Microsoft has released Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack
2 (SP2) with security enhancements and "push" mobile e-mail
support.
SP2 offers mailbox enhancements and better protection against
spam, Microsoft said.
In addition, it includes technology to allow e-mails to be sent
directly from Exchange to Windows Mobile-based devices, without
users having to dial up to receive them.
With this technology, SP2 allows Microsoft to compete head on
with Research in Motion, whose Blackberry Connect mail server
technology allows users to do the same thing.
To use the push technology, mobile devices need to have the
Windows Mobile 5.0 Messaging and Security Feature Pack. The first
devices with this software pre-installed are not expected to hit
the market until early 2006. Devices from Palm and Motorola will be
among the first to use the pre-installed software.
Users who want to use the software before then can download it
onto devices themselves from next month, said Microsoft.