Database Users

Anyone got an Exchange Hosting guide?

For push email, looks like I'll be using one of the exchange hostsing services:
1&1
Option 1: 69p/mth for "Instant Email"
"1&1 Instant Mail gives you 5 dedicated POP3/IMAP e-mail accounts to create [email protected]. Send and receive e-mail from any Internet - connected computer."
Option 2: £5.99/mth for "Microsoft Exchange"
"Experience the benefits of seamless communication and collaboration with Microsoft Exchange. Use Outlook to send and receive e-mail from any Internet-connected computer."
4SmartPhone.Net
Option 1: $3.99 for "Express"
Includes Push Email, Wireless Sync, OWA: Outlook Web Access
Option 2: $6.99 for "Professional"
As above plus Outlook 2003 support, Sharing of email, contacts, calendar and tasks
Mail2Web
Option 1: FREE - Pop3, IMAP4 or SMTP not supported (huh???)
Option 2: $1.99 for "Personal Exchange"
"With our Enhanced Email plan, based on Microsoft Exchange, you are never far from your email, contact, schedule and other personal information. It’s all available from either your desktop, the web, as well as any Windows-powered mobile devices as Pocket PC, Pocket PC Phone Edition and Microsoft Windows®-powered Smartphones. Get information as it arrives where ever you may be.
Microsoft Exchange is much more than an email solution - it's a complete messaging solution that goes way beyond email to provide calendars, task management, contact lists, advanced rules for sorting your messages and much more.
Previously this solution was only available to businesses but we have developed a special version with the individual in mind. Now you can get your own Personal Exchange account on the mail2web.com domain."
OK, now I'm confused...
What exactly does everyone else use, and how much does it cost, what option and what does it give you?

looks like very attractive services, wonder if anyone has had a few months using these services, and can comment on the reliability etc.
Always a bit weary of hosted services, had dropped emails from hosted services in the past!

I was going to go with 1&1 however, it seems to me as though I have to pay for six months up front.

trapper said:
I was going to go with 1&1 however, it seems to me as though I have to pay for six months up front.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've went for the $6.99 a month (but a year upfront after the fifteen day trial) 4smartphone.net service. So far, so excellent!

Does it include the Universal client or are you using a new ROM?

There isn't a client as such as the functionality is already built into ALL of the Roms.
The main difference is the existing ROMs may not have the push functionality that a lot of people are waiting for.
I used smartphone during the trial on my original O2 ROM, this meant an SMS being sent to my device everytime I got a new message, however once I got hold of a ROM with push technology, I tested it with an Exchange Beta and it just worked out of the box - I suspect the same will be the case for 4smartphone.

belfast-biker said:
trapper said:
I was going to go with 1&1 however, it seems to me as though I have to pay for six months up front.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've went for the $6.99 a month (but a year upfront after the fifteen day trial) 4smartphone.net service. So far, so excellent!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also, I was downloading an outlook profile to I can use my outlook fully synced as well as OWA, and there was a problem which stopped me getting into my outlook at all!
I emailed them, and they replied with a full solution within 20 minutes. On a Sunday!
I tend to judge a company by how they handle things like this - any company is good when things work, but when things go wrong it's good to know you'll not be left up the creek without a paddle.
Top marks. Will definitely be buying the years service after the 15 day trial.

I'm just applying for it now.
Did you say that you worked for o2?

trapper said:
I'm just applying for it now.
Did you say that you worked for o2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, in Business Sales. I've to give a training session in Data tomorrow - group shared tariffs, personal tariffs, GPRS/3G/Wifi, BlackBerry vs. XDA, Email vs. Push Email, that kinda thing. Having done all this at the weekend will help me - otherwise I'd be telling them to tell our customers that if they want Push Email on the XDA IQ, they'd have to invest in Server 2003, Exchange etc etc.... at least this way, you do without all those capital costs and do it for just £4 per month to 4smartphone.net, plus minor data costs. Although I'd not recommend the process to normal humans.

