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With push (available most famously in Research In Motion's BlackBerry solutions), when a server receives a message, it is automatically sent to a mobile device instead of the user having to manually pull it down or schedule retrievals at set intervals. It is now almost a prerequisite for a smartphone. The problem with Microsoft's challenge to BlackBerry, however, is it only works with PDAs and smartphones running on Windows Mobile 5.0, when there are still many older-generation PDAs and smartphones in users hands.

DataViz today joined Intellisync (now a subsiidary of Nokia) in announcing plans to enable Microsoft's push e-mail solution on pre-5.0 handhelds.

The company's Exchange ActiveSync client, RoadSync, will deliver Microsoft-based push e-mail support to Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition handsets, such as the popular HP iPAQ hw6500 series and Samsung i700 series smartphones during the third quarter.

Unlike with Windows Mobile 5.0 devices, to gain push compatibility with these older devices you will have to pay for the on-device client. There's no montly fees, however. And the server side Exchange upgrade, available through Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Exchange Server 2003, is free. Many ISPs and enterprises have already done so.

DataViz global sales manager Jeff Fetchick said, "Given the popularity of Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition devices both currently in use and available through a multitude of sales channels, we see a great opportunity to deliver Exchange Server 2003 SP2 support, with Direct Push in particular."

In addition to push e-mail, Microsoft's technology also allows for the wireless synchronization of PIM (calendar, contacts, and tasks) data with an Exchange server. Administrators can also remotely wipe data from a lost device, and users have the ability access the corporate contact list wirelessly.

"By bringing the SP2 capabilities to additional Windows Mobile-powered devices, more companies and organizations will be able to extend their current device investments to deploy an affordable, scalable, push e-mail solution for their mobile workforce that communicates directly with Exchange Server 2003 but does not require a middleware server or recurring subscription fees," Fetchick added.

DataViz licensed the Exchange ActiveSync technology from Microsoft to integrate into its RoadSync solution back in March 2005. Prior to this announcement, RoadSync has offered enterprises Exchange ActiveSync connectivity with SP2 support specifically for non-Microsoft based mobile devices.

Microsoft started providing push e-mail support to Exchange on the backend last fall. The week before Microsoft completed its push e-mail puzzle for Windows Mobile, with the development of the on-device client software for the technology this past February, DataViz released RoadSync 2, its Exchange Server ActiveSync-enabled client for Symbian smartphones; bringing Redmond’s push technology to one of the company's chief smartphone competitors a hair before its own Windows Mobile platform.