<p>Google is dropping some features in its software-as-a-service applications that are associated with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, it announced last week.</p><p>Google uses Exchange ActiveSync as part of its Google Sync service, which synchronizes services such as Google Calendar, Contacts and Gmail. On Friday, Google announced in a blog post that there will be an "end of life" for Google Sync, but only nonpaying consumer users will be affected directly. On Jan. 30, 2013, those users won't have the ability to set up new devices with the Google Sync service, although existing services dependent on Google Sync will continue to work.</p><p>Other users, such as those who pay for Google Apps for Government, Education and Business, will continue to have full support with the Google Sync service.</p><p>On Monday, Microsoft reacted to Google's announcement, claiming that mobile Gmail users will have a degraded experience without Exchange Active Sync. Microsoft's offered some advice for these Gmail users. Namely, they can divert their Gmail traffic flow through Microsoft's Outlook.com e-mail service. The advice is outlined in this Microsoft blog post.</p><p><a href="http://rcpmag.com/articles/2012/12/17/google-exchange-activesync.aspx">Keep reading...</a></p>