How do you set it up on the phone agan? :roll:

trapper said:
How do you set it up on the phone agan? :roll:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You only get the Direct Push Email button option in the xconnections manager once you set up your activesync properly, and manual instructions for this are on their web page quite good ones I may add. I could foolow them!

pushing gmail onto my phone.

prewarning: i'm a complete microsoft exchange newbie, although i have experience in win2003 management / active directory etc.
here's what i'm trying to do.
basically, push my gmail email onto my phone (running windows mobile 5). i don't want pop access, i want actual PUSH.
how i figure this would work:
- forward my email from gmail to my local win2003 machine, which has exchange 2003 running
- exchange in turn pushes the email onto my phone immediately
- i can reply on my phone and it looks like it came from my gmail address, not from my local domain (i.e. my exchange server address).
so far i'm ok with 1 and 2, all is working golden. BUT i can't reply on my phone - it sends the message fine but shows the from address as my exchange server address.
any idea how to fix this? basically would want to set up some sort of mail relay...
any help would be appreciated! would be glad to provide a few free accounts to people who can help!
cheers!

If you have Exchange there is a way to setup an alias to accomplish this. PM me if you would like and I can explain in a PM. Basically what it does is it tricks Exchange into thinking it's sending from another e-mail address but basically it just changes the Reply to field so people see it coming from your gmail instead of your exchange account.

Maybe you should try Push Effect ?

took a look at push effect. not quite what i'd like... i odn't want any more running crap on my phone, especially not some alerting service. i want pretty much seamless integration with my outlook on my phone. it can't be hard, i'd rather do it myself for free rather than shell out something or other for licenses or software.
i'm already using emoze (emoze.com) which is good, but adds a silly little signature at the end of emails with some ad. PLUS it has added software running on my pc and phone, which i don't care much for.

try www.port88.org not sure if it's still free. When i signed up it was... amazing services

yep have seen that site. they have a suggested donation of $50, and even then not sure if they let me set my own "from" address...

chamelion said:
yep have seen that site. they have a suggested donation of $50, and even then not sure if they let me set my own "from" address...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They require a donation in order to use alias, but then again, most places will. If he is already running his own exchange server, then he can just use that. Check your PMs chamelion I sent you instructions.

got the pm thanks
i did actually did do just that a little while ago and it works great (except for sending myself an email).
i have a whole new issue though, i was tryign to implement certificate authentication and now everythings messed up... it just doesn't synch up any more
i'll figure it out, or just reinstall the whole damn thing!

FINALLY got everything working - the aliases and even the SSL authentication which was a pain in the ass. turns out to have been the smallest stupidest mistake i was making, as it usually is!
if anyone wants free push email like denial is offering, shoot me a PM, i can offer the same
cheers!

Why Google needs “Direct Push” for Google Apps

Direct Push with Google Apps?!?!?!
Hi everyone. I think I might have asked this question before but maybe something has developed in the last few months.
I am running my own IT consulting business and as I get more and more busy my calendar is becoming an ever more important tool. My dear wife went out and got me a good old-fashioned spiral bound day-timer but I have a sophisticated day-timer right here in my pocket in the form of my HTC Touch. As an IT consultant I think I should be using it rather then pulling out the pen and paper. Right now I am using the calendars in my Touch, Outlook, Google Apps and the calendar in the Exchange account I have with one of my customers. Too many calendars and all because I really want to use my Google Apps calendar and have it sync with my Touch.
I really want Google to develop “Direct Push” technology so that I can get my email, calendar and contacts all from my Google Apps account just like it was an Exchange Server. I am even considering switching my email back to an Exchange Server just so I can sync with my Touch. This way my wife could login and add stuff to my calendar and it will appear on my Touch. Right now I have my Email coming in from Google Apps via IMAP, my Calendar synching with Outlook (installed locally on my laptop without Exchange) and my Contacts syncing with my customer’s Exchange server. This is a pain and I want everything in one place that can be maintained/synced in real-time.
I will say this right now and keep in mind that as an IT consultant I like Microsoft’s products and install things like Windows 2003, SQL Server and Exchange on an almost daily basis. If Google develops “Direct Push” for Google Apps it will be an Exchange killer. The only, and I mean only reason I am thinking about switching my domain back to Exchange (I moved from Exchange to Google Apps about 1 year ago) is for the ability to sync everything (not just email) with my Touch.
On the other hand if Microsoft comes out with a version of Outlook/Exchange that dispenses with the whole “Inbox/Sent items/Delete” model and goes for the Google-style “conversation & archive” model along with the search capabilities I might fall back in love with Exchange.
The Fish

