constant back & forth acts as a kind of heartbeat so both ends of the connection (the WM device and the Exchange Server) know the other is still there (in case the WM device is out of service, turned off or otherwise off the grid).
I can see no reason why this HTTP conversation can’t be implemented (along with the correct URL’s) on a non-Exchange server such as Gmail. If Google decided to offer this I think it might be an Exchange killer. Currently I am thinking of ways I can get my own Exchange server. I have several customers with Exchange and a few of the might be willing to host my email for me. Currently I am using Google Apps which I absolutely LOVE but I would also love to be able to sync my plethora of contacts.
Maybe someone in Google reads these forums
The Fish
I'm sure Google will implement this with Android
berardi said:
I'm sure Google will implement this with Android
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am sure your probably right. But if Google is interested in taking business away from Exchange (which I think they are judging by the Google Apps sign-up page) then it would make sense to provide this service to the thousands (if not millions) of WM users out there worldwide.
The Fish.
Gmail via Activesync
thefish123 said:
Hi everyone. I am sure I am not the first person to wonder about this. Microsoft’s “push” email technology that works with Exchange Server is entirely HTTP based. Obviously Microsoft wants this to work with only their server platform but couldn’t it be possible to use this with Gmail?
I can’t honestly see if being that difficult for the folks at Google to reverse engineer the exact format of the HTTP posts going back and forth between an Exchange server and a WM device. On top of this Gmail has Contacts and Calendar as well. If I could sync my WM device with Gmail I wouldn’t need Exchange anymore. I could even use Google Apps to get my email at my own domain name.
I tried setting up mail.google.com and also www.gmail.com as ‘exchange’ servers on my HTC Touch but it didn’t work :-(
The Fish.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From the posts in this thread, looks like nobody mentioned having tried MobiPush. Mobipush allows you to have your Gmail, Yahoo, or other IMAP or POP account email pushed to your WM 5/6 device using the device's Direct-Push Technology. I am currently using the service with my Gmail account and it works well. Sign up is free. You must setup your Gmail options to allow IMAP or POP access, then follow the instructions on MobiPush's site to setup your device. I also forgot to mention that it seems that only mail is sync'ed at this time (no contacts or calendar, or tasks.)
Here's the link:
www.mobipush.com
Windows Live Hotmail provides Direct Push
Another option is to register for a live hotmail account (mail.live.com) and forward your gmail to this account. You can configure your Touch for push email from live hotmail by following the instructions here: http://blogs.msdn.com/mayurk/archiv...dows-live-hotmail-and-windows-mobile-6-0.aspx
mindchill said:
Another option is to register for a live hotmail account (mail.live.com) and forward your gmail to this account. You can configure your Touch for push email from live hotmail by following the instructions here: http://blogs.msdn.com/mayurk/archiv...dows-live-hotmail-and-windows-mobile-6-0.aspx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
However when you do this your reply comes from your Live/Hotmail account. Do you know if you can do this and have your reply come from your gmail account?
Thanks!
Apparently there are other companies/groups that have independently developed products that are compatible with Microsoft’s “DirectPush” technology. So the good news is we know it can be and has been done.
Check out this product http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerio_MailServer
Hopefully Google will develop something that will allow Gmail to masquerade as an Exchange server to a Windows Mobile device. Imagine having push email as well as contact and calendar synchronization with Gmail?? on your WM device? All without any third-party connectors/forwarding/etc.
The Fish.
PS: thanks to everyone for all the suggestions...
www.nuevasync.com for contacts and calendar sync - imap sync is coming - but it's been "coming" for a long time so we can only hope...
try http://www.funambol.com
It will sync calendar, email and contacts.
gottago said:
try http://www.funambol.com
It will sync calendar, email and contacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i am currently using funambol with scheduleworld for my google calendar - are you using funambol by itself for your calendar?
thanks
nuevasync is great for syncing google contacts and calendar. No downloads everything works through activesync. Their blog says gmail is coming so for now I just use IMAP for gmail.
I simply use www.mobipush.com services, works great for emails.
thefish123 said:
Hi everyone. I am sure I am not the first person to wonder about this. Microsoft’s “push” email technology that works with Exchange Server is entirely HTTP based. Obviously Microsoft wants this to work with only their server platform but couldn’t it be possible to use this with Gmail?
