My experience with MS Exchange clients

[signothefish]

I have tried several MS Exchange clients on the Epic, including the native client, and thought I would share with you some of the results.

Built-in: This is the native Android Exchange. It synchronizes email, calendar, and contacts. It's the fastest, easiest to use client. Problem is, it makes my phone perform a soft reset several times per day. It's happened on two separate Epics, so I know it's not my phone.

RoadSync: At $9.99, this is the cheapest commercial client. It syncs all of the above, plus tasks. However, it can be very slow to respond upon clicking an email. I've seen it take almost a minute to bring up a short email through a WiFi connection. There is also no previous/next button inside the email. I am currently in a trial period with this software until I make up my mind for sure.

Moxier Mail: Since this is the most expensive client at $24.99, and offers no free trial, it's a non-starter. Like Road Sync, it also synchronizes tasks. They say they will refund you the purchase price for any reason within 24 hours, but I'd rather not take my chances. It's a shame too, because I really want to try this client.

Moonrug Mobile: At $23, you would expect more than the basic 3 synchronization items: calendar, email, and contacts. Alas, you would be wrong. Also, this doesn't appear to be true push email, as there is no "push" option, and the minimum checking frequency is 30 seconds.

Maildroid: This is a free client, but I can't get it to work since there is no domain field in account setup.

Touchdown: This has the most features and synchronizes the basic three + tasks. Cost: $19.99. I've already completed my 2-week trial with them, and they are the clear winner so far. Most importantly, this is the only client that has "Mark all as read", something I highly covet.

There is a big list of synchronization options at Home | syncdroid.net - because Androids need a good Outlook sync. Interestingly, there doesn't appear to be any client which supports note synchronization through Exchange.

 

[cajunlab]

The native client only shows sent items with a from address.
Dumb....I mean obviously I sent them all!
I cannot find a way to show the to address in sent items.

 

[Q-fugee]

Signothefish,

Great list.

Touchdown will sync the yellow-sticky-notes if you are running Exchange Server 2010 at the business end. It's flipping awesome. Well worth the 20 bucks.

Note sync is a function of the Exchange Server, so don't be too tough on the clients. Now that it's part of Exchange 2010 maybe some of the other clients will catch up.

Hope that helps.

--Qfg

 

[jscher2000]

I have tried several MS Exchange clients on the Epic, including the native client, and thought I would share with you some of the results.

This is great, thanks for posting it.

Maildroid: This is a free client, but I can't get it to work since there is no domain field in account setup.

On some clients, you enter it before your username: domain\username (worth a try if the program is otherwise good)

Touchdown: This has the most features and synchronizes the basic three + tasks. Cost: $19.99. I've already completed my 2-week trial with them, and they are the clear winner so far. Most importantly, this is the only client that has "Mark all as read", something I highly covet.

I'm trialing TouchDown on the Droid X and it suddenly stopped pushing today. Does it take weekends off??

Additional plus factors: the forward and reply arrows show up in Outlook. And it can open EML attachments (Outlook messages forwarded as attachments).

I'm also trying K-9 Mail (free), which took forever to get the Exchange settings just right. It doesn't seem to have push for EAS (just for IMAP??), but it seems to have good EML attachment support (attachments in attachments are extracted correctly).

 

[goose927]

I have tried all three. Though i have a Droid 2 and the corp sync works good. It would not sync and monitor exchange sub folders. an organizational piece of exchange i cannot go without.

Touchdown, K-9 And Moxier, looked to be the only real contenders.

I first went with Touchdown as it has many forum posts giving it good reviews. Though it worked well and has many features. It ultimately failed as it would often stop push/pull and never reconnect. After a few days i lost all trust and tried the other two.

K-9, i could not even get to connect to our exchange (2003/owa). failed..

The winner for me is Moxier, it worked right out of the box and has yet to cause any issues or sync errors. Email comes in very fast, changes sync back to exchange quickly. Most of the posts i see Moxier seem old as the product/price/demo have all changed. if you are looking for a android exchange client try this one first. Only change they need to make is allow you to delete on the device but not in exchange. other than that it is a clear winner. currently $20.

 

[anon(49580)]

Does android 2.2 with its better exchange support work as well as moxier of touchdown?

I don't want to purchase if 2.2 will work much better.

 

[asrirama]

I've tried the native, RoadSync, and Touchdown to hook up to our Corporate Notes Traveler and Hotmail environment (ActiveSync). Here's what I found:

- Native works with Hotmail. Doesn't work with Notes.
- RoadSync is a poor performer, hogs up my Epic like it is going out of fashion. I deinstalled after a few days.
- Touchdown is the best of the lot. Excellent trial period and it even worked with the broken ActiveSync implementation of Notes! Maintains excellent logging to review errors, fantastic customization options, and ... All in all a good email client implementation hands down.

If you need anything more than the native client spend the money on Touchdown.

 

[whippingboy]

asrirama- are you saying touchdown works with Hotmail accounts?

If so my wife is going to love me...

So far I've only used it for her exchange server / work mail- but if I can configure her personal hotmail in the same or switchable account inbox- it'd be great.

Real shame the native client will wipe all accounts after awhile if you have an exchange client- this is the #1 thing I'd like to see addressed in a samsung update. Maybe the rooted ROMS with the Galaxy tab email client fare better?

 

[KenandSinead]

Good luck getting the galaxy tab email to work on your rooted Epic if you have an exchange account. Don't get me wrong the guys in the forums here and the pros at XDA do excellent work, but their advice for the "connection errors" on the tab client are a nonstarter. Apparently it freezes anytime it gets an email with certain graphical formatting or attachments. Their only advice is to open from your PC and move or delete the emails one by one til the tab client doesn't freeze any more. And do this everytime it freezes which if you are a heavy email user will be 10 or 11 times a day.

