Scalix iPhone Client

[grahamk]

Hi Guys,

I just saw that Zimbra has released an iPhone client, and I have also noticed no talk of it on these forums. Just wondering if there is any word about what Scalix is planning to do with the iPhone? I have read that apple are making awesome tools available to developers.

I have also just watched a video on iPhone v2 software, where they are talking about ActiveSync built into the iPhone software. What will we be doing to get contacts and calendar from Scalix Server to iPhone?

I'm a very happy, and paying Scalix customer. This thread is being posted because I am excited about using Scalix, and excited about using iPhones as well.

[Valerion]

For mobiles you can use either IMAP or the Mobile Web Client. AFAIK there's no plans for an iPhone-specific client right now, but maybe post some ideas to the Scalix Bugzilla so Florian can have a look at it ActiveSync is being worked on, though, so that will definitely be an option in the near future.

[grahamk]

I was hoping for a speedy reply, but that was great

I'll do what you said, and see if I can spark some interest.

[Valerion]

FWIW, Florian is an Apple fan himself, though he uses a Blackberry (IIRC).

But I also think they won't try to do a client specific to a phone, but rather something that will run on a variety of platforms (mmm ... maybe some javascript so it can use Opera as available on the Symbian phones)

[grahamk]

something like 71% of mobile web clients (for any browsing) is iphones (claimed by apple). iPhone is very young to have those stats

[florian]

I swap devices all the time. I did use a Blackberry Pearl for a while, which I have dropped a couple months ago. I got my first iPhone last September and I am actually looking forward for the next generation, as given I live in Europe I am very much looking forward to the 3G model. It's probably the best new device I have ever had, especially in terms of reliability and stability, which is amazing for a newbie company in the market. But then, it's Apple. (typing this on my MB Air, perfect machine for my purposes!)

The other device I currently use is a Nokia E61i, as for mobile email extended typing is somewhat easier with a real keyboard, especially while walking or similar.

I have used IMAP for eMail on the iPhone and I am syncing it for calendar and contacts using iSync/iTunes on the Mac, which includes, through CalDAV in iCal, my Scalix server-side calendar items.

We are currently not planning to do any specific client development on the iPhone. Our Mobile Web client, included with Scalix 11, does allow one to read and respond to Scalix eMail using the Safari browser.

We will be publishing ActiveSync support later this quarter, hopefully in time for Apple's launch of the 2.0 software. We will include this in our ActiveSync testing and you can rest assured that I won't let this software out of the building before it works perfectly with it, because that's what I personally plan to use going forward. If, from a user experience perspective, this leaves anything to be desired, we will certainly consider providing additional software to run on the device, but in general it is our strategy to utilize open (like CalDAV) or accepted industry (like ActiveSync) standards and do as little development on the client side as possible.

BTW, a couple of our commercial customers have also asked about the above, so the interest for the device is quite strong in our market segment. I am quite fine with it.

HTH,

Cheers,
Florian.

[grahamk]

Thanks for a great response. I am really happy to see you are on the ball with this, definitely makes me feel great about scalix. I have never seen anything you compete with, but Scalix is such a good product, when you look at what you really achieved. I was looking for something like scalix for years before I found it. This stuff is really leading edge in the linux world, regardless of open source or not.

You have delivered a solution that is free for any linux hobbiest, or small business, but is also scalable, and quality enough to be good for any corporate business. I would love scalix to cleanly implement some spam filtering system, but what can be set up is also very satisfactory (I use mailwasher).

Anyway, iPhones are being used where I work, in Perth, Australia, and iPhones are not even released here. We have 4, so I have a strong feeling about where this is heading.

Thanks again for your responses.

Regards

Graham

[meka78]

I was able to sync my iphone 2g with the Community Scalix version 10.
I just had to set the server port to 143 and made sure my hostname and smtp were set to my email server. It worked like a charm. Just wanted to share with everyone in case they wanted to try it out without having to upgrade to version 11.

[JasonBergenske]

We also use scalix. Our office just purchased 5 iphones 3g for our staff, and guess what... it doesn work... Ahhh... I dont know what i will do with our contacts and calendar... I am very glad to hear you guys are working on it... When do you think that it should work... Currently it reports erros when you try to synce contacts or calendar from itunes...

Thanks

[grahamk]

Jason,

Calendar is an issue, but to buy you some time, you can export the contacts into a pst file, create a normal Outlook profile, import the contacts from the pst, and sync hte iphone using that info.

All this will do is load the iphone with your users contacts once off, it might get some people off your back for a couple of weeks.

[JasonBergenske]

Thanks... That atleast will get the contacts on them... I just did that with mine... Do we know when it should be fixed?

[experien]

Actually it's worse than not having a client.

With the new release of iPhone firmware 2.1 which forces the users to use iTunes 8, it is now impossible to sync an iPhone with Outlook where the scalix connector is installed.

If the Outlook client has any other type of account established - other than Scalix - the sync works just fine.

Given the enormous influx of iPhones and their huge popularity it might actually force us to consider switching mail platforms!

[kanderson]

This all really goes away once Scalix releases the Over The Air ActiveSync stuff, and the Beta for that is "imminent" as far as I know.

Kev.

[JasonBergenske]

I agree, we are going to have to switch as well... Our company just spend over $4000.00 on new iphones for everyone, and we cant use them for calendar and contacts... ah...

[billb3]

As I said in the other thread, iPhone is supported via NotifyLink.