Gmail Mobile Client is Live

[Jerry Raia]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/11/gmail-mobile-client-is-live.html' target='_blank'>http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/11/gmail-mobile-client-is-live.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The new Gmail for mobile client launching today began life as a challenge: What if we could develop a Gmail application for cell phones that was as powerful and as easy to use as the desktop version? What if it ran on hundreds of different mobile devices -- and made it possible to compose, read, and respond to conversations with a bare minimum of clicking and scrolling? What if it enabled you to do things like search your inbox, view your attachments (including pictures and PDF files), and click to call your Gmail contacts? And what if the app were designed to make the whole experience as fast and as seamless as possible?"</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Jerry-gmailjavamobile.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />And what if the the text size was so small in the application you need a microscope to read it? I'm not kidding either. I could barely read the text. No option to resize it that I could find. I managed to get this MIDlet to work on my 2125 and 3125. No luck on the Q and if you look around you will find this note: <i>"The Gmail application doesn't currently work with T-Mobile USA or BREW-based carriers (e.g. Verizon, Alltel, U.S. Cellular)."</i> Like all Google applications it is primitive looking but it gets the job done and it is free. Just point your Smartphone browser to <a href="http://www.gmail.com/app">http://www.gmail.com/app</a> and give it a try.

[palmsolo]

It looks OK on the T-Mobile Dash and does indeed work with T-Mobile USA so I don't know why Google has that sentence in there. I tried it using my unlimited VPN plan and T-zones and it worked with both connections. The fonts are not as clean as they should be, but it is functional.

Now, on my Nokia E61 it looks and works great. Unlike the browser based Gmail there is attachment support, which can be a big deal for some people too.

[Jerry Raia]

Not sure what can be done but the text size on both the 2125 and 3125 is almost unreadable. Nothing like the screen shot. Must be a QVGA issue.

[mpaquette]

What makes this better than the http://m.gmail.com site? Color me lost on this one.

[palmsolo]

I know if I use the m.gmail.com website access on my Dash the attachments just show up as a line of text stating the attachment name. With this application, photos, Word docs, and PDF files (maybe some others too) actually open up and can be viewed.

[sbono13]

It looks OK on the T-Mobile Dash and does indeed work with T-Mobile USA so I don't know why Google has that sentence in there.

Does that mean that the Dash has J2ME support built-in, or did you install a JVM on your own? Same question to Jerry re: the 2125 and the 3125?

[palmsolo]

The Dash has a Java application called Esmertec Java that is built into the ROM. I use it for Google Maps and for this new Gmail application.

[SteveHoward999]

Works beautifully on my Nokia 6682. Not that that's important on this forum ;-)

[davetreo300600]

And what if the the text size was so small in the application you need a microscope to read it? on my 3125.

I also experienced the "tiny text" problem on my 3125. But I just downloaded the midlet to my Sprint Samsung a900 and it worked fine. The text was easy to read on the a900 as opposed to the 3125. I wonder if there is a system seting on the 3125 that can be tinkered with to increase the text size thereon?

[Mark Larson]

Has anyone got this app working with the T-Mobile SDA on T-Mobile's $5.99 T-MobileWeb plan? In mine, it sticks at the Loading... screen. Google Maps doesn't work on my SDA either.

I'm sure it works fine with wifi, since gmaps works great with wifi too.

[mbranscum]

Works great on my SE w810i. It has to be a qvga issue. :cry:

[Jerry Raia]

OK I just got set straight on the tiny text issue. I couldn't find it because the text was too small! Anyway for those interested :

Menus>go to>settings uncheck the small font box.

[sub_tex]

The fonts are not as clean as they should be, but it is functional.

I have a Dash too and completely agree.

Nice little app though!

[davetreo300600]

[quote=Jerry Raia]

I also experienced the "tiny text" problem on my 3125. But I just downloaded the midlet to my Sprint Samsung a900 and it worked fine. The text was easy to read on the a900 as opposed to the 3125. I wonder if there is thereon?