Oh and just in case anyone from Microsoft is listening, “threaded inbox” isn’t what I mean by “conversation style”. Come on Microsoft. Just admit that Google has actual built a better mousetrap and managed to improve on the age-old email model of “folders” and “sent items”. Go ahead and copy them… copy, copy copy! Oops sorry, I mean “embrace and extend, embrace and extend”

Something like that would be great!

matthew232 said:
Something like that would be great!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And not to mention totally do-able. There is already an non-Exchange mail server out there called “KerioMail Server” that implements Microsoft’s Direct Push protocol. Check out this link http://www.kerio.com/kms_activesync.html
Microsoft’s Direct Push is entirely HTTP based. It shouldn’t be that difficult for Google to do.
The Fish.

I guess you have to wait for Google Android.

thefish123 said:
On the other hand if Microsoft comes out with a version of Outlook/Exchange that dispenses with the whole “Inbox/Sent items/Delete” model and goes for the Google-style “conversation & archive” model along with the search capabilities I might fall back in love with Exchange.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The moment they do that (without giving an option) is when I would have to quit using Exchange. I **hate** Gmail's threading and forward those mails to another account that isn't threaded (and the fact that they don't let you turn it off).

I know it's not exactly what you're looking for, but have you checked out any of the 3rd party sync options? GMobileSync is a free little program that allows bidirectional syncing for your calendar (not push though). GooSync offers a free service level that also gives you calendar syncing. If you upgrade to their payed version (I think it is something like $30-40 for a whole year) you get not only calendar sync, but contacts, tasks etc. Might be worth a look.

jeffreycentex said:
The moment they do that (without giving an option) is when I would have to quit using Exchange. I **hate** Gmail's threading and forward those mails to another account that isn't threaded (and the fact that they don't let you turn it off).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Microsoft would never do it without making it an option. But I am surprised to hear you say that you head Gmail’s threading. Quite honestly you have got to be the FIRST person I have heard say that.
I have never (till now) talked to anyone who switched to Gmail who didn’t have anything but good to say about it. Most people I know who use Outlook or Outlook Express and who do ANY real volume of email spend at least an hour to two hours a day “organizing” their email. They have a whole list of sub-folders under their Inbox and then have almost the exact same set of sub-folders under their “Sent Items”. They spend time trying to decide how to file things or if they should file it in the first place or just delete it. Sometimes they delete and email and two of three days later the whole issue has ballooned into a big issue and they are filing the responses but no longer have their original email because they didn’t think it would become important.
Gmail lets me keep my Inbox clean while at the same time never worrying about filing or organizing or having trouble finding things back. I would probably hate Gmail if I was still trying to fit it into my narrow 20-year-old “I must use folders” paradigm of thinking (which I did when I first started using Gmail) but it was fun to give up on that and the new paradigm of “never file, never delete” is so superior.
I don’t really case WHERE my email is as long as I can find it back in a natural way. I think in years to come we are going to see the same thing happening on computers and to some extent we already are. The #1 reason most people hate Windows Vista is because of the way the new “Explorer” obscures the hierarchal folder model that everyone is used to from our Norton Commander days. It is really very Mac-like. Most Mac users couldn’t tell you where their pictures were in terms of a “directory” or a “folder” but they have less trouble finding them, or copying them to a USB drive, or attaching them to an email then most Windows users.
If we ever do see WinFS (Windows Future Storage) it is supposed to be a Microsoft SQL layer bolted on top of the file system and gives you database-style searchability with all kinds of meta data attached.
The thinking behind the Reiser file system is that any structure on top of the file system for storing data indicates that the file system isn’t doing it’s job. And I can kinda see the point.
The Fish

