RoadSync is a synchronisation client application that provides Server ActiveSync-based connectivity to Exchange 2003 and 2007 Servers for a wide range of devices that would otherwise be incapable of harnessing Server ActiveSync technology.

Supported platforms include:

·         Symbian Series 60

·         Symbian Series 80

·         Symbian UIQ

·         Windows Mobile 2003

·         Palm OS

·         Java MIDP 2.0

A full list of supported devices can be found the DataViz web site:

http://www.dataviz.com/rsdevices

Microsoft’s own Server ActiveSync client has provided push-based email synchronisation with Exchange since the release of Windows Mobile 5 AKU-2. RoadSync offers this same level of functionality on Pocket PC 2003 devices – a feature which is unique to RoadSync to the best of my knowledge.

RoadSync also offers the same functionality to Java MIDP 2.0 devices and in fact the Server ActiveSync functionality that is included on Sony Ericsson’s latest handsets (P990, W950 and W960) is actually a licensed version of DataViz RoadSync.

Nokia does have its own licensed Server ActiveSync client for the Symbian Series 60v3 platform (ie the Nokia E and N series range of handsets), called Nokia Mail For Exchange which is available for download free of charge.

The RoadSync client for Symbian 60 offers greater functionality than the Nokia client – principally the option to view the entire folder structure of your mailbox and select which folders you wish to synchronise. Currently the Nokia client will only synchronise the Inbox.

Having said that, however, Nokia’s recent decision to abort all development work on the Intellisync platform and concentrate all of their efforts onto the Mail For Exchange application – opening it up to the entire Symbian Series 40 range of devices – has to have DataViz concerned. DataViz have not bothered releasing a RoadSync client for the Windows Mobile 5 or 6 platforms as, frankly, there would be no point.

The rest of this blog post will focus on the RoadSync client for the Symbian 60 platform, more specifically, the Nokia E71.

Installation

The RoadSync client for the Symbian 60 platform is available for download from the DataViz web site as a free 30-day trial in the form of an SIS file. This can be installed onto the handset either from a PC from the PC Suite Application Installer, or can be saved to and run on the handset itself, either via email, storage card, infrared, Bluetooth, you get the idea.

Simply run the installation package in the usual way – you will be prompted to confirm the installation, select Yes whenever prompted.

Once installed, the application will appear as an icon in the Installations folder:

When running the application for the first time, if you have downloaded the trial version, you will be given the option to enter an activation key:

I selected the option to Try as I’m only evaluating the software. The installation wizard will then be displayed. Tap Next to view the License Agreement and then Accept twice to continue:

The Server Settings screen will then be displayed:

Enter your username and password – these are your NT domain login details, ie the same details you use to log into your Windows desktop or laptop.

The Server address field needs to contain the external address of the Exchange server – this is the same address used to access Outlook Web Access (normally in the form ‘mail.domain.com’ – there is no need to add the ‘/exchange’ or ‘/owa’  bit at the end).

Once all of the fields have been completed, select the option to Verify Settings. The client will attempt to connect to the Internet, select the connection to use:

The client will now prompt you that if you currently use PC Suite to synchronise with Outlook locally, this will need to be turned off. Click Next:

You will now be prompted whether you want to overwrite what is on the phone with the contents of the server, or merge both. If you select the option to Overwrite you will be prompted to confirm the option:

You are now ready to sync:

Select Finish. The software will now connect to the Exchange server and perform an initial synchronisation:

To adjust the default settings, select Options:

Here you can adjust the schedule options – define on what days and during which hours you want mailbox data to be ‘pushed’ to the handset.

Within the Email options you can view the folder structure of your mailbox and select which folders you want to synchronise:

The Calendar Options allow you to specify how far back into the past you wish to synchronise calendar entries. Contact options allow you to specify where contact synchronisation is either on or off:

Contact and Calendar data is synchronised with the default Contact and Calendar applications on the handset. Email is synchronised with a new folder named ‘RoadSync’:

As with Server ActiveSync, you can specify a date range within which you want to synchronise email as well as specifying a maximum attachment size limit.

You can also edit your email signature.

Because the RoadSync client uses the Server ActiveSync protocol, any client device using RoadSync can be remotely ‘wiped’ from the Exchange Server in the same way that Windows Mobile devices can – either via Outlook Web Access (Exchange 2007), via the Exchange Management Console / System Manager, or via the Administrator Mobile web tool (Exchange 2003).

I can't think why you would want to, but if you're wondering then it is possible to run RoadSync and Mail For Exchange on the same device concurrently. However, whilst email is synchronised to separate folders, contact and calendar information are synced to the same folders by both applications so I would not recommend having both applications set to sync these folders as you may experience odd behaviour.