GMAIL setup, Imap vs POP

**Mikey_T** · 05-16-2012, 07:28 AM

So I really like the email layout on the Playbook, but I've found it incredibly slow to use. As I'm clicking from one message to another they take time to load in the viewer pane, it seems awfully laggy.

My internet connection in the field is not the fastest, so I've been wondering if my issue is in how my account is setup (currently IMAP). Every time I switch from one message to another is the Playbook reaching back to the server to display it? If so would setting the account as a POP3 cause the Playbook to store messages locally and give me faster navigation and viewing?

Any advice appreciated!

**kbz1960** · 05-16-2012, 07:46 AM

Gmail can be setup as activesync. Use that, all you need to do is put in your Addy and password when setting up and let the pb do the rest.

**Mikey_T** · 05-16-2012, 09:50 AM

Yes but using activesync will it store messages on the PB or is it retrieving each message for the viewer pane every time I select a new one? I can't believe the messages app would be this slow unless it's having to go look at the email server every time.

**firepsych** · 05-16-2012, 11:16 AM

i have to check, but you can do the same thing I will. Turn off your wifi and open the mail app. If the mail is there it's cached on your PB. If it's not there then the PB is really only a dumb tsrminal looking at the network/internet. So your experience if speed will be based on a combination of PB's processor, your network connection and gmail's servers.
I don't know if POP3 vs IMAP makes a difference, but my guess would be minimal.

As an aside, mail is much faster on my phone than it is on my PB.

**Mikey_T** · 05-16-2012, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by FirePsych

i have to check, but you can do the same thing I will. Turn off your wifi and open the mail app. If the mail is there it's cached on your PB. If it's not there then the PB is really only a dumb tsrminal looking at the network/internet. So your experience if speed will be based on a combination of PB's processor, your network connection and gmail's servers.
I don't know if POP3 vs IMAP makes a difference, but my guess would be minimal.

As an aside, mail is much faster on my phone than it is on my PB.

Exactly, the mail on the PB is a nice layout but brutally slow when actually in use, I was expecting useability closer to what we have on the phones.

I did try your experiment, the messages are available when the tablet is offline, so the lag isn't due to my connection speed. Just have to live with it and hope for speed increases in future updates I suppose.