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Hi everyone. I am sure I am not the first person to wonder about this. Microsoft’s “push” email technology that works with Exchange Server is entirely HTTP based. Obviously Microsoft wants this to work with only their server platform but couldn’t it be possible to use this with Gmail?
I can’t honestly see if being that difficult for the folks at Google to reverse engineer the exact format of the HTTP posts going back and forth between an Exchange server and a WM device. On top of this Gmail has Contacts and Calendar as well. If I could sync my WM device with Gmail I wouldn’t need Exchange anymore. I could even use Google Apps to get my email at my own domain name.
I tried setting up mail.google.com and also www.gmail.com as ‘exchange’ servers on my HTC Touch but it didn’t work :-(
The Fish.
thefish123 said:
Hi everyone. I am sure I am not the first person to wonder about this. Microsoft’s “push” email technology that works with Exchange Server is entirely HTTP based. Obviously Microsoft wants this to work with only their server platform but couldn’t it be possible to use this with Gmail?
I can’t honestly see if being that difficult for the folks at Google to reverse engineer the exact format of the HTTP posts going back and forth between an Exchange server and a WM device. On top of this Gmail has Contacts and Calendar as well. If I could sync my WM device with Gmail I wouldn’t need Exchange anymore. I could even use Google Apps to get my email at my own domain name.
I tried setting up mail.google.com and also www.gmail.com as ‘exchange’ servers on my HTC Touch but it didn’t work :-(
The Fish.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Option 1. forward your gmail account to mail2web or one of the other free services which is a free hosted exchange account (more or less).
Option 2. Set up your gmail for I-map and "idle" it. I know it can be done using flex mail, but not sure about idle in Pocket Outlook.
Option 3. Set up your device to check for mail every X minutes. You already new that one though.
Option 4. Set up to forward your mail to your device. IE: on cingular, it used to be you could forward it to "[email protected]" That one, you would need to check with your service provider.
hth
Hi ssschmidt,
I know there are ways I could forward my Gmail to another email service that is an Exchange Server and so does support Microsoft-style push email BUT I am wondering why Google doesn’t implement this themselves.
There are a tone of Windows Mobile devices out there AND Google is already offering Gmail at your own domain name with “Google Apps” service. If all of a sudden I could get true push Gmail with my own domain name (part of Google Apps) I think a lot of people might reconsider that upgrade to Exchange 2007.
Figuring out the exact format of the HTTP conversation between the WM device and the Exchange server couldn’t be that hard. Heck, I think I might be able to take a crack at it myself
In case anyone is wondering what happens is this. The WM device makes an HTTP request to the Exchange server and says “notify me if anything changes in these folders within the next X minutes”. The Exchange server the starts monitoring the folders in question for the specified period of time. If the folder “changes” (a message arrives, a contact is updated, an appointment re-scheduled) Exchange sends the changed items back as part of the HTTP response (the connection is left open and ‘hanging’ for the specified period of time). If nothing happens and the time period lapses the Exchange server sends an empty response and the HTTP connection is closed. The WM device then resumes the process over again by making another request. This it why it is called “client initiated ‘push’” because in reality the WM device is continually asking for changes. The constant back & forth acts as a kind of heartbeat so both ends of the connection (the WM device and the Exchange Server) know the other is still there (in case the WM device is out of service, turned off or otherwise off the grid).
I can see no reason why this HTTP conversation can’t be implemented (along with the correct URL’s) on a non-Exchange server such as Gmail. If Google decided to offer this I think it might be an Exchange killer. Currently I am thinking of ways I can get my own Exchange server. I have several customers with Exchange and a few of the might be willing to host my email for me. Currently I am using Google Apps which I absolutely LOVE but I would also love to be able to sync my plethora of contacts.
Maybe someone in Google reads these forums
The Fish
I'm sure Google will implement this with Android
berardi said:
I'm sure Google will implement this with Android
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am sure your probably right. But if Google is interested in taking business away from Exchange (which I think they are judging by the Google Apps sign-up page) then it would make sense to provide this service to the thousands (if not millions) of WM users out there worldwide.