I agree, Gmail should definately come out with direct push technology
I currently use gmail with pocket outlook with imap.
It's annoying having it set to check my email in intervals.
I didn't even know what direct push was until today, until i saw a friend using his phone w/ his private exchange server...my first reaction was wow...i want that!!
I'm hoping android will implement features like direct push, among others.

surgex0 said:
I didn't even know what direct push was until today, until i saw a friend using his phone w/ his private exchange server...my first reaction was wow...i want that!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It’s not even so much that I want “push” email (although that would be cool). The biggest issue is that there is no way to sync my Calendar and my Contacts with Gmail. This means I either A) have to use the Calendar/Contacts on my Touch in their “stand alone” form without syncing to anything or B) have to sync them with something else.
I really like being able to use my web-based Gmail calendar (Google Apps) but I wish like crazy there was some way to get this on my Touch.
The Fish.
PS: when you sign-up for Google Apps it asks you what (if any) previous mail system you used. As an example it says in brackets “Microsoft Exchange”. This makes me think that Google Apps is positioning themselves to take the SMB email market away from Exchange. I think if they really want to do this they will make Google Apps look just like an Exchange Server to the millions of WM devices out there. Currently I am seriously considering moving my email back to Exchange when I get my own server online (in a few weeks).

Google's apps for WM are all in java aren't they?
I know the gmail one is, and it sucks big c---.
I'd rather use opera and gmail html mobile than use their ****e java client.

surgex0 said:
Google's apps for WM are all in java aren't they?
I know the gmail one is, and it sucks big c---.
I'd rather use opera and gmail html mobile than use their ****e java client.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Googlemaps apparently has a native app now (altho I would rather use Livesearch), so no, they aren't all JAVA. I take it you visit the HTML site instead of using IMAP so that you can see the threading and other g-mail features?

If you want gmail to push, use SEVEN at
community.seven.com
john

Sync & Push
I use www.mobipush.com to push my gmail and it works instantaneously. Fantastic. This is free, perhaps only while they are in beta.
I also use www.oggsync.com for syncing my calendar. There is a free version, but I bought the software and daily sync about 11 calendars 2 months backwards and 2 years forwards. Hardly ever any issues. They are working on contact sync - have a public beta out now.

surgex0 said:
Google's apps for WM are all in java aren't they?
I know the gmail one is, and it sucks big c---.
I'd rather use opera and gmail html mobile than use their ****e java client.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don’t know if it’s really the Gmail client that sucks so much as that it just doesn’t run properly on the version of Java that comes on my Touch (the Bell Mobility Touch in Canada). I was pretty happy to have the Java Gmail client on my Razr back before I got my Touch.
That being said I keep hoping they will come out with a native Windows Mobile version like they did with Google Maps. But then again it seems kinda silly to come out with an email client for a device that already has a built-in integrated email client. The better solution would be to make the pre-exiting email, calendar and contacts features work properly (as in within their native capacity – meaning DirectPush) with their Gmail counterparts.
The Fish

Hosted Exchange

Has anyone managed to set up their N1 to work with a hosted exchange server? My corporate IT doesn't have a clue what I'm talking about unfortunately. We use USA.net to host, I have a proxy exchange server I have tried as well as the usa.net server that shows up in Outlook. I love this phone but if I can't get exchange working it has to go back. Any ideas or experience would be appreciated.

