If you work in any type of corporate environment or large educational institution that uses Microsoft Exchange E-Mail, you’ll be ecstatic about the new Exchange client for the iPod Touch.
This $9.95 software upgrade takes our favorite iPod and turns it into a productivity powerhouse. This new Apple application is by far the best hand held implementation of Exchange E-Mail that I have found. It takes your e-mail and makes it scrollable, adds your outlook calendar to the built in calendar application, and imports your Outlook contacts into the contact interface.
I downloaded the application through iTunes and followed the step by step instructions. The software did a complete rebuild of my iPod and within minutes was ready to go. I would strongly recommend that you have a good broadband connection to do the upgrade on as the file size is over 100 megs and needs to have a reliable connection to complete the upgrade process. Patience is a virtue here.
Once the software was installed, I clicked on settings and chose the mail setup screen. Lo and behold there was the bright and shiny Microsoft Exchange selection button ready to go. I clicked on the button and added my current exchange web mail settings. Within a minute it found my exchange server and started the download.
Soon my work e-mail was setup along with my Outlook calendar and my full contact list. All of a sudden this iPod became much more than a toy. Since we have wireless internet access where I work, I now have a way to take my e-mail with me wherever I go throughout the building or at our remote sites.
Here is the BIG advantage… I can now have my e-mail, calendar and contacts without paying for a data plan for my phone. In fact for many users this may do away with the need for a work phone at all.
This simple software package can possible save your organization hundreds or thousands of dollars a month in phone charges. If you currently have wireless installed in your building and you use exchange e-mail, you’ll be good to go. If you have wireless internet at home you can have work e-mail access at the touch of a button. The iPod touch may become the Hi Tech Pager of the 21st century.
This software update also includes a whole list of new applications which we’ll cover in another post. Until then… happy e-mailing!