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ActiveSync 4.2 Beta

Microsoft’s ActiveSync is the program that connects a Pocket PC / Windows Mobile device to Windows, the Internet and Office. Your Outlook contacts, tasks, appointments, messages and notes can be synced with the device.

ACTIVESYNC 4.2 BETA

Microsoft’s ActiveSync is the program that connects a Pocket PC / Windows Mobile device to Windows, the Internet and Office. Your Outlook contacts, tasks, appointments, messages and notes can be synced with the device.

The latest version 4.2 has been released as a beta / test product which can be downloaded from Microsoft if you really want to try it. The beta is not supported by Microsoft so you’d be largely on your own.

Microsoft doesn’t officially give any details of what’s in the beta which makes it hard for people to properly test the beta version. Any proper effort to test software would let the testers focus on the elements that have been changed.

The company does say that “The ActiveSync 4.2 Beta Preview delivers new features” but when you look at the list that’s been published it’s hard to see anything that’s really a new feature:

Microsoft Outlook Improvements

Resolves issues relating to error code 85010014 Improved Synchronization between Lunar Calendar appointments and Windows Mobile 2003 devices.

Proxy/DTPT interaction Improvements

Improved auto configuration of device Connection Manager settings when desktop has no proxy path to the internet.

Improved Desktop Pass Thru behavior with ISA proxy failures

Partnership improvements

Better resolution of multiple devices with the same name syncing with the same desktop

Connectivity Improvements

Better handling of VPN clients (resolve unbinding of protocols from our RNDIS adapter) New auto detection of connectivity failure with user diagnostic alerts “

Some testers report that the beta disables attempts to sync via a WiFi connection.

ActiveSync has improved a lot over the years though it still has it’s moments of flakey behavior. I would not try the beta unless you have a serious problem and get desperate.

But if your Pocket PC and desktop are running anything before ActiveSync 4.1 you might want to try getting that stable release.

As we’ve noted before, ActiveSync has not really kept pace with the needs of mobile users, in particular the continuing lack of support for additional memory cards on PDA’s and the inconsistency between a photo connected to an Outlook contact the similar feature on some Pocket PC’s. We especially dislike inconsistent synchronization of Reminders.

 

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