The Fish.
Gmail via Activesync
thefish123 said:
Hi everyone. I am sure I am not the first person to wonder about this. Microsoft’s “push” email technology that works with Exchange Server is entirely HTTP based. Obviously Microsoft wants this to work with only their server platform but couldn’t it be possible to use this with Gmail?
I can’t honestly see if being that difficult for the folks at Google to reverse engineer the exact format of the HTTP posts going back and forth between an Exchange server and a WM device. On top of this Gmail has Contacts and Calendar as well. If I could sync my WM device with Gmail I wouldn’t need Exchange anymore. I could even use Google Apps to get my email at my own domain name.
I tried setting up mail.google.com and also www.gmail.com as ‘exchange’ servers on my HTC Touch but it didn’t work :-(
The Fish.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From the posts in this thread, looks like nobody mentioned having tried MobiPush. Mobipush allows you to have your Gmail, Yahoo, or other IMAP or POP account email pushed to your WM 5/6 device using the device's Direct-Push Technology. I am currently using the service with my Gmail account and it works well. Sign up is free. You must setup your Gmail options to allow IMAP or POP access, then follow the instructions on MobiPush's site to setup your device. I also forgot to mention that it seems that only mail is sync'ed at this time (no contacts or calendar, or tasks.)
Here's the link:
www.mobipush.com
Windows Live Hotmail provides Direct Push
Another option is to register for a live hotmail account (mail.live.com) and forward your gmail to this account. You can configure your Touch for push email from live hotmail by following the instructions here: http://blogs.msdn.com/mayurk/archiv...dows-live-hotmail-and-windows-mobile-6-0.aspx
mindchill said:
Another option is to register for a live hotmail account (mail.live.com) and forward your gmail to this account. You can configure your Touch for push email from live hotmail by following the instructions here: http://blogs.msdn.com/mayurk/archiv...dows-live-hotmail-and-windows-mobile-6-0.aspx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
However when you do this your reply comes from your Live/Hotmail account. Do you know if you can do this and have your reply come from your gmail account?
Thanks!
Apparently there are other companies/groups that have independently developed products that are compatible with Microsoft’s “DirectPush” technology. So the good news is we know it can be and has been done.
Check out this product http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerio_MailServer
Hopefully Google will develop something that will allow Gmail to masquerade as an Exchange server to a Windows Mobile device. Imagine having push email as well as contact and calendar synchronization with Gmail?? on your WM device? All without any third-party connectors/forwarding/etc.
The Fish.
PS: thanks to everyone for all the suggestions...
www.nuevasync.com for contacts and calendar sync - imap sync is coming - but it's been "coming" for a long time so we can only hope...
try http://www.funambol.com
It will sync calendar, email and contacts.
gottago said:
try http://www.funambol.com
It will sync calendar, email and contacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i am currently using funambol with scheduleworld for my google calendar - are you using funambol by itself for your calendar?
thanks
nuevasync is great for syncing google contacts and calendar. No downloads everything works through activesync. Their blog says gmail is coming so for now I just use IMAP for gmail.
I simply use www.mobipush.com services, works great for emails.
thefish123 said:
Hi everyone. I am sure I am not the first person to wonder about this. Microsoft’s “push” email technology that works with Exchange Server is entirely HTTP based. Obviously Microsoft wants this to work with only their server platform but couldn’t it be possible to use this with Gmail?
I can’t honestly see if being that difficult for the folks at Google to reverse engineer the exact format of the HTTP posts going back and forth between an Exchange server and a WM device. On top of this Gmail has Contacts and Calendar as well. If I could sync my WM device with Gmail I wouldn’t need Exchange anymore. I could even use Google Apps to get my email at my own domain name.
I tried setting up mail.google.com and also www.gmail.com as ‘exchange’ servers on my HTC Touch but it didn’t work :-(
The Fish.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all, you don't need MS Push because Google does have a mail push mechanism in place. It is called IMAP Idle. You can read it from here: http://www.isode.com/whitepapers/imap-idle.html. So all you need to do is setting up your IMAP IDLE compatible client to sync with gmail via IMAP instead of POP.
