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The Truth About HTML E-mail On Windows Mobile 6

I’ve received a couple of e-mails recently from folks running Exchange Server 2003, either standalone or as part of SBS, who have been asking about HTML e-mail on WM6. Long story short, they are still receiving plain text versions of their e-mails. Worse, they’ve heard from various and sundry sources that they have to run Exchange 2007 to get HTML e-mail support.

Well, I’ve got some good news and bad news on this one.

The good news…

Exchange 2007 being required isn’t entirely true.

The bad news is…

Exchange 2007 being required is mostly true.

HTML e-mail support in Windows Mobile 6 is actually one of the few new Messaging features that doesn’t necessarily require Exchange 2007, but there’s a hideous catch.

Windows Mobile 6 supports HTML e-mail over pretty much any transport you want, including POP, IMAP and ActiveSync. You simply set the type of e-mail you want when you configure a given e-mail account on your device, as shown in this example of a POP account…

So where’s the catch? Grab hold of a chair and get ready to throw it in the general direction of the 98052 zip code.

When using Exchange 2003 OTA AKA Over The Air via Direct Push, HTML e-mail is NOT supported…

However, using Exchange 2003 via a local AKA cabled/Bluetooth/IR ActiveSync connection does support HTML e-mail…

Show of hands for everyone who wants their e-mail synchronization to only happen when they are connected via a cable or other local ActiveSync connection?

Yeah, didn’t think so.

However, if you are using Exchange 2007, then you have full HTML e-mail support OTA using Direct Push to your Windows Mobile 6 device.

I think the key to this confusion is some semi-misleading info in some of Microsoft’s released WM6 collateral. You’ll note that on most of the Windows Mobile 6 collateral, HTML e-mail is not indicated as a feature that requires Exchange 2007.

That’s because…well, technically it doesn’t. But since 99% of WM6 users using Direct Push have their e-mail synching OTA, it’s pretty ludicrous that this fact isn’t better documented. One strategically placed asterisk would have made this as clear as a steam whistle.

In the meantime, for those of you who want to view HTML e-mails coming in over Direct Push to a Windows Mobile 6 device, but aren’t running Exchange 2007 for one reason or another…

You can always forward your mail to a secondary POP account as an OTA workaround.

Is that an ugly solution? Oh, you betcha!

|| posted by chris under clueless, hardware, mobility, unified comm || comments (7) || ||

Inside Outside The Android

Well…it’s been little more than Android-a-palooza here at the Funlab today.

I guess the robot horde was more than a tad pent-up, what with the interminable wait for a couple of other telecom-ish items to either arrive or drop from Microsoft, Palm and AT&T.

So when OHA offered up the Android SDK yesterday like a sacrificial lamb…

The mechanized wolfpack here at the Funplex pounced on it like, well…

A very pouncy thing.

But we’ve managed to get some quality time with the emulator, and grabbed some screenies for you to peep. So many that we’re starting a whole new Funlab series on installing and using the Android SDK. 

Funlab 0.x, to be exact.

Try not to drool all into your keyboard.

Continue reading this post at the Funboard (free registration required)

|| posted by chris under beta, bsg, freebie, funlab, index, mobility, robot, virtualization || comments (0) || ||

Running Antelope’s Favorite Video Of The Day 2

When Mr. “More British Than British” Simon Cowell can’t say anything even remotely ass-like about you…

You’re headed for greatness.

|| posted by chris under epiphany, more cowbell, thumbs up || comments (0) || ||

Hello Commander. Android Reporting.

Hey kiddos…

Here’s a first look at the Open Handset Alliance’s brand-spankin’ new Android mobile platform emulator.

Hmmmm…

Looks like the kind of cellphone that ASIMO, that crazy robot from Honda, would carry.

Lots more to come, so stay tuned.

|| posted by chris under beta, mobility, robot, virtualization || comments (0) || ||

A-HA! It’s OHA’s SDK!

True to its newly minted word…

The Open Handset Alliance and Catfish Fry just released their first look SDK.

Once you substitute the word “beta” for the words “first look,” you realize this is Google at its classic best.

Basically Apple without hardware, an OS, or any history of substantive success, Google still manages to transform the entire tech industry landscape on nothing but vaporware announcements, loose iondustry associations, and their dry-hump hucksterism of shareware and freeware bundles.

Or at least they will until their stock price comes crashing to Earth.

That isn’t keeping HTC from jumping in with both feet, and maybe even 3!

But this SDK does have one thing you haven’t got…

An emulator!

|| posted by chris under beta, clueless, hardware, mobility, virtualization || comments (0) || ||