News
Microsoft Licenses Exchange Sync Technology to Palm OS Smartphone Maker
- By Scott Bekker
- 10/05/2004
Treo, a maker of Palm OS-based smartphones, entered a licensing agreement with Microsoft to allow the next generation of its phones to link up with the ActiveSync technology in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, the companies said Tuesday.
The deal marks the first time Microsoft has licensed its ActiveSync technology, which was formerly part of Mobile Information Server, to an outside vendor. Other companies are in discussions with Microsoft about licensing the technology, said Chuck Sabin, senior technical product manager for the Exchange Server product group.
ActiveSynch is designed to allow a smartphone to synchronize e-mail directly with an Exchange server. Using the technology, a smartphone user can keep a synchronized copy of the entire mailbox on the mobile device.
In the Exchange-Treo combination, users will not need to load any additional software onto the phone or the Exchange Server 2003 system to take advantage of the integration, Sabin said.
About the Author
Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.