Now, you may also like to forward you mail to mail2web and take advantage of the push mail plus push calendar, contact and task. But you can also use OggSync and keep everything in Google.
berardi said:
I'm sure Google will implement this with Android
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, they already have the solution.
agentmikeyd said:
i am currently using funambol with scheduleworld for my google calendar - are you using funambol by itself for your calendar?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually I am only using/testing funambol on my gmail. I don't use a calendar as of yet, too little time to test on funambol. I do know that contacts synch via funambol does work. I guess you are calling me to task;-)
I know there are various ways using combinations of third party software and/or services and so forth of syncing email one way, calendar another, etc, etc. But imagine being able to sync EVERYTHING in Google Apps with their counterparts on your Windows Mobile device using the NATIVE built-in synchronization mechanism of that device.
If Google is serious about killing Exchange in the SMB market place they will implement this.
Currently I still sync my Vogue with my Exchange server even though I also use Google Apps.
The Fish
there is always this
http://www.codeplex.com/ImapPusherService
works well for me
Did I call it or what?!?!
OK, little brag moment there but!!! Have a look at this screen shot. I am not 100% sure when Google added this but this is EXACTLY what I was hoping for just over a year ago! Did I call it or what? I can't imagine Gmail/Google Apps being any cooler
The Fish
For those who use Gmail and had problem with IMAP before, this is now fixed! I'd just tested it on my Vogue, and the problem of not seeing HTML body of HTML emails is no longer happening.
IMAP access is much better than POP. Google 'IMAP vs POP' for more detail...
Yup, it’s true… I can confirm that this bug is fixed. I am using IMAP with my “Google Apps” account and it’s finally working just fine.
Now if only Google would implement their own home-grown fully compatible version of Microsoft’s “DirectPush” technology we could all synchronize our email, contacts, and calendar we wouldn’t need Exchange Server anymore
RE
you can always use MAIL2WEB.
my gmail email gets fowarded there and then the syncs wirelessly with my touch. also sync tasks, contacts, calendar and all.
works pretty good
The main problem with MAIL2WEB is that it uses Exchange 2003. That means you don't get HTML messages. IMAP can.
Does the default email client on the Epic have the ability to view images in emails?
I'm searching for a "Display Pictures/Images" button or option but I can't find one. All of my emails that are HTML based look like crap.
What am I missing?
It works for me out of the box. Perhaps your mail server is converting the email before sending them to the device. What type of email account are you connecting to?
It is happening on both my Exchange server and my Hotmail. Both are setup as "Corporate" email accounts in Android.
Have you done sync from those accounts before with another phone and had html work?
I done some more research and it appears to be a short coming of the version of EAS (Exchange Active Sync) that Microsoft choose to implement (2.5).
http://www.liveside.net/main/archiv...-no-html-mail-in-wm-6-xx-and-our-own-faq.aspx
From what I've read it appears that the protocol disables the show images/HTML email functionality in the mail client.
I guess my Exchange account (2010) does work correctly. Just the Hotmail.
I might change Hotmail back to hot being EAS so that I can view HTML emails. I have to research that.
I see. I figured the problem was on the serverside. Hotmail I can't not think hotmale when I hear that anymore.
So now I gotta ask... is there a better way to check hotmail from Android than using the EAS?
Like others I've discovered HTC Mail isn't compatible with Hotmail's Exchange ActiveSync (Gmail Exchange ActiveSync works fine).
I've installed Touchdown but dislike the interface (it's also 20 bucks!) and also Improved Mail (v1.75) which also works fine but:
1. You cannot Move e-mails into another folder
2. Unlike HTC Mail it doesn't show the amount of unread e-mails on the home screen shortcut.
3. And the killer: It support HTML e-mails. How can a modern e-mail app not support HTML e-mails?
Are there any other Exchange ActiveSync e-mail apps I can use instead? Where can I download the Google Nexus One e-mail app?
