[jfrorie]

I think I have finally figured out the Gmail sync issue and why some people are able to and others aren�t. It appears to be a subtlety in the Gmail documentation, a difference in capability between the mobile and non-mobile BIS web interface and human nature (I was guilty as well).

I�m a BB newbie, but a software developer so I�ve been battling with this thing for a while. I was experiencing the same, �I can delete from the blackberry, but not from Gmail� reconcile thingy. Then I looked closely at the documentation on the current Gmail site, which isn�t the same as the instructions I Googled.

On my Alltel CDMA 8330 v4.3, there are about three ways of connecting through Gmail IMAP using the native mail client:

1) Through the client BB interface (This is the default)
2) Through BIS via a BB browser. This is provided as an option on the client BB interface. You have to login after activating an account.
3) Through BIS via a standard non-mobile browser

#1 and #2 may result in a functional Gmail connection, but no reconcile. In some cases, the initial setup TURNS ON POP even though you specifically turned it off. What I think is happening is that if you go through the default setup, BIS knows how to connect to Gmail POP. It does it automatically. Even if you have POP turned off, I think BIS sends a packet to turn it on. You have to prevent this initial handshake by not specifying a password and going into advanced settings. I�m not sure if this is always the case, as this is hard to debug on a device I use daily, however, I would suggest anyone having trouble do the following:

<solution>
TURN OFF POP UNDER GMAIL!!!!! Go to BIS via a NON-mobile browser. Follow the Gmail IMAP instructions PRECISELY. DO NOT ENTER YOUR password. If you do, you will have to start over (YOU MAY HAVE TO TURN OFF POP AGAIN! It will work, it will connect. It however will NOT SYNC!) Make sure you are in advanced settings. Make sure you HAVE TO enter imap.gmail.com. Make sure you turn on wireless sync in both BIS and the BB mail client. If you did not do any of these steps, it probably will not sync.
</solution>

If you do this via the BB mobile browser and don�t enter your password, BIS pitches a fit. You can�t get it to work. People tend to get annoyed, diverge from the directions and it works so they think everything is OK. It doesn�t reconcile, they forgot that they diverged from the docs, mayhem ensues. I think there may be differences between OS versions, BIS, etc.

It appears to be a hairy problem. I�d be real interested in hearing if this fixes it for anyone.

[JasonHDD]

welcome to CB...heres some useful info>>> BlackBerry FAQ - BlackBerryFAQ

[jfrorie]

welcome to CB...heres some useful info>>> BlackBerry FAQ - BlackBerryFAQ

If you are telling me that this specific problem is covered in the faq, I'd love for a direct link.

Jim

[Duvi]

Wow.... good stuff man. I haven't tried it as I have switched back to an iPhone which handles Gmail pretty good for me. Also my primary is Yahoo.

[Misterb]

I believe your instructions have already been posted by Google. When you log onto your Gmail account, you click settings, then POP/IMAP, then click below for instructions on setting up your mail program, then select BlackBerry. It gives basically your exact instructions, such as don't provide a password, etc. I've been running it this way for quite some time, and it works pretty well, but still leaves a lot to be desired.

1. This is not true push email. New email comes in about every 1-15 minutes. There is no rime nor reason to how they come in, but it is annoying when it is 15 minutes.
2. If you read an email on your computer, it doesn't mark it as read on the BB.
3. If you delete an email on your computer, it takes quite a while to delete it from your BB... sometimes hours.

RIM and Gmail need to get together and fix this issue. It isn't rocket science. It's mainly a RIM issue, in that they need to make their servers and software compatible with IMAP IDLE. That's the main point here: IDLE. That would solve all of the problems, and maybe even cure world hunger. ****, there's a one man shop that created a program for Palm that does this with Gmail, called Chatter. It had its issues, but worked pretty well over all. Why can't RIM and Gmail?