And it also works well w/ my Sprint Fusic. Easy to read the text.

[Mark Larson]

Not sure what can be done but the text size on both the 2125 and 3125 is almost unreadable. Nothing like the screen shot. Must be a QVGA issue.

I got the solution to this issue. Go into Settings in the Gmail app, and you will find an checkbox called "Use small fonts" - uncheck that and it more closely resembles what we see in the screenshot.

[Jerry Raia]

Yeah someone tipped me off to that (see a couple posts up). The problem was the text was so tiny I couldn't see that option! :lol:

[davetreo300600]

text was so tiny I couldn't see that option! :lol:

I still can't see the Settings option on my 3125 even WITH the tip! Has anyone been able to locate it on the 3125? If so, could you please let us know where/how yopu found the Settings?

Thanks.

[Jerry Raia]

Yes, on my 3125 I went to Menu (right soft key) then "Go to" in the popup, then "settings" in the next popup. It is the bottom check box if you can't read it.

Nice work Google, you sure spent a lot of time on this one! :roll:

[davetreo300600]

the tiny text issue.

Menus>go to>settings uncheck the small font box.

Found it! I had missed this post. It fixed the issue on my 3125. You have to restart your phone after you uncheck the box.

I haven't tried it yet on my Samsung or LG. I suspect that it will make larger the already readable "small" text on those phones.

[Jerry Raia]

Glad you got it working. :)

Google do us all a favor, stick with what you are good at only ok?

[Mike Temporale]

:( I get an error that the file cannot be viewed on my i320. Anyone have some thoughts on why it won't work on the i320?

[Jerry Raia]

Does it start up? At what point do you get that error?

[Tim Williamson]

Has anyone got this app working with the T-Mobile SDA on T-Mobile's $5.99 T-MobileWeb plan? In mine, it sticks at the Loading... screen. Google Maps doesn't work on my SDA either.

I'm sure it works fine with wifi, since gmaps works great with wifi too.

The problem is the Java apps don't know to use the proxy since there's no option to set it, so none of the Java apps will work over the $5.99 plan. It should work over the $19.99 Blackberry plan though.

[xerxes]

Glad you got it working. :)

Google do us all a favor, stick with what you are good at only ok?

I'm installed this on a bunch of different phones from Nokia (S60 and Series 40), Sony Ericsson and Samsung, and it has worked perfectly in each case with no problem in being able to read the text.

Why do you have a problem with Google? It sounds like the problem lies in the poor Java support in WM5. After all it isn't just this Java app that has a problem.

[davetreo300600]

I haven't tried it yet on my Samsung or LG. I suspect that it will make larger the already readable "small" text on those phones.

I have now tried it on my Samsung a900. After unchecking the small text box and restarting the phone, it now looks like the promo screenshot we have all seen.

[RedMonday]

How do I set up a speed dial for Java apps like Gmail on the SMT5600? I'm able to add a speed dial to get to the list of Java apps but not to run a particular app.:x

[badbob001]

Has anyone got this app working with the T-Mobile SDA on T-Mobile's $5.99 T-MobileWeb plan? In mine, it sticks at the Loading... screen. Google Maps doesn't work on my SDA either.

I'm sure it works fine with wifi, since gmaps works great with wifi too.

The problem is the Java apps don't know to use the proxy since there's no option to set it, so none of the Java apps will work over the $5.99 plan. It should work over the $19.99 Blackberry plan though.

The strange thing, I got Google Local Mobile and Google Maps Mobile working on my t-zones account a few months ago. I tried the new app and it doesn't work. I was stupid and deleted the now obsolete Google Local Mobile app, upgraded the Google Maps Mobile app, and now Google Maps doesn't work either. So either it doesn't work because Google changed something in the app or T-mobile is somehow blocking it.

[Mike Temporale]

Does it start up? At what point do you get that error?

