Smartphone Thoughts - Daily News, Views, Rants and Raves

Earlier this week, synchronization service NuevaSync announced their latest addition to the platform, push e-mail. NuevaSync already had calendar & contact sync from Google to Windows Mobile, iPhone, and pretty much any platform that supports the Microsoft Activesync protocol. Since I've been using Google for the last month or so (in lieu of my exchange server), I thought it may be interesting to give this service a shot. After all, only $25 for a year of service isn't too pricey (.002 cents per hour if you want to think of it that way...).

The first thing you notice about NuevaSync is it's no-frills website. This makes it mobile friendly, and still usable on the desktop. Their site was a bit disjointed (with a Wiki and Blog loosely linked up, with recent navigation improvements) but it gets the job done. After upgrading to Premium (for $25 a year), you can access the e-mail action. This is where you link up your IMAP e-mail account. Any IMAP server that supports the IDLE command should work just fine with their service, and they have an express setup option for GMail users. Contacts & Calendar set up easily as well, and as a premium user you can select which Google Calendars you want to sync with your device. Read more...

"Hey, I have one very callous thing myself to say about Windows Mobile guys, which is screw them. No offense, but, seriously. I was there for the first version of Windows CE, Pegasus I think it was called, and I have watched as they have mismanaged the Smartphone market from day one. It has always lagged behind, it has not always been Microsoft's fault, I understand that part of it is the nature of the business. But you know Apple revolutionized the smartphone business, not just with the hardware and the software but also with the way they are now presenting this stuff to users and updating the system overtime. Providing new functionality. This is something that doesn't happen on other smartphones. It's the type of thing where I can go to a Microsoft event and they can announce a new version of Windows Mobile and I will not see that it in the store for another, at the time, 18 months. It's ridiculous! That's ridiculous! Screw 'em!"

I was listening to this week’s Windows Weekly podcast (Windows Weekly 51: In the MIX - 38-40 minutes in) and I was a little surprised to hear the above quote from the Windows Weekly co-host, and Windows IT Pro news editor, Paul Thurrott. Granted Paul goes on to say that in a pre-iPhone world, Windows Mobile was fine, and it was a lot like the other stuff, but the iPhone on a number of levels is a completely different device. Paul also makes it clear that he believes that in 3-4 versions, Microsoft might release something on the same level of the iPhone, but he isn't interested in following technology - as in copying it – he believes that it is more interesting to be there with the people that are innovating technology... And in other news, Apple licenses Microsoft's ActiveSync technology to "innovate" and bring push email service to iPhone users. How ironic that one of the best features announced for the iPhone lately is a Microsoft product!

In all seriousness though. Paul lays claims to several truths that we as Windows Mobile users see with each new release. Microsoft has had the opportunity time and time again to bring us something that leaves us drooling and wanting more, but with each new release it seems that we are constantly taking one step forward and two steps back. Since the iPhone's release last year, we have seen a handful of updates to phones operating system and each new update either fixes some outstanding bugs or adds brand spanking new features to the user experience. While it is true that a lot of these features are stupid things that should have been included with the iPhone from the get-to, we'll just ignore that little fact for a moment to focus on the important one - Apple is releasing update after update and I don't see them stopping anytime soon. Whereas Microsoft, if we're lucky, releases one new update a year... and we have to shell out hundreds of dollars to purchase a new handset to actually receive the darn update! Read more...

"In the first two weeks of 2008 the number of people consuming my personal podcast with the Zune is WAY up. Over all my show download numbers are up about 15%. This is the largest growth my show has seen in a very long time. What this proves is that when you put Podcast front and center in the Zune Interface like the Zune team has, and make it a integral part of the Zune MarketPlace people are bound to check podcast out. Where Apple has largely failed in iTunes is that they have made podcast hard to find and a buried feature within the iTunes Interface. Today it is nearly impossible to find content that is fresh, the iTunes podcast interface is a wasteland of thousands of podfaded shows and huge numbers of single podcast episodes put up by network marketer�s."


(Sorry about the tiny image, I couldn't find anything bigger!)