Should work fine. I use mail2web hosted exchange. You wont get your calendar but you'll get contacts and email. There are other options for getting the calendar working. Motocal.apk is one of them.

Should being the operative word here. Every configuration I have tried has been unsuccessful. I was hoping there was a super secret setting somewhere for hosts or proxies that I was missing.

I connect to exchange server 2003 with no issues. Make sure they have webmail enabled. Are exchange server is xxx-exc-01 and I use webmail.domainname.com to connect to the server via webmail.

I use touchdown from the market. The stock app doesn't support many of the security features corporations use in exchange. Touchdown is free and full featured for 5 days so you can see if it works for you. It does calendar and tasks too and works better than any of windows mobile phones.
If it works it costs $20 after the trial but it is worth it.

I use a hosted exchange also and have no problems. Are you sure you are putting the proper username in? For example mine is exchange/e123456789
Also, make sure you have their correct exchange server address. For example, 1and1's address is exchange.1and1.com

What is probably happening is that your Nexus One isn't an "accepted" handset... I work for a carrier, and they and they had to change the email security settings to include the Nexus One before it worked...
I used TouchDown during that period, and like it a lot! Very good app, can get it free if you take advantage of the repeat trial window issue. I am using the stock app instead of TouchDown, though, since I prefer it's simplicity.

Well, touchdown works with the same info that didn't connect on the default app. No push though, which is strange. Thanks for the heads up on this app, I'm not too fond of the interface but it is better than nothing.

asv said:
Well, touchdown works with the same info that didn't connect on the default app. No push though, which is strange. Thanks for the heads up on this app, I'm not too fond of the interface but it is better than nothing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can get close to stock app interface by making a homescreen short cut straight to your email folder:
On deisred home screen... Menu:Add:Shortcut:Touchdown:Inbox(I think is what they called it, recently flashed a new rom and didn't re-install so can't say 100%).
It will be a homescreen short cut straight to the inbox like the stock app does.

How about Outlook Sync?

Just wondering, any news about being able to sync with Outlook?
I do not use online e-mail. I would get this phone but only if I can sync with Outlook both at home and work (Exchange). Need Contacts, Calendar, and e-mail (if possible).
Has anybody heard anything about it?
I would think they will use HTC Sync... but just wonder if it will be available or not.
Thanks.

HTC Hero does that.. So I am guessing it will be supported or else there is an app (TouchDown) that will do the same thing..

toocrazy999 said:
Just wondering, any news about being able to sync with Outlook?
I do not use online e-mail. I would get this phone but only if I can sync with Outlook both at home and work (Exchange). Need Contacts, Calendar, and e-mail (if possible).
Has anybody heard anything about it?
I would think they will use HTC Sync... but just wonder if it will be available or not.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you can be 99% sure this will happen. I don't think Sprint would release a flagship device that wouldn't be compatible with 85+% of the business users that would like to purchase.
I wouldn't worry, and as stated, the Hero does this, as does the Nexus One, so I'm sure the Evo will be fine.

I hope it supports active sync encryption. My company switched over to this just recently and everyone with android phones were hosed. They will not install Touchdown on the server either.
I haven't heard anything about android actually supporting this protocol, has anyone?

toocrazy999 said:
Just wondering, any news about being able to sync with Outlook?
I do not use online e-mail. I would get this phone but only if I can sync with Outlook both at home and work (Exchange). Need Contacts, Calendar, and e-mail (if possible).
Has anybody heard anything about it?
I would think they will use HTC Sync... but just wonder if it will be available or not.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most likely. I don't see HTC not doing so. Plus they just updated the HTC Sync for the Desire and the Legend.
Link - http://phandroid.com/2010/04/16/htc-updates-htc-sync-with-support-for-desire-and-legend/

