mail2web.com Offers Free Exchange Account

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://services.mail2web.com/FreeServices/m2wLive/' target='_blank'>http://services.mail2web.com/FreeServices/m2wLive/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Get your FREE mail2web.com email account today! Based on Microsoft Exchange, the world’s top messaging solution is now available for free from mail2web.com. This may be the last email account you will ever need. This incredible messaging solution travels with you where ever you are, making sure you always have your email, contacts, private calendar, tasks and much more. Use ActiveSync to make sure compatible mobile devices* are kept up to date or use our email aggregator to automatically gather email from other accounts. It’s simple, easy and free. Nothing to install on your PC. Just sign up and in minutes you’ll be enjoying the best messaging solution in the world."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/m2wLive_home.gif" /><br /><br />Free Exchange email? Seems too good to be true. I poked around their site and couldn't figure out their business model - it must be some sort of upsell to another service. You can check out their <a href="http://services.mail2web.com/FreeServices/m2wLive/FAQs/">FAQ for more details</a>.

[code-frog]

Maybe and maybe not *free*... I'm going to register because I'm curious but I saw (below) this and wondered...

“Anonymous Services” means all services offered by mail2web.com that require no registration, such as the free email retrieval service offered from the mail2web.com homepage (www.mail2web.com).
---------------------------------------------------
“Customized Services” means all non-paid services that require You to register for by providing personal information, subject to this AUP, provided to You by mail2web.com, including, but not limited to; personalized home page, media and blog services, email hosting services, email subscriptions and more. These services are intended for persons eighteen (18) years of age or older;
---------------------------------------------------
“Premium Services” means all paid services (one-time or reoccurring), including but not limited to; mail2web Exchange Email, dial-up and wireless broadband services, subject to this AUP, provided to You by mail2web.com. These services are intended for persons eighteen (18) years of age or older;

Okay, I registered and now I'm being offered:

"Blackberry Enterprise Server" Setup Fee + Monthly Fee

You know I won't spoil there efforts they are offering the real thing and then they have some appealing add-on services at a fair price but looks like it's all going to be ad-based for sure.

[ricoks]

I have this service, and it IS free
There are, however, a few click adds as a banner above the application (doesn't hamper the use at all).
It does allow aggregating multiple emails into one inbox (the reason i got it), however, it does NOT allow for full MAPI. If you want to reply to an email, it will only reply via the @mail2web domain. thus, all emails from it (new, reply, etc) will be with the new mail only, not one of your existing.
so it's 'close', in my book

Hope that helps

Ricoks

[szamot]

the catch is:
Note: You cannot check your email through POP3 or send email through SMTP with your mail2web LIVE account. These features are only supported in the paid plans. You must use Outlook Web Access to check and send email.

[Ed Hansberry]

the catch is:
Note: You cannot check your email through POP3 or send email through SMTP with your mail2web LIVE account. These features are only supported in the paid plans. You must use Outlook Web Access to check and send email.
What about Server ActiveSync on the device?

Regardless, how can they do this for free? Licenses from MS aren't free. :?:

[code-frog]

What about Server ActiveSync on the device?

Regardless, how can they do this for free? Licenses from MS aren't free. :?:

You can have unlimited exchange accounts with an Exchange license and they are not reselling the accounts themselves (which I think would get them in trouble) they are selling enhanced services like POP/SMTP which are independent of the actual Exchange and quite honestly as soon as you POP/SMTP it might as well be SendMail on Linux.

They are doing it right and offering a very cool service for people that want Exchange features but don't want to buy it, set it up and admin it.

It's not a bad way to go at all. If they host domains for you I bet the price goes up and I bet that service will be offered soon enough.

- Rex

[freddiemac]

This seems pretty cool, but could someone either give me the following info or point me in the right direction?

I have a samsung i730 on the verizon network. I want to use this as a "backup" for the sync that I do through their wireless sync system.

How do I wirelessly "sync" with the exchange server? I can't really figure out how to set up the connection wirelessly (i.e. through the data side of the phone) in order to do the activesync...

Any good faqs out there? And what is it that I am dialing into over at mail2web?

This all may be dumb...but I am feeling really dumb right now.

[Patrick Y.]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but what exactly is Exchange? What are some advantages it has over just syncing, default email client?

[wirelessbeachbum]

This seems pretty cool, but could someone either give me the following info or point me in the right direction?

I have a samsung i730 on the verizon network. I want to use this as a "backup" for the sync that I do through their wireless sync system.

How do I wirelessly "sync" with the exchange server? I can't really figure out how to set up the connection wirelessly (i.e. through the data side of the phone) in order to do the activesync...