I can’t honestly see if being that difficult for the folks at Google to reverse engineer the exact format of the HTTP posts going back and forth between an Exchange server and a WM device. On top of this Gmail has Contacts and Calendar as well. If I could sync my WM device with Gmail I wouldn’t need Exchange anymore. I could even use Google Apps to get my email at my own domain name.
I tried setting up mail.google.com and also www.gmail.com as ‘exchange’ servers on my HTC Touch but it didn’t work :-(
The Fish.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all, you don't need MS Push because Google does have a mail push mechanism in place. It is called IMAP Idle. You can read it from here: http://www.isode.com/whitepapers/imap-idle.html. So all you need to do is setting up your IMAP IDLE compatible client to sync with gmail via IMAP instead of POP.
Now, you may also like to forward you mail to mail2web and take advantage of the push mail plus push calendar, contact and task. But you can also use OggSync and keep everything in Google.
berardi said:
I'm sure Google will implement this with Android
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, they already have the solution.
agentmikeyd said:
i am currently using funambol with scheduleworld for my google calendar - are you using funambol by itself for your calendar?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually I am only using/testing funambol on my gmail. I don't use a calendar as of yet, too little time to test on funambol. I do know that contacts synch via funambol does work. I guess you are calling me to task;-)
I know there are various ways using combinations of third party software and/or services and so forth of syncing email one way, calendar another, etc, etc. But imagine being able to sync EVERYTHING in Google Apps with their counterparts on your Windows Mobile device using the NATIVE built-in synchronization mechanism of that device.
If Google is serious about killing Exchange in the SMB market place they will implement this.
Currently I still sync my Vogue with my Exchange server even though I also use Google Apps.
The Fish
there is always this
http://www.codeplex.com/ImapPusherService
works well for me
Did I call it or what?!?!
OK, little brag moment there but!!! Have a look at this screen shot. I am not 100% sure when Google added this but this is EXACTLY what I was hoping for just over a year ago! Did I call it or what? I can't imagine Gmail/Google Apps being any cooler
The Fish
Hi. Can anyone tell me please whether the Hero will have real-time 'push' email and whether it will be compatible with Outlook?
Many thanks.
it depends on which style you get I believe the sim free HTC branded ones will include exchange syncing software as standard. The "with google" branded ones dont, however there is software on the market which can do this for you anyway.
Well, I have a sim-free Hero on order, here in the UK.
I don't have a server, though - just Outlook on a single PC - would that be fine? Also - is it instant, or every 30 mins or so, like my current Nokia E71?
Thanks!
Just tested Hero ROM on my brothers G1. You can use Activesync ( sync with your local outlook via usb ) or POP email
Thank you, Sinas. And the Pop email is 'instant push'? My Nokia E71 will only check every 30 mins...
Thank you, Sinas. And the Pop email is 'instant push'? My Nokia E71 will only check every 30 mins...
Also, surely 'Activesync' is a windows programme - do you mean HTC Sync?
Thanks again...
Stuff review.
Okay, so the Stuff review seems to answer the questions.
Firstly; Some of these are basic (clocks, calendars), but many are ‘live’, pulling information through from the web to update automatically. The Nokia N97 offers similar widgets on its homescreen, but the Hero’s, most notably the excellent Twitter app, are by far the slickest and most useful we’ve used. so I am assuming that the Facebook widget is 'live'. Can anyone confirm?
More worryingly, we have this; Unlike the Magic, the Hero has native support for Microsoft Exchange, so setting up work e-mails is easy. It doesn't sync with Outlook, though there is a roundabout way of sending your contacts to Gmail, then get getting them to sync with the phone. which doesn't sound so promising. How can any new phone not sync with Outlook? Can this be true?
The full review is here; http://stuff.tv/Review/HTC-Hero-review/
Any thoughts (please?)
The facebook integration in the people application is nto real time, it is a set schedule updateof 2,4,8,12 or 24 hours.
The twitter app can be set to check every 5 minutes.
Yes, it does come with HTC Sync, but don't bother. It's just as bloody awful on the hero as it is on the HTC branded magics. Steer clear of that ****e and stick to the google or Exchange OTA Sync, both of which are push.
as for not synching with outlook (which it does but only just) the android OS is designed to sync with google over the air. that is one of it's main reasons for existing. and god knows at least it works as long as you are not on an apps domain....!
So, I guess you are saying that...
...if I want push email, because I have a pop3 account, rather than an Exchange one, I will need to somehow use gmail to push my mail to the phone?
