Windows client for Exchange ActiveSync
I would like to have compact widget or gadget in Vista to keep tabs on my Exchange Server inbox from home, much like I would with a smartphone like the iPhone using ActiveSync. Outlook is not an option because I use it for my personal email, and since it cannot handle two accounts with two separate inboxes, it won't work. I'd like to have a light weight client just for email anyway. We do not have IMAP access, and not looking for POP access. OWA is useless because it doesn't update automatically. With the proliferation of smartphones using ActiveSync, how can there not be a nice dekstop client using the same approach? Does MS refuse to license ActiveSync for Windows clients?
Did you look at this?
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=F9A0D33C-C894-4EA1-AD20-4E418C715175&displaylang=en
Exchange Web Services Windows Vista Gadget Sample Application
Brief Description
The Exchange Web Services Windows Vista Gadget sample application uses Exchange Web Services to retrieve Inbox, Calendar, and Task information from a user's Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 mailbox.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=F9A0D33C-C894-4EA1-AD20-4E418C715175&displaylang=en
Exchange Web Services Windows Vista Gadget Sample Application
Brief Description
The Exchange Web Services Windows Vista Gadget sample application uses Exchange Web Services to retrieve Inbox, Calendar, and Task information from a user's Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 mailbox.
ASKER
Thanks, I had seen that, sounds like exactly what I need, except we're on Exchange Server 2003. Shame.
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ASKER
Wow, what a struggle.
Mestha: Nice idea. I installed and ran the emulator, but geting the internet connectivity is a challenge. I tried ActiveSync, which gets me connected, but then WM6 won't let me setup Exchange ActiveSync because it detects that it is connected to PC via ActiveSync. The cellular emulator method doesn't work, gives me a serial port number that is not accepted by the device emulator. The last option is to install Virtual PC 2007 to get the virtual network card, which I prefer not to do.
tmeunier: Nice little app, great idea. Set everything up exactly the way I wanted. Unfortunately, the automatic refresh is broken. When it refreshes, it just goes back to the URL "http://minibrowser.info/init06.aspx" and shows a white page with the minibrowser logo in the top left corner. I wrote to the developer, hopefully there is a workaround.
This shouldn't be so difficult! Thanks to all for your help.
Mestha: Nice idea. I installed and ran the emulator, but geting the internet connectivity is a challenge. I tried ActiveSync, which gets me connected, but then WM6 won't let me setup Exchange ActiveSync because it detects that it is connected to PC via ActiveSync. The cellular emulator method doesn't work, gives me a serial port number that is not accepted by the device emulator. The last option is to install Virtual PC 2007 to get the virtual network card, which I prefer not to do.
tmeunier: Nice little app, great idea. Set everything up exactly the way I wanted. Unfortunately, the automatic refresh is broken. When it refreshes, it just goes back to the URL "http://minibrowser.info/init06.aspx" and shows a white page with the minibrowser logo in the top left corner. I wrote to the developer, hopefully there is a workaround.
This shouldn't be so difficult! Thanks to all for your help.
Just as a sanity check, mine's been updating every 30 seconds for the 90+ minutes since I posted it here. Using Vista Business SP2, IE 8.
You need to install the network interface, which unfortunately means the VM application. There is no other way of getting ActiveSync on it. Once you have it works well.
I use it to test ActiveSync all the time. The screenshots on my website for the setup of ActiveSync were done with the emulator.
Simon.
I use it to test ActiveSync all the time. The screenshots on my website for the setup of ActiveSync were done with the emulator.
Simon.
ASKER
I am also using Vista Business SP2, IE8. IE is not my default browser, that's the only factor that comes to mind. The other problem with the application is that it is not saving any of my settings. When I exit the gadget and start it again, my sizes and refresh interval settings are reset.
I just tried setting IE as the default browser, had no effect. I guess I'm just unlucky...
I just tried setting IE as the default browser, had no effect. I guess I'm just unlucky...
My default browser is Firefox 3.5 so that's not it. The gadget does use IE8 though. And it's still happily refreshing like a champ. At any rate, let's hope the developer helps you. Of course, OWA 2007 auto-refreshes, so this little problem is whispering "upgrade to Exchange 2007!" in your ear. Or maybe "Buy a Windows Mobile device!"
ASKER
Got the WM6 emulator working with the cellular emulator for internet access. Setup Exchange ActiveSync, works pretty nicely, but the internet access speed is VERY slow in the emulator, must be simulating a slow GPRS link. Speaking of auto-refresh, there must be an IE plug-in to provide auto-refresh functionality at a user specified interval...
ASKER
For now, I settled on the following solution: I use www.sitereloader.com to auto-refresh my OWA page. I have a search folder on Exchange to only show unread mail, and the refresh was always putting me back to the Inbox, but I found the correct URL path to my unread mail folder and inputting that into sitereloader works. Now if I could only hide the IE address bar and tabs (and Windows frame), we'd have a nice little gadget. I'm still hoping MiniBrowser will work for me if the developer gets back to me, that would be a better solution.
ASKER
minibrowser update: Never heard from developer but figured out what the problem was. After entering the desired site in the address bar, you have to click the tiny "Set as Home Page" button. At first I had thought this was to set it as my IE homepage. Anyway, works great now and I have an "Active Desktop" like view into my Exchange server inbox via OWA. There is a bug in MiniBrowser which is a minor annoyance: when you click the button to hide the scrollbars, they hide, but when it does the next refresh, the scrollbars reappear. Thanks all for your help, tmeunier gets the points.
ASKER
This handy gadget will be useful for other things as well! It sort of brings back Active Desktop to Vista. Thanks!
The only option I can think of is to get the Windows Mobile emulator installed on to your machine and configure that. It should make a noise when an email messages comes through.
Simon.