PDA, Mobile and Wireless Computing

So, for all you experienced smartphone users, what's the best way to set up email to allow important messages to get through but not have the darn thing downloading buckets of spam or buzzing you every few seconds with inconsequential emails?

Here are a few details:

1) I have a desktop PC that gets the heaviest usage in the office and a laptop that gets used on the road and in the evening. I'm currently not synchronizing mail between the two; occasionally, I forward a message to the other one using an email address that the other doesn't check. The PDA phone will connect to both on a daily basis except when I'm traveling.

2) Like most webmasters, I've got a bunch of email addresses. Only a couple are likely to get messages that I'd want to see on my phone.

3) My primary email address has been in use for years, so in addition to communications from business contacts and family (which I'd like to see) I get newsletters, legitimate ads (from sites I do business with at times), and spam.

So, what's the best way to maximize the chance of good stuff getting to me without too much spam and other stuff I don't need? I've set up a mobile-only email address that I can give to someone I want to reach me at any time (that works fine), but I'm more concerned about, say, an important but unexpected message from a client that normally uses only my regular address.

I suppose I could create a new primary email address and try to tightly control distribution, but I'm sure within six months or a year this, too, would get pretty busy.

And does anyone have any experience with Xpress Mail or other push services?

I'm sure this is a common enough problem... A related thread is here - Pocket PC Synch without Exchange Server.

The same ways that you prevent buckets of spam on your desktop machine. There's really nothing particular about a SmartPhone here, except that the spam becomes a more critical, non-ignorable problem on a portable device.

- Use a DEA (Disposable Email Address) service for all of your online registrations (merchants, forums, etc.) that require an email address.

- Use a mail host that has good spam filtering. Consider using a commercial mail hosting service, rather than your ISP's included mail service.

This can also solve your other problem, of only wanting to see certain non-spam emails. With a commercial mail hosting service, you can typically set up filters and then either sort to different IMAP folders or forward to different email addresses.