[jfrorie]

I believe your instructions have already been posted by Google. When you log onto your Gmail account, you click settings, then POP/IMAP, then click below for instructions on setting up your mail program, then select BlackBerry. It gives basically your exact instructions, such as don't provide a password, etc. I've been running it this way for quite some time, and it works pretty well, but still leaves a lot to be desired.

I'm aware. My point is that like me, I'm betting a lot of people didn't catch the part about the password the first time. Or they Googled the instructions and got the old pop stuff. (I did) Or also like me, the built in browser would not let them skip the password. Thus I entered the password, then went into advanced settings and set the IMAP server and it didn't work. Using a NON-Mobile browser was the only way to get it to work.

The point I'm trying to make is not the procedure, but to bring to everyone's attention that it is VERY delicate and requires careful attention to the documentation. I'm pretty experienced at this stuff and I screwed up several times.

1. This is not true push email. New email comes in about every 1-15 minutes. There is no rime nor reason to how they come in, but it is annoying when it is 15 minutes.
2. If you read an email on your computer, it doesn't mark it as read on the BB.
3. If you delete an email on your computer, it takes quite a while to delete it from your BB... sometimes hours.

RIM and Gmail need to get together and fix this issue. It isn't rocket science. It's mainly a RIM issue, in that they need to make their servers and software compatible with IMAP IDLE. That's the main point here: IDLE. That would solve all of the problems, and maybe even cure world hunger. ****, there's a one man shop that created a program for Palm that does this with Gmail, called Chatter. It had its issues, but worked pretty well over all. Why can't RIM and Gmail?

Agreed. RIM's IMAP is crappy, as is MS Outlook's IMAP implementation which truly sucks monkey toes. However, under IMAP, I can avoid redeleting SOME of the 50-70 emails a day I get at my desktop.

[Misterb]

I'm aware. My point is that like me, I'm betting a lot of people didn't catch the part about the password the first time. Or they Googled the instructions and got the old pop stuff. (I did) Or also like me, the built in browser would not let them skip the password. Thus I entered the password, then went into advanced settings and set the IMAP server and it didn't work. Using a NON-Mobile browser was the only way to get it to work.

The point I'm trying to make is not the procedure, but to bring to everyone's attention that it is VERY delicate and requires careful attention to the documentation. I'm pretty experienced at this stuff and I screwed up several times.



Agreed. RIM's IMAP is crappy, as is MS Outlook's IMAP implementation which truly sucks monkey toes. However, under IMAP, I can avoid redeleting SOME of the 50-70 emails a day I get at my desktop.

Yeah, it is so stupid that you have to log onto the BIS site first with your BB to sign up, and then you have to get on a PC to complete everything else. The options you need just aren't there. I've even had problems with some of the BIS sites from a PC. Sometimes it is a BIS site on the RIM site with a blue background, and then I have to find the other one that is yellow. Just silly how difficult they make it.

I use Outlook with IMAP and Gmail, and it works pretty well. About the only issue I have is sometimes if I leave Outlook open for days, it'll close the connection. If only RIM would work this well. I mean, IMAP IDLE has been around for quite some time, and it truly is the best way to handle email on multiple devices. Anyone that says otherwise, probably doesn't really understand IMAP.

Thanks for all you're doing. Hopefully there will be a fix soon for this, to fix the points I raised. If you happen to see or hear anything, please post it up.

[mp9205]

I followed the directions. It says everything is configured properly. But when I click on the Gmail icon, all I get is the logo up top and "0 kb loading"... any ideas?

[jfrorie]

I followed the directions. It says everything is configured properly. But when I click on the Gmail icon, all I get is the logo up top and "0 kb loading"... any ideas?

Have you tried it with the native email client?

[mp9205]

"Have you tried it with the native email client?"

Not sure what you mean. I have tried it through the email I configured myself when I first got the BB last week - I get messages fine. Through the Gmail configuration, nothing.

Now I can't see where I can delete the GMail icon and other stuff that doesn't work. Went to Applications, but it's not listed there.