Most Wireless ActiveSyncing Going Away

With the official unveiling of Windows Mobile 5.0, handheld and smartphones users received plenty of good news.

This new operating system includes a long list of improvements, like updated Office applications and persistent memory storage.

However, many were unhappy to discover that what was for them an important feature of the current version of this platform's synchronization software will no longer be available in the upcoming version.

Currently, it is possible to have an ActiveSync session over a Wi-Fi wireless network. In the version that will be available soon, ActiveSync 4.0, this isn't possible, according to Pocket PC Thoughts.

And it isn't just Wi-Fi; Microsoft has removed the ability to ActiveSync over any form of remote TCP/IP connection, including VPN, GPRS, and others.

However, it will still be possible to ActiveSync via Bluetooth.

"As a group, the Windows Mobile MVPs lobbied hard against the lack of this feature, but ultimately we made no progress," said Jason Dunn, the founder of Pocket PC Thoughts and a Microsoft MVP. "Myself, I see this as a serious problem and it will impact my use of the devices."

Unfortunately, those who wish to keep on ActiveSyncing via Wi-Fi or other wireless methods don't have the choice of not moving to the new version of ActiveSync. This is because Windows Mobile 5.0 requires ActiveSync 4.0 to synchronize with a PC.

ActiveSync 4.0 is not yet available, but it is expected to be released before the first Windows Mobile 5.0 devices, or upgrades for current models, are released.

Related Links

• Windows Mobile 5.0 Officially Unveiled