K-9 mail.
mail droid?
celestialspring said:
K-9 mail.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but this only works with Exchange 2003 not Exchange ActiveSync:
http://code.google.com/p/k9mail/wiki/K9MailAndExchange
I've only just discovered this because I've spent the last 30 mins trying to get it to connect and it keeps timing out.
celestialspring said:
mail droid?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but this only works with Exchange 2007.
Anyone? Thanks
how about Moxier Mail...
http://www.moxier.com/mail/
looks nicer than TouchDown.. although when i tested Moxier (2.7) it didnt support HTML emails on Ex.2003 unlike Touchdown.
Moxier also appears to hold the downloaded emails on the phone memory so ran out quite quickly.. Maybe 2.8 is better now. havent tried.
for now i use TouchDown when i'm away from the office.
Thanks Kazgor.
I've just installed v2.5 and it doesn't support HTML e-mail on Exchange ActiveSync either. I cannot find a newer version. What is it with HTML support?
It's no good, if it doesn't support HTML e-mail. Pity as otherwise it looks good.
Give Roadsync a try - works fine for me although needs some improvement to match the Symbian version...
I was reading another thread on this earlier this week on xda and this link was in it. It describes how to load the normal android email app. Its for 2.2. I don't know If this supports what you need.
http://digiex.net/computing-section...tc-desire-google-nexus-one-android-2-2-a.html
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
Thanks guys. I've now tried:
1. Native Nexus One E-mail App
2. Improved E-Mail v1.75 (not the new v2.00 yet)
3. Touch Down
4. RoadSync
And all work perfectly fine with Hotmail's Exchange ActiveSync but none support HTML e-mail. RoadSync says it does in it's text in the market and the owner of Improved Mail says it's also supported.
So I'm thinking this is a bug with Hotmail's Exchange ActiveSync.
I've also discovered on the Improved E-Mail website (www.mwebster.us) that moving mail when using Hotmail's Exchange ActiveSync won't sync this back to the server, due to Microsoft’s implementation of Exchange ActiveSync. Great!
Thanks cjm1979. I tried that awhile ago and the same problem. Incidentally, if that really is the Native Nexus One e-mail program, it's identical to Improved E-mail. Leading me to believe, Google licensed it from the owner.
So right now, as I need HTML e-mail more than Exchange ActiveSync. I'm using the HTC Mail app with POP3 .
I've received a rather interesting reply from the owner of Improved E-Mail, regarding HTML E-mail and Moving e-mail between folders not working:
"I think the problem is that the Hotmail activesync is based on Exchange 2003 (Why I have no idea - that's 2 versions ago), and it does not send html mail to mobiles, at least to most email apps I know of - I think this may be a server side issue, but I still plan on looking at it, since I'd like to be able to receive html from other account types as well.
It *should* support marking/unmarking and deleting and having that propagate to the server. I was going to verify but I can't setup my hotmail account right now for some reason.
Also remember, hotmail doesn't 'officially' support Android yet, so maybe things will get better."
I've been using the Seven client on mine. It works with Hotmail and Exchange, with minimal configuration (less than a regular client). Not even sure if it's using Exchange ActiveSync as it has a dedicated hotmail option that works perfectly well with push mail and displays as HTML. The Exchange option asks for the webmail URL (actual URL, not just mail server) and also works perfectly well.
Hotmail option syncs contacts but doesn't offer the option to sync calendar.
Exchange option syncs all 3.
The contact search function is fairly unresponsive, as in I searched for a contact and waited ages and gave up.
The widget is very rudimentary. It takes up half the screen and shows the last 3 Exchange emails. Doesn't give me any option to choose which account it displays email for, so effectively no widget for my hotmail.
It doesn't really come close to the standard HTC mail app, other than actually working for hotmail which the HTC doesn't...
Hope this helps?
I am keen to find an alternative for HTC mail as well. I am still using my Windows Mobile 6.5 phone and no hotmail is one of the main reasons why!
Thanks Mitel.
