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With the new Exchange boxes going in, I'd like to do some thorough testing on smartphone features, as well as being able to provide salesman-proof documentation (I'm a dreamer). We've got drastic smartphone-creep, and people have been allowed to expect connectivity on everything from iPhones to Q's to Blackberries. (thanks, boss!)

Rants aside, has anyone else out there been cursed with supporting every smartphone on the planet, and are there good emulators out there to allow testing/documentation?

So far, what's out there seems aimed at developers, and I suspect this would make more sense if I were starting with the SDK and working my way outward. Currently, I seem to be in this repeating pattern of downloading & installing a lot of square pegs & round holes.

(using the beginner tag as I have zero idea about these things...)

post-RTFM edit - is this doable without installing Visual Studio and the SDK? I truly don't want to develop, just test. I'm a big Google-fail on this one.

Kara Marfia
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  • You can avoid VS but you'll have to install the SDK to get them to work. Worst case, you can always do this all in a virtual machine so your not installing random developer tools on your computer. That's what I usually do. – drgncabe Jul 07 '09 at 15:20

3 Answers3

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Here's some info on windows mobile devices;

This one has a 'free login' wall, you gotta reg to see it but its free -> http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid40_gci1263217,00.html

Some more information as well, that doesn't require an account -> http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/mnielsen/archive/2009/06/04/windows-mobile-6-5-device-emulators-and-more-6-5-information.aspx

Its the WinMo 6.5 (and other versions prob) available from microsoft. 6.5 is available here -> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=20686a1d-97a8-4f80-bc6a-ae010e085a6e

5.0 emulator here -> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=52fed581-8f8d-4c46-9966-4832098191b7&displaylang=en

Even though these are SDKs, you CAN get network connectivity to them (look at the bottom of the second link I gave you) so you can test exchange connectivity.

Enjoy

drgncabe
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You need to install the windows mobile 6 SDK

This will give you an emulator to run a virtual winmobile phone. The problem is it's a generic windows mbile phone and almost no manufacturers/carriers can resist screwing around with it to put thier own features on it or remove ones they don't like. Having been through the "we'll support anything" phase I'd encourage you to document how much time you spend on various devices and push to pick one standard device connection type (blackberry or activesync) at a minimum.

Jim B
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  • I couldn't agree more on standardizing - unfortunately I'm the only one here who agrees... – Kara Marfia Jul 07 '09 at 16:37
  • that's why I say document time spent screwing with devices. As an example if you can show that each blackberry cost the company $10 a day in support costs whereas each activesync device costs $0 (because OWA supports mobile for free so any troubleshooting is billed to the OWA systems) you can make a pretty good busines case for standardizing- that being said once a "C" level gets a bee in his bonnet about something it's usually hopeless. – Jim B Jul 07 '09 at 17:57
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The HTC Hero running android has Exchange support apparently.

For android there is the SDK with an emulator, you will need to load a hero rom, which you can get from xda-devs. I heard it is possible, I do not know how unfortunately.

Drakonen
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