Argh, what was I thinking.... I forgot this was a Java app. :roll:

[hholliday]

Glad to hear it works well for most of you. However I am not able to get the app to open. It downloads and I can see the file but it is not showing up in my MIDLet. I do have all the maximum data plans with Cingular if that matters?

Novice Needing Help! :?:

[dcharti]

Just got a Samsung BlackJack i607 and love it, but I'm having a really hard time figuring out how to get the Gmail app to work on it. The app repeatedly asks for permission to use HTTPS for communication, but when I check Smartphone OS permissions for the app, I can't tell it to simply ask once and never again.

Eventually, after 2 or 3 requests, the app simply times out and tells me that I need a working data connection (which I have) to get online.

Any help?

[joshbish]

Just got a Samsung BlackJack i607 and love it, but I'm having a really hard time figuring out how to get the Gmail app to work on it. The app repeatedly asks for permission to use HTTPS for communication, but when I check Smartphone OS permissions for the app, I can't tell it to simply ask once and never again.

Eventually, after 2 or 3 requests, the app simply times out and tells me that I need a working data connection (which I have) to get online.

Any help?

Same problem here. Have you found a fix?

[dcharti]

Same problem here. Have you found a fix?

No, but from some of my research and poking around, it looks like we simply have to wait for an updated version from Google. The client works fine on the 8525, and I even found posts about an IBM Java Midlet manager that it can work on, but there are way too many quirks for it to be usable. Fonts are all jacked up, and whenever it sends/receives data it turns on the vibrator, and sometimes it seems to crash leaving the vibrator running, and only a power cycle will fix the problem.

[Jerry Raia]

Typical Google product, always beta quality. :lol:

[tmricha]

Same problem here. Have you found a fix?

No, but from some of my research and poking around, it looks like we simply have to wait for an updated version from Google. The client works fine on the 8525, and I even found posts about an IBM Java Midlet manager that it can work on, but there are way too many quirks for it to be usable. Fonts are all jacked up, and whenever it sends/receives data it turns on the vibrator, and sometimes it seems to crash leaving the vibrator running, and only a power cycle will fix the problem.

I have the 8525 and I cannot get it to work. I have the same problems/error you do. Where did you hear that it works fine on the 8525 and can you point me to any 'tutorials' if so?

/thanks and Im new here.

[Jerry Raia]

Amazingly enough, I just tried it on my 8525 and it just worked. I did nothing special.

Welcome to the site tmricha! The 8525 is a Pocket PC Phone device. You might get more help with it over at http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com :)

[otterley]

Just got a Samsung BlackJack i607 and love it, but I'm having a really hard time figuring out how to get the Gmail app to work on it. The app repeatedly asks for permission to use HTTPS for communication, but when I check Smartphone OS permissions for the app, I can't tell it to simply ask once and never again.

Eventually, after 2 or 3 requests, the app simply times out and tells me that I need a working data connection (which I have) to get online.

Any help?

I'm trying to start a grassroots campaign to get Samsung to release a firmware update that fixes the Java permissions problem. I called Samsung L3 tech support and they are aware of the issue, but no fix has been scheduled yet.

Everyone affected by this problem should call 1-800-SAMSUNG (1-800-726-7864) to ask for help on the issue. After initial triage, your call will be forwarded to level 3 support. Politely explain the issue (no selection to permit network access without further prompting) and ask them what they can do. The more calls they get, the more likely they are to release a fix.

This is the only showstopping issue for me re: the Blackjack. I will return the phone unless a fix is promised from Cingular/Samsung.

[tmricha]

Amazingly enough, I just tried it on my 8525 and it just worked. I did nothing special.

Welcome to the site tmricha! The 8525 is a Pocket PC Phone device. You might get more help with it over at http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com :)

Ok, so I just tried it again (actually looking to remove the midlet and "reinstall").... yet it miraculously just worked ?! Maybe I had to hold it at a certain angle.

Thanks for the other link too, I appreciate it.

TMR

[Jerry Raia]

Glad you got it to work! :D