*Sigh*
And EVERYTHING I have - contacts and calendar - is on Outlook, which you say doesn't properly sync with the Hero. Maybe I have ordered the wrong phone?
Thanks for your time...
yes you will. POP does not support push mail without some sort of third party intermediary such as Gmail, Exchange or BIS servers (blackberry).
Quite possibly you have.
Although, contacts can be copied across very simply into gmail, by exporting to a csv file and then importing that into gmail which takes about 2 minutes. and as for the calendar, google do calendar sync which syncs your outlook calendar to the gmail calendar as well.
however, from what you say, and what you want in a native outlook sync support, you'd be better off with a winmo device, and a third party hosted exchange for your pop, such as 4smartphone, or some of the guys that do it on here for a small price... that way you have the natice sync support, and also then you have your push mail.
Thank you for your help.
I guess a workaround might be for me to pay for a third-party application which will push my email to the device...
bigbamboo5 said:
I guess a workaround might be for me to pay for a third-party application which will push my email to the device...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You might try looking into funambol. It connects most things, to most other things.
http://my.funambol.com/
is a free intermediary online funambol server application which might do exactly what you want.
I'm trying to find out from Orange whether the HTC Hero will synchronise with exchange.
Quite frustrating that there is no clear information available.
Rob
Thanks, Trentend - I'll take a look. Also Emoze has been suggested.
Anyone tried Emoze?
I have just spoken to someone at Devicewire who seems to know the phone well and has used it a lot - he tells me the phone 'definitely syncs perfectly with Outlook'. Which is nice...
For any kind of PUSH email support, you need a server-backend that can work it.
Meaning: An IMAP mail account (with IDLE support enabled) (like Gmail),
an Exchange account (used a lot in enterprises and such),
or something similar from Blackberry (BIS I believe).
A regular POP account is just that: Too simple to support any kind of push.
Create a gmail account, set your POP account to forward the mail directly to that gmail account, and set that gmail account up for push mail.
I believe gmail even supports multiple identities, so you can use gmail to send mail in such a way that it looks to come from your original POP account.
As for the Outlook sync: I'm curious just as you. Had WinMo and Symbian phones the last xx years, and I'm now waiting for my Hero to be shipped. My first Android experience, so I'll have to see.
Thing is, I don't value 'Outlook' at all. I use three different computers during each and even day, so all my mail is done webbased (and using a central storage). My 'primary' contact list _IS_ my phone. I don't sync it, I make backups.
So I think I will have to import my current contact list into my gmail-contacts, clean it all up and then connect my Android phone to it. But once you've done that, you're set .
dipje said:
For any kind of PUSH email support, you need a server-backend that can work it.
Meaning: An IMAP mail account (with IDLE support enabled) (like Gmail),
an Exchange account (used a lot in enterprises and such),
or something similar from Blackberry (BIS I believe).
A regular POP account is just that: Too simple to support any kind of push.
Create a gmail account, set your POP account to forward the mail directly to that gmail account, and set that gmail account up for push mail.
I believe gmail even supports multiple identities, so you can use gmail to send mail in such a way that it looks to come from your original POP account.
As for the Outlook sync: I'm curious just as you. Had WinMo and Symbian phones the last xx years, and I'm now waiting for my Hero to be shipped. My first Android experience, so I'll have to see.
Thing is, I don't value 'Outlook' at all. I use three different computers during each and even day, so all my mail is done webbased (and using a central storage). My 'primary' contact list _IS_ my phone. I don't sync it, I make backups.
So I think I will have to import my current contact list into my gmail-contacts, clean it all up and then connect my Android phone to it. But once you've done that, you're set .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for this! I guess I'll have to try and do that gmail forwarding thing as the multiple identity thing is vital -if I reply from my phone, it needs to look as if it has come from my office. I'm sure there's an idiot's guide out there somewhere...
bigbamboo5 said:
Thank you for this! I guess I'll have to try and do that gmail forwarding thing as the multiple identity thing is vital -if I reply from my phone, it needs to look as if it has come from my office. I'm sure there's an idiot's guide out there somewhere...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just had a look. I can go to my gmail settings, and there is a tab 'accounts'.
In there the first section is to 'add another email address you own'. You will have to enter your current POP email address, and it will send a verification of some sort to verify the address is yours.
After that you can make that email address as 'default', and set the option to always make mail seem to come from that address, even if the mail you are replying to was sent directly to your gmail account.