Over at RawVoice, there is an incredibly interesting article up about recent podcasting trends and the Zune. In this instance users of the Zune and Zune Marketplace software make up 21.3% of their listeners! This might not seem like a lot, but take iTunes for instance, whose user base makes up only 38.7% of their listeners. Now seeing how the new Zune software and hardware has only been on the streets for a few months now, compared to the many years iTunes has been around, it appears that Apple might have to start taking the "little media player that could" a bit more seriously. Who knows, old Stevie might just take a look at this and declare that all of the Zune Marketplace users have joined good old Robbie Bach in a round a drinks, since you know, being a drunk is the only reason why anyone would want a Zune. Read more...

I have fantastic news. I just sat down by my desk after a nice hearty lunch to find my brand new Motorola Q9h waiting for me. This is not the AT&T version, so their are a few tiny differences compared to our recent offering from the "Powers That Be" in AT&T Headquarters. For one, the packaging is different and as well as the name and nowhere throughout the packaging is the word "Global" used. Not a big deal, but I figured it would be nice to clue everyone in on this before I show the images.

Now that we have taken care of the disclaimer, it is time for a quick sneak peak at the unboxing on this surprisingly nice handset!


(Figure 1: The packaging that my brand spanking new Motorola Q9h arrived in!)
Read more...

"With ActiveSync 3.x and 4.x and Windows Mobile Device Center (WMDC) you need to create a partnership between your Windows Mobile device and your PC in order to sync. The partnership contains the information about what information you are synchronizing between your device and your PC. This FAQ covers important information about these partnerships."

Chris De Herrera has a little FAQ which points out some of the under workings of the two most troublesome applications ever conceived. I would have made the title "Understanding Why ActiveSync or WMDC Partnerships Hardly Ever Work". Seriously though, I have used the registry keys he sites to clean up a lot of partnership debris. It is worth a read.

Recently while trying to sync my T-Mobile Dash with my laptop, I was greeted with the above screen. I could not believe my eyes, and for a second I thought that someone was playing a prank. The title for some reason sounded really funny. Anyway, I wasn't aware that Microsoft had implemented a troubleshooting wizard to help the users out of those tricky and frustrating sync partnership setup issues. I said - thank you Microsoft, and clicked the next button. If you are wondering what happened next; or if you, like me, were not aware about the presence of this wizard, then read on.
After I plugged in the Dash, the Microsoft ActiveSync icon in the Windows XP traybar kept spinning for what seemed like eternity, and then gave up. I was then greeted with the following message.



I must admit that I didn't pay much attention to the prompt and simply clicked the OK button. That is when the troubleshooting wizard made its appearance. At this point I was surprised that Microsoft had implemented a troubleshooting wizard, and was wondering why I had never heard about it. Also, I was eager to give the wizard a try.



The wizard, as you can see in the following screen, runs a battery of tests to identify the possible problem preventing the partnership connection.



In my case it did not find any problem. The final screen of the wizard was a bit of a disappointment. It repeated the issue that the PC is unable to talk to the device. And it directed me to check out a link, which didn't do a thing to help me resolve the problem. That's helpful; thanks but no thanks Microsoft!



Given the fact that users face a lot of problems while trying to establish a partnership for the first time or during daily sync, this troubleshoot wizard is a step in the right direction. From the looks of it, it seems to be doing the checks in all the right areas but it seems like it is not comprehensive enough. In my case the culprit was that recently I had turned on the firewall, and enabled the "Don't allow exceptions" option as well. I disabled the firewall and re-tried the whole process, and this time the connection worked. Wish the wizard had advised me with the right troubleshooting tips. For me this whole wizard experience was new, I do not ever remember using this wizard. Is this something new in ActiveSync 4.5? Have you folks seen this wizard? Was it helpful for you?

"Microsoft ActiveSync 4.5 is the latest sync software release for Windows Mobile-powered devices. ActiveSync provides a great synchronization experience with Windows�-powered PCs and Microsoft Outlook right out of the box."



