Instant, secure corporate email to your Pocket PC

[Andy Sjostrom]

<a href="http://www.symmetrypro.com/FaB.htm">http://www.symmetrypro.com/FaB.htm</a><br /><br />Infowave says that all you need to us to "register at <a href="http://www.symmetrypro.com">www.symmetrypro.com</a> and follow a few simple steps". Then Symmetry Pro will allow receiving and sending using your corporate Inbox over an encrypted connection. The encryption is a strong 256-bit key AES encryption. Sounds interesting? Try it out and let us know how it goes!<br /><br />"Stay connected E-mail messages arrive in your corporate Inbox automatically encrypted and then forwarded via Infowave Symmetry Pro to your Handheld, wirelessly. So you're always connected with instant access to your corporate e-mail, no matter where you are. Never miss a message You don't have to launch Infowave Symmetry Pro to check for new messages. You'll receive an alert whenever new messages have been delivered to your Inbox. Create or Reply to E-mail Wirelessly Create new messages or reply to received messages - they will look as if they were sent from your corporate e-mail account (not your handheld) when they arrive. And all sent messages are automatically saved in the Sent Items folder on your desktop, just as though you were sitting at your desk. Get what you want, when you want it Save space on your Handheld and to download messages faster by selecting to truncate messages. For example, you can choose to receive only the first 2 screens of each message initially and retrieve the rest of the message later if you want."

[GadgetDave]

I'll be interested to try this. Symmetry used (?) to sell a software product you could install on your desktop to do this, much like the RIM software that you use if you don't have a corporate Exchange Server deployment.

That desktop software worked good; the beauty is that email you reply to comes from your "real" mailbox - not your phone/PDA ISP mailbox - and that's one of what I consider the killer RIM features ...

[Jeff Rutledge]

I've been using Symmetry Pro for a couple of months now. It's great. Until recently, I had been restricted to using it with my WiFi network at home. However, I just got my T68 so my iPAQ is always connected via GPRS. It does everything it says and very well. I espeically like being able to accept/decline meeting requests remotely.

One note though: It's not always connected in the strictest sense. What it acutally does it check every 15 minutes (that's configurable, but 15 is the lowest setting). The iPAQ automatically powers on, connects to the T68 and checks for new messages. You can also check manually whenever you wish (just one click).

I've heard that GPRS can support "true push" technology so maybe there's something available or coming to make it truly "always connected".

Either way, it's a great service. Closest PPC solution to RIM-like connectivity I've found.

[sweetpete]

The iPaq currently does polling, but with Palm's with SMS (i.e. Treo) they have push technology through SMS. I believe that Push will be coming for the PPC PE and the Smartphone shortly.

Andy, don't I get the source credit?? :cry:

[Jason Dunn]

Andy, don't I get the source credit?? :cry:

Actually, I sent this to Andy to post on after I read JR's post on it yesterday, so technically he's the source. Did you send it in to us? We don't always post on everything that comes out way - sometimes it doesn't look interesting to us until we see it for the 2nd time. :lol:

[sweetpete]

Andy, don't I get the source credit?? :cry:

Actually, I sent this to Andy to post on after I read JR's post on it yesterday, so technically he's the source. Did you send it in to us? We don't always post on everything that comes out way - sometimes it doesn't look interesting to us until we see it for the 2nd time. :lol:

It's OK. I thought he got onto it after I posted about it in response to his ZDNet article yesterday. If there is one thing I never worry about with your site, Jason, it's the correct source of things. Unlike many other news and info sites, you guys are excellent about making sure the right people get the credit :D

PS. I usually lurk and don't post much, but you were missed on the front page last week and I'm happy to see you back. 8)

[Brad Adrian]

I've been using Symmetry Pro for a couple of months now. It's great...

Did you have any trouble getting it set up? Every time I've tried to install this over the past couple of months, it hiccups and I end up with an incomplete install.

[sweetpete]

Brad,

What is the problem you're running into? Are you getting an error message??

There is a .log file in the install folder (c:\Program Files\Infowave\Symmetry Pro ... though it may not have Infowave anymore) that you can open up. It will have some more informative information as to the cause.

[Andy Sjostrom]

I actually thought about naming Jason as the source since he sent me the link! :lol:

[Brad Adrian]

Until recently, I had been restricted to using it with my WiFi network at home...
I'm also curious...Why does Symmetry Pro handle this better than simply using ActiveSync to keep your Pocket PC updated?

[Jeff Rutledge]

I've been using Symmetry Pro for a couple of months now. It's great...

Did you have any trouble getting it set up? Every time I've tried to install this over the past couple of months, it hiccups and I end up with an incomplete install.

The first time it was a little tricky. The process of removing the device from the cradle and putting it back on screwed me up a little. I've since installed it a couple times without incident.

[sweetpete]

I'm also curious...Why does Symmetry Pro handle this better than simply using ActiveSync to keep your Pocket PC updated?

It does use ActiveSync as well. Actually, they replace the MS ActiveSync agent with one they created themselves. It lacks a copule of features available with the MS one (i.e. sub-folder access), but it allows them better control over the email flow.
One of the coolest features I think is it's message truncation features. You have the ability of having a partial message AS'd to you while your docked, and then if you are mobile, you can retrieve the rest of the message if you find you need more. They also transfer attachments wirelessly upon request, and again you have control over which attachments and if you want them at all (MS removed the ability to selectively download attachments in PPC 2002, but these guys worked around it)

[Jeff Rutledge]

Until recently, I had been restricted to using it with my WiFi network at home...
I'm also curious...Why does Symmetry Pro handle this better than simply using ActiveSync to keep your Pocket PC updated?

I sync with my work's Exchange mail, which I can't get at home. Well, I could with VPN, but it times out after an hour of inactivity. I don't have a partnership at home; anything I need I can get as a Guest.

I just meant that my WiFi network at home was my only TCP/IP connection at the time. Now with the BT GPRS solution, I have that to go. :D