I reccon that if you set an email address as 'default' there, you phone (and other) applications will also use it.
Then the only thing to do is set your current POP account to forward mail directly to your gmail account. (Not MOVE mail, but forward / copy it).
Then you have a gmail account 'invisible' to the outside world. Setting up an android phone with a gmail account should be no problem
Oooh!
Ta much!
Hero will sync with Exchange out of the Box
Magic and G1 need an extra App
cboyd said:
Hero will sync with Exchange out of the Box
Magic and G1 need an extra App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exchange, yes - but what about Outlook?
I have seen several posts over the years from people looking to sync multiple Exchange mailboxes/calendars to their WM phones. The official word from Microsoft is, of course, you can't do that, and it is for security purposes. To date, I haven't seen a way to accomplish this, other than to have IMAP or POP3 and use the second exchange account in this way.
The paradox for Microsoft is which domain 'owns' the device. If you sync to two different servers, and one issues the remote reset command, the phone will hard reset, losing the data from the other server. Also, if there are policies in place for one domain, and you sync to a second, which set of policies supercedes the other.
I am probably one of the few people ( although it's probably not that rare consider many users here are developers ) who runs their own exchange server at home. I have my phone synced to my home Exchange server which houses all of my email, contacts, calendar apps, ect. The company I work for also uses exchange and opens the ability to sync via ActiveSync, but denies IMAP and POP3 access. I always wanted a way to get just my calendare from work so that when I am in the game room, or outside, or helping a co-worker, I didn't forget about the meetings scheduled at work.
Ok, with that background, here is the true purpose of the post. I have written a small app that uses WebDAV (same thing the Outlook web access uses) to query the Exchange server at work and return the all of the appointments on my calendar in XML format. This app then parses the XML, and sends regular emails with the calendar invites to my home Exchange server, and of course my phone. Once I log in and accept them, they show up on my phone, my home Outlook, and my Outlook at work. The strategy could easily be applied to email, as the WebDAV query i've created need only be tweaked to return the email in additional to the calendar appointments. The device retains no relationship with the exchange server from which the email and calendar settings come, so there is no question of domain ownership
What I would like to know from the community, is there still a need for this app? Right now many of the configurable items are hardcoded to my server settings, mainly because it started as a POC, and it is in a C# Console Application. It could easily be modified to run on the .NET 3.5 CF, with all of the important info as configurable options, and distrubuted.
Would anyone be interested in this?
bryancruise said:
I have seen several posts over the years from people looking to sync multiple Exchange mailboxes/calendars to their WM phones. The official word from Microsoft is, of course, you can't do that, and it is for security purposes. To date, I haven't seen a way to accomplish this, other than to have IMAP or POP3 and use the second exchange account in this way.
The paradox for Microsoft is which domain 'owns' the device. If you sync to two different servers, and one issues the remote reset command, the phone will hard reset, losing the data from the other server. Also, if there are policies in place for one domain, and you sync to a second, which set of policies supercedes the other.
I am probably one of the few people ( although it's probably not that rare consider many users here are developers ) who runs their own exchange server at home. I have my phone synced to my home Exchange server which houses all of my email, contacts, calendar apps, ect. The company I work for also uses exchange and opens the ability to sync via ActiveSync, but denies IMAP and POP3 access. I always wanted a way to get just my calendare from work so that when I am in the game room, or outside, or helping a co-worker, I didn't forget about the meetings scheduled at work.
Ok, with that background, here is the true purpose of the post. I have written a small app that uses WebDAV (same thing the Outlook web access uses) to query the Exchange server at work and return the all of the appointments on my calendar in XML format. This app then parses the XML, and sends regular emails with the calendar invites to my home Exchange server, and of course my phone. Once I log in and accept them, they show up on my phone, my home Outlook, and my Outlook at work. The strategy could easily be applied to email, as the WebDAV query i've created need only be tweaked to return the email in additional to the calendar appointments. The device retains no relationship with the exchange server from which the email and calendar settings come, so there is no question of domain ownership
What I would like to know from the community, is there still a need for this app? Right now many of the configurable items are hardcoded to my server settings, mainly because it started as a POC, and it is in a C# Console Application. It could easily be modified to run on the .NET 3.5 CF, with all of the important info as configurable options, and distrubuted.
