[APP][DEV] 'Syncing' to multiple Exchange Accounts - Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General

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?
Click to expand...
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?

Related

Activesync with two accounts - Exchange Server + Outlook

I've just started using the Outlook Domino connector to enable me to use Outlook to access our Lotus Notes server, and more importantly, sync my Notes inbox, calendar etc with the i-mate without other third-party software (I was previously using mNotes from CommonTime which didn't totally satisfy my needs).
Whilst I'm now thrilled with the Outlook/Notes/i-mate sync scenario, which is working beyond my expectations, I'm a little hesitant to set up my Activesync to Exchange Server Account (from Club i-mate) which I also use for private email because I'm unsure whether this dual server via Activesync scenario will work (and I can't jeopardize my Notes mail / calendar integrity to check).
So, has anybody tried using Activesync to syncronize with their PC's Outlook inbox / calendar etc, PLUS a server sync with Exchange? What happens? Do you just end up with two Inbox items in Activesync? Does all your email etc from all accounts end up in the same PPC inbox (and then both accounts)?
Any first-hand experience would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Hi,
it is not possible to do both with ActiveSync. If you configure ActiveSync for server sync it no longer synchronizes with Outlook locally.
You can use IMAP or POP3 for your additional accounts, I am using Exchange for my main account and IMAP for other accounts and it works fine.
Okay Softworkz, that's what I was afraid of.
Unfortunately Clubimate don't allow POP (or IMAP) access for member email, so it's one or the other for me then.
Thanks for your comment.
Ooooh interesting - what was up with mNotes? =) Version 3.5 is out soon by the way - and I'm working on some stuff for our new website..
Hi Madkat,
I used mNotes on my original XDA and now my i-mate with great success for ages, until I made the mistake of creating categories for my contacts. Once I happened mis-type a category name and that was when I discovered that I couldn't delete them - at all.
No matter what I did I couldn't stop rogue categories from appearing in the drop-down list. After removing all contacts from the rogue category, and then deleting it on the i-mate (or Notes, it didn't matter), the rogue category would still appear in the drop-down list, and in the add / remove categories sceen as [category name] (not in master category list), or words to that effect. I also played around with the mNotes config app which is installed on the device (which was just about all I could find in the user manual relating to categories), but the manual didn't match what was installed (guess it hadn't been updated for that section), and I wasn't successful.
I actually posted a question on xda-developers about it, but wasn't able to sort it out. I just became frustrated in the end. I'm not sure I'd go back to it now because I'm so impressed with the Outlook Domino Connector and not having to use Notes for my e-mail at work - I hate notes as an email client, especially with all the 'customisations' our IT jerks have done; we don't have rights to do anything - can't even create rules to move mail to other folders based on content anymore. It's a shame they don't upgrade to Notes 6, but there you go.
TBH I hate Notes as a mail client too!! If I didn't have to do any Notes development I'd be using IMAP on the Domino server & Thunderbird on my PC.
I think it is worth mentioning, though, that during your 30-day evaluation you are entitled to full tech support by email and/or phone - bit late now though! D'OH.
i just do not want to open another topic....
i have a pc with win xp and ms outlook... ms outlook is set up with an exchange server for all items (email, calendar, tasks etc)
is it possible to sync, via activesync, my windows mobile device with the content of ms outlook on my pc? the purpose is to have the same calendar, tasks and contacts on my phone WM device also...
thanks

