Big Disappointment!

[vegaslata]

I was very excited for the new Surface tablet, and bought one yesterday morning (pre-order at Miscrosoft Holiday pop-up store).

I have been playing with the tablet since I got it out of the box, and have been very happy with everything. I know, there are not very many apps right now, but that is going to change. However, my big disappointment came when I tried to install my work email onto the Surface. I tried a couple of times yesterday, but could not get it to take. I finally contacted support only to find out that the Surface tablet does not support Exchange email.

WTF! I can get my Exchange email on my ANDROID phone, and on an APPLE iPad, but MICROSOFT device can't access my MICROSOFT Exchange email. This is ridiculous. A lot of the buzz about the Surface was that it would be a tablet you could actually do some work on, as opposed to just a glorified toy. That was a big reason that led to my purchase.

Now, I have no choice but to return the tablet.

Totally bummed.

 

[Chip]

This is not true. I have been able to easily connect Surface Mail app to our Exchange 2010 sever. It uses Active Sync and forces a password, because that is the policy we have set on our Exchange servers, just like it did for my old iPad.

Chip

 

[Chip]

Also thought it was neat that the Windows button vibrates when you touch it.
The kickstand is well made and solid. It also lets you set the Surface up in landscape or portrait mode.

 

[vegaslata]

How were you able to do this? Two support representatives told me that the tablet did not support Exchange email after I attempted to add the account multiple times.
I otherwise love the device, and if I could get it to take the account, I would definitely keep it.

 

[wilbur4321]

Exchange mail is definitely supported, although I don't know what the version requirements on the Exchange server are.

In general, to add:
* start Mail app
* swipe in from right to bring up Charms
* select settings
* select accounts
* select Add an account
* select Outlook (it says in fine print Exchange, Office 365, Outlook.com) -- 2nd item in the list on mine

It's possible that your mail server doesn't support auto-discovery and you'll need to enter the EAS server name manually. If this is the case, you get that name from your iOS and Android device, and then tap "show more details" in the Add "dialog". You might also have to enter domain there -- again, just use the settings from your iOS/Android device here.

thanks,
--randy

Sent from Boards for Windows on Windows 8

 

[spatch]

My work has recently switched from Outlook to Gmail & Google Docs. Will I be able to view my work Gmail on the Surface RT?

 

[leeshor]

I would think you could do whatever you needed by doing the same kind of browser login you would have done on your desktop. Shouldn't be a problem at all.

 

[wilbur4321]

You can definitely sync consumer GMail. I don't know if work GMail would be different or not. Do you have a Windows 8 desktop install? If so, try in the Mail app there.

Sent from Boards for Windows on Windows 8

 

[gglazer]

Ya I use Exchange sync on mine. Have since the the preview was released. Works great. It would be pretty silly of Microsoft not to support their own mail systems.

 

[mosbergh]

I can confirm that as well - I am using our company's Exchange Server mail as we speak.
The process was quite simple - the account installer came back with successive additional questions, and I needed to provide domain and server names - but all this was self-explanatory and worked the same way as on my phone (a WP7.5 Lumia). BTW: after having connected to the Exchange server, WP8 advised that it needed to increase security - all good.

My gripe is that WP8 RT Mail app is too rudimentary in functionality - I double up with Exchange Web interface.

Good luck for getting your installed - don't give up!

 

[dascrow]

What model Surface did you purchase vegaslata?

 

[davidmullin]

Exchange mail is definitely supported, although I don't know what the version requirements on the Exchange server are.

In general, to add:
* start Mail app
* swipe in from right to bring up Charms
* select settings
* select accounts
* select Add an account
* select Outlook (it says in fine print Exchange, Office 365, Outlook.com) -- 2nd item in the list on mine

It's possible that your mail server doesn't support auto-discovery and you'll need to enter the EAS server name manually. If this is the case, you get that name from your iOS and Android device, and then tap "show more details" in the Add "dialog". You might also have to enter domain there -- again, just use the settings from your iOS/Android device here.

thanks,
--randy

Sent from Boards for Windows on Windows 8

I did all of this, and it still did not work for me, although it does work from my Windows Phone 7. The one thing that is different is that my WP7 has a "Server requires encrypted (SSL) connection", while the Surface has no such checkbox. I'm thinking that this is the cause of my problem, but don't know how to work around it (without changing my server itself, which IT would not corporate with).