AvantGo 6.2 Beta: No More Activesync Sync!

[Jon Westfall]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='https://my.avantgo.com/register/choose_device.html' target='_blank'>https://my.avantgo.com/register/choose_device.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Beginning with AvantGo version 6.2, AvantGo synchronization is initiated from the AvantGo client. It is no longer possible to synchronize AvantGo using Active Sync. This change is necessary in order to maintain quality sync performance of the AvantGo service....Active Sync 4.X, when paired with a Windows Mobile 5 device, triggers an ActiveSync synchronization about every five minutes. As the number of Windows Mobile 5 devices grow on the service, the volume of devices syncing this frequently results in slower syncs and other sync related problems. The modification to require user-initiated syncs from Windows Mobile users will help maintain quality service levels for all AvantGo subscribers."</i><br /><br /><img src=http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/logo.gif border=1><br /><br /> 8O So AvantGo is sacrificing the traditional sync method for their service because they think WM 5 will kill their sync model. This certainly is strange for a content provider that catered to non-connected devices (After all, if you have a WM 5 device now that does not have a phone or data plan, WiFi sync is your only option.). While I don't use AvantGo as much as I used to, a part of me is a bit sad to see this traditional way to sync their channels go. And part of me wonders why anyone who has a connected device and unlimited data plan would use their service? Any avid AvantGo'ers here? What are your thoughts?<br /><br /><i>Note: Quote from Source, Link Takes You To AvantGo Download Page</i>

[Sven Johannsen]

This certainly is strange for a content provider that catered to non-connected devices (After all, if you have a WM 5 device now that does not have a phone or data plan, WiFi sync is your only option.).
I'm sure you can still initiate an Avantgo sync from the cradle, it just won't happen automatically anymore. Cradle sync is your typical option for Avantgo, and that is what is causing their issue. My PPC(s) sit in the cradle a majority of the time. During that time, it tries to sync Avantgo, along with everything else, every five minutes, whether it needs it or not. Previously Avantgo just got sync'd when you initially cradled.

[xdev]

also if u do have an unconnected device and its like you described, you can always use passthru internet via the cradle to sync avantgo!

[SHC]

Since I got a WiFi enabled device I've never used ActiveSync for AvantGo. In fact apart from a once a week sync and back-up I don't connect to my PC at all other than to install programmes, and now some of those I can get over the air as cab files. What other "improvements" are there in this new beta release?

[DaleReeck]

Yes I am quite familiar with this. I had to remove the conduit because it was getting annoying already with the constant syncing. Actually, I have a better idea for AvantGo. Why don't they just fix their conduit so it doesn't sync every five minutes? :roll:

Activesync may sync every five minutes but the conduit can be fixed to a "sync once a day" type thing or something similar. But instead of fixing it, they just remove it. Nice solution.

[IpaqMan2]

I have a PPC 6700 with an unlimited data plan and I'd still use avantgo because it's easy to just sync once and get the news I want to get than to surf through a bunch of sites that will load more graphics with ads and may not be in the best format for my Windows Mobile device to view in.

[robert_biggs]

I stopped using AvantGo when I upgraded from a Dell X5 to an X51v. The main reason I quit using it was it had difficulty syncing with AS 4.1 and WM5 and the program didn't look good on a VGA device.

With this new release, I have gone back to using AvantGo again. It looks much better and I don't have ActiveSync issues anymore. It is annoying to have to remember to manually sync each day to keep my content current. But I like that I can have instant access to content from web sites I frequent often. Sure, I can use WiFi or my bluetooth modem to visit these pages with PIE, but that is often a painful process and I don't always have the patience to wait while PIE renders each page in slow motion. Plus, AvantGo pages usually look "cleaner" than the actual web site on my device.

[christak]

Well, I've been an Avantgo user for years and was beginning to get frustrated that the "automatic" sync from Activesync was taking so long... 10 to 13 minutes. (...yes, I have quite a few channels...) I was considering removing Avantgo all together before seeing the new beta. I just loaded the beta this week and, for me, it probably means Avantgo will stay loaded on my x50v for a while longer... I'll sync Avantgo when "I" want to, rather than everytime I Activesync my device... Activesync is now completed in just a few seconds...
8)

[alabij]

Look! This is not an Avantgo issue. Its an Activestink issue. My Windows Media Player always crashes and has a memory crash becase Activestink tries to sync my media files to my PPC every five mins.
Avantgo needs to try to talk to Microsoft and find out how to resolve this issue in Activesync 4.2 beta.
Personally ever since Activestink 4.x syncing with a windows mobile device is a chore. If not for my constantly changing playlist I wouldn't bother syncing with a PC. I started using Avantgo with my palm IIIc, I stopped with my T-Mobile MDA on Activestink 4.x.

Question: Has any activesync program ever appeared as a full vversion. They all work and feel like alpha programs not ever Betas

[gt24]

Dang this rock and a hard place problem...

Bad : Won't Activesync update anymore...

Good : Scoll by page should actually work now!!!!!

So, I will try it, although I will have to remember to sync manually from now on, which will be annoying. Oh well, annoying to sync but less annoying to read. Too bad there isn't much competition in this field... or is there?

[PPCRules]

I agree that it is a pretty lame way to solve their problem. Just don't let it sync every time Active Sync triggers it!

On the other hand, I am glad that the program is now usable on my X51v. This is an app that I still use regularly (and will probably until the US is seamlessly blanketed with free WiFi), so I hope they can improve it a little further. It seems their development team is very under-staffed/-funded or it wouldn't have taken 6 months to do the changes in this version of beta.

But at least it's usable.

[Anjuan Simmons]

And part of me wonders why anyone who has a connected device and unlimited data plan would use their service? Any avid AvantGo'ers here? What are your thoughts?



I use AvantGo despite having a connected device and unlimited data plan because I can't go online while on an airplane. It's nice to be able to sync before take off and read while in flight (I average about 8 hours in the air per week). I have enough channels to fill my subscription with sufficient content to keep me entertained in the air.

[cubakid]

I still have an unconnected WM2003 device with ActiveSync 3.7 and I use AvantGo a lot and love it. That's the built in AvantGo, not that new thingy they have.

I turned my sync to manual years ago and I have no problem hitting the sync button before I walk out the door (I can't sync at work anymore due to the security dept. telling me to remove the software). Actually, I think I did that not to exceed my AvantGo bandwidth.

There are still content providers that have no other way to get content for a mobile device, (Wired, CBC, off the top of my head) so there is reason to use it, even if you have unlimited data plans.

Now I know what I'm in for when I upgrade.

[KC]

Anybody know how to turn off the 5 minute automatic sync in WM5?? It's really annoying and slows down file transfers if done while syncing.

Avantgo is the best, I actually cancelled my newspapers and use Avantgo with custom channels and RSS twice a day on the train.

[randyzon]

I don't understand the instability of the mobile product philosophy at Microsoft.

MY HP 6315 was very unreliable but it did sync very quickly and reliable with WM2003 and Activesync 3 something.

When I got the new MDA with WM5 and Activesync 4 something I found it takes forever to synch. The device is reliable but now Activesync pretty well sucks. Many times it simply disconnects. I've tried 4.2 and it is no different.

If this is a 3rd party software issue then Microsoft needs to share some more OS info or the mobile industry is going to flatten instead of expand.

[ToddJ]

Is there another program that will do the same thing?