E-Mail App Gets In Sync
Version 3.0 of the software, slated to be unveiled this week, provides wireless, behind-the-firewall synchronization of e-mail, contacts and scheduling in a manner that's more convenient for mobile workers, said Cristina Lorentz, director of business development at iAnywhere, a subsidiary of Sybase, Dublin, Calif.
IANYWHERE VERSION 3.0 SNAPSHOT
>> Allows devices to update mail and other PIM functions at
scheduled intervals via an automated, behind-the-firewall synchronization feature.
>> Automatically pushes information to mobile devices with always-on capability, such as the Palm i705.
>> Can set up client profiles to control synchronized data.
Using the automated synchronization feature, solution providers can configure devices to update mail and other personal information manager (PIM) functions at scheduled intervals, such as every 20 minutes. The scheduling saves users from having to manually request a wireless update, according to iAnywhere.
Kirk Wolfe, president of Enterprise Mobility, a Florence, Ky.-based mobile solution provider, said such automated capabilities are perfect for warehouse workers, who can now get e-mail and other updates pushed to mobile devices that have access to a wireless network. "It also expands options for message delivery. All we have to do is set up the timers," said Wolfe, whose company focuses on the manufacturing, distribution and field-force automation verticals.
Version 3.0 of iAnywhere's mobile e-mail software will automatically push data to handheld devices that provide always-on capabilities, such as Palm's i705, Lorentz said. In such cases, no scheduling is needed. Palm currently provides a hosted push e-mail service to consumers but has yet to roll out a behind-the-firewall solution for its devices. Palm said the software is in beta testing.
To help mobile workers manage the quality of data coming in over various wireless networks, iAnywhere added the ability to set up client profiles. Solution providers can use the profiles to control the type and amount of information that is synchronized, based on the network speed, Lorentz said.
By next year, many mobile workers will be carrying devices that can link to next-generation cellular network and Wi-Fi hot spots, industry analysts say. The profiles would let users limit data received over slow cellular networks while increasing the flow as they move toward faster 11-Mbps Wi-Fi hot spots. But that feature requires users to manually change the network profile.
Version 3.0 also includes e-mail attachment support for Palm handhelds and new IT administration capabilities, Lorentz said.