Exchange Server

Ken Krugh · 11-13-2009, 11:08 PM

New to all of this so bear with me. We're a small business with our own email server. Until now the only synching we've been doing with our Windows Mobile phones has been to Outlook by plugging in USB. The owner has upgraded the Verizon plan to include data and wants is getting ready to start pushing everything through Verizon (I'm not even sure what that entails!)

We recently purchased HTC Imagios (pretty cool phones!) but are thinking about trading them in for Droid's (we have 30 days!). I've been asked to see if the Android can synch with the Exchange server in the same way that the Windows Mobile phones will. We're hoping to get everything, calendar, email, tasks, notes . . . the works!

Can anyone tell this newbie if can be done?

Thanks very much for any help.
Ken

contour · 11-18-2009, 11:29 AM

I've used win mobile devices through verizon for about 5 years without any problems, the corporate data plan and network coverage have been great. i just switched from a Motorola Q to the droid. Email is pushed out to the email client on the phone just as fast as it was to the Q. We are small also, and dont' use SSL so that is one less thing to worry about.

I setup an HTC device on sprint for a client using SSL and it took a little while to get it to work, the client switched his cert to Network Solutions, and they were very helpful in getting me the correct cert for the phone.

If you have SSL or forms base authentication you might have issues, maybe someone in this forum has tried this and will share with us here.

I say get the Droid, i also setup my MSN, and Verizon.net email accounts without any problem, the Push feature works for them also.

Bobby

contour · 11-18-2009, 11:33 AM

BTW what push through verizon means is, you wont need to plug the phone into the computer to sync email anymore, you can do that over the cellular network, you will plug the phone into the computer only to grab files, photos, etc. Verizon coverage in LA area in Southern Calif is great, i even listen to Pandora radio on the way to work!

bobby

Kcarpenter · 11-25-2009, 03:30 PM

the Droid os has exchange capabillity built in. HOWEVER, this is assuming you have an OWA site. A way of checking the email without being on the network. If you do not have an OWA site, I do not think that it is possible. Key word here being THINK that it is possible. I connect mine to my OWA site and get mail directly. Just remember not to delete emails off the phone, it will remove them from the server as well.

my_biz · 11-26-2009, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Krugh

New to all of this so bear with me. We're a small business with our own email server. Until now the only synching we've been doing with our Windows Mobile phones has been to Outlook by plugging in USB. The owner has upgraded the Verizon plan to include data and wants is getting ready to start pushing everything through Verizon (I'm not even sure what that entails!)

We recently purchased HTC Imagios (pretty cool phones!) but are thinking about trading them in for Droid's (we have 30 days!). I've been asked to see if the Android can synch with the Exchange server in the same way that the Windows Mobile phones will. We're hoping to get everything, calendar, email, tasks, notes . . . the works!

Can anyone tell this newbie if can be done?

Thanks very much for any help.
Ken

I got a Droid last week (I think it sets a new standard in PDA phones) and my I.T. guy got it syncing with Exchange today. The initial problem was having Active Sync properly enabled on our 2003 Exchange Server. I think he also got us a SSL Certificate too and guess that was necessary as well.

After he said try it, it immediately worked, syncing emails, Corporate Calendar and Contacts, wirelessly. I don't see an option for syncing the Outlook Tasks or Notes, however there are many free applications out there that might work for that.

Finally, one free trial application is called Touchdown and it does basically the same thing (syncing with Exchange), but it gave us a better error (Active Sync not enabled) notification for troubleshooting. Check it out. Once I was up syncing with Exchange, I deleted it.

Good luck!

rbraitz · 06-15-2010, 03:33 PM

WARNING......it will sync calendars, email, contacts, etc. However, you cannot create an appointment on your phone and then Invite someone to that appointment. It is the only feature of this phone/operating system that is keeping me from buying it. My wife has HTC Hero, and I had one to, I turned it back in before my 30 days with Sprint was up.....the new HTC EVO 4g won't do it either...however basic synching works great.

Nerm · 06-16-2010, 08:24 AM

The built in exchange app in android currently sucks. Even when it does work it doesn't sync tasks by default.

I suggest downloading an app called touchdown. It will sync to your exchange server using owa and it will do email, contacts, calendar, and tasks. The app is far superior to the current built in android exchange app.

lrios · 07-06-2010, 10:11 PM

I have asked around so many times unsuccessfully if Droid 2.2 will continue pursuing trying to erode Microsoft's market by enhancing incompatibility with Outlook calendar. I returned 2 Droids before due to lack of cooperation from Google, Verizon and Motorola in solving this issue. I am not a Microsoft groupie, my company uses Microsoft Outlook and it does a very good job for me. I need a new telephone that syncs with Outlook Calendar and I would like to try Droid. Does Google actually think that by creating this much difficulty to work with Microsoft Outlook they will convert people? I really do not want to wait until Windows 7 but at the rate I am going is looking more and more like a possibility. Anyone from Droid can tell whether the Droid X will sync with Microsoft Outlook (Exchange servers) without having to push it through gmail?

ajmatson · 07-07-2010, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lrios

I have asked around so many times unsuccessfully if Droid 2.2 will continue pursuing trying to erode Microsoft's market by enhancing incompatibility with Outlook calendar. I returned 2 Droids before due to lack of cooperation from Google, Verizon and Motorola in solving this issue. I am not a Microsoft groupie, my company uses Microsoft Outlook and it does a very good job for me. I need a new telephone that syncs with Outlook Calendar and I would like to try Droid. Does Google actually think that by creating this much difficulty to work with Microsoft Outlook they will convert people? I really do not want to wait until Windows 7 but at the rate I am going is looking more and more like a possibility. Anyone from Droid can tell whether the Droid X will sync with Microsoft Outlook (Exchange servers) without having to push it through gmail?

The Droid X at launch will have Android 2.1 on it so there will not be any improvements at first. Shortly after it "should" receive the 2.2 Froyo update which is supposed to have better exchange support. As I mentioned in another post I do not have an exchange account so I cannot test this on my phone (which has 2.2) but hopefully someone around has and can chime in.

Nerm · 07-07-2010, 09:51 PM

Yes, 2.2 is supposed to have vastly improved exchange support. To be honest I don't think support for exchange in 2.1 is all that bad. I just like the touchdown app because it allows me to do tasks as well as everything else.

AJ, I could setup a test exchange account for you to test with. Shoot me an email if you want to try it, maybe we could even make a review out of it.