Would anyone be interested in this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive been after an app like this for ages - I went for a google synch approach with my work exchange and then pulling my work calendar to google and then to my home exchange account on my mobile - problem with this was i regularily got duplicates! I have since sacrificed having my home and work calendar synch and just have my work email being polled by imap. The key for me is i dont want all my home contacts and calendar appointments synched with my work email - would just like to pull my work calendar every know and again and ensure i dont have duplicates - would this work in this way enabling an adhoc pull on the work calendar without creating duplicates and sending personal appointments to my work calendar?
Fantastic, would love to see this developed. Would pay for this app.
JPHCCFC said:
Ive been after an app like this for ages - I went for a google synch approach with my work exchange and then pulling my work calendar to google and then to my home exchange account on my mobile - problem with this was i regularily got duplicates! I have since sacrificed having my home and work calendar synch and just have my work email being polled by imap. The key for me is i dont want all my home contacts and calendar appointments synched with my work email - would just like to pull my work calendar every know and again and ensure i dont have duplicates - would this work in this way enabling an adhoc pull on the work calendar without creating duplicates and sending personal appointments to my work calendar?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This app checks for duplicates by using the subject. The only testing I've done is on my own calendar and such, but I have found no issues with duplicates. Introducing this app to a wider audience should point out any issues right away.
Based on the limited amount of feedback I've received, I think I will work it into a windows mobile application for mass consumption. I will keep this thread updated with the progress. Any additional features anyone can think of are appreciated.
that would be fantastic i will definately testing it out. another great feature would be to enable it to synch with google calendars as well while checking duplicates with the exchange calendar - all the onew i have trie have failed on the duplicates side! will monitor this thread and check when an app is available
cheers
JPHCCFC said:
that would be fantastic i will definately testing it out. another great feature would be to enable it to synch with google calendars as well while checking duplicates with the exchange calendar - all the onew i have trie have failed on the duplicates side! will monitor this thread and check when an app is available
cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would be interested, but more for pushing of emails from my google app, rather than calendar/contacts, to my mobile phone.
I would LOVE getting my calendars and contacts synched between my work exchange and personal exchange
zenkinz said:
I would be interested, but more for pushing of emails from my google app, rather than calendar/contacts, to my mobile phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
zenkinz you can do this now by getting google mail to autoforward all emails to your exchange account - thats what i do now and it works like a treat
I would not only love an application like this but maybe one that allows the use of Intellisync along with Activesync to allow them both to work cohesively. Since Novell and Microsoft do not play well together I cannot use my hotmail to work with my activesync the same way.
Hey guys, i don't know if this works for everyone but i saw this post ages ago that allows a quick registry edit to allow activesync 4.x to sync over multiple servers.
Currently i sync my exchange server calendar and contacts with google calendar.
The link on google groups is http://groups.google.co.uk/group/microsoft.public.pocketpc.activesync/browse_thread/thread/7e44b0374561f9e3/e25f50cf495e64b8?lnk=st&q=solved+exchange+pocketpc&rnum=3&pli=1
I have a polaris running a wm6.1 build. and this seems to work really well. I hope this helps someone!
Fergus278 said:
Hey guys, i don't know if this works for everyone but i saw this post ages ago that allows a quick registry edit to allow activesync 4.x to sync over multiple servers.
Currently i sync my exchange server calendar and contacts with google calendar.
The link on google groups is http://groups.google.co.uk/group/microsoft.public.pocketpc.activesync/browse_thread/thread/7e44b0374561f9e3/e25f50cf495e64b8?lnk=st&q=solved+exchange+pocketpc&rnum=3&pli=1
I have a polaris running a wm6.1 build. and this seems to work really well. I hope this helps someone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At first blush, the link suggested syncing with one exchange connected pc, and one push-enabled server. While close, I do not believe this is the same functionality my app will provide. Did I miss something?
would love it.
i own a consulting company and have two email addresses. my personal and a "support" mailbox. would be nice to see that support box without using oma or even worse OWA on vga screen. ugh.
this app is definitely. needed.
thanks for the effort.
Excellent !
Works like a charm for several pop3 accounts.
Ciao
Fred
I too have my own Exchange server at home, and several other Exchange accounts at work- each on different domains. This would be a great thing for me, and one I would pay for.
