Nokia smartphone users can now set up and manage e-mail choices, receive alerts for conflicts in meeting times, and gain access to a global company directory to find colleagues. No additional fees are required.
Finland-based Nokia said it is expanding its service by offering Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync for all Nokia S60 third-edition devices and enabling nearly 80 million mobile-phone users to connect to e-mail accounts on Exchange servers.
Exchange ActiveSync is a synchronization protocol for high-latency and low-bandwidth networks. Based on HTTP and XML, the protocol lets devices such as cellular phones or Microsoft Windows Mobile devices access e-mail, calendar, contacts and tasks on a server running Microsoft Exchange. It also allows users to access the information offline.
Before Wednesday’s announcement, there were 20 enabled devices and now there are 43, including the Nokia 96, which started shipping a few days ago, according to Nokia.
Nokia is not only enabling 43 devices, but is making it possible for professionals whose offices are connected to Microsoft Exchange to enjoy a work and life balance, said Dinesh Subramaniam, a Nokia spokesperson, in a phone interview from his office in Finland.
“For consumers, they are already comfortable with the device and to be able to add this function to this device is a big boon to them,” Subramaniam said. “It’s not meant to replace the PC, but allows them to manage their e-mail box better. In terms of total product offering that the enterprise can look at, it does not have to invest in additional infrastructure and does not have to buy any more pieces for users.”
Exchange ActiveSync is compatible with many devices, but Nokia users will have features not available in other licensees’ devices, according to the company. Those features include setting e-mail priorities, alerts for meeting request conflicts, a…