Following the announcement of Windows Mobile 6, Microsoft has released ActiveSync 4.5. At the end of this post I have included the list of fixes, improvements and also the features that are being dis-continued by Microsoft in the 4.5 release. Improved file transfer speeds and better Exchange server integration does sound tempting, but I will wait till I find out that the improvements are noticeable. Thanks to push based updates I do not have to sync my Smartphone with the desktop all the time; I can afford to wait and I am sure our readers can do the same too. ;-)
� Faster file transfer speed and photo sync via Outlook are only available for Windows Mobile 5.0 powered devices.
� Remote PC Sync (via WiFi or LAN) has been removed due to Enterprise customer feedback around security issues.
� Customers using Microsoft Exchange 2003 Service Pack 2 with devices running the Messaging and Security Feature Pack for Windows Mobile 5.0 will benefit from the following feature enhancements included in ActiveSync 4.5: Direct Push Technology, local device wipe, and certificate powered authentication to Microsoft Exchange.
� Microsoft� Outlook� 2000 is not supported by ActiveSync 4.5. It is highly recommended that users upgrade to Microsoft� Outlook� 2003 messaging and collaboration client.
� Conversion of database files for use on a mobile device is not supported by ActiveSync 4.5. On previous versions, this feature was limited to devices running Windows Mobile software for Pocket PC 2003 and earlier.
� Conversion of font files for use on a mobile device is not supported by ActiveSync 4.5. On previous versions, this feature was limited to devices running Windows Mobile software for Pocket PC 2003 and earlier.

Check out the ReadMe.doc provided on the ActiveSync download page for more details on the known issues, fixes and improvements. Developers will have to upgrade to the newer version because the Windows Mobile 6 SDK requires ActiveSync 4.5.

"Changes in ActiveSync 4.5 Beta 2 help improve issues related to setup, partnerships, and connectivity with the PC and Microsoft Exchange. In addition, it includes a troubleshooter utility that scans your computer and device to identify problems and offers information and corrective actions to solve them. ActiveSync 4.5 Beta 2 supports synchronization with a desktop or tablet PC via USB cable, Bluetooth, or infrared connection."

If you're not having problems with ActiveSync, then I don't know if it's worth the upgrade to this new beta or not. As far as I'm concerned with ActiveSync, if it's not broken, don't upgrade it. ;)

"Kerio Technologies Inc., specializing in secure Internet software for small and mid-sized businesses, today released a new version of Kerio MailServer that offers Direct Push email for Windows Mobile� smartphones and PDAs. Users will be able to wirelessly synchronize their email messages, calendar data, contacts, and tasks in their Kerio MailServer account with a Microsoft Windows Mobile-based device. �Mobile email can be both complicated and expensive for the average small business owner to deploy,� says David Ferris, president and senior analyst at Ferris Research. �Most secure mobile email solutions require a groupware server, usually combined with another expensive middleware server.� I want small businesses to benefit from mobile email, mobile calendar, and mobile contacts just like large corporations do,� says Martin Viktora."

This is great news for anyone that wants to do Direct Push email but can't afford an Exchange server. I imagine it won't be long before we start to see other 3rd party mail servers starting to implement Direct Push into their solutions. The real winner here is the consumer who will be able to keep their data live and in sync much easier and for less than ever before. :D

"It's neither final nor fully tested yet but Microsoft recently released another ActiveSync Beta - this time for ActiveSync 4.5. With the introduction of Windows Mobile 5.0, ActiveSync 4 is the only way to get the latest Windows Mobile devices synced with Windows-powered PCs and Microsoft Outlook - right out of the box. ActiveSync acts as the gateway between your Windows-powered PC and Windows Mobile-powered device, enabling the transfer of Outlook information, Office documents, pictures, music, videos and applications to and from your device. In addition to synchronizing with a desktop PC, ActiveSync can synchronize directly with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 so that you can keep your E-Mail, calendar data, tasks and contact information updated wirelessly when you're away from your PC."



I've just installed this new version and it seems to be working fine. It is supposed to have a new troubleshooter but I have not had any problems or seen any benefit yet. I have synced my Q, 2125 and 3125. The only caveat is you almost have to set up the partnerships from scratch. I say almost because it retained my Exchange Server settings but I had to re-set up my PC sync settings. If you want to give it a try you can get it here from MS.