I am currently running Exchange 2007 on my home domain, Exchange 2010 for one account at work, and Exchange 2003 for another. If this works on all 3 "flavours" I would be stoked.
bryancruise said:
I have seen several posts over the years from people looking to sync multiple Exchange mailboxes/calendars to their WM phones. The official word from Microsoft is, of course, you can't do that, and it is for security purposes. To date, I haven't seen a way to accomplish this, other than to have IMAP or POP3 and use the second exchange account in this way.
The paradox for Microsoft is which domain 'owns' the device. If you sync to two different servers, and one issues the remote reset command, the phone will hard reset, losing the data from the other server. Also, if there are policies in place for one domain, and you sync to a second, which set of policies supercedes the other.
I am probably one of the few people ( although it's probably not that rare consider many users here are developers ) who runs their own exchange server at home. I have my phone synced to my home Exchange server which houses all of my email, contacts, calendar apps, ect. The company I work for also uses exchange and opens the ability to sync via ActiveSync, but denies IMAP and POP3 access. I always wanted a way to get just my calendare from work so that when I am in the game room, or outside, or helping a co-worker, I didn't forget about the meetings scheduled at work.
Ok, with that background, here is the true purpose of the post. I have written a small app that uses WebDAV (same thing the Outlook web access uses) to query the Exchange server at work and return the all of the appointments on my calendar in XML format. This app then parses the XML, and sends regular emails with the calendar invites to my home Exchange server, and of course my phone. Once I log in and accept them, they show up on my phone, my home Outlook, and my Outlook at work. The strategy could easily be applied to email, as the WebDAV query i've created need only be tweaked to return the email in additional to the calendar appointments. The device retains no relationship with the exchange server from which the email and calendar settings come, so there is no question of domain ownership
What I would like to know from the community, is there still a need for this app? Right now many of the configurable items are hardcoded to my server settings, mainly because it started as a POC, and it is in a C# Console Application. It could easily be modified to run on the .NET 3.5 CF, with all of the important info as configurable options, and distrubuted.
Would anyone be interested in this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This could even be made into a PC application, and I would be happy. Let me know if you need any help in testing or coding.
bryancruise said:
At first blush, the link suggested syncing with one exchange connected pc, and one push-enabled server. While close, I do not believe this is the same functionality my app will provide. Did I miss something?
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Click to collapse
Well just to confirm, i sync with my works exchange server and google sync which as far as i know uses Exchange ActiveSync® protocol. To this extent i am effectively syncing with two exchange servers.
I do not sync my phone with any pc, so this registry mod does do what i think you describe. I suggest you try this regsitry mod and see if it does what you ask.
regardless i hope it helps!
ButtonBoy said:
I too have my own Exchange server at home, and several other Exchange accounts at work- each on different domains. This would be a great thing for me, and one I would pay for.
I am currently running Exchange 2007 on my home domain, Exchange 2010 for one account at work, and Exchange 2003 for another. If this works on all 3 "flavours" I would be stoked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure about Exchange 2010, but I know that my app (in it's current form) relies on WebDAV, which makes it work with Exchange 2000, 2003, and 2007. I don't have an Exchange 2010 test environment at the moment, but will stand one up if demand were to increase. Once it goes RTM I will definately use it and this app will be compatible. Again, as long as they leave WebDAV support in, and don't break the interface, this app will already work with it.
Fergus278 said:
Well just to confirm, i sync with my works exchange server and google sync which as far as i know uses Exchange ActiveSync® protocol. To this extent i am effectively syncing with two exchange servers.
I do not sync my phone with any pc, so this registry mod does do what i think you describe. I suggest you try this regsitry mod and see if it does what you ask.
regardless i hope it helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I will definately look into this.
Just as a general update on progress, I began digging into the true dirt of the conversion today and ran into several issues. First being that the System.Net.Mail namespace isn't in the compact framework, and since that is functionality in the .net System.dll, it can't be exported for use with CF. I found however that the same functionality exists in the Microsoft.Mobile.PocketOutlook namespace, so that was easy to overcome. I ran into some issues during testing (my exchange server went down overnight so i couldn't test at all (btw, it going down had nothing to do with this app )). The WebDAV query works, but since I am returning such a large dataset, it takes quite a while over EDGE (TMobile 3G is slated for Louisville in a few weeks!!!). Otherwise, the port is moving right along and hope to have an alpha version posted in the coming days.
BTW, does anyone out there have a good name for this app. In a lapse of creativity, I named it InfoSync, but I think that is too generic. Suggestions?