Any good faqs out there? And what is it that I am dialing into over at mail2web?

This all may be dumb...but I am feeling really dumb right now.

You take a pretty good chance of seeing duplicate items if you begin syncing with both wirelesssync and exchange. If you have the i730 you should use Sprite Back-up to back up your device. This will keep your programs and registry safe. And wireless sync will keep your PIM data backed up...as will Sprite.

There should be an upgrade to WM5 coming out sometime for that device, which should give you persistant data storage as well, (that means if your battery dies, you no longer will lose your data.)

[eagle63]

the catch is:
Note: You cannot check your email through POP3 or send email through SMTP with your mail2web LIVE account. These features are only supported in the paid plans. You must use Outlook Web Access to check and send email.
Wait a minute... if you're getting an Exchange account then why would you care about POP3, SMTP, or OWA?? What am I missing here?

[efjay]

Another question relating to hosted email in general. If you get a hosted exchange email service for personal use you will be unable to use hosted exchange for business as Activesync can only sync with one server, correct?

[code-frog]

the catch is:
Note: You cannot check your email through POP3 or send email through SMTP with your mail2web LIVE account. These features are only supported in the paid plans. You must use Outlook Web Access to check and send email.
Wait a minute... if you're getting an Exchange account then why would you care about POP3, SMTP, or OWA?? What am I missing here?

Good questions. Let me start by saying that Exchange has little value really to individuals. It's definitely more a small/medium and corporate tool and definitely more a corporate tool. I used to cut code for a 30,000+ employee corporation and Exchange was priceless in that environment.

Benefits of Exchange:
* Calendar delegation and collaboration for meetings, appointments, events.
* Mail management, centralized storage, backup and retreival.
* Microsoft Chat Server.
* Remote Web Workplace and Outlook Web Access.

POP/SMTP has almost no value to Exchange in fact it's an afterthought. The only reason it's good on Exchange is if you have a mobile workforce that cannot get VPN connections into your LAN/Office networks.

I signed up for an account just to see what it offered. I doubt I'll ever use it again and plan on cancelling. I've got 3 Exchange servers and 2 Linux servers. I don't need 3rd party solutions.

My wife and I use Exchange to share calendar, appointment data. To share business financial documents (she's my bookkeeper and controller) and it's priceless in that regard.

I don't see at all how Exchange would be valuable to an individual. I think Yahoo's Premium Mail Service is way better myself for individuals but hey. Just my opinion.

Can I answer any specific questions you might have? I'd be happy to.

- Rex

[code-frog]

Another question relating to hosted email in general. If you get a hosted exchange email service for personal use you will be unable to use hosted exchange for business as Activesync can only sync with one server, correct?

I'm not sure on this one. ActiveSync will work on multiple PC's by setting up guest accounts. If you wanted to go this route I would think hosted Exchange would be the boat to jump in and run with.

But guest sync is an option though I've never used it.

- Rex

[bigneeker]

so how would an individual user (like me) be able to benefit from push email?

[Darius Wey]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but what exactly is Exchange? What are some advantages it has over just syncing, default email client?

so how would an individual user (like me) be able to benefit from push email?

If I were you, I'd give this article (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,42960:dont_paginate,1) a read. It answers a lot of basic Exchange and push e-mail questions.

[Ed Hansberry]

Another question relating to hosted email in general. If you get a hosted exchange email service for personal use you will be unable to use hosted exchange for business as Activesync can only sync with one server, correct?
correct. you can only have one "exchange" partnership on a Windows Mobile device.

[rrypma]

Correct, but you can have one Exchange server and one AS local PC to sync with.

I don't see it mentioned, but is it possible with Mail2web's service to have Outlook client integration with an Exchange account? Or, is the account strictly accessed over-the-web?

[racerx]

OK, someone tell me if I'm going crazy or what here. (please :lol: )
I have a Cingular 2125, which I have sync'ed to my work PC which has an Exchange account. I want to have my calendar, contacts, &amp; tasks, which are stored on this PC ALSO synch'ed with this service. I setup the Active Sync Server and try to select the "services" I want to sync and it tells me "you cannot synhronize contacts with Exchange Server because it is already synchronizing with Windows PC", when I try to select Contacts, for instance. It wants me to deselect Contacts from Windows PC in order to sync the other. Can't AS 4.1 synch to 2 devices? AS 3.x used to let you...

Thanks for the help.
&lt;/RacerX>

[Jason Dunn]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but what exactly is Exchange? What are some advantages it has over just syncing, default email client?

