[kingzee]

I apologize for a double-post, but I wanted folks to benefit from this info here s well. http://forums.crackberry.com/showthr...02#post3085302

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As you know, many have been making complaints about IMAP not working with their BlackBerry Tour as it should. It comes pre-configured to automatically activate gmail accounts simply by providing your email address and password. The most this did "imap-wise" was allow you to mark e-mail messages as "read." Deleting them had no affect on the gmail server. As well, all "imapism" was one way and not a two-way street. Meaning, only what you do on your device affects your gmail account, and not the other way around.

Well, with the way I've set IMAP up now, what happens on my gmail account, happens on my BB, and vice versa. Marking as read, deleting, returning emails to my inbox (instantly pushed and shows up as new emails on your device in this case), etc. The only thing I don't see available is labels. No biggie in my book though. This is still a great convenience. As well, we get to use our cool "Sent through out BlackBerry" signatures, and e-mail is now instantly pushed. LOL!

Here's what I did to set it up.

1. Got to Setup > Email Settings
2. Select to set up an "Other" email account
3. Enter your gmail username and put @bmail.com (anything other than gmail.com) for your email address
4. Enter your password
5. Click next
6. On the next screen, select "I will provide the settings..."
7. On the next screen, select "This is my personal..."
8. On the next screen, select "I will provide the settings..." (redundant right?)
9. Okay, this next screen is where the magic happens. Use the following settings.

Email address: put your CORRECT gmail email address.
User name: put the first part of your gmail email address (eg, [email protected], put kingzee for the username)
Password: enter your gmail password
Email server: enter imap.gmail.com

10. Click next

Your account is successfully set up!

PROS:
Instant email push
TRUE Two-way IMAP
Mark as read
Deleting
Signatures
Notification icons
Filter for your device
Confirm delivery
Confirm read
Send read receipts
HTML emails
Etc

CONS:
Doesn't mark as read or delete on your device if done so in gmail.
Can't label

You can REMOVE the Gmail App from your device now. But before you do... update below

UPDATE:
Here's a great article that compares and contrasts Push Gmail vs Gmail App. In the end he went with Push Gmail, but still keeps the app installed in case he needs to make some unique changes (labels, etc).

Worthy read: Pushing your Gmail vs. the Gmail BlackBerry app | BB Geeks

[ImGeorgeous]

what's bmail?

[kingzee]

what's bmail?

It's nothing. It's a fake domain name so that gmail.com isn't instantly recognized. You could put imgeorgeous.com if you wanted.

[oakindustries]

what's bmail?

It's a bogus email server to get you into the hidden bis email settings to get your outlook and gmail accounts to work right.

[rlarijani]

Thanks for the info and step by step directions; however, mine still says "unable to add account, please check your information and try again" Any ideas?

[Syco54645]

thanks for the clarification kingzee! it is working fine, just wish that reading on the computer would mark it read on the device. maybe in bbos 5

[kingzee]

Thanks for the info and step by step directions; however, mine still says "unable to add account, please check your information and try again" Any ideas?

Are you 100% sure you followed the instructions step by step exactly as listed above?

[bkdtv]

Why bother with the fake domain? You can accomplish the same thing by not entering your password. If you don't enter your password on the first screen, you'll go straight to step #6 that allows you to specify all the settings.

Your method does work fine. But any method that allows you to specify all settings should work just the same.

[rlarijani]

I am 99.9% sure but let me try one more time

[kingzee]

Why bother with the fake domain? You can accomplish the same thing by not entering your password. If you don't enter your password, you'll go straight to step #6 that allows you to specify all the settings.

That's not my experience. It tells me I MUST enter a password.

[rlarijani]

The error still comes up..any other ideas? Are there some other settings that I need to change before starting this process

[kingzee]

The error still comes up..any other ideas? Are there some other settings that I need to change before starting this process

Hmm... I don't know what to tell you. I don't have my video camera (a friend is using it), else I'd make a video showing how I did it. But the instructions list exactly how I did it.

[bkdtv]

That's not my experience. It tells me I MUST enter a password.

Perhaps there is a difference doing it through the BB?

I added my accounts at sprint.blackberry.com. Whenever I don't enter a password, it takes me straight to step #6. It doesn't require a password.

[bkdtv]

The error still comes up..any other ideas? Are there some other settings that I need to change before starting this process

If the above method doesn't work for you, enter your full email in step #9 for both the username and email address.

[kingzee]

Perhaps there is a difference doing it through the BB?

I added my accounts at sprint.blackberry.com. Whenever I don't enter a password, it takes me straight to step #6. It doesn't require a password.

Correct. These are instructions for doing it on your BlackBerry.

[rlarijani]

hmm still no luck..but thanks for the help anyways!

[kingzee]

Here's a great article that compares and contrasts Push Gmail vs Gmail App. In the end he went with Push Gmail, but still keeps the app installed in case he needs to make some unique changes (labels, etc).

Worthy read: Pushing your Gmail vs. the Gmail BlackBerry app | BB Geeks

[spenchey]

Is there any difference on how quickly emails are delivered to your BB if your running POP or IMAP?

[richro]

I'm not quite sure these extra steps are necessary anymore as of BIS 2.7. Adding a Gmail address the normal way should default to IMAP. Also, using either method still only gives you one-way IMAP, i.e. read/delete status from computer will not update to the BlackBerry.

[greystealth]

Im in the email business and i can assure you all these steps are not necessary. Gmail is a partner to RIM so when you first enter the email and pass it should validate as long as you have imap enabled in gmail. Also BIS only supports one way sync and always has. Delete from server will never delete from phone. Thats what BES is for on these devices.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[MarkJ]

kingzee,
Thank you for this!

[Jwerfel]

Do these directions actually provide instant push to your Blackberry? I originally setup gmail with IMAP on my Pearl a few years ago and it works well (reading on my Blackberry makes it read in gmail), but the delay from when email comes to my Blackberry has always frustrated me. When I got my Tour the email settings were just copied. I'd be thrilled if I could have IMAP with instant push to my Blackberry, does this actually accomplish that?

[bkdtv]

Do these directions actually provide instant push to your Blackberry? I originally setup gmail with IMAP on my Pearl a few years ago and it works well (reading on my Blackberry makes it read in gmail), but the delay from when email comes to my Blackberry has always frustrated me. When I got my Tour the email settings were just copied. I'd be thrilled if I could have IMAP with instant push to my Blackberry, does this actually accomplish that?

Basically, yes.

With these directions, your Gmail hits your Blackberry 0-15 seconds after it is received, rather than the 30sec-5min (variable) with the default setup.

Im in the email business and i can assure you all these steps are not necessary. Gmail is a partner to RIM so when you first enter the email and pass it should validate as long as you have imap enabled in gmail. Also BIS only supports one way sync and always has. Delete from server will never delete from phone. Thats what BES is for on these devices.

With Sprint and Verizon, the default Gmail setup uses POP with a large check interval date when POP is enabled on your Gmail account. With this method, or any method that allows you to manually enter the server name (imap.gmail.com), you get all your Gmail in under 15 seconds.

[Jwerfel]

Thanks for the response. I reconfigured my gmail and now I get messages almost instantly! Its a huge difference.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[spenchey]

Does any one know if useing IMAP will eat more battery life than POP?