Hi,
I'm currently impatiently awaiting the arrival of my HD2 from expansys. I'm just wondering about the calendar functionality. I've heard from a few places an HTC program is used instead of the default WinMo version. Is this capable of handling multiple google calendars? My wife and I like to share calendars to keep up on what's happening as life gets quite busy and this function on iPhone is very useful...
Thanks
David
Hi there,
The calendar is an interface for the built in ms app. It should not support google calendar at all.
However, my wife and i use exchange for that. Actually shared calendar was the reason she wanted exchange.
Hi Sproxy,
I thought the problem was with the activesync program in WinMo that stopped syncing multiple google calendars. I thought that because on the iPhone you can sync multiple google calendars through using the Exchange protocol but on WinMo you are limited to one calendar...
Does anyone know how you can get it working or if this might be a future feature?
IrishDavid said:
Hi Sproxy,
I thought the problem was with the activesync program in WinMo that stopped syncing multiple google calendars. I thought that because on the iPhone you can sync multiple google calendars through using the Exchange protocol but on WinMo you are limited to one calendar...
Does anyone know how you can get it working or if this might be a future feature?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you can sync one google calendar, it would be enough because you just have to sync one calendar, which is your own. Your wife calendar events can be added under "add friends calendar" in google calendar.
nghj said:
if you can sync one google calendar, it would be enough because you just have to sync one calendar, which is your own. Your wife calendar events can be added under "add friends calendar" in google calendar.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think thats quite what the original post was getting at.
With ActiveSync, you can sync a calendar, this will bring the main google calendar from your account, ie yours. It doesn't support multi calendars from google.
There is a program out there called OggSync http://oggsync.com/ which reports that it does support all calendars for WinMo.
I've not had chance to try it myself, but will be doing when my HD2 arrives.
1) It is possible to sync two Exchange Servers with your PPC. See http://tinyurl.com/yhuq7ap
Shortcut:
Change the registry key
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\ActiveSync\EnableNonLocalCrossPollination]
from (DWORD) 0 to (DWORD) 1
Use a registry editor like Pocket TotalCommander to edit the key.
2) Google offers to sync your calendar, contacts and mail via the ActiveSync Protocol. See http://tinyurl.com/dc4kq9
Shortcut:
Server: m.google.com (use SSL)
Username: [email protected] (with the @gmail.com / @googlemail.com part!)
Password: IHopeYouHaveAGoodPW
I've never tested the solution I provide here, but this should theoretically work.
If you test it, some (including me) might be interested to hear your experiences.
~Chris
Hi guys, nicelad_uk got more to what my intention was. I have looked and tested with the emulator and found that it's impossible to sync more than one google calendar through exchange. I was wondering whether if HTC had actually rewritten the calendar app and it would therefore support multiple google calendars.
I have tried the OggSync application with outlook and will try it out again when i get my HD2. My only problem is I didn't like that you couldn't add to other calendars (not your main calendar) from without outlook and I just wonder if it will be possible to do so from WinMo...
I really hope Microsoft sort out this stupid problem sometime soon it really is quite frustrating!
Thanks for the help,
David
cimnine said:
I've never tested the solution I provide here, but this should theoretically work.
If you test it, some (including me) might be interested to hear your experiences.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't work. Or at least it didn't work for me when I tried. Reading the suggestions about this workaround carefully I came to the conclusion that it might work with ActiveSync connection to PC, but not Exchange over the air.
IrishDavid said:
I really hope Microsoft sort out this stupid problem sometime soon it really is quite frustrating!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The bad news is that it's not a bug and therefore won't be fixed. It's by design and considered to be a "security" feature. This way your company thinks that their stuff won't end up somewhere on Google. I know it's stupid (and wrong), but I don't make decisions here.
BTW, it works the same on the iPhone and Android - only one Exchange connection allowed.
What we really need is native support for IMAP Idle really - there's no need whatsoever to use Exchange for personal mail.
Hi, I lookong for some solution (plugin) for Windows mobile 6,1 calendar to switch off or on the phone and another network services and the ringing profiles depending on calendar timepoints. I did not found solution for this problem, otherworlds I would like to integrate some scheduler to the calendar. Is it possible?
I've just rooted my first phone (the Aria) and installed CM6.1 and am quite impressed. But I had a question to pose to you Aria/Android experts:
I used to use HTC sync to sync my Outlook's personal calendar and contacts, separate from work and Google data, and this kept me from having to store my "private" data in the cloud or on company servers. But HTC Sync is no longer a reliable option for this mod or the other popular ones.
