[jmk32#CB]

Hey guys,

I'm totally at wits end with my Storm1 (no memory, slow browser, slow OS, etc) and was ready to go S2 until I heard the Nexus1 and HTC Incredible are coming to Verizon soon.

But I am a heavy business user, on Blackberry server, and need to know if the Android 2.1 OS is compatible with everything I need from my BlackBerry - holding 1,000 company contacts with lots of detailed notes, Outlook calender and Notes sync, getting my emails close to real-time (as fast as my BB), etc, etc.

Can some of you Android users (particularly former BlackBerry users for business) pipe in with your feedback on this?

If the 2.1 OS can do all the same things my BB can do business-wise, I'm jumping ship to probably the HTC Incredible as soon as it's out.

I appreciate it!

[Pastor Ron]

If you look at VZW Sales on Facebook, you might get some input, but no guarantees. I know the rep who just put the page up. When I brought my Tour in a couple of days ago, he showed me the Android phone he uses, and it's pretty slick.

[thebignewt]

If you and Outlook are married then do more research before going Android. The email will probably be OK (gmail is best, but POP3 does work). I'm told that there is a workaround to synch your Outlook with Google but I would check into it carefully before switching. I agree, the Storm1 sux, and the Storm 2, while better, still kind of sux. But there are some unique BB attributes to consider if Outlook and email are the key things. The strength of the android is browsing.

[BzB]

the stock app for outlook integration on an android device probably will not live up to a dedicated bb user's needs imo.

that said, i would recommend a 3rd party application called exchange by touchdown (NitroDesk Inc. - TouchDown� features) which should take care of your outlook integration needs with the exception of wireless notes syncing. for notes syncing there is a free app called NitroNote found here (NitroNote: Notes Syncing - NitroDesk TouchDown | Google Groups) that syncs your outlook notes to your phone via usb cable.

even though touchdown isn't free, i think it's like $20, it is worth every penny and really does a good job providing a much more robust outlook integration than any other application (free or paid) for android phones. without it i'd probably still be using my blackberry as i need my phone for business use as much as i need it for personal use.

good luck!

[x1208x]

Im not sure why the above posts didn't mention this at all, but Google is already working on their own BES servers.

[BzB]

^ maybe because it's not available as of today and there's no eta for it yet?

[md12]

Im not sure why the above posts didn't mention this at all, but Google is already working on their own BES servers.

Is this why android doesn't support activesync security policies? If so, this is bad news I've been waiting for it.

BES stands for Blackberry Enterprise Server, btw.

[BzB]

Is this why android doesn't support activesync security policies? If so, this is bad news I've been waiting for it.

activesync security policies happen to be application specific. for example the 3rd party app touchdown does support activesync security policies. however, the stock android email app does not support it to the same extent.

it would be inaccurate to say the android os doesn't support it.

[md12]

activesync security policies happen to be application specific. for example the 3rd party app touchdown does support activesync security policies. however, the stock android email app does not support it to the same extent.

it would be inaccurate to say the android os doesn't support it.

I disagree. It's not application specific, but rather exactly that the android OS doesn't support activesync security policies. A lot of corporate IT departments won't approve android until it supports it out of the box. Using a third party app (which doesn't use the out of the box corporate email features of android) isn't an answer for most.

See here:

Issue 4475 - android - Support for ActiveSync provisioning protocol - Project Hosting on Google Code

[BzB]

I disagree. It's not application specific, but rather exactly that the android OS doesn't support activesync security policies. A lot of corporate IT departments won't approve android until it supports it out of the box. Using a third party app (which doesn't use the out of the box corporate email features of android) isn't an answer for most.

See here:

Issue 4475 - android - Support for ActiveSync provisioning protocol - Project Hosting on Google Code

the stock email app on the phone doesn't support it, a 3rd party app does. the only difference is that one app comes standard out of the box and the other doesn't. they're both applications loaded on the phone's os. how does that add up to the android os itself not supporting activesync security policies? if it was an os issue it wouldn't matter what the app supported.

[md12]

the stock email app on the phone doesn't support it, a 3rd party app does. the only difference is that one app comes standard out of the box and the other doesn't. they're both applications loaded on the phone's os. how does that add up to the android os itself not supporting activesync security policies? if it was an os issue it wouldn't matter what the app supported.

I don't know how it's different, but it is. My company and many others won't support android until it's supported out of the box, I'm not in IT and don't know why. Maybe the third party app isn't as secure as the native corporate email and calendar apps out of the box? Not sure, but until android fully supports it, my (and if we take the hundreds of posters on the issue log at face value, hundred's of others) company's wont allow android for work email.

[BzB]

the point i was making is this isn't an android os issue. this is an application functionality issue.

the stock email application doesn't support some active sync security policies due to its bare bones feature set and development. a 3rd party app has been developed to a higher level of functionality and feature set. i can speak to this as i am very familiar with microsoft exchange mobile services policies.

lots of users complained because the stock app didn't meet the standard and they didn't feel they should have to buy a third party app that does. can't really blame them. IT folks don't like using third party apps in this way since it complicates the support and administration model.

both apps are loaded on the android os platform. one is better than the other. just clarifying it for you.

[md12]

Yeah, I get that, but for my purposes it doesn't matter. Either my IT dept supports it or it doesn't, and they don't support third party apps for security features.

To my original question, what's the deal with google's own exchange servers? Are they going that route instead of fully supporting activesync?

[anon(12291)]

The problem with ActiveSync is that I believe its a non-free Microsoft product, meaning Google would have to license it from MS, thus adding to the cost of an Android device. They're trying to market the OS as a free, unencumbered option for smartphones, so the only way I can see core AS support is through a 3rd party OS mod.

[md12]

The problem with ActiveSync is that I believe its a non-free Microsoft product, meaning Google would have to license it from MS, thus adding to the cost of an Android device. They're trying to market the OS as a free, unencumbered option for smartphones, so the only way I can see core AS support is through a 3rd party OS mod.

That's a good point. I hope that's not the case, though. If it is, I'll have to consider switching to an iPhone which I really REALLY do not want to do.