Gmail on Your Smartphone Through POP3 Access

[marlof]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://gmail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=13273' target='_blank'>http://gmail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=13273</a><br /><br /></div>One of the problems with Gmail for me has been that I couldn't access my account with my Pocket PC or Smartphone, since Gmail required functionality Pocket Internet Explorer couldn't offer. But from today Gmail is rolling out POP3 access to their accounts, and that is good news for your Smartphone. This rollout will be done gradually, so your account may not have it yet, but happily mine did. First you need to enable POP access in your account settings.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20041111-GmailPOP.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/><br /><br />As you can see, you get to select if you want to keep your messages in your Gmail inbox when downloaded from the POP3 server, or you can choose to Archive or Trash them. After this, you need to setup your email client for the Gmail server (like for example <a href="http://gmail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=13276">Outlook</a>). Gmail can help you by doing this automatically for many clients, but for a Smartphone you'd need the manual procedure. The Gmail POP3 access does require a secure SSL connection, but that is no problem for your Smartphone. After setting up my Gmail account in Inbox, and starting the download of my first messages, I did receive a warning that the server certificate was not valid. But I went ahead anyhow and everything went ok. So now I have access to my Gmail account from my Smartphone. YeeeHaaa!

[Kris Kumar]

Google hasn't enabled this option for me. :cry: :evil:

My poor Smartphone (and myself) will have an E-Mail overload if Google enables this option.

I have the following
- A POP3 mailbox
- A IMAP4 mailbox
- Cingular XPressMail - Exchange/Work Email
- Hotmail
- Of course tons of text messages

At first I was happy with WM2003 multiple mailbox capability. Now I find it a bit overwhelming.

[marlof]

At first I was happy with WM2003 multiple mailbox capability. Now I find it a bit overwhelming.

What I personally dearly miss is the Send/Receive All Accounts functionality in Inbox, both on the Smartphone and on the Pocket PC. Every multiaccount email client should have that....

[Jason Dunn]

POP3 access doesn't excite me. IMAP does excite me - hopefully that's on their list! :-)

[Jerry Raia]

POP3 access doesn't excite me. IMAP does excite me - hopefully that's on their list! :-)

Yes for us travelers IMAP is a huge PLUS! Let's hope they offer it at some point.

[Kris Kumar]

POP3 access doesn't excite me. IMAP does excite me - hopefully that's on their list! :-)

GMail is based on a different paradigm; you don't have to delete any of your emails, just archive them or move them to appropriate folder based on filters.

GMail's POP3 access with the concept of archiving (or automatically moving the mail to trash) upon downloading the mail to the mobile device is definitely a step over regular POP3 access. It definitely does not serve as well as IMAP. But I like it better than the regular POP3 access on the other web based mails. Google is again doing things with a twist, a twist that is useful!

[marlof]

I've only incidentally used IMAP, and never was too impressed by it. I guess I just like to see what's one the server, download it at home, and then have access to my GBs of messages (I hardly delete anything that's personally directed at me, other than spam) at home. So POP3 is fine by me. :)

[Jason Dunn]

I've only incidentally used IMAP...

You need to really use it for a few days on multiple devices to appreciate the beauty of it. I did about a year ago and was stunned by how much better it was for the way I used email.

[Sfielder]

Soon after getting my Orange SPV I attempted to get my gmail mail via POP. After setting up my account on my phone it didn't work for a few days, I kept getting the disconnected error, check network coverage and settings. After playing around for a few more days, not doing any one thing specifically I managed to download my mail. Unfortunately without changing anything the same error has returned in the last few days
Seeing my employer blocks gmail at work it was becoming quite useful before it stopped working, any ideas?

Simon
:cry: