Google Sync Adds Push Gmail Support

Ed Hardy · 09-22-2009, 01:28 PM

Google has just added a significant new feature to Google Sync, email support. This allows Gmail users to have their messages pushed to their smartphone, as long as the device supports Exchange ActiveSync.

Google Sync is a free service that has been available for some time, but until now it only supported calendar and address book information.

Adding e-mail to this service means that smartphones will be able to get their messages pushed to them -- as soon as an e-mail arrives on the server, it will be sent to the device and the user notified.

There have been third-party applications that offered this feature before, but Google's solution is available free.

Messages appear in the native e-mail client, and users can both send and receive Gmail with this service

Availability
There have been Push-like solutions for BlackBerrys and S60 for some time, and all Android models havethis featurealready, so today's change primarily benefits iPhone and Windows Mobile users. Still, most of the major smartphone platforms offer support for Exchange ActiveSync, and can therefore use Google Sync. This includes Palm OS and webOS.

For more information onGoogle Sync, visit m.google.com/sync.

Source: Google

Hook · 09-22-2009, 01:35 PM

I get that now just by having imap set up in Nokia Messenger with no MS Exchange involved. Is this unusual for smartphones?

(I'm just starting to learn the ins and outs of smartphone email, so I'm sure I'm missing something here-- which is why I'm asking, to learn).

jigwashere · 09-22-2009, 01:38 PM

While Gmail has had IMAP, I don't think it supported push (i.e., IMAP IDLE).

Hook · 09-22-2009, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jigwashere

While Gmail has had IMAP, I don't think it supported push (i.e., IMAP IDLE).

It has always pushed to me. Maybe that's Nokia Messenger. Dang, I wish I knew what I was doing.

Ed Hardy · 09-22-2009, 01:43 PM

Right. Previously, Gmail was Pull -- you set your e-mail client to periodically get messages. With Google Sync, messages are pushed to your device as soon as they arrive on Google's e-mail server.
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Ed Hardy · 09-22-2009, 01:46 PM

As I mentioned in the article, Windows Mobile supports Google Sync, but there's a caveat.

Windows Mobile only allows to to sync with one Exchange Server. So if you using Exchange ActiveSync to sync with your work account, you can't also use Google Sync.

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Mi An · 09-22-2009, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jigwashere

While Gmail has had IMAP, I don't think it supported push (i.e., IMAP IDLE).

I don't know about other platforms, but Blackberry had it thru BES, as opposed to exchange server, for a few months at least. Any chance there have been other iterations of push gmail besides these two in particular?

jigwashere · 09-22-2009, 02:05 PM

Gmail does support IMAP IDLE for push email, but your client has to support it, too. I really don't know much about it, other than Versamail on Palm OS doesn't support IMAP IDLE. I to get Gmail IMAP, but have to poll to get it.

questionfear · 09-22-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hook

It has always pushed to me. Maybe that's Nokia Messenger. Dang, I wish I knew what I was doing.

Nokia Messenger uses a server to push email, similar to Blackberry Enterprise Server. So NM gives you push without the GMail contacts/calendar setup.

I plan on nuking SEVEN off my E71x tonight and seeing if I can get Mail For Exchange to work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jigwashere

Gmail does support IMAP IDLE for push email, but your client has to support it, too. I really don't know much about it, other than Versamail on Palm OS doesn't support IMAP IDLE. I to get Gmail IMAP, but have to poll to get it.

IMAP IDLE is like push, but in my experience chews more battery life. It also is less reliable, and from what I've experienced you need to go into your email program to reconnect if the connection drops, unlike push, which just resumes after a suspension of activity.

Personally, I find IMAP IDLE to be ok-ish, but push is better.

Mi An · 09-22-2009, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jigwashere

Gmail does support IMAP IDLE for push email, but your client has to support it, too. I really don't know much about it, other than Versamail on Palm OS doesn't support IMAP IDLE. I to get Gmail IMAP, but have to poll to get it.

A quick look at results from a "imap idle s60" google suggests (link is a little dated) that probably is what Hook has been working with.

Edit: or not, as per QF above.