How can I get hold of Seven Client? I cannot find it on the Market place.
mital said:
The Exchange option asks for the webmail URL (actual URL, not just mail server) and also works perfectly well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you get this working with Hotmail? I enter https://m.hotmail.com and it errors saying:
"An error occured. Please try again (100)."
Interestingly the Gmail option does offer Contacts + Calendar. Only Contacts for Hotmail, like you say. It's a brilliant application but has some problems:
1. There is no Shortcut option, so you have to open the App from the Home screen and then it takes another tap to go to my Gmail or Hotmail Inbox.
2. Because of this, the App shortcut doesn't display the Unread e-mail count.
3. The Sent folder for both Hotmail and Gmail is local only. It's impossible to either display, sync or even have e-mails sent in Hotmai's Sent Items or Gmail's Sent Mail folder. Odd!
4. If e-mail needs to be truncated it displays as Plain Text and if it doesn't need truncating, it displays as HTML (if relevant). I'd prefer all html e-mails displays as html regardless but to get the option to switch to html you have to scroll to the bottom of e-mails and some newsletters are really long. There is no option to set if e-mail is displayed as plain text of html as default.
5. As said, the widget is weak but I don't use the widget for e-mails, so this doesn't bother me.
6. It's Push Mail only. The HTC Desire's battery doesn't sadly allow me the luxury of Push Mail.
The last one is a deal breaker. It's a shame as the setup is so easy (for Gmail/Hotmail it's just the username/password) and the interface is really well thought out. The unified inbox works well too. The search function works fine for me, pulling in contacts from the phone, sim card, gmail (if relevant) and hotmail (if relevant).
I didn't bother trying the Seven IM app because it only supports Gtalk and MSN. I need both MSN and Facebook Chat/IM support.
You can download the combined Seven E-Mail + IM App from here: http://community.seven.com/main.php
I downloaded the seven app version 23.41.6437_3_z7-android2x.apk
The IM for MSN works for me but I can't do any email.....
NO:
hotmail
gmail
yahoo
exchange
I wiped my phone a couple times. Still nothing. Stock EVO....
got roadsync, works nice
Here I come to hijack a thread for a device I didn't own but stumbled across as I was googling Android email apps.
In case you weren't aware, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the email apps or the way they connect to Hotmail using the exchange protocol.
It's purely that Hotmail Exchange via m.hotmail.com doesn't support HTML yet - it's a Microsoft issue. Will they ever implement it - who knows? But the fact remains if you want your Hotmail in HTML format then you're stuck with connecting via POP3 for the moment.
HTH.
Does HTML e-mail work on supported devices like the iPhone?
It works in Touch Down on Android but the UI is pretty ugly. I understand this bends the Exchange ActiveSync rules to support it. Why MS are using Exchange 2003 is strange.
No, HTML Hotmail is a no-go regardless of the device or app you are using. Hotmail simply does not support HTML over their Exchange connection, only POP3.
If you are asking about straightforward HTML in your email when connecting to say a corporate exchange account, then yes, obviously depending on the app and version of exchange.
Sent from my HTC Liberty using Tapatalk
Thanks
HTML e-mail does work using Touch Down though. I've seen it myself (make sure you're using the latest version, it didn't use to work). That is HTML e-mail using Hotmail Exchange ActiveSync, not corporate Exchange.
bradavon said:
Thanks
HTML e-mail does work using Touch Down though. I've seen it myself (make sure you're using the latest version, it didn't use to work). That is HTML e-mail using Hotmail Exchange ActiveSync, not corporate Exchange.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh, well I never. I guess I'll have to try it.
How do you force the email client to always Load More Details or always show the complete email with full html. It initially shows up in txt, and I always have to click load more details. I want it to load details by default.
Thanks!
First of all, you can set how much email size you want to retrive in email settings. Assume you aleady set it to 'All', I'd guess you're encountering this issue receiving from Hotmail accounts. If so, this is a work around for Exchange sync deficiency on Hotmail server. Hotmail ActiveSync protocol does not officially suppor HTML email at all (I know it is lame for a MS server) at the declared protocol level. To work around this issue, email clients have to ignore the declared ActiveSync protocol version and go ahead assume it supports HTML anyway. This is how iOS and Windows Phone 7 works today. Samsung/Google seems to take a more conservative approach that it let you to force it to display HTML by click on the 'Load more details' button. If it is an true Exchange 2007 or later server, you don't need to click (and won't see) that button.
