Snow Leopard, Active Sync, and Windows Mobile

[Ooz]

So, I hear SL supports Exchange, has Active Sync support, and includes Cisco VPN client.

Out of these, the Active Sync support caught my eyes - does that mean that my Windows Mobile 6.1 phone will be able to sync with my Mac at home? My WinMo phone connects with Exchange Servers at work to sync emails/calendar/contacts/notes etc.

From the sync on my Mac machine, I just want contacts to be able to sync. But more than that, to be able to see my WinMo device mounted on a Mac, so I can move files.

iTunes sync will be a big positive surprise!

 

[winninganthem]

Watch the AppleByte on CNet, iTunes sync *might* happen. That'd be so awesome.

 

[guydude193]

I would rather be able to update my phone's firmware. My BJII is still running plain ole' 6.

 

[winninganthem]

I would rather be able to update my phone's firmware. My BJII is still running plain ole' 6.

Same lol, haven't even thought about updating firmware on my BJII either. Oops.

 

[guydude193]

Same lol, haven't even thought about updating firmware on my BJII either. Oops.

You were either trying to be extremely perverted, or you actually didn't think about updating your BlackJack II.

 

[winninganthem]

Oh my god I honestly didn't even think about it that way . lmao

 

[Crescendolls]

Hey... I've searched for this on these forums... exact same inquiry as mine!

Ooz, did you ever find out that you WM phone is easily syncable with Snow Leopard? I'm a mac user thinking about getting a WM myself...

But before I get it I want to make sure I can sync my calendar and contacts... and back up data.
Thinking about getting HTC Touch Pro 2.

 

[pdjudd]

There is a bit of confusion here since Active Sync ca refer to two different things. The most common way people think of active sync is the protocol that hand-held devices achieve over-the-air syncing of data from an exchange server (SL uses a different method to handle exchange access for its own Apps).

ActiveSync also happens to refer to a syncing tool for Windows Mobile devices for desktop syncing (like with iTunes and the iPod) but instead of music, ActiveSync Desktop was for mail, contacts and calendar. It is a windows-only program that MS decided to basically supplant in later versions of windows with a media syncing system. It is a completley separate tool. The confusion is that on Handhelds, all of the syncing (weather it was desktop or Exchange OTA) was lumped under ActiveSync.

In short, having Snow Leopard will not magically allow you to Sync data from your Mac to your Windows Mobile device. You will have to use a third party tool like The Missing Sync.

 

[throttlemeister]

If you use Exchange, you don't really need it either.

Phone <> Exchange <> SL

Works like a charm.

 

[pdjudd]

If you use Exchange, you don't really need it either.

If you use Exchange '07 of course. Snow Leopard uses EWS to sync with Exchange and the Mac apps. If you use Exchange '03, you are in for some pain because OWA is very hit or miss and you have to end up using Entourage.

You are right though, the ActiveSync Desktop client is not needed. In fact Microsoft hasn't updated it in a long time.

 

[throttlemeister]

In fact Microsoft hasn't updated it in a long time.

It is built-in for Vista and Windows 7, and as XP is basically EOL they don't really have any reason to update the standalone application.