Push Email - Treo 650 to Cingular 8125

[tut00]

Hi all,

I am going to take the plung again, and go from a Palm Treo 650 to the new Cingular 8125 (on its way). My question is this...

With my Treo and an email app called ChatterMail, I get true push email with my AOL and a myfastmail.com account. I love this feature, and am suprised that I cannot find anything like this for PPC. Is there anything out there that will connect to the IMAP Server and stay connected?

This is a big thing for me. I hope that there is something out there.

As for my desire to switch back to a PPC. I waited for ever for a good PPC phone to come out, and eventually could not wait any longer so I got a Treo, which I will say is an absolutly awesome phone. However, I just feel that the POS is dying. There seems to be less and less new apps or good apps being updated. I feel that in a few years time, Palm will just be another HP. Making devices that run on Window Mobile, which I am fine with. Hopefully they will learn to inovate again too. Well thats my rant....

Thanks for the help on the email issue.

-John

[tut00]

Anyone?

[Janak Parekh]

I saw your post the first time around, but I don't have a good answer for you. You're talking about ChatterMail's support for IMAP IDLE, which allows it to maintain an open connection to the IMAP server. Unfortunately, I don't think any Pocket PC client does yet. I did a Google search, and found a thread suggesting it is an upcoming feature (http://www.pocketinformant.com/Forums/lofiversion/index.php/t8376.html) of WebIS Mail.

Current alternatives on the Pocket PC are to have it periodically check the server for new messages, to use a hosted Exchange account, which has push-like (soon to be "real push") features, or to use various push solutions provided by carriers (not sure about Cingular, I know Verizon bundles a "wireless sync" push tool with their devices that can query a POP3 or IMAP mailbox).

--janak

[tut00]

I am really surprised that that is the case. I would have thought that someone would have developed it by now.

I wonder do you think it uses more battery power to always be connected or to periodically check?

[Janak Parekh]

I am really surprised that that is the case. I would have thought that someone would have developed it by now.
The problem is multifold: a lot of IMAP providers don't support IDLE in the first place; I think ChatterMail developed the solution because, at the time, there were few alternatives for "push-like" functionality on PalmOS; and WM5 has alternative solutions. <shrug>

I wonder do you think it uses more battery power to always be connected or to periodically check?
Well, you're never "always connected". If you stay connected, the device puts the connection in idle, so even though you're connected and have an IP, the phone is using less power for the data connection; too bad that you can't leverage it with IMAP IDLE. Periodic checking might use more battery, but the 8125/Wizard is known to have pretty solid battery life, so as a first cut you can try it.

By the way, I remember something called "Cingular XpressMail", and the 8125 product page lists support for it. That may be Cingular's own push setup, although you'll have to inquire if it'd work for you and if any costs are associated with it above and beyond a data plan.

--janak

[jeremyjoslin]

The Cingular Xpress uses a timed sync, not push. I, too, am waiting for a good solution to this issue (as are many people). I'm thinking of giving a try to a hosted MS Exchange solution.

Perhaps when the MS push-patch comes out, Xpress will update to somehow include the push functionality, but I doubt it. I've also heard RIM is looking to lease their Blackberry connect software out to WM.