UnlnvlslblE said:
I hope it supports active sync encryption. My company switched over to this just recently and everyone with android phones were hosed. They will not install Touchdown on the server either.
I haven't heard anything about android actually supporting this protocol, has anyone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to speak to your IT person to allow for both in the encryption policy. So the android is not hosed. This is still secure while allowing those phones such as Iphone 2G and 3G that does not have encryption capabilities. The Iphone 3GS does have this. You can also support by individual mailboxes as well so you can fine tune those who do and those who don't. There are a few ways to implement this. I assume you have Exchange 2007/2010?
Touchdown is not implemented at the Server level. It's on your phone.
If you are looking for a complete Exchange experience I would suggest looking at moxier mail.
www.moxier.com - it allows for Mail, tasks, calendar and contacts with lots of corporate features. Remote wipe, etc. I do not think that your IT admin should have a problem with this setup either.
HTC's own mail on the Desire, Legend EVO has more capabilities than the same HTC mail client on the Incredible. Not sure if Verizon is the one holding it back.
Lots to think about

mrmomoman said:
You need to speak to your IT person to allow for both in the encryption policy. So the android is not hosed. This is still secure while allowing those phones such as Iphone 2G and 3G that does not have encryption capabilities. The Iphone 3GS does have this. You can also support by individual mailboxes as well so you can fine tune those who do and those who don't. There are a few ways to implement this. I assume you have Exchange 2007/2010?
Touchdown is not implemented at the Server level. It's on your phone.
If you are looking for a complete Exchange experience I would suggest looking at moxier mail.
- it allows for Mail, tasks, calendar and contacts with lots of corporate features. Remote wipe, etc. I do not think that your IT admin should have a problem with this setup either.
HTC's own mail on the Desire, Legend EVO has more capabilities than the same HTC mail client on the Incredible. Not sure if Verizon is the one holding it back.
Lots to think about
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was under the impression Touchdown had a server-side plugin as well as an install on the device. If its just on the device I wonder if it would work for us. I don't have a device to test at the moment, I'm still rocking the TP2 and nobody here that I have access to really uses an android at the moment.
I work at a hospital and we need to keep all of our data extremely locked down. We can't allow any specific accounts to have less "lockdowns" than other accounts so it's not a possibility to tweak settings individually. I guess I'll just need to pickup an android device and try it out.
Moxier looks interesting as well, I'll have to give it a try once I get my hands on another phone.
Thanks for the tips!

I don't have a device to test at the moment, I'm still rocking the TP2 and nobody here that I have access to really uses an android at the moment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try using XDAndroid, and load it up to see if it'll work. I'm currently booting XDAndroid on my TP, and it runs fairly smoothly (when it doesn't, I'm sure its hardware faults with my POS device).

UnlnvlslblE said:
I was under the impression Touchdown had a server-side plugin as well as an install on the device. If its just on the device I wonder if it would work for us. I don't have a device to test at the moment, I'm still rocking the TP2 and nobody here that I have access to really uses an android at the moment.
I work at a hospital and we need to keep all of our data extremely locked down. We can't allow any specific accounts to have less "lockdowns" than other accounts so it's not a possibility to tweak settings individually. I guess I'll just need to pickup an android device and try it out.
Moxier looks interesting as well, I'll have to give it a try once I get my hands on another phone.
Thanks for the tips!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anytime! Both these programs are very good as well as the built in extra capabilities from HTC phones. Unlike the Google N1 phone which does an okay job of Exchange Sync. HTC with Sense has a better Exchange interface as well as increased capabilities. It allows for server searches, etc. I have heard that the Google N1 doesn't allow for this or contact and calendar sync perhaps due to their strong ties to their own google contacts and calendars.
In regards to the Touchdown.
No Hassle Setup
TouchDown™ does not require you to run a separate program on your computer to forward your data to the phone. Simply install the product, configure it on the phone and get going in a couple of minutes.
Also Moxier has a nice interface. Both are very capable and will fit into any locked down environment. Both can take PIN requirements as well as WIPE devices remotely as well.
Good luck.