ActiveSync has been known to toss out a confusing error message on a very rare occasion. If you've ever been stung by this unfortunate event, you'll want to bookmark Chris De Herrera's web page that details a large number of the error codes, what they really mean, and how you can fix them. As any good resource, it's a work in progress. So if you've had a problem that's not listed on their, you might want to let Chris know so he can add it. 8)

"Microsoft ActiveSync 4.2 is the latest sync software release for Windows Mobile-based devices. ActiveSync provides a great synchronization experience with Windows�-based PCs and Microsoft Outlook right out of the box. ActiveSync acts as the gateway between your Windows-based PC and Windows Mobile-based device, enabling the transfer of Outlook information, Office documents, pictures, music, videos and applications to and from your device. ... Changes in ActiveSync 4.2 help resolve connectivity related issues with Microsoft Outlook, proxies, partnerships, and connectivity."

Microsoft has officially released the ActiveSync version 4.2. Even though this version is compatible with Windows Mobile 2002, 2003 and 2003 SE devices, we will not recommend this upgrade unless you have a Windows Mobile 5.0 device because version 4.x removes the ability to remote sync via the network, either via Wi-Fi or over the Internet. Following is the list of fixes/improvements in this version:
� Microsoft Outlook Improvements: Resolves issues relating to error code 85010014.
� Proxy/DTPT interaction Improvements: Improved auto configuration of device Connection Manager settings when desktop has no proxy path to the internet.
� Improved Desktop Pass Thru behavior with ISA proxy failures.
� Partnership improvements: Better resolution of multiple devices with the same name syncing with the same desktop.
� Connectivity Improvements: Better handling of VPN clients (resolve unbinding of protocols from our RNDIS adapter). New auto detection of connectivity failure with user diagnostic alerts.

Windows Mobile Device Center is the new name for the interface that enables mobile device synchronization in Windows Vista. In my last article "Inside Windows Vista: Windows Mobile Device Center and Sync Center," I had offered a quick look at the feature as it was implemented in the Windows Vista Beta Build 5308. Our readers will remember that I had concluded the article saying that the feature has not been implemented completely and the critical pieces that enable synchronization of Outlook information like contacts, calendar and tasks etc, the most important pieces of device synchronization, are not enabled. Meanwhile Microsoft was claiming that Windows Vista will have the ActiveSync functionality baked into the core operating system but Vista testers, including myself, could not find any proof to verify that claim. Even after Windows Vista Beta 2 Build 5384 (a major milestone) was released in May, the mobile device synchronization was not supported. This made me believe that Microsoft had shelved the plans to improve the mobile device support in Windows Vista because of all the delays associated with the product launch. The situation changed recently after I received a tip from one of our readers, mzh, who informed us about an update that has been made available to Beta 2 testers. I booted my test system into Windows Vista and ran Windows Update. Sure enough there was an update waiting to be installed and it enabled the missing feature. :) After looking at the updated Windows Mobile Device Center, I can confidently say - "Goodbye ActiveSync!"



So if you are interested in learning about how mobile device synchronization will look like in Windows Vista, read on...
The Missing Feature


Figure 1: Windows Update is now a Control Panel applet. Click on the image for the full size image. (104KB)

If you are wondering why I am showing Windows Update screen shots then please bear with me. It is a new feature in Windows Vista; I thought you might be interested in it. Plus this is how I got the Windows Mobile Device Center working, so in case you have access to the Vista Beta then you can follow these steps. ;-)


Figure 2: Let's see what all updates do we have? "Update for Windows Vista Beta 2" must be the magic update that enables the new sync functionality. Click on the image for the full size image. (72KB)

I am fairly positive that in the future builds of Windows Vista and definitely in the final consumer release, this update will be baked into the core operating system.


Figure 3: Windows Update is installing the updates. Click on the image for the full size image. (89KB)
Read more...

