Improved Exchange Activesync Support for Symbian Devices

[Janak Parekh]

There have been two noteworthy announcements in the Exchange Activesync market this week.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20060208-SEM600.jpg" /> <li> Sony Ericsson <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/feb06/02-06SonyExchangePR.mspx">has licensed</a> the Exchange ActiveSync protocol for use in their handheld devices, especially their new P990 and M600 phones. These will be the first Symbian phones, to my knowledge, to have direct EAS support.<br /><br />Incidentally, this announcement coincided with the <a href="http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp?cc=global&amp;lc=en&amp;ver=4001&amp;template=pc3_1_1&amp;zone=pc&amp;lm=pc3_1&amp;prid=4639">announcement of the M600</a> (pictured above; <a href="http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_ericsson_m600-1425.php">specs are here</a>, courtesy of GSMArena). This device looks to be a direct adaptation of the new Blackberry phones, especially the keyboard, but is it me, or do they look rather boxy and calculator-like as opposed to mobile email devices?<br /><br /><li> DataWiz <a href="http://www.dataviz.com/news/press/pressreleases/Detail.html?id=141">announced SP2 support</a> in their Symbian RoadSync EAS client, including support for direct push, remote wipe, GAL, and data compression. Yes, this means that Symbian devices will have support for this stuff faster than most Windows Mobile devices. :roll:

[IpaqMan2]

I think the devices look rather nice. Boxy or Calculator like??? Not at all..I mean gosh look at many of the Pocket PCs from past years or even a some now.. These devices are no more boxy or rather even less boxy than many PPCs now. At least to me, these devices look like they would fit nicely in the palm of my hand as a phone or otherwise. Not too crazy about the button set up.. but I suppose I would really need to try it out to know if it was any good or not.

[dMores]

i should correct: they're called P990 and M600.

the pictures should be the m600, since the p990 has a flip cover.

[efjay]

My thought would be this; with SE Symbian phones able to support Activesync push what advantage would there be in buying a Windows Mobile device? One of the main selling points in having a Windows movile device would be its intergration with the Windows desktop and exchange server for email and pim information and new Exchange push email feature which i thought would be a WM exclusive. Take that away and the argument for a WM device is not as strong i think. Windows Mobile at the moment has serious shortcomings in Bluetooth implementation, phone-centric features like auto-redial; and of course its legendary stability :oops:

I can understand the rationale for this from the MS messaging team's point of view; they want to push Exchange as the default messaging platform and compatibility with multiple devices is a plus but I would have thought it would be more advantageous for MS to tout Windows Mobile with push email capability as the perfect partner for Exchange push promoting it as a complete server-client solution thereby boosting the uptake of Windows mobile devices and giving them a double strike against other push email solutions. Just seems to me like MS could have given Windows Mobile a head start before letting everyone else in on the party.

[Janak Parekh]

i should correct: they're called P990 and M600.
Argh! Corrected. Thanks.

--janak

[Janak Parekh]

Not too crazy about the button set up.. but I suppose I would really need to try it out to know if it was any good or not.
Yeah, the button setup is doesn't do it for me, but in any case, I guess the taste is in the eye of the beholder. ;)

My thought would be this; with SE Symbian phones able to support Activesync push what advantage would there be in buying a Windows Mobile device?
Well, remember the Exchange and Windows Mobile teams are separate. It is in the interest of the Exchange folks to push their solution as far and wide as possible. This also means that WM needs to differentiate more than just on their EAS featureset.

In any case, I'm not too worried, at least here in the Americas. Symbian devices are a lousy choice for me, as there does not exist a single CDMA Symbian device. :evil: I also think the work that's been done by Microsoft in recent versions of Windows Mobile are huge steps forward, and they have a promising pipeline in store. Sure, this will heat up the competition, but from a consumer perspective, that's a good thing, isn't it?

--janak

[barky81]

Yes, this means that Symbian devices will have support for this stuff faster than most Windows Mobile devices. :roll:[/list]

If by "faster" you mean since last November (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=372355#372355), then I agree with you.

No one has to buy a NEW Symbian phone to use Direct Push today, just download and install the DataViz client on a supported CURRENT phone (there are several)...and that feature has been available for live on network testing since November...now it is full retail release.

(This info was originally posted in these forums back in November.)

[dMores]

regarding the buttons: my guess is that the M600 a slimmed-down version of the p990:

http://www.mores.cc/wp-content/uploads/2006/02/p990.jpg

anyways, would this mean we'd be able to use activesync on our desktops with these phones?
because when it comes to synching, there's nothing better than activesync.

[Janak Parekh]

regarding the buttons: my guess is that the M600 a slimmed-down version of the p990
Well, the M600 series buttons look larger, and there are fewer, presumably to make typing more comfortable. I don't know about the P990's, but I do know the P910's buttons were awful the one time I tried them.

anyways, would this mean we'd be able to use activesync on our desktops with these phones?
because when it comes to synching, there's nothing better than activesync.
Nope. What you can do if you don't have an Exchange server at work, though, is to get a hosted Exchange account and connect your Outlook setup to that. This would replace desktop ActiveSync functionality, and in my experience it's more reliable and convenient.

--janak