Give this a read:

Picking the Right Email Strategy for Your Windows Mobile Device
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,42960

[Jason Dunn]

Let me start by saying that Exchange has little value really to individuals...My wife and I use Exchange to share calendar, appointment data. To share business financial documents (she's my bookkeeper and controller) and it's priceless in that regard. I don't see at all how Exchange would be valuable to an individual.

Respectfully, I degree HUGELY. If anyone has anything more than one PC and one mobile device using Outlook, say a desktop + laptop + Pocket PC, Exchange is the only easy way to keep all three of those devices in sync! I've struggled with all sorts of Outlook PST sync tools, and they all suck. You also point out the data sharing capabilities between multiple users - my wife and I have access to each others calenders, and it's invaluable to both of us. My article here (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,42960) talks about why Exchange is valuable to almost everyone.

[code-frog]

Respectfully, I degree HUGELY. If anyone has anything more than one PC and one mobile device using Outlook, say a desktop + laptop + Pocket PC, Exchange is the only easy way to keep all three of those devices in sync! I've struggled with all sorts of Outlook PST sync tools, and they all suck. You also point out the data sharing capabilities between multiple users - my wife and I have access to each others calenders, and it's invaluable to both of us. My article here (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,42960) talks about why Exchange is valuable to almost everyone.

I don't disagree with you but I was mainly referring to one individual with one machine. Having multiple machines is a different story all together and they sync strategies in that regard get complex. Having Outlook synced between a desktop and a laptop is one thing. Having all your files, source code, backups, client data, etc... synced between n+1 machines is a royal PITA and I have yet to find a good strategy for that. I'm wide open to suggestions though.

So I'll qualify my statement if you are a user (that's just you) and you have one machine I don't think Exchange has much mystical value for you.

- Rex

[Ed Hansberry]

I don't disagree with you but I was mainly referring to one individual with one machine.
But everyone here as at least 2 machines - their Pocket PC and desktop. :D

Even with one machine, it can be helpful as you can have access to its contents from anywhere via OWA.

[code-frog]

I don't disagree with you but I was mainly referring to one individual with one machine.
But everyone here as at least 2 machines - their Pocket PC and desktop. :D

Even with one machine, it can be helpful as you can have access to its contents from anywhere via OWA.

Well this is certainly turning into "last word" :roll: so I'll bow out now. Use whatever works for you. :wink:

[Jason Dunn]

So I'll qualify my statement if you are a user (that's just you) and you have one machine I don't think Exchange has much mystical value for you.

Yes, I agree fully with that. But I'd venture that many readers on this site have one desktop and a laptop, or more than one PC. ;-)

[Jason Dunn]

Well this is certainly turning into "last word" :roll: so I'll bow out now.

No need to get offended when someone disagrees with you. ;-)

[code-frog]

No need to get offended when someone disagrees with you. ;-)

I'm not but it certainly appears ready to go on and on.

PointA
CounterpointA
PointB
CounterpointB
PointC
CounterpointC

When in the end nobody really cares right? People will click the links that were posted previously on Exchange and ActiveSync. They'll go have a look at Mail2Web and if they are a small/medium business they may even consider adapting Exchange.

They are going to decide what's best for them so us having our own experiences with Exchange can go back and forth all day long. Me? I'm not going there. Enough information has been bread-crumbed in this thread to give people more than enough information to make a good decision.

I'm not really a point and counter-point kind of person. So I inidicated I was finished. I don't think that's "offended" I just think it keeps the thread clean (no clutter to have to sort through a bunch of opinions).

Anyway, if I was offended I'm certainly the type to express that. If something is becoming excessive/overdone/boring/fillibustering I'm more inclined to say, "You boys have a good time now." and go get some code written.

So, You boys have a good time now. I'm going to go get some code written. Ironically it's code for an Exchange Server. :lol: :wink:

[code-frog]

If anyone has anything more than one PC...

So this is something that is currently plaguing everything I do and if you wanted to move this to a new thread feel free so we don't hijack this one...

What strategies have you found for syncing files across multiple PC's? I'm using BeInSync and couldn't be more irritated with a product. It works okay but it's to stupid to know when I'm on a LAN and do direct PC->PC sync.

Have you (Jason) or anyone else found a good real-time strategy for syncing files? Synctoy is cool but it's not a real-time sync product but it's 90% of what I want.

Anyway, *VERY* curious to hear your answers on this one but if a new thread is better then give this a move and start it up. I'd like to hear comments from Ed and Darrius though as well.