"ActiveSync 4.2 Beta Preview is an early look at the latest sync software release for Windows Mobile devices. Microsoft ActiveSync provides a great synchronization experience with Windows powered PCs and Microsoft Outlook right out of the box. ActiveSync acts as the gateway between your Windows powered PC and Windows Mobile powered device, enabling the transfer of Outlook information, Office documents, pictures, music, videos and applications from your desktop to your device. In addition to synchronizing with a desktop PC, ActiveSync can synchronize directly with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 so that you can keep your e-mail, Calendar, Notes, and Contacts updated wirelessly when you�re away from your PC."

Another update, and a beta no less, to the incredible ActiveSync. There seems to be no information, as with previous updates, as to what has changed or been fixed. Just install and enjoy the act of discovery! Any takers?

This looks like a handy little application. It allows you to easily change the name your devices Bluetooth name and change the name of your ActiveSync profile without having to create a new connection. As well, you can use it to hide the GPRS icon from the title bar. Unfortunately, I can't read a single word on this website, other than "English version of program - download". If anyone gives this a try, please let us know your findings.

"I've been asked a few times recently about setting up Internet connectivity with the WM5.0 emulator; I usually point people to this post: http://blogs.msdn.com/akhune/archive/2005/11/16/493329.aspx . However, if you want to do it without ActiveSync.."

I don't think Microsoft has released the standalone version of the emulator, by standalone I mean that the emulator does not require Visual Studio 2005. :? For those of you, who have access to the emulator; check out Nino's post on how to configure Internet connectivity.

"The Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration tool enables administrators to manage the process of remotely erasing lost, stolen, or otherwise compromised mobile devices."



Microsoft has released a critical component that enables the remote wipe security feature on the new Windows Mobile 5.0 devices. This component was for some reason not bundled with the Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 and Microsoft had promised that it would deliver it as a separate download in the Q4 of 2005. Looks like they have kept their promise. :-) Now all we need is a Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone with Microsoft Security and Feature Pack (MSFP), so that we can take advantage of the features advertised in this white paper.

"ActiveSync 4.1 is the latest sync software release for Windows Mobile 5.0 devices. Microsoft ActiveSync provides a great synchronization experience with Windows-based PCs and Microsoft Outlook right out of the box. ActiveSync acts as the gateway between your Windows-based PC and Windows Mobile-based device, enabling the transfer of Outlook information, Office documents, pictures, music, videos and applications from your desktop to your device. In addition to synchronizing with a desktop PC, ActiveSync can synchronize directly with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 so that you can keep your e-mail, Calendar, Notes, and Contacts updated wirelessly when you�re away from your PC."

The official release of ActiveSync 4.1 is here, so if you have a Windows Mobile 5 device, grab it - especially if you've had problems with USB connections. If you're using an older device, it's probably best to stick with version 3.x so you can keep WiFi sync.

"Microsoft wants to alert you to an issue regarding ActiveSync 4.0 and the immediate steps the company is taking to resolve it and meet customer needs. Specifically, some users of ActiveSync� 4.0 have reported challenges when using the USB connection of their personal computer to connect to a device with Windows Mobile 5.0. In many cases, these challenges are likely caused by interoperability with desktop firewall applications or applications that manage network traffic. These applications appear to conflict with the TCP traffic between a device and the PC. An update for ActiveSync is scheduled to be available in late November, but customers may also resolve the issue manually immediately by visiting the Windows Mobile site."

There aren't that many Windows Mobile 5 devices in the wild yet, so this issue may no affect many of you (I didn't have any problems with my X51v), but there's an ActiveSync 4.0 Troubleshooting Guide on the Windows Mobile site that has some steps for you to take if you're having this issue. Nice to see Microsoft is being proactive with this issue!

"Recently I got annoyed enough at Bluetooth ActiveSync's COM port error that I decided to do something about it. If you've ever restarted your computer with Bluetooth ActiveSync set up, you should be familiar with the error. ActiveSync will say, "Microsoft ActiveSync cannot open the COM port" or you might receive a message asking whether you want to disconnect the serial ports. At first I thought that my Bluetooth stack wasn't loading quickly enough for ActiveSync to catch the correct serial port, but after disabling ActiveSync from starting up automatically, I found that this wasn't the case."


Here is a handy little registry hack for a problem I have seen from time to time. There is of course another solution to this Bluetooth problem as with others. Wait a while and it will just go away by itself. :lol: