Apple/Microsoft in talks for ActiveSync before iPhone launched

So will there be push email for other providers, such as gmail. I don't see a BIS type service happening, so it looks like unless you are on exchange, the best you'll get is IMAP.

But where is the the iPhone support for iCal Server >_

Shame really. Exchange is a POS on so many levels - from the reliance on Windows and AD to the poor messaging store and reliability. It doesn't scale well and is really a poor back end platform with a "great" front end - Outlook (although I don't get why Outlook is so great).

What would be better would have been for Apple to license the RIM technology (like Palm) and include THAT. With the Blackberry technology from RIM, Apple would be able to include a client on the handheld that would talk to Notes, Exchange, Scalix, GroupWise, and any other mail system able to use a BES.

That would be great for the ~60% of companies that DON'T use Exchange.

I just can't wait for the Notes client - that's what we use at our company and while the client needs work, the back end is ROCK SOLID and its scalability and reliability can't be touched by Exchange.

For the record, BES comes in many flavors and only the Exchange version uses ActiveSync. Our Notes version uses no such thing.

probably wishful thinking, but might this license also extend to iCal/exchange syncing? I'm deserate to ditch entourage at work but rely on the calendar functions in exchange - and seeing how amazing the exchange integration on iPhone is about to get, would love to see the same on my mac!

Now if they could just come to some kind of arrangement to get DirectX (and the related APIs for networking and sound) on Mac OS X. If Apple was the least bit serious about enhancing the Mac as a gaming platform this would be one of the first moves they would need to make (right after they start including better GPU in the low and mid level machines, get better drivers for said graphics cards, and upgrade to a more recent version of OpenGL). And truthfully it could benefit Microsoft as well if game developers could use their XNA toolset to develop for Windows, the Xbox 360, and the Macintosh all at the same time.

Other than the PC / Mac adds that Apple come out with, both Apple and Microsoft have been getting on quite well for years, its not really that surprising.

I have to say I was really hyped when I saw exchange in action on the iPhone, I really can't wait to test that out on my iPhone. :)

This is my ignorance kicking in - does ActiveSync support imply IMAP Idle support? Are all of us simple Gmail users going to feel the push goodness too?

And hopefully the Mail server in Leopard supports ActiveSync or some kind of push as well? Or did they just concede the enterprise PIM server market to Microsoft forever?

This is in Microsoft's best interests. It further entrenches Exchange Activesync as a standard. Even RIM depends on Exchange Server for BES.

I'm still amazed this happened. You can't help but wonder what Apple had to pay.

I'm glad Apple was not stubborn over this.
I wonder if the people at RIM are in a fluster now.