- Rex

[JonnoB]

What strategies have you found for syncing files across multiple PC's? I'm using BeInSync and couldn't be more irritated with a product. It works okay but it's to stupid to know when I'm on a LAN and do direct PC->PC sync.

Have you (Jason) or anyone else found a good real-time strategy for syncing files? Synctoy is cool but it's not a real-time sync product but it's 90% of what I want.



At one time I used a service from fusionOne, but that service ended when they started focusing on carrier solutions. Also, they supported the PalmOS and not WM so that was a drawback too, but file sync between multiple computers was great. I am looking for an alternative solution now. Currently, for my most important files, I just store them on a web drive (via Exchange public folders) and access them from my various dekstop PCs via the file system. It seems to work ok for what I am doing.

[Jason Dunn]

What strategies have you found for syncing files across multiple PC's?

www.foldershare.com

It's killer. It's not perfect, but it kicks ass and Foldershare + Exchange is MASSIVELY cool and allows me an unprecedented level of device flexibility.

To hear me dive deep on FolderShare, give this ThoughtCast a listen:

http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9392

[shindullin]

Just looked at the foldershare service. How do any of these guys make any money? That's a lot of service for free.
For my 2 cents. I'm an individual user with 4 devices. Work computer, home computer, PDA and Smartphone, and I subscribe to 4smartphone.net (under Jason's recommendation) for hosted Exchange service so all the dates and contacts are sync'd and I can get all my emails on my smartphone when I'm not in the office (which happens about 1 to 3 days out of the week).

[JonnoB]

Just looked at the foldershare service. How do any of these guys make any money? That's a lot of service for free.


You make cool technology and get bought out by Microsoft. :roll:

[Jason Dunn]

Just looked at the foldershare service. How do any of these guys make any money? That's a lot of service for free.

They used to charge $60 a year for the service, but they recently got purchased by Microsoft and the service is currently free. Enjoy it. ;-)

[Jason Dunn]

You make cool technology and get bought out by Microsoft. :roll:

No need for eye-rolling. Acquisition is a very normal part of the business world - I think you'll find that, for many companies, getting bought out by Microsoft is a dream come true. ;-) Plus, if they didn't want to sell their company, I don't think they would have, right?

[JonnoB]

No need for eye-rolling. Acquisition is a very normal part of the business world - I think you'll find that, for many companies, getting bought out by Microsoft is a dream come true. ;-) Plus, if they didn't want to sell their company, I don't think they would have, right?

This was tongue in cheek eye-rolling. I think it is a very legitimate and in some cases, the best way to start and run a company. That is, to position yourself for a buy-out. I have done that a few times myself. I was just hinting to the fact that MS had bought them and that the service, like many services from MS are free or inexpensive to the benefit of making the platform more useful. Who knows, maybe I will sell my current business to Microsoft someday... if the price is right, it would be a dream come true. It certainly adds a high-level of credibility to the solutions you make and sell!

[beq]

I also subscribe to hosted Exchange accounts for my whole family and friends, and I love its features.

But as someone said earlier, in some ways hosted Exchange services being offered to the public fail to take into account some basic consumer needs, as Exchange is geared first and foremost towards the enterprise business.

For one thing, Outlook Web Access does not allow multiple custom 'From' addresses, and many consumers have a set of email addresses that they use. Even using an email client and sending an email from a custom address, I can't use my hosted Exchange account's SMTP server because it will get rejected. Thus it makes no sense to me to have such an Exchange account being advertised to aggregate mail from one's other accounts...

[Gex]

ok, two things..

You will need exchange for AUTD or Direct Push.

Foldershare is integrated into the next version of MSN Messenger (sign up for Windows Live Messenger Beta to check it out). I'm sure that is why they bought the company.

It looks like Windows Live stuff will be subsciption ($) based?

[Jason Dunn]

Foldershare is integrated into the next version of MSN Messenger...It looks like Windows Live stuff will be subsciption ($) based?

Aha, I was wondering how they were doing the file sharing stuff. It wouldn't surprise me if Foldershare went back to being paid, but I hope they don't mess with the core functionality too much.

[code-frog]

Just looked at the foldershare service. How do any of these guys make any money?

I'm about 6 replies behind Jason's and his was enough. OOPS! :oops:

It appears they were recently bought by Microsoft I'm sure they made a nickle or two in that transaction.

[KTamas]

I have a WM5 device - Without AKU2. Do they need to upgrade their servers, or do I need AKU2 to be able to sync tasks?

[Ed Hansberry]

I have a WM5 device - Without AKU2. Do they need to upgrade their servers, or do I need AKU2 to be able to sync tasks?
AKU2 is not necessary for task sync, just Exchange 2003 SP2. Just about everything else cool you've heard about though (HTTP push, remote wipe, etc) requries both SP2 and AKU2.