Sync w/ two Exchange servers

Hi All !
Sorry for the basic question. I would like to sync my TyTn with two Exchange server.
1. Exchange server in the company
2. Hosted Exchange server
Do you have any idea, how to do that ?
As far as I know it is impossible at the moment. Activesync only allows one server to be set up. My intuition tells me we will probably never see it as there is only one contact, task, calender and email store in WM5 and having them both syncronised via 2 servers would cause more conflicts then you can shake a big stick at.
Yep, it's a glaring gap in PPC functionality, but it is not possible to sync with two different Exchange servers!
Sorry to jump on this thread, but the knowledge may be relevant.
If no exchange server existed, but you have a desktop, a laptop, and TyTN, is there a sync solution for all 3 devices?
38h21543 said:
If no exchange server existed, but you have a desktop, a laptop, and TyTN, is there a sync solution for all 3 devices?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can sync your PPC with two pcs (but only e-mail from one of them).
Everything else can be sync'd between them all.
My MDA Pro is sync'd with an excange server for my e-mail and 2 desktops (home and work) for contacts, calendar, tasks, notes and files.
Could it be possible to link with thew hosted exchange using the built in capability, and then use funambol (with the exchange connector plug-in) to sync with the in house exchange server?
Ive not tried it, but I hold out big hopes for funambol as a synchronising tool for a mixed network solution.
I'm also interested in syncing with 2 exchange servers. Maybe a third-party program?
I also have a problem using active sync: I am trying to sync my tytn with an exchange server (email, just for pushmail with mail2web) and with my pc (outlook calendar and contacts). I just can't get it to work. I removed the whole sync pairing with my pc and redid it and then it worked once. After that it keeps on looking for changes and in the end it comes with the error message.
So basically I want to sync one exchange server and my outlook, anyone a solution? I tried it with both AS 4.2 and the 4.5 beta. I use the tytn rom...
Repeat: There is currently NO WAY to sync with two Exchange servers.
goestoeleven said:
Repeat: There is currently NO WAY to sync with two Exchange servers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't believe that's true. It is possible to set up funambol, with multiple servers, and use the funambol clients (one which exists for WM5) to sync with these multiple servers.
If you can justify *why* your statement is true, and why it is applicable in this case, then I would be very interested to hear.
Yes, there IS a way. MSFT has actively closed that loophole with ActiveSync 4.x
But I found a way around. See my post in the activesync newsgroup:
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/mi...ved+exchange+pocketpc&rnum=3#e25f50cf495e64b8
Ignore the typos in the post (ooops) and enjoy
I have no idea if funambol can help or is relevant, but I can tell you that people have been trying to find a multi-MS Exchange Server sync option for years, and I have NEVER seen a successful solution before...
There are many threads on this forum that will confirm the same...
Believe me, I'd be thrilled to have somebody resolve this, as I also have a personal Exchange server and multiple work Exchange servers!!!
Over-the-air sync with 2 exchange servers: success
Hi,
My approach: use one exchange server with Visto push mail. The other with exchange activesync directly to the server and it works. Two separate mailboxes too. (this is the main reason why you cannot sync with two exchange servers directly) It works fine for me.
Ton.
gelderbt said:
Hi,
My approach: use one exchange server with Visto push mail. The other with exchange activesync directly to the server and it works. Two separate mailboxes too. (this is the main reason why you cannot sync with two exchange servers directly) It works fine for me.
Ton.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for verifying that way works. This is exactly the approach I was suggesting (but using funambol and exchange connector for the server over which the organisation has control - rather than Visto).
But just to be clear, has anyone found a way to use Exchange ActiveSync with two different servers? (I suspect not)
cseilern said:
Yes, there IS a way. MSFT has actively closed that loophole with ActiveSync 4.x
But I found a way around. See my post in the activesync newsgroup:
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/mi...ved+exchange+pocketpc&rnum=3#e25f50cf495e64b8
Ignore the typos in the post (ooops) and enjoy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude, you are awesome!!! This is exactly what I needed. Everything works perfectly. Stupid microsoft and their "cross polenation" rules
LoTekJunky said:
Dude, you are awesome!!! This is exactly what I needed. Everything works perfectly. Stupid microsoft and their "cross polenation" rules
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
could not really get the method. I want to syn two different mailboxes from the same server in the device. Tell me please the way to do it
I'd really like 2 OTA exchange connections... but I'll take what I can get.
Acct1: (OTA Home Exchange sync)
email, contacts, calendar, notes, tasks, etc
Acct2: (USB Work Exchange sync)
......, contacts, calendar, notes, tasks, etc
use seven.com to push email from acct2 OWA, acct3, and acct4
I'm currently using Funabmol to sync the 2 exchange setups via outlook...
mail from one exchange server, calendar/contacts from another...
Thanks to zim2323 on ppcgeeks:
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?p=742617
Thought I would share it as i've been trying to figure out how sync my corporate email & calendar via one activesync server (company) and google contacts via another (the google server). So now I have both personal email (gmail IMAP) and work email (Exchange) and my personal contacts imported into the native contacts list.
Hope someone else finds this useful.
BTW, I also set HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\ActiveSync\EnableNonLocalCrossPollination to "1" instead of "0".
alber786 said:
could not really get the method. I want to syn two different mailboxes from the same server in the device. Tell me please the way to do it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also made the registry change, but don't understand how to configure two activesync servers to pull down two calendars. Please help!