Pity too cause it has a beautiful interface and is free.....

 

[kugumby]

I had a Samsung Moment before I got the Epic and it came with the Moxier Mail client and I loved it. Disappointed with the Android Exchange client in terms of lack of ability to Sync folders outside of the Inbox and lack of ability to do custom polling (Direct Push from 7:00am to 5:00pm and then check every hour outside of those times).

Just installed the Trial version of Moxier Mail (2 week free trial) and it works as it did on the Moment. If you need the ability to perform the tasks I outlined above, I highly recommend it. (However, I must admit that I have not tried to other clients other than the default Android Exchange client.)

Edit: After messing with it for a while, it does not allow you to edit Contacts at the phone and update back to the Exchange server. Moxier Mail on my Samsung Moment DID allow me to do this, so I'm not sure what is different. Since you can't edit the contact, then you can't select a separate ringtone for the contact which is also something I like to do.

 

[narf]

I have tried several MS Exchange clients on the Epic, including the native client, and thought I would share with you some of the results.

Built-in: This is the native Android Exchange. It synchronizes email, calendar, and contacts. It's the fastest, easiest to use client. Problem is, it makes my phone perform a soft reset several times per day. It's happened on two separate Epics, so I know it's not my phone.

.

Using built in client on Froyo (Viperom), and I don't have any reset problems. Plus, it has several upgrades over eclair including separate peak and off/peak scheduling which is a must for me. Also, sent messages are listed by topic and recipient. I'm sure there aren't enough features for the true power user but it's a decent upgrade over eclair.
I use it on gmail instead of the stock gmail app so I can get true push. Works great!

 

[kugumby]

So Froyo on the Epic does allow custom polling? I looked at a friends Droid that is running 2.2, set up an exchange account and it did not have any custom polling feature that I could find.

That does help, but I still need the ability to sync folders outside of the Inbox.

 

[smoerbe#AC]

I use Moxier Mail on the Epic and it does allow you to sync other boxes as well. I've even had to dig through the Deleted box a couple of times to find an email that is a few weeks old.

I tried all the other clients that were available with decent reviews. I stayed away from Moxier Mail for a long time because of the cost, but I finally took the leap and very happy with it.

It would be a very nice feature to setup the custom schedule for email. I really did like that feature on a few of the other devices that I've had.

 

[narf]

So Froyo on the Epic does allow custom polling? I looked at a friends Droid that is running 2.2, set up an exchange account and it did not have any custom polling feature that I could find.

yup, in 2.2.1 mail client, look under menu>more>account settings>Sync Schedule.

 

[kugumby]

yup, in 2.2.1 mail client, look under menu>more>account settings>Sync Schedule.

That must be different on other phones. Our office has 2 LG Optimus S phones running 2.2.1 and when I go to the Exchange account Inbox and select Menu, my options are Refresh, Compose, Folders, Accounts and Account Settings and none of those options lead to a Sync Schedule. The only option I can find is 'Email Check Frequency' and there is no option in there for a custom schedule.

 

[kugumby]

Here's another option if you have a phone through your business. (Link is from the main page if you didn't see it.) Not sure how it will be distributed to existing phones, but I am interested. I'll post back when I find out more.

http://www.androidcentral.com/sprin...logy-provide-android-based-business-solutions

 

[maildroiddev]

I have tried several MS Exchange clients on the Epic, including the native client, and thought I would share with you some of the results.

Built-in: This is the native Android Exchange. It synchronizes email, calendar, and contacts. It's the fastest, easiest to use client. Problem is, it makes my phone perform a soft reset several times per day. It's happened on two separate Epics, so I know it's not my phone.

RoadSync: At $9.99, this is the cheapest commercial client. It syncs all of the above, plus tasks. However, it can be very slow to respond upon clicking an email. I've seen it take almost a minute to bring up a short email through a WiFi connection. There is also no previous/next button inside the email. I am currently in a trial period with this software until I make up my mind for sure.

Moxier Mail: Since this is the most expensive client at $24.99, and offers no free trial, it's a non-starter. Like Road Sync, it also synchronizes tasks. They say they will refund you the purchase price for any reason within 24 hours, but I'd rather not take my chances. It's a shame too, because I really want to try this client.

Moonrug Mobile: At $23, you would expect more than the basic 3 synchronization items: calendar, email, and contacts. Alas, you would be wrong. Also, this doesn't appear to be true push email, as there is no "push" option, and the minimum checking frequency is 30 seconds.

Maildroid: This is a free client, but I can't get it to work since there is no domain field in account setup.

Touchdown: This has the most features and synchronizes the basic three + tasks. Cost: $19.99. I've already completed my 2-week trial with them, and they are the clear winner so far. Most importantly, this is the only client that has "Mark all as read", something I highly covet.

There is a big list of synchronization options at Home | syncdroid.net - because Androids need a good Outlook sync. Interestingly, there doesn't appear to be any client which supports note synchronization through Exchange.

I know this is an old thread, but wanted to make some comments.

1. The latest version of MailDroid supports exchange 2003 ... only 2007 was supported before. 2010 is in the works.
2. The new version updated it to match all the features that IMAP have (folders, offline support, search, delete sync options etc.)
3. For domain, you can enter it as domain\username

 

[alent1234]

the updated mail client now supports syncing folders? i just got an inspire and can't find that setting.

it's one of the things i liked on my old iphone 3GS