[KTamas]

Thanks. I guess I'll ask the mail2web guys if they'll install SP2 anytime soon.

[efjay]

I noticed the lack of tasks syncing as well and emailed them about this and their response was "our exchange services do include the push feature" but i think their tech was referring the the old sms method and didnt understand I meant push with exchange sp2. But at least their speed of response was good at 12:30am, reply within 10 minutes.

[Gex]

Their full OWA is very, very slow.... but AUTD works :)

[Gex]

Wouldnt you know it.... i checked again right after posting and it seems to be a bit faster now....although almost half the screen is taken up by their menu and advertisements.

[karen]

I know a lot of people have used mail2web to access e-mail on the fly and are happy with it. However, this company is horrible when things go wrong.

I was helping a client find hosted exchange services for a 60 person office. We had been trialing a few offerings when I came across their website. Their rates were good and best, my client was looking for hosting where the servers were located entirely in Canada (a legal issue, not a technical one).

So I set up a trial account, with two domains and three accounts. Unfortunately, their provisioning system set up none of the accounts as an administrator, so I was unable to configure any of the accounts.

Supposedly, when you sign up for their business packages, you have access to phone support. But all that means is that you can call and leave a message. If you want to have a dialog, you have to use online chat.

Well, my attempts, over three days, to get chat support were terrible. They usually have only one person working and when that person gets tired of your questions/requests, he "hangs up" on you via chat. If you attempt to chat back, he shuts down their chat server. Being tenatious, I'd just wait him out until he put the chat back up. That happend a couple of times, but eventually I caused him to pull all support for all his customers for a couple of days. And since they provide only chat-based support for personal and free accounts, no one was getting through to chat.

So here I was evaluating on behalf a SMB and their policy is to block all support if they don't want to provide support to one customer. What does that tell you about relying on their services?

We tried for about a week to get the problem fixed, but none of the tech support people knew how to make a regular account an admin account on their system. And funny enough, because you are only allowed one trial, they won't cancel the exising accoutns and set up a new one. Too funny, I think, that they don't want to fix evaulation accounts.

Anyway, I saved all the chat transcripts because I hope to one day write an article about how evaluations can send customers screaming for the hills. Most of them read like "Who's On First", with this helpdesk geemo using incorrect terminology, vague references, then constantly demanding the password from me "just in case I'm a hacker"

It was a terrible experience - none of their pre-sales promis.es panned out. I tell my clients that "No vendor will ever treat you any better than they do during the sales process" I can't imagine what was going happen if my client had decided to host with them. It was the worst techical support process I've ever experienced in 20 years. To top it all off, I can't seem to unsub from their "newletter", so into the denied recipients list they go.

I got the newletter, honey, and it came via chat.

Karen

[Jason Dunn]

However, this company is horrible when things go wrong...

8O Wow, you weren't kidding - that's quite the horror story you have there! Sounds like a company to avoid.

[KTamas]

I've got an official respose about SP2:
"Unfortunately at this time there is no word on an upgrade, but it may happen in the future."

Oh well, I guess I'll look into 4smartphone.net in the future.

[Jason Dunn]

Oh well, I guess I'll look into 4smartphone.net in the future.

Yeah, 4smartphone already has it deployed. I can definitely suggest them.

My affiliate link if you feel like signing up:

http://www.4smartphone.net/affiliates.aspx?go=referal&amp;ref=JD10726

;-)

[indiekiduk]

Eh can't get mail2web to sync on a wm5 device. They dont tell you what to enter for the domain. I tried various guesses but none worked. Maybe they want me to pay to ask this simple question???

[sems]

Hey indiekiduk,

It is written on the support site (login, click Email - mail2web.com Live - Email Settings)

ActiveSync
Server name: mobile.exchange.mail2web.com
User name: user_mail2web.com
Domain: ad2

[caderoux]

You can have unlimited exchange accounts with an Exchange license

How come companies have to buy Exchange CALs after they buy Exchange, then?

[efjay]

I have a question slightly OT; how do i get a personalised email address eg [email protected] and then use it with push email functionality? I presume i'll have to register the domain name i want but how do i get email setup if i'm not running my own exchange server? Thanks for any help.

[Jason Dunn]

how do i get a personalised email address eg [email protected] and then use it with push email functionality?

Push = Exchange. There are some desktop redirectors that some carriers offer, but I tend to think they aren't worth the hassle when you can get full Exchange functionality for $6 a month or so.

