Active Sync Policies and Android 2.0 on Motorola Droid
mushugipan
Newbie

So to any who may or may not know, Verizion's Motorola Droid does NOT support all 29 Microsoft Active Sync Exchange security policies out of the box.

 

This issue is preventing the adoption of this device in the TRUE corporate environment.

 

Google is actively tracking this issue at:

 

http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=4475

 

They currently have this listed as an Enhancement with a Priority of Medium. While I understand that a DEFECT is based on code that does not execute its intended function, and as such this IS an enhancement, I think that it is outrageous for Verizon to charge $15 more per month for glorified POP email.

 

It is absurd to think that any true corporate IT team would allow a device that can't handle the latest Exchange security policies for mobile devices. It is absurd for Verizon to not have addressed this yet, and it is absurd for them to be charging for this feature with out it being fully implemented.

 

I'm urging all of us in the REAL corporate world who love Android, and love what Google is doing with the development of this platform to contact Verizon and express their concerns. I urge all of you to visit http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=4475 and "Star" this issue to show Google the level of attention we all think it should receive.

 

This is a great phone, on a great platform, by a normally great company. The lack of vision when implementing this feature completely eliminated a very big demographic. Namely folks like myself, in the corporate world, tired of the Black Berry culture, willing to embrace a new product developed with the forward thinking of company like Google.

 

Let's let it be known that this is a REAL issue, and needs to be addressed as such. Pressure NEEDS to be put on Google's development team to get this out there ASAP. We can do our part, by visiting http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=4475 and "Staring" this issue, and contacting Verizon and expressing our desire to have the Droid function in a TRUE corporate environment.

0 Likes
Re: ActiveSync Policies and Android 2.0 on Motorola Droid
supitsmike
Specialist - Level 2

Done. Thanks for the heads up pal. Great thread and nice looking out.

0 Likes
Re: Active Sync Policies and Android 2.0 on Motorola Droid
JasonJoel
Enthusiast - Level 2

While I agree that Android should support the security policies out of the box, you DO know there is an app for Android that does don't you?

 

The Touchdown app supports the Excahnge security methods and allows full secure remote ActiveSync connections to Exchange servers.

 

So while Google should fix it to work out of the box, there is a solution to use TODAY for those corporate environments. So while everyone should vote on the google code site, they should also keep it all in perspective since there IS a current workaround that works VERY well.

 

Jason Bottjen

0 Likes
Re: Active Sync Policies and Android 2.0 on Motorola Droid
mushugipan
Newbie

Yes I am 100% aware and I have TouchDown installed on my phone, but the fact is that we all pay $15 extra per month for Exchange capabilities. Why should have I have to pay for a seperate application. When you create an account to sync along with your Gmail and Facebook options, it lists the last as being "Corporate". The lack of ActiveSync support makes this nothing more than POP email, or the ability to add account other than Gmail.

 

But for those that want to pay the $9.99 extra, TouchDown is a pretty good app for this, and totally gets the job done. Fact remains though, that we shouldn't HAVE to :smileyhappy:

0 Likes
Re: Active Sync Policies and Android 2.0 on Motorola Droid
supitsmike
Specialist - Level 2

mushugipan wrote:

Yes I am 100% aware and I have TouchDown installed on my phone, but the fact is that we all pay $15 extra per month for Exchange capabilities. Why should have I have to pay for a seperate application. When you create an account to sync along with your Gmail and Facebook options, it lists the last as being "Corporate". The lack of ActiveSync support makes this nothing more than POP email, or the ability to add account other than Gmail.

 

But for those that want to pay the $9.99 extra, TouchDown is a pretty good app for this, and totally gets the job done. Fact remains though, that we shouldn't HAVE to :smileyhappy:


 

Props to you for had already downloaded a program to help yourself. I agree, however, the phone should natively come with the capabilities.

0 Likes
Re: Active Sync Policies and Android 2.0 on Motorola Droid - Touchdown App
drex552
Newbie

Doesn't Touchdown have a issue though too?  I thought I read that the Touchdown app is faking the EAS (Exchange ActiveSync) server that it is doing on-device email encryption.  (Similar to what Apple was caught doing before it came out with OS 3.1)

Also, has anyone played with the Device Class setting in Touchdown and had success in not getting caught using an Android OS for PUSH email?

 

I'm currently happy with Touchdown App as when corporate tries to do a remote wipe they are only erasing data which belongs to the company and NOT my personal data.  That's the way it should be!

 

 

0 Likes
Re: Active Sync Policies and Android 2.0 on Motorola Droid
KRooster
Newbie

This is a serious show-stopper and the appropriate pressure must be applied from verizon to google.  My team cannot move forward with the DROI and we must move on as this prevents TRUE business functionality with the DROID.

0 Likes
Re: Active Sync Policies and Android 2.0 on Motorola Droid
mushugipan
Newbie

I guess the real question is HOW do we get Verizon to apply that pressure? Any thoughts?

0 Likes
Re: Active Sync Policies and Android 2.0 on Motorola Droid - Touchdown App
bambilegal
Newbie

Touchdown is only working for some of you because it IS falsely reporting its Activesync support.  I have traded 50 or more emails with "G" from Nitrodesk (Touchdown) - and we still couldn't get it to work on my phone.  I finally found out that this because of the false support reporting - my IT department found out - and blocked the program.

 

G sent me a link to a beta version of Touchdown to try - but it still didnt support all of my firm's same policies -so it wouldn't work.

 

Once Touchdown updates the software to report EAS policies accurately - a bunch of people will lose access to their email. 

 

Its really unfortunate that this was reported to work by Verizon - has anyone brought up the issue of false advertising w/ Verizon and/or the FTC?

0 Likes
Re: Active Sync Policies and Android 2.0 on Motorola Droid - Touchdown App
mushugipan
Newbie

Haven't thought to take it to the FTC, but that's not a bad idea. Perhaps the BBB as well, although not as strong of a message. I will look into filing something with both. Good suggestion!

0 Likes