Using Outlook Mobile Access for Browser-Based Devices

As mentioned at the start of this chapter, for devices that are not Pocet PC-enabled, Microsoft Exchange 2003 supports HTML Web browser view of content. This functionality is built in to the Outlook Mobile Access function of Exchange and supports xHTML devices, such as WAP 2.x markup devices, cHTML devices, and standard HTML Web devices. These devices include mobile phones and Web-enabled Palm OS type devices in addition to other mobile wireless devices.

Simplified Browser-Centric Commands

Outlook Mobile Access, or OMA, provides simple browser-based commands that enable users to manage their email, calendars, contacts, and tasks . Because many of these HTML-based mobile devices do not have large screens or large memories, it is important to minimize the type of information transmitted or sent between the mobile device and Exchange. Because users who send mail to an Exchange 2003 recipient do not know that the recipient is using a mobile phone device for receipt of mail or other information, it is important for the Exchange Outlook Mobile Access tool to do appropriate conversion and modification of content sent to the mobile device.

Some of the browser-centric commands that are part of Outlook Mobile Access include

• Managing Email OMA enables users to have inbox messages, calendar appointment information, and contact data displayed in single-line text that can be more easily read by limited-lined mobile devices. Additionally, OMA enables users to compose, reply, and forward messages using a single button command of a mobile device. Users also can access other folders within Exchange, search the Global Address List, and search contacts.

• Managing Calendars Outlook Mobile Access enables a user to view and create appointments in Exchange, to accept and decline appointments, and to accept appointments as tentative. Through simplified single button commands, a user can reply to a meeting request.

• Managing Contacts The Outlook Mobile Access client enables users to create, delete, and modify contacts in Exchange. In addition to being able to dynamically query the contacts and the Global Address List, users can also add addresses to their personal contacts in the Exchange Global Address List. Contacts can also be used to begin an email message or to initiate a phone call to the contact.

• Managing Tasks Outlook Mobile Access also enables a user to update tasks, mark tasks as complete, and create notes that can be read, reviewed, and accessed not only by the OMA client but also by other Outlook client systems.

Minimizing Downloads Through Enhanced Features

As mentioned earlier in this section, because the transmission bandwidth to an HTML Web model device typically is done with limited bandwidth, any ability of the messaging client to decrease information transmission drastically improves the user experience. OMA provides the ability for a user to simply and quickly delete a message without having the contents of the message transmitted to the device, and users can mark a message as unread so that they would be reminded to look at the message at a later date.

Additional OMA functions provide the ability to flag a message for follow-up at a later date, similar to a reminder on a message that may require more attention. And OMA provides the ability for users to have only a portion of information sent to their device, with the option to download more if necessary. Many times, after reading the first few words of a document, a user determines that the content of the message is not urgent and then marks the message for view and access at a later time.