4smartphone (http://www.4smartphone.net/affiliates.aspx?go=referal&ref=JD10726) can actually manually change the reply-to email address to your own personal email, then you set up your domain email to forward to your 4smartphone (http://www.4smartphone.net/affiliates.aspx?go=referal&ref=JD10726)4smartphone</A> account. That way, all anyone will ever see is you own email address. The downside is that you then have two points of failure rather than one.

[efjay]

Thanks Jason, so far my choices look like 4smartphone or 1and1. Any other recommendations? Thanks

[ricoks]

help me out on this one, if possible. I currently am testing out the mail2web as i spoke in the first page of this thread. I am using it for checking when i get new mail only. not really interested in using it to manage my email completely, since it wont allow for full pop usage for my other accounts (4 of them)
I have been contemplating the use of a hosted exchange as well. The biggest advantage for me is that I am addicted to Outlook (i use it daily at home, work, mobile). I am NOT a fan of web clients, so exchange is my only option for access to my mail that is the same no matter how i access it, or from what device, or when.
However, jason, your article on different mail types (nice by the way) led me to a conclusion that will keep me from that as well.
I currently have my outlook '03 checking my 4 pop3 accts and filtering them into different folders as they arrive per the rules i have set up. I would like this to continue. Also, when I reply to an email, it replies using the server that the email originally came from. (reply to email from acct2, it will show up as from acct2 address)
If I want to send a new msg, I can choose what acct to have it sent from. i am not locked into only one email acct from which my address shows, or is used. I hope that makes sense. Are you sayign that with Exchange, I lose that ability??? :(

Lemme know, i appreciate it

[Jason Dunn]

...when I reply to an email, it replies using the server that the email originally came from...Are you sayign that with Exchange, I lose that ability???

Nope, you still retain that ability. That's exactly what I do with my email - I have my Exchange account, and I have four other IMAP accounts, and when I create a new email I can select which account to send it through, thus having the correct reply-to address.

[ricoks]

You say you have 4 other IMAP accts. my other accts are pop3 - am I going to notice a difference? 2 of them are ISP accts, and the other two are emails set up from a few sites i frequent. That's not even including my wife's emails.

If my accts are pop3 now, can i 'convert' them to IMAP, or is that a server/service side issue, not user issue?!!?

Thanks Jason, I appreciate it. BTW, did you go with the Pro, or Enterprise?
I would love to be able to access my email via outlook at home, and the 'same' email remotely from ANY computer via OWA. also would make my sometimes frequent reformats a lot easier too - Now, if only i can figure out remote "Docs&amp;Settings' folders for my wife............ :?

[Jason Dunn]

You say you have 4 other IMAP accts. my other accts are pop3 - am I going to notice a difference?

If you have everything set to leave email on the server, POP isn't that much different from IMAP. A lot of servers support IMAP now, try setting up the same account in Outlook using IMAP, same username and password as POP, and it might work out for you.

BTW, did you go with the Pro, or Enterprise?

I'm an affiliate, so they gave me a free account - I think it's Enterprise. But Pro should be fine for most people.

Now, if only i can figure out remote "Docs&amp;Settings' folders for my wife

www.foldershare.com - that's what I use to push data around from PC to PC. Works like a damn!

[ricoks]

Do you think this would be better than having the profiles for each user (wife and me) on a server that the computers on the network can access? My thought is so that when i reformat/install windows XP, or any other OS (vista anyone???) i can just point the path to that folder, and when my wife logs in, it will just use that folder that is on the server, not locally...........
i get what this does, for my use, it just makes sure that there is a redundant copy of it at all times on the server, as well as the local, right?!

[ricoks]

(oops, double post) :oops:

PS, BTW - under the comments on FS, are you JasonD??!
This should work within a LAN just as it does on a WAN, right?
as long as there is a network connection to the two computers, it doesn't technically have internet access, or does it ONLY work via WAN??

[Jason Dunn]

Do you think this would be better than having the profiles for each user (wife and me) on a server that the computers on the network can access?

If that works for you, great. Foldershare is a different type of solution - you're talking about centralized data storage and roaming profiles, I'm talking about data replication across multiple devices. Very different solutions.

[Jason Dunn]

PS, BTW - under the comments on FS, are you JasonD??! This should work within a LAN just as it does on a WAN, right?
as long as there is a network connection to the two computers, it doesn't technically have internet access, or does it ONLY work via WAN??

That might be me, I'm not sure. It's been a while since I posted in the forums - they're not responding to tech support questions since they got bought out by Microsoft. It does work on a LAN, but since it needs to coordinate the file synchronization with a central server, you do need to have Internet access. There's no pure peer to peer synchronization. It sounds like it's not a good fit for your needs.

