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Sok Yen gives some tips on how to stay on top of your email.

In today’s communication era, busy people need to complete as many tasks as possible within a day. If this is you, then it’s a good idea to take a look at the Microsoft Exchange server hosted system. This email and communication system improves the availability and capability of your Outlook email programme. Having said that, it also works with Mac Mail, Entourage, Nokia smart phone system and with Windows Mobile, iPhone or Pocket PC systems. Exchange 2007 technology is even smarter with Outlook Web Access (accessing your email in an Internet browser). The latter looks and functions just the same as your installed Outlook with all content synchronised.

Hosted systems have the advantage of not needing to deal with the planning and deployment of any in-house IT servers and facilities. If you think the price is high, think again. In-house email server systems require many resources. You have to think about the server room, aircon, UPS, electricity issues, backups and Internet reliability. In all, you are paying about as much or even more per year as you would with a hosted system. I use www.123together.com as my Exchange hosted provider and am paying US$13 per month (US$156 per year). The price also scales down if you don't use all of the feature like mobile phone sync.

I have my Windows Mobile phone set up to instantly send and receive emails. The protocol is called Exchange ActiveSync Push Mail system. Using the Exchange system with my phone is a great advantage over a normal POP3 or IMAP with SMTP protocol because everything is done at the server end. That is, your phone doesn't need to download full emails and attachments when you forward a big attachment to your colleagues. This saves time and bandwidth. One of the things that I love about the Exchange system is that a new or modified appointment, task or contact on either my phone or my Outlook will be updated on both, as the server works everything out automatically!

To try out your first Exchange system with one of the popular hosting solutions go to: www.123together.com. With this hosting company, you are given a free 30-day trail to test drive the service. Another option is www.intermedia.net. You will have an excellent system, fully supported and providing backup, for only a few dollars a month.