MS posted some length excuses about why it can't make Hotmail server compatible with ActiveSync 2.5 (which supports HTML email) protocol while Google has no problem make GMail support such protocol.
foxbat121 said:
First of all, you can set how much email size you want to retrive in email settings. Assume you aleady set it to 'All', I'd guess you're encountering this issue receiving from Hotmail accounts. If so, this is a work around for Exchange sync deficiency on Hotmail server. Hotmail ActiveSync protocol does not officially suppor HTML email at all (I know it is lame for a MS server) at the declared protocol level. To work around this issue, email clients have to ignore the declared ActiveSync protocol version and go ahead assume it supports HTML anyway. This is how iOS and Windows Phone 7 works today. Samsung/Google seems to take a more conservative approach that it let you to force it to display HTML by click on the 'Load more details' button. If it is an true Exchange 2007 or later server, you don't need to click (and won't see) that button.
MS posted some length excuses about why it can't make Hotmail server compatible with ActiveSync 2.5 (which supports HTML email) protocol while Google has no problem make GMail support such protocol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! This has been a BIG help. I didn't realize but your right. My paid for exchange account shows HTML email fine. But my hotmail account does not unless I push load more details. What if I switch the Hotmail account to a pop account. Would that help load emails as HTML?
Thanks!
Yes, it will but pop account has too many problems (sync issues, no push email featurs, no calendars, no contacts etc.). You just have to live with it for now.
foxbat121 said:
Yes, it will but pop account has too many problems (sync issues, no push email featurs, no calendars, no contacts etc.). You just have to live with it for now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great! I have HTML email now. Its not push, but atleast I dont have to load more details anymore. Does POP not support folders? I only have my Inbox.
You've been a great help. I really appreciate it, this was very annoying until you resolved my issue.
Nope. Pop3 is one of the oldest protocol ever. So if you have multiple computers access the same account using pop3, it is very difficult to sync with each other. And it requires SMTP server for sending emails. Some networks won't let you pass out any SMTP mails for the sake of preventing email spammers.
Here is one of my work around:
I setup my gmail account to periodically grab emails from my Hotmail accounts from me and put a label on these emails. So all my emails goes into GMail with Hotmails with proper label. You can even setup your GMail (on the web account settings) to reply your email with your Hotmail as your return email address. This way, you get easy email management from GMail as well as proper HTML email support.
foxbat121 said:
Nope. Pop3 is one of the oldest protocol ever. So if you have multiple computers access the same account using pop3, it is very difficult to sync with each other. And it requires SMTP server for sending emails. Some networks won't let you pass out any SMTP mails for the sake of preventing email spammers.
Here is one of my work around:
I setup my gmail account to periodically grab emails from my Hotmail accounts from me and put a label on these emails. So all my emails goes into GMail with Hotmails with proper label. You can even setup your GMail (on the web account settings) to reply your email with your Hotmail as your return email address. This way, you get easy email management from GMail as well as proper HTML email support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I may try this.
Thanks for the info.
I thought I was going crazy. I used iPhone 4 before and I didn't have any problem using Hotmail exchange (ActiveSync) and work Exchange. Now I have to click "Load more details" all the time on Galaxy Tab, and Infuse. It's bit of pain. I think it's more to do with the email client. If I use TouchDown or Hotmail (new from MS) client, they don't have issues.
I hope Samsung release new updated email clients.
Thanks,
You more than likely right. Its the email client, b/c the HTC Flyer and my HTC EVO3D don't have these issues.
Strange to attribute it to Samsung, Microsoft, etc., because Hotmail works normally (automatically loads all details) on Samsung's Galaxy Nexus phone. Why do they make it work (let it work?) there but not on the Galaxy tab?