Entourage and iPhone sync.

[JRC]

Dear all:


First I apologize if this subject has already been discussed here
before.

I recently purchased the iPhone and found it to be a tremendous tool
specially for business. The problem I am now having is the fact that
there doesn't seem to be a Microsoft version of Entourage for the
iPhone. This is a bit of a surprise considering that a sync utility
was available for the Palm PDA I used before and it did an excellent
job of keeping both Palm and Entourage in sync.

Do any of you know if a version of Entourage is currently available
for the iPhone ? I am no looking for a sync utility that will work
with sync services and then transfer the information to the iPhone
using things like mail, calendar and address book. I am looking for a
real Entourage app that will install on the iPhone and work directly
with Entourage on the Mac whether it is from Microsoft or a third
party company.

Any idea if one is available or if Microsoft has any plans to
introduce such an app in the near future ?

Thank you in advance,


JRC

 

[Chris Hendricks]

It all depends on what your backend email server is, and how much the iPhone
will do automatically. For example, the iPhone talks to Exchange servers
natively. This is what I use on my iPhone. I have it connected to Exchange,
and the iPhone automatically updates email, calendar, and contacts. In
other words, your iPhone is another email client, similar to Entourage -
you're not syncing the iPhone to Entourage, you're syncing it to the server.

If your backend email/calendaring service is Exchange, all you have to do is
configure it. If it is something like gmail or yahoo mail, or something
else that doesn't provide integrated calendaring and contacts, then you're
either out of luck or you'll have to do a little digging on how to get the
iPhone working with your flavor of email/collaboration system.

 

[William Smith [MVP]]

I recently purchased the iPhone and found it to be a tremendous tool
specially for business. The problem I am now having is the fact that
there doesn't seem to be a Microsoft version of Entourage for the
iPhone. This is a bit of a surprise considering that a sync utility
was available for the Palm PDA I used before and it did an excellent
job of keeping both Palm and Entourage in sync.

The iPhone is just over a couple of years in existence and while it has
grown wildly in popularity, no data existed before that indicating how
successful it would really be.

Also, apps weren't part of the iPhone experience until about a year ago.

A complex product like Microsoft Office isn't produced or ported
overnight and it is certainly not even started before the research shows
both demand and financial results warrant the effort.

The mail client on the iPhone from Apple is simple but keep in mind that
the reason for this is because the iPhone is not a computer with the
ability to store massive amounts of data. At most, you're looking at the
most recent 50 messages in each account. Entourage is designed as a
complete mail solution for the computer. Its features on an iPhone would
probably feel pretty weighty.

I suggest you consider exactly what you're missing from Entourage on
your iPhone and then let Microsoft know you'd like to see this feature
in future iPhone app by using the Help --> Send Feedback mechanism in
any Office application. Maybe, Microsoft will be encouraged to create a
better mail app.

--

bill

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