Online Sync Server

Does anyone know the name of any server software that works the same as MS Exchange.
I don't need Push email, all I NEED is the contact, calendar sync. email is optional but preferable. Sort of like ZYB but with email.
I don't mind if it runs or windows or linux as long as it just works.
edit: sorry, just realized this was posted in the wrong forum.
try mail2web.com that is essentially FREE exchange server online, will do all, including mail aggrigation, ie it'll collect mail from other email accounts aswell.
I signed up for that but the support over there told me there was no way to upload/import my contacts to my address book on their server. My contacts wouldn't sync automatically either so I closed my account over there.
rashed2020 said:
I signed up for that but the support over there told me there was no way to upload/import my contacts to my address book on their server. My contacts wouldn't sync automatically either so I closed my account over there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You do have all your contact currently on your PDA isnt it? therefore by the first sync all your contact should be copied to server. sorry If I dont understand your problem.
no you're right bulldog, you understood my problem.
The contacts didn't sync though and when I spoke to support they made it seem like the contacts aren't supposed to sync.
What am I doing wrong??
Ok, found a way to upload the contacts but theres a 100 contacts limit and I've got more than 100.
So solution still pending...
i have a question about mail2web.com:
i have my account and i managed to enable an email filter from to provider acror to mail2web. also i let outlook2k7 to leave the messages on the pop3 server. so i could download all my mails onto my pc and onto my mail2web account.
i added the exchange server to my activesync on my htc prophet and it synced over air very fine. i get new mails onto my pc and onto my mail2web account.
but sadly it looks like this exchange server doesn't support html mails
i just get only normal text mail over the exchange server. did i something wrong, or does their exchange servers not support this WM6 feature?
to sort of solve my own problem.. Kerio Mailserver does everything exchange does.. just requires a small proggie installed with outlook
rashed2020 said:
to sort of solve my own problem.. Kerio Mailserver does everything exchange does.. just requires a small proggie installed with outlook
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and your PC to be on all the time!
rashed2020 said:
Ok, found a way to upload the contacts but theres a 100 contacts limit and I've got more than 100.
So solution still pending...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never had any problems syncing my 400+ contacts !!!
LordDeath said:
i have a question about mail2web.com:
i have my account and i managed to enable an email filter from to provider acror to mail2web. also i let outlook2k7 to leave the messages on the pop3 server. so i could download all my mails onto my pc and onto my mail2web account.
i added the exchange server to my activesync on my htc prophet and it synced over air very fine. i get new mails onto my pc and onto my mail2web account.
but sadly it looks like this exchange server doesn't support html mails
i just get only normal text mail over the exchange server. did i something wrong, or does their exchange servers not support this WM6 feature?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mail2web servers dont support PUSH HTML....just text... and kiero doesnt support HTML either...
Carnivore:
That's not a problem since its always on as it is! Plus, thinking of getting a VPS so thatll make life easier.
Shaile:
Are you using the free or paid version? I was experimenting with the free one and I couldn't seem to upload more than 100.
Walsh:
Don't really need HTML, nor do I want it. So kerio not supporting HTML is a feature if you look at it from my side =P
Mail2Web configure PDA
I read an article today about Mail2Web and wanted to try it before I recommend it for any of our users. The article said there was a configuration file/program - have anyone of you seen this file - or know how I configure a PDA towards Mail2Web ?
I haven't personally tried it yet...
http://www.funambol.com/opensource/
"Funambol is open source mobile application server software that provides push email, address book and calendar (PIM) data synchronization, application provisioning, and device management for wireless devices and PCs, leveraging standard protocols. For users, this means BlackBerry-like capabilities on commodity handsets."
I am using Kerio MailServer and it works great. No problems so far!!!
- TKN
Funambol isnt really compliant with any of the syncing standards.. Kerio looks like the best option so far as it works with activesync
Vinny75 said:
I haven't personally tried it yet...
http://www.funambol.com/opensource/
"Funambol is open source mobile application server software that provides push email, address book and calendar (PIM) data synchronization, application provisioning, and device management for wireless devices and PCs, leveraging standard protocols. For users, this means BlackBerry-like capabilities on commodity handsets."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks dude this one is cool but this one is also not free service. even mail2web has closed free service. I am planning to host Funambol to serve free sync service.
Anyone interested?
Also you can use microsoft myphone service to sync contacts.
www.myphone.microsoft.com
But if you dont want to save contacts online the I guess PIM Backup s/w you can also schedule to take backup. And this even can take backup of mails, message.
Try Google sync
Try Google sync
http://www.google.com/mobile/products/sync.html#p=default
nuevasync is the way to go
free service does calendar and contacts from google, premiums ($25/yr) does push email.
uses activesync/exchange

Could push/ActiveSync Gmail be a possibility?

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

Push email & Outlook compatible?

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
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Click to collapse
Exchange, yes - but what about Outlook?

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