[ricoks]

It does work on a LAN, but since it needs to coordinate the file synchronization with a central server, you do need to have Internet access. There's no pure peer to peer synchronization. It sounds like it's not a good fit for your needs.

OOOHHHHHH - i see - i thought it was just peer - peer syncro. I didn't know that it actually syncronizes with a remote server - i would guess this is their server, right? So it's 'kinda' like how exchange works. the information is remote, and each of the devices access it remotely. So, do you DL a copy to your local and work 'offline' on the file, and then it uploads the new file, or do you work on the file remotely??? (if that makes sense) I have a feeling I'm not completely understanding it - Or does the ' remote server ' actually just act as a intermediary and actually peer -to- peer 'all' your computers that you have running the satellite program at any given time, and it actually updates each file on each of the computers????

now i'm confused. It must work well since you use it and swear by it so much, i dont' doubt you, just a trying to see if it will work for my particular application/uses

[Jason Dunn]

Or does the ' remote server ' actually just act as a intermediary and actually peer -to- peer 'all' your computers that you have running the satellite program at any given time, and it actually updates each file on each of the computers????

Yes, that's exactly how it works. Your data is not stored on an external server, which is perfect, because I wouldn't trust it all sitting out there. Your data is on each PC in the peer to peer group, but the centralized server coordinates synching the changes. It's free, so just give it a try and you'll see what I'm talking about...

[ricoks]

cool, thanks for the info, Jason - MUCH appreciated

Ricoks

[iPAQFanatic]

Thank for the info on Folder Share. I was using Plaxo and Syncing my PPC with 2 machines. Now I'm going to try Plaxo on one. Folder Share on both and only sync with one of them.

[iPAQFanatic]

Just one question about FolderShare. I set it up to sync my Outlook folder. So when I read email or make new appointments, must FolderShare download the whole 300mb outlook.pst file or only the changed parts?
Thanks

[Jason Dunn]

I set it up to sync my Outlook folder. So when I read email or make new appointments, must FolderShare download the whole 300mb outlook.pst file or only the changed parts?

It used to do a differential sync and only sync the parts of the file that had changed, but when Microsoft bought them they had to remove that part oft he software because it was based on an open-source project. :-( I'm not sure if it will ever come back, I sure hope so. The best solution is Exchange though, so you don't have to sync the PST, which sucks and only gets worse as your PST grows. Just wait until it's 2 GB in size. :-(

[iPAQFanatic]

Thanks Jason. I listened to your cast and read most of this post, but I just want to try and summarize.

mail2web uses a [email protected] email for replys. I can't have that, I don't want to confuse people anymore than they are.

FolderShare syncs the whole file not differential, so syncing my large PST across 3 machines would take some time.

If I use 4smartphone.net and get the Professional Version (mid-level) I can use my original email address, and sync my Outlook files across 3 computers. And this will hopefully not mess up ActiveSync. So all of my mail, contacts, calendar, notes, and tasks are stored on a central server and when I open any of my computers my Outlook is instantly up-to-date and everything is the same on all of them.

Is all of that correct?
I may try 4smartphone.net, but it costs money so I want to make sure it's what I want.

[Jason Dunn]

If I use 4smartphone.net and get the Professional Version (mid-level) I can use my original email address, and sync my Outlook files across 3 computers. And this will hopefully not mess up ActiveSync. So all of my mail, contacts, calendar, notes, and tasks are stored on a central server and when I open any of my computers my Outlook is instantly up-to-date and everything is the same on all of them.

Yes, that's correct. You know how your Pocket PC has a copy of all your Outlook data, and when you sync it to your PC, it gets updated with everything that's new? Imagine your PC was a server, and anything with Internet access could access the Outlook data and pull down (or push up) updates. That's exactly what Exchange does. Your Pocket PC will sync with Exchange as well, so the only local sync you'll do is for Notes, Mobile Favourites, and Files.

Remember that 4smartphone has a free trial, so you can always take it for a spin to make sure it works how you expect before you sign up. Oh, if anyone wants to sign up, please use my affiliate link:

http://www.4smartphone.net/affiliates.aspx?go=referal&amp;ref=JD10726

Thanks! :-D

(...I think maybe I'll do another ThoughtCast on this subject to clear it up a bit more)

[iPAQFanatic]

Oh, I forgot about your affilate link. I've started the 15day trial, is there anything I can do to sign up or associate my account to your affiliation if I purchase this?