I did find that CM offered a "Phone-only (unsynched)" address book whenever I created a new contact on the Aria. Then I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could use MyPhoneExplorer to populate that address book! Halfway there!
There's no unsynched calendar that I can find, though. Is it possible to define and maintain a calendar in this (or any other 2.2+) mod that is not synced with a cloud or Exchange? Ideally, I could then point MyPhoneExplorer at it, but I'd settle for any working calendar whose data never leaves my phone.
Thanks for any guidance anyone can offer.
JimsEvilTwin said:
I've just rooted my first phone (the Aria) and installed CM6.1 and am quite impressed. But I had a question to pose to you Aria/Android experts:
I used to use HTC sync to sync my Outlook's personal calendar and contacts, separate from work and Google data, and this kept me from having to store my "private" data in the cloud or on company servers. But HTC Sync is no longer a reliable option for this mod or the other popular ones.
I did find that CM offered a "Phone-only (unsynched)" address book whenever I created a new contact on the Aria. Then I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could use MyPhoneExplorer to populate that address book! Halfway there!
There's no unsynched calendar that I can find, though. Is it possible to define and maintain a calendar in this (or any other 2.2+) mod that is not synced with a cloud or Exchange? Ideally, I could then point MyPhoneExplorer at it, but I'd settle for any working calendar whose data never leaves my phone.
Thanks for any guidance anyone can offer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What I did was to set up an exchange account to create the calendar, but then set the account to not sync. I too use MPE and copy my events to the local calendar.
Ted, thanks for your reply. That is indeed a creative approach.
I already have my Aria synching to my office Exchange calendar (for office appointments, naturally). How do I setup the second calendar? Will I have to define a second Exchange account? Or a separate calendar folder/sub-older or data file?
Maybe I can simulate this approach by defining the new calendar using another Google account? I'll give that a try.
tedkunich said:
What I did was to set up an exchange account to create the calendar, but then set the account to not sync. I too use MPE and copy my events to the local calendar.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like this
Will keep in ming if I ever need something like this...
Although can't imagine a use for it now
JimsEvilTwin said:
Ted, thanks for your reply. That is indeed a creative approach.
I already have my Aria synching to my office Exchange calendar (for office appointments, naturally). How do I setup the second calendar? Will I have to define a second Exchange account? Or a separate calendar folder/sub-older or data file?
Maybe I can simulate this approach by defining the new calendar using another Google account? I'll give that a try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can always create a dummy account with hotmail and use the calendar associated with that account. Don't use exchange here, so I have no experience with setting up multiple accounts, but I'm sure it is fairly straight forward.
Sent from my Liberty using XDA App
stellarhopper said:
I like this
Will keep in ming if I ever need something like this...
Although can't imagine a use for it now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Work for a fortune 500 company that had very strict IT rules and you will know
Fyi, where I work, it is a terminatable offense to put company data on servers outside of the company firewall, including calendar data. So this is a very useful workaround for my situation. I was almost ready to revert back to Sense because it had the private calendar, but found this hack and was thrilled to toss out all remnants of Sense from my phone and computers - hated it that much.
T
Sent from my Liberty using XDA App
I set up a "scratch" calendar in Google and saw it defined in my Aria, but when I use the stock Calendar settings there to mark it as unsynched, it also makes the calendar invisible.
Ted, if you don't mind my asking, are you on 2.2 and what calendar app are you using?
JimsEvilTwin said:
I set up a "scratch" calendar in Google and saw it defined in my Aria, but when I use the stock Calendar settings there to mark it as unsynched, it also makes the calendar invisible.
Ted, if you don't mind my asking, are you on 2.2 and what calendar app are you using?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm running CM7 with the stock calendar app. I looked at several of the calendar apps out there, but none had the integration with the LPP calendar widget.
Don't believe that you can have a google calendar that is not synced. I turned the exchange sync off on the main sync settings page
Sent from my Liberty using XDA App
I've got it working now!!
Forgive my "dense-ness." I haven't used Hotmail before and didn't know it offered Exchange functionality. I setup a new account at Live.com, synched it to my Aria, and then told the Aria to not sync its contacts and calendar there. Presto! Unsynched calendar (and contacts)! MyPhoneExplorer now has a private repository to work with.
Thanks a million to Ted for his directions!