Push email on WM5 devices

[abarry]

I have a RIM 8700c for almost a year and have become addicted to using it for push email, that now dictates my life. However, I have two issues with it.

First, I can't use it as a BT modem. Second, it not being a WM device, I have to carry a PDA to use several programs I have (especially medical reference books), that are only availabe in a Palm/WM format.

It would therefore seem logical for me to switch to a WM5 based device, like the Samsung i607 or the HTC620 to have the best of both worlds. However, since these WM5 devices don't offer the push email the way a BB does, I am at a loss.

I admit that I don't understand what push email means. As a user, all I know is that email arrives instantly to my BB, even before it does on my Outlook. In addition, it stays put. When I used a WM5 device to get my emails, at first it has to connect to the network and get my emails. What is more disturbing to me is once my WM5 device syncs with the email severs, it wipes away all my previous emails and displays only the new ones.

So, to all the expert readers and contibutors to this forum, here are my three questions:

1. What actually IS "Push EMail"? How is it different from getting email from a WM5 device?

2. If I do get one of the WM5 devices I mentioned above, how do I make sure that when it syncs with email servers, it retains my old and/or read email and only adds any new ones recieved?

3. Is there any service I can use that is like the BIS (Blackberry Internet Service) for my personal email? Would it cost extra or be included in a plan offered by Cingular or T-mobile?

Thanks in advance for all the help.

Atul

[Mike Temporale]

It would therefore seem logical for me to switch to a WM5 based device, like the Samsung i607 or the HTC620 to have the best of both worlds. However, since these WM5 devices don't offer the push email the way a BB does, I am at a loss.

Sure they do. As does almost any new WinMo5 device that's hitting the streets now.


1. What actually IS "Push EMail"? How is it different from getting email from a WM5 device?

Push email is about having email sent to the device when it arrives, versus the typical pull method where you have to tell it to check for mail.

2. If I do get one of the WM5 devices I mentioned above, how do I make sure that when it syncs with email servers, it retains my old and/or read email and only adds any new ones recieved?

There's lots of answers to this question but they all depend on what you're doing now and if you want to or can (if required) change that. Is this an enterprise email account? is it a small bussiness? can you make changes to the email service and who manages it? Tell us more about your existing email setup and we can better answer this. ;)

3. Is there any service I can use that is like the BIS (Blackberry Internet Service) for my personal email? Would it cost extra or be included in a plan offered by Cingular or T-mobile?

Well, this goes back to the last question. Is this all the same email account? or do you have a work account and a personal account that you need to deal with?

[abarry]

Mike:

Thanks for answering.

1. No, I don't have an enterprise email account. I have gmail and yahoo accounts that I would like to be able to check. They are both personal accounts. The gmail account is more important; even if I'm not able to access the yahoo one, it will be fine.

2. A WM5 device is very imortant to me because it will save me from carrying an extra PDA.

3. I have just ordered a TabletKiosk UMPC (i7210) and would like my WM5 device to tether to it as a BT modem. Would I be able to?

4. In your expert opinion, which one is better: the Samsung i607 or the HTC620? It seems that the HTC device has a larger screen (2.8" v. 2.5" for Samsung).

5. I know that Cingular will carry the Samsung i607 before the year's end. Do you think they will carry the HTC620 eventually?

6. Is there any way to use the BB8700c as a BT mdem? I think I can use it as a USB modem, even though offically Cingular doesn't support this.

7. If I can use a WM5 device to deliver push email, what service would I use? Would I have to pay extra for such a feature?

Thanks, again, in advance.

Atul

[Mike Temporale]

1. No, I don't have an enterprise email account. I have gmail and yahoo accounts that I would like to be able to check. They are both personal accounts. The gmail account is more important; even if I'm not able to access the yahoo one, it will be fine.

Then you shouldn't have any issues. Gmail works pretty good from a mobile web browser - I'm not sure about yahoo. Also, you can redirect the gmail to a hosted exchange account so it will work really nice.

3. I have just ordered a TabletKiosk UMPC (i7210) and would like my WM5 device to tether to it as a BT modem. Would I be able to?

Well, I'm not familiar with that UMPC, but there's no reason it can't be done. Check out our article that Kris wrote (http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,7365) which outlines how to connect the and use your phone as a bluetooth modem.

4. In your expert opinion, which one is better: the Samsung i607 or the HTC620? It seems that the HTC device has a larger screen (2.8" v. 2.5" for Samsung).

Hard to say. If you're in an area that doesn't have much 850 coverage, than the HTC would be much better since it's a Quad-band device. However, if you have lots of 1900 coverage then the samsung is thinner and a pretty nice device.

Screen size isn't all that important. They both have the same pixels so you're not getting any more screen space. In fact, a smaller screen means the pixels are packed closer together and the image will look much nicer.

5. I know that Cingular will carry the Samsung i607 before the year's end. Do you think they will carry the HTC620 eventually?

The word on the street is that they will have the i607 before the years end, but that's not official, and I don't know how much I belive that. They might pick up the HTC 620, but it's hard to say for sure. There's also a GSM version of the Q that should be hitting around Q1 next year. I can't imagine one operator grabbing all of them, but it might happen.

6. Is there any way to use the BB8700c as a BT mdem? I think I can use it as a USB modem, even though offically Cingular doesn't support this.

No idea, what's a BB8700c? Is that BlackBerry? I don't know what's possible in terms of Bluetooth connections with that device.

7. If I can use a WM5 device to deliver push email, what service would I use? Would I have to pay extra for such a feature?

You'll need a hosted Exchange account. Push Email needs an Exchange server on the other end to run the push part of things. There are a number of places that do this, but I think, and would recommend 4Smartphone (http://www.4smartphone.net/affiliates.aspx?go=referal&ref=JD10726). It's pretty affordable too.

Basically, you sent up an email account with them, set your gmail to forward to the new 4Smartphone account and then set your reply address on 4Smartphone as your Gmail address. This would mean that nobody would need to know your 4Smartphone email address. Then just setup ActiveSync on your phone to hit the exchange account with 4Smartphone and your done. 8)

[abarry]

Thanks a bunch, Mike, for all the info.

I am waiting for the T-Mobile Dash, supposed to be out next week. I will give it a spin.

Atul

[Mike Temporale]

Let us know what you think once it arrives! 8)