Wireless Synching for a non-business

[KCHruby]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I apologize if there is already a thread on this subject but I searched and couldn't find one.


I'm working with an HTC Touch Pro and Sprint.

I synch my phone often (a few times a day); however, the active synch process seems to take a long time.

I'd like to be able to wirelessly synch my phone with my calendar and my contacts (like the iPhone and the Palm Pre and I'm assuming many others out there). I've got a separate e-mail account that I only use for my phone so I don't really need to synch e-mail.

I've read the manual and know that the phone can wirelessly synch with an exchange server; however, I'm not a business--I'm just me and don't have an exchange server.

I've contacted an "Exchange Server Host" on line but they have a three-phone minimum so we're looking at $45.00 per month, which seems a bit pricey to me for something that I just think would be "cool" to do.

So, here's my question:

Have any other INDIVIDUALS tried wirelessly synching to an exchange server? If so, will be Outlook 2002 work or do I need to go out and buy 2007? Are there any leads on an Exchange Server Host that I can use--preferably one that's geared more towards individuals and not businesses.

Thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide.


KCHruby

[shark1987]

Mail2Web has a much more resonable price for a full exchange server!!

for free you could use Seven and a Gmail acct.

[KCHruby]

Shark,

Thanks for the info. I'll look into those options. Off hand, do you know if those options will let me continue using Outlook on my PC or will my calendar and contacts to web based?

[shark1987]

not with Seven, I believe it is possible to sync your outlook with the exchange server on Mail2Web.

edit: yea, you can on Mail2Web.

link

not a bad price at $4.95 / month.

[cruiser78]

Another 2 options are www.alol.net.br which is a free hosted exchange account provider. You don't get to sync with Outlook on your computer with it though. I've got a hosted exchange account at www.sherweb.com. Sherweb is $8.95/month (can't remember if USD or CAD as it is a Canadian company but I think the price they show is USD) and they allow syncing with Outlook on your PC and Activesync on your phone. That service from Mail2Web is $9.95/month. If you don't need to sync to your PC, the $4.95/month option from Mail2Web will also allow you to consolidate your different email accounts but you said you don't need email so that probably isn't an issue and I'd say go with the free hosting from alol.net.br.

[Rusty Duck]

I use sherweb ($8.95 USD) and it rocks!!!!

But it sounds like you want to sync with two Exchange accounts - I am not sure this is doable.

[cruiser78]

Originally Posted by Rusty Duck

I use sherweb ($8.95 USD) and it rocks!!!!

But it sounds like you want to sync with two Exchange accounts - I am not sure this is doable.

Who? Me or the OP? I don't want to sync to 2 accounts and I don't think that's what the OP is getting at.

To the OP. Reading your post again, it sounds like you might be slightly confused as to the meaning of "wirelessly syncing" to and Exchange account. When the manual talks about wirelessly syncing, it means wirelessly over your cell phone data connection to an Exchange server hosted somewhere and not wirelessly over wifi to your PC. With the free service from alol.net.br and the mail2web $4.95/month service, your contacts don't get synced to your PC at all. You can access your your contacts and calendar through a web browser using OWA (Outlook Web Access) and add or remove contacts or calendar entries that way so you still have access to them from any PC. With Sherweb and the $9.95/month from mail2web, you get a free copy of Outlook 2007 and the abilitly to connect to your hosted Exchange account through Outlook on your PC and have your contacts and calendar synced to your PC and the ability to edit them directly from Outlook.

[KCHruby]

Cruiser,

Thanks for the info. I think I knew what I meant to say but admittedly, may not have phrased it correctly.

From what I've seen here, It looks like I maybe going with Sherweb because (If I'm reading correctly) my phone, will wirelessly synch to their exchange server, and my Outlook 2007 on my desktop will also keep in synch with their exchange server. So, in theory, my phone, my Outlook 2007 will be the same and I like the idea of being able to check my outlook over the web as well.

Thanks for the help and the info. I'm hoping to do a bit more research then hopefully will have this set up in the next few days.

You, Shark and others have been a HUGE help in steering me in the right direction. Many thanks.

KCHruby

[kennyidaho]

1and1 used to offer it, not sure if they still do.

I've had the service through a few different companies and finally got fed up paying for it. Now just use Google to sync my calendar and contacts; for email I have one primary gmail account which all other addresses forward to and I check that with IMAP on my phone.

Obviously I lost a few things by doing it this way, namely syncing of tasks, but it's worth saving a few bucks a month.

[boredandtattooed]

whats wrong with the OTA syncing with MS MYphone, thatll even sync your sd card..