Do You Fall Out Of Sync Regularly?

[Jon Westfall]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://roughlydrafted.com/RD/RDM.Tech.Q2.07/34C8BD5D-E210-4A62-BE6F-FD21E046A397.html' target='_blank'>http://roughlydrafted.com/RD/RDM.Te...21E046A397.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Windows Mobile similarly requires ActiveSync to be running, and is a huge headache to support when synching with Exchange. Windows Mobile phones fall out of sync with Exchange regularly, forcing a full deletion of the user's calendar and email and a resync."</i><br /><br /><a href="http://roughlydrafted.com/RD/RDM.Tech.Q2.07/34C8BD5D-E210-4A62-BE6F-FD21E046A397.html">RoughlyDrafted.com</a> recently published an extensive write-up arguing that the iPhone isn't as bad as some have played it to be. While reading, I found the above passage and wondered how accurate it was. The worst I've ever had to do when I "fall out of sync" was a soft reset. I believe I may have done a hard reset at 1 point in the past 5 years on a Windows Mobile machine to clear up a sync problem - and since I've owned probably 3 - 4 times as many windows mobile machines as the average joe (and used them simultaneously), I think that's pretty good. I've also experienced pretty minimal problems as an Exchange Administrator when it comes to Exchange Activesync (I wish desktop AS was just as nice...). So is this accurate? Or might the article charging many outlets with "hating apple" quite possibly be making blanket anti-Microsoft remarks?

[nitestrike]

I have been using OTA Exchange syncing for about a year now with two devices at once with a total of three and must say I have not any trouble with it. One device is my iPAQ hx4705, the other two were my phones a i-mate JAMin and my current Cingular branded 8525, which also had been replaced under warrenty. I would have to say I have been 100% satisfied with how it's been working and am not planning to change any time soon.

[Rod3]

That's totally ridiculous! In my experience, from my Jornada 568, which I still sync (plus 2 Dells, a HP travel companion, a Cingular 8125, 2 HP4155s, and an iPAQ 3950 - oh, almost forgot the Toshiba e805) through my multiple other Pocket PCs, I have never once "fallen out of sync" and had to redo all my PIM stuff. I've had my share of soft resets, even a hard reset or two, and had to resync then, but never in recent memory. I think it's definitely Microsoft bashing. The funny thing is that I've been battling my Mac iBook this entire day today. It's been crashing and stalling and making me force quit this and that application. If it were easier to sync it with my Pocket PCs, I probably wouldn't have a windows machine. Instead, I'm considering getting rid of the Mac and just keeping the PC. I feel like doing some apple bashing. As for the iPhone, I am not lining up for that!

[dstrauss]

I'm definitely unimpressed with Visat's new model, but OTA Exchange is rock solid, and saved my bacon as I've had to upgrade to a Vista notebook. Good Old Blackjack stayed synched throughtout.

But I STILL don't understand why the refuse to support Notes.

[Kris Kumar]

I have never had ANY problem with Exchange ActiveSync; never had to re-sync. I don't even know what the heck it is.

The RoughlyDrafted.com was a very funny read. :lol: The author obviously has no idea of corporate data security. I like open standards, but that doesn't mean opening up the data to everyone. RoughlyDrafted.com article is exactly what the Web site name says "Roughly Drafted!"

I had a lot of respect for Steve and his iPhone, but the secret 12th app killed that respect. YouTube is the killer app for this Edge device?! :? iPhone is exactly what Apple is saying - the best iPod ever designed.

[drock]

Oh that statement is absolutely true. At least it's the case on my Treo using Versamail. Occasionally there will be a message that there was a failure in syncing the device and that Versamail needs to delete all the Email, Calendar events, and contacts and re-sync them. It really is no biggie. It takes less than two minutes and I have a lot of contacts and events to sync.

I have never had it happen on a WM phone but I've only had one and it was the 8125 (worse device ever made - slow and cumbersome - sold it with a quickness)

Anyway, it is true of some devices that use Exchange Activesync.

[heliod]

"Windows Mobile similarly requires ActiveSync to be running, and is a huge headache to support when synching with Exchange. Windows Mobile phones fall out of sync with Exchange regularly, forcing a full deletion of the user's calendar and email and a resync."


In my understanding, after such a pearl, they should change the name of the site from RoughlyDrafted to RoughlyResearched.

I agree that there are some problems (or even many) with cable sync, but my experience with Exchange sync includes 4 devices connected to 3 different accounts (2 connected to the same account) syncing for 1.5 years without a single problem.

Oh that statement is absolutely true. At least it's the case on my Treo using Versamail.


A Treo is not exactly a Windows Mobile Device (at least not the ones using Versamail) and Versamail is not exactly Activesync, even if part of the code is ported from Activesync.

The same happens with Mail for Exchange in the Nokias. However, if you spend 50 dollars and purchase Roadsync from Dataviz, either for th Nokia or the Palm, you will have rockin' problem-free sync for both devices. They just invested more in the development since they wanted to make money out of it.

