Windows Mobile lacks full support for Hotmail-Exchange Active Sync pairing

Playing catch-up with rival email services such as Gmail, Microsoft Hotmail now does Exchange ActiveSync (EAS), which means mobile users can have their email, calendar, and contacts from Hotmail accounts pushed to their mobile devices. Ironically, none of the mobile platforms currently available fully supports the features that come with EAS, Microsoft included, according to ZDNet UK.

Theoretically, the marriage of EAS and the newly refreshed Hotmail means that a mobile user can access his or her Hotmail messages, contacts, tasks, and various calendars in real time. Based on ZDNet’s testing, however, none of the major mobile platforms provide the full Hotmail experience.

[ Also on InfoWorld.com: The new version of Hotmail clashed with other Microsoft products | Keep up on key mobile developments and insights with the Mobile Edge blog and Mobilize newsletter. ]

For example, Windows Mobile 6.x can sync email, contacts, calendar, and tasks from Hotmail, as well as text messages. However, it can sync only one calendar, which leaves you in the lurch if you also rely on shared calendars, subscription calendars, or Windows Live Groups calendars.

Also, it doesn’t support full HTML rendering of email; instead, images show up as links or attachments. Windows Mobile 6.5 itself does support HTML rendering. The problem is that platform’s version of the ActiveSync client doesn’t play nicely with the version of EAS that Hotmail uses.

Tested Android devices could do email, contacts, and calendar — but not tasks. Palm was able to sync email, contacts, calendar (primary only), and tasks from multiple EAS accounts. iPhone was able to do full calendars and email, but not tasks. It was, however, the only platform tested that could render HTML email correctly.

Presumably, Windows Mobile 7 will include an ActiveSync client that will fully supports EAS and will deliver the most robust mobile Hotmail experience. That may not be enough to lure users to the ill-fated platform, though.

To activate EAS, according to Ars Technica, use the following settings:

• In the Server/URL field, enter m.hotmail.com
• In the Username field, enter your full email address
• Leave the Domain field blank
• Enable SSL
• Accept the SSL certificate when you are prompted.
• Enable Mail, Contacts, Calendar, and Tasks (or whichever you prefer)

Microsoft’s website has more information on setup and supported devices.

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