[Jason Dunn]

Oh, I forgot about your affilate link. I've started the 15day trial, is there anything I can do to sign up or associate my account to your affiliation if I purchase this?

Just tell 'em I sent you (JD10726) and they can assign the account to my credit. Thanks!

[jeremyjoslin]

[question moved to the 4smartphone thread]

[iPAQFanatic]

I thought I'd start a new thread for 4smartphone.net since this one was for mail2web.

I initially have some problems with 4smartphone, but hopefully I can get it working and we can continue all sorts of discussion there.

If the mods, don't like that idea, we can come back here.

[beq]

Sorry to bump the week-old thread.

Just wanted to point out that if you rely on OWA to access your mail from other computers, you won't have access to the IMAP/POP accounts that you've set up in Outlook (nor will you be able to send or reply to emails with those other addresses).

Anyways, I'm considering switching to the 4smartphone.net Enterprise plan as it's the only one that allows adding extra storage (can anyone tell me the pricing?).

[sooby77]

I have some good news. Mail2web now has true push. I guess they have finally implemented SP2. In addition, Tasks sync is also now available! :)

[ricoks]

is this with their hosting plans, or their free plan?

I believe they look at the two differently, but I may be mistaken.

[sooby77]

It's with their free plan. I don't know about their paid plan, since I'm not using that. I assume their paid plan would have had sp2 installed as well.

[SouthWX]

How do I tell Outlook email that I want to send from a different address, without switching to a different account and not being able to access the email I was replying to?

I use mail2web for "push email" and want to be able to tell outlook that I DO NOT WANT to reply to the message and have it appear as if I sent it from mail2web, I want to reply to the message and CHOOSE WHICH address to send it FROM, based on the accounts I have set up in Outlook, using my own smtp server...

Is there another mail client that will do this, while giving me the ability to get my mail2web exchange push email? I want to receive a message via mail2web and reply to it from the appropriate address based on who originated the email....

[quinxy]

Maybe a stupid question, so apologies, but I'm failing to understand something really basic.

If I am currently ActiveSyncing with my desktop for Outlook mail, tasks, contacts, etc. what happens if I do the whole "Add Server Source..." for mail2web or 4smartphones? What happens with ActiveSyncing to the desktop? Using mail2web as an example since I've signed up with them and know how they work a bit. When I sync with the mail2web does it send my phone's contacts/to do/email there and then also bring down any mail that's come in to mail2web and that's what I see in my phone's ActiveSync? And then when I sync with my desktop it will then copy any items that had come in to mail2web to there?

In short I'm just trying to make sure that by using mail2web or 4smartphones I'm still going to be able to desktop ActiveSync as normal and that it's not like I'm suddenly going to have all my mail/tasks/contacts/appointments deleted from desktop Outlook deleted because it's syncing with an empty mail2web account or something weird.

My main goal in all this is just to add the ability to receive some push mail from an account that will later be downloaded by the desktop Outlook.

Thanks! Nobody seems to mention what this means for desktop ActiveSync.

[doggsowner]

HI guys, and forgive me for being so ignorant, but I do need some help from 'Smarter' people...I am an executive at a global firm that does not support Pocket PC's. I am new in my position, and cannot request changes from our netowrk admin folks yet.

I have a Cingular 8125 Pocket PC, and cannot use my outlook to Push email...I can only use OWA that stays on my PC 24/7. My outlook is only available on my laptop, which cannot push mail when I am travelling, obviously.

Can someone help me in regards to obtaining the correct product that will push my email from OWA, and for some reason they use XOWA. Which product will download to my personal PC, push email from the web email...???? Thanks guy sfor the help, I appreciate it more than you know

[gbh]

Hi All,


I have a couple of obscure questions for existing 4smartphone users.
My questions all spawn form the fact that GPRS data in Australia is $$$$$

I have a Dopod 838 (TyTn) and will be signing up with 4smartphone very shortly, it looks like it suits my needs to a tee.

My questions:

1. Is PUSH email just that, it will push out to the wireless device everything received?
Or can it push (or be configured to) in a similar way to how IMAP pulls, like perhaps the header only, then I can decide if I want to bring down the whole message?
I ask this question because my work involves me being sent quite a number of &lt;3 meg attachments. If these just get pushed straight to me, my data limit will be chewed up in a day.

2. (For the same reason) Can push be turned on and off from the wireless device? Whilst I'm in my office, my desktop machine will be receiving the emails and I'll be working on them, I'd like to receive pushed mail to the wireless device only whilst away from my workstation (or at my times of choice).

Any thoughts?

TIA guys.