[ctmagnus]

Fall out of sync? :confused totally: I have yet to experience that, and I've been using these things for six years. This is the first I've even heard of WM devices falling out of sync.

[freitasm]

This is just utter #$^$%#^&amp;%. I have been using Exchange synchronisation for about four years. Sometimes I have up to five different devices synchronising to the same account - currently I have an i-mate Pocket PC, Treo 700wx and Treo 750v and NEVER had to do anything to resync.

This person doesn't know what he's talking about.

[Brevi]

Hi! I hab this problem only once on my WM5 Xda Cosmo (similar HTC s620/T-Mobile Dash). Never had it with my WM6 XDA Trion (HTC Tytn/Hermes) Maybe this is a bigger problem with 3rd party exchange sync software like Roadsync on a symbian phone? Anybody got experience with that? I am thinking of maybe switching to a Nokia N95 but if it has this problem i will reconsider.

Greetings from Germany!

Brevi

[_4saken_]

I have to agree with everyone else here, that guy obviously doesnt know what the heck he's talking about.

I've been using exchange sync for over 3 years now starting with wm2003 and never heard of such a problem before.

and of course I totally love exchange and was pretty disappointed to see the lack of support in the iphone.

oh and btw, when I saw those apple commercials was I the only one who thought: what's the big deal with that? I've been watching movies on my ppc all the time and when I had the urge to look for the closest seafood restaurant I just went online and looked it up. nothing new here, move along.

[Yata]

RoughlyDrafted is the Apple version of msmobiles.com. It's a funny, funny read. :)

Check out some of the other articles if you're not sure if he hates Microsoft. He seems particularly obsessed with the Zune and Microsoft fanboys. There's nothing funnier than a fanboy ranting about how another fanboy is so biased and "blind to the truth". It's a website equivalent of a car crash.

He also keeps a tight reign on the comments section of his website. Write anything that he doesn't agree with (or can't argue against) and the comment doesn't get approved.

[JvanEkris]

I don't think the guy never saw so much traffic: it's a 503 on the webpage.

I am using it with two devices for a couple of years, never had a problem.

Jaap

[Frankie1]

I think I know what this guy is trying to do. I think he's trying to go for the "Biggest Douche in the Universe" award. Apparently this award is highly valued amongst Douche Bags all over the galaxy, if he manages to achieve this award it'll definitely solidify him as a professional Douche. One of the requirements for this years BDU award is to write an extensive report on a clichéic topic and do absolutely no research. I'm not an official judge but I'd say he's dead on. Another requirement for this years BDU award is to take an outlandish idea and try to sell it, “iPhone for productivity”... wow this guy's aggressively perusing this award. We should be excited for him. There have been reports that his next article will explain the advantages of the Windows Mobile verus the iPhone can be attributed to a Microsoft time machine that was used to peer into the future to analyze the iPhone and increase it's capabilities (those Microsoft bastards). That would explain why the iPhone seems years behind, 2.5G and all.

On a serious note, he clearly has done no research. There are too many holes in his report for me to point out. I think if he keeps this up Apple might send him a free iPhone.

[Jason Dunn]

RoughlyDrafted is an entertaining site, but you have to read everything they write as if it were comedy, not serious writing. Those guys are insanely pro-Apple, and insanely anti-Microsoft. You have to read it knowing where they're coming from.

And for the record, I've seen nor even heard of this "out of sync" issue.

[Mike Dimmick]

I'm an Exchange admin in a small business. Well, that's my 1/20th time hat. Really I'm a developer. No-one else 'volunteered' to run Exchange.

My 12 WM-phone-toting users are IT salesmen. When they used to have Sony Ericsson P900s, they'd inevitably seem to set something up wrongly on the desktop cable sync, trash their mailbox, and I'd have to restore it. My direct boss originally had POP3 from Exchange on his P900, then moved to a WM2003 HP Mobile Messenger, then a WM5 one, then a Qtek something or other (Hermes?) and then to a Palm Treo 700w. They're all now kitted out with Treos.

None of them have reported problems with Exchange and their phone going out-of-sync. Plenty of other problems have required warm boots, but not for that reason, as far as I am aware.

[Frankie1]

A letter from Dan

************Begin origional message*************
Hi Frankie -


Thanks for the research. Problem is, you only had a half dozen people post to your Microsoft-oriented enthusiast site to say they're happy with what they have and have only experienced several problems in recent memory.


I've actually run Exchange Server 2003 in real business environments with a lot of number of Palm/WM devices, and am reporting on my experiences in supporting them. I didn't go to a fan site and ask for a show of hands of who likes/dislikes foo.


Dan


Daniel Eran Dilger
RoughlyDrafted Magazine
www.roughlydrafted.com

************Begin origional message*************

Make of it what you will; I deal with people like this too often and quite frankly I'm tired of it.

[heliod]

Roadync from Dataviz on Symbian is rockinw solid and reliable. But sync problems do happen with the freeware Mail for Exchange made by Nokia.