WebIS is well
INTRODUCTION
known for producing quality software that bridges
and fills the functionality gap between what is available on a
Windows PC and the lightweight applications included
by Microsoft on Windows Mobile. Microsoft’s Pocket
Outlook has not evolved like the desktop version.
With WebIS’s release of FlexMail 2006, Windows Mobile mail has an email client
which implements a rich user interface that includes full
featured implementations of the Post Office Protocol
version 3 (POP3) and the Internet Message Access
Protocol version 4 (IMAP4) standards, as well as
support for MAPI. FlexMail 2006 is designed to
replace Microsoft’s Pocket Outlook and
provide the user with a comparable experience found
on a Windows PC. How did it perform? We’ve got the answer ahead!
Some of FlexMail’s 2006
WHAT’S HOT
features include:
- A more
powerful integrated Spell Checker from PhatWare - Two pane
folders and messages view - Three pane folders, messages, and preview
view - One handed
usage - Full VGA, QVGA,
and Square Screen support - Full Windows
Mobile 2003/5.0 support - Integration
with Pocket Informant for editing contacts,
creating tasks or appointments from
an email - Support for
HTML emails within IMAP/POP3 services - Support for
Read/Delivery Receipts - Advanced
settings for both IMAP and POP3 rivaling desktop
client options - POP3 and IMAP4 Fast
check - SSL support
including custom ports and GMAIL - SOCKS Proxy
support - Mail storage
on an SD or CF card - Separate
authentication (host, user/pass, socks, and SSL)
for incoming and outgoing mail - Extensive and
powerful IMAP Synchronization support - Character set
support with separate settings on
reading/composing - Show per
account Notifications - Automatic BCC
support
The setup application is a standard
SETUP
Windows XP installation routine which uses ActiveSync.
The FlexMail 2006
setup does not require the selection of any options.
The Windows Mobile
5.0 setup screen.
The first time
FlexMail 2006 is executed, an option to make it the
default mail application will be displayed.
The WebIS FlexMail 2006 application
PROGRAM FEATURES
provide a rich mail client with many configuration
options.
The two major mail
store differences between the FlexMail 2006 email
client (left) and the Pocket Outlook email client
(right) are: FlexMail does not support the
Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) and Pocket
Outlook does not support Local Folders.
The FlexMail 2006
icon menu provides access to the configuration
functions. The three main functions are Services to
setup new POP3 and IMAP4 accounts, Storages to
select the order and display of mailboxes in the
folder view, and Settings for global application
configuration items.
The new service
wizard used for the creation of a new email account is
triggered with the service menu and provides
for the entry of basic account options.
The incoming mail server settings provide for the
selection of POP3 or IMAP4 protocols, host name,
port selection, and authentication information.
The account name field provides a drop down using
the most popular email service combinations to
simplify entry.
The outgoing mail server settings include host name,
port number and authentication scheme. FlexMail
2006 provide an easily accessible field to update
the port number which many email providers such as
Gmail use for enhanced security.
The service name is used for identification of the
email account in the folder list. It is possible to
redirect all incoming POP3 emails to a local folder.
The advanced settings can be triggered following the
completion of the wizard.
The general tab in the advanced settings provide for
additional options such as a different reply email
address and a default blind copy (BCC) address.
The incoming server tab provides for additional
security options not found in Pocket Outlook.
The outgoing server option provides these additional
security options as well.
There are POP3 and IMAP4 specific options.
The incoming mail tab provides for mail receive and
storage options. A local storage retention option is
available for IMAP4 services.
The signature tab is used to manage a signature.
Signatures can be customized for each email service.
The FlexMail 2006
email client provides two modes of accessing
functions in Windows Mobile 5.0. On the left the
classic view (Windows Mobile 2003), while on the right the soft key view
more suitable to one handed operation.
The view menu
provides a combination of display options grouped into
three categories: Preview, Columns and Pages.
On the left the
preview display with single column and single page
options and on the right with the single column and
multi pages options.
The preview
display with single column and 3 pane view options.
The preview
display with multi columns and single page options.
The send/receive function
provides manual access to POP3 and IMAP4
services. Pull synchronization can be configured in
the service’s advanced settings. The MAPI Exchange
service is controlled by the ActiveSync settings. FlexMail 2006 works with Microsoft’s DirectPush
technology but only provides notification
of incoming messages when the program is
initialized.
The POP3 service
can be configured to redirect all email to a local
folder. The folder list can be configured to
display the number of unread or total emails. Read
confirmation, which is not available in Pocket
Outlook, can be configured to be sent manually or
automatically.
The option to view
HTML emails with embedded pictures is available.
When this option is off or an active internet
connection is not available an x is displayed. A tap
and hold provides a menu to display the graphical
content.
Unfortunately,
ActiveSync HTML emails from the desktop or exchange
cannot be displayed with graphical content.
A good PDF user manual is
HELP SUPPORT
installed with FlexMail 2006 and can be downloaded
here. Support for WebIS’ FlexMail 2006 is
handled by completing the web form found
here and a well attended forum can be found
here. I have always found WebIS’ support very
responsive.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
WebIS’
FlexMail 2006 supports Windows Mobile 2003 and 5.0. The application
requires 2,651KB of storage memory for installation. The application
initializes at 1.31MB of program memory and grows from there. As with
Pocket Internet Explorer, the largest
program memory utilization culprit seems to be the use of graphics.
BUGS AND WISHES
WebIS’ FlexMail 2006 is a sophisticated email client
and provides a complete solution for users of POP3
and IMAP4 email accounts. However the integration
with ActiveSync MAPI accounts is not as complete. I
could not get the ActiveSync Direct Push email
notification to work unless FlexMail was loaded,
otherwise I found no other issues running on a
T-Mobile MDA.
My two major wishes are:
-
A smaller program memory footprint -
Better integration with ActiveSync MAPI
PURCHASING
WebIS’ FlexMail 2006 can be purchased
here for $19.95. A 15 day trial download is
available
here. It is a free upgrade to all previous WebIS
Mail or @Mail owners. The registration codes will
continue to work with FlexMail 2006. There currently
is a $5.00 discount on bundled purchases of WebIS’
Pocket Informant 2005 and FlexMail 2006.
PROS
- Retention
setting for local email message store - Copy and paste items from
and to any email account folder - HTML email display for POP3
and IMAP4
Sophisticated view settings
CONS
- No HTML
email display for MAPI service type - No advance configuration for
MAPI service type - MMS is not an included
service type
| Value |  |
| Ease of Use |
 |
| Features |
|
Overall |
|
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If you use a POP3 or IMAP4 email account,
OVERALL IMPRESSION
WebIS’ FlexMail 2006 is the Pocket PC mail
application for you. It is head and shoulders above
Microsoft’s Pocket Outlook by providing desktop
email client functionality with an excellent
implementation of the POP3 and IMAP4 standards.
However, if you are a Microsoft Exchange user like
myself, the decision becomes more difficult.
Although I would love to have the rich user
interface, the back end integration with ActiveSync
MAPI is missing proper notification displays with
push email. It also lacks HTML support. These
shortcomings along with
the program memory utilization puts me squarely on
the fence. FlexMail 2006 may be worth a try to an ActiveSync email user.
For POP3, and especially IMAP4 users it is a no
brainier.
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