[Ganagati]

All, any help that could be offered would be much appreciated.

I am currently on a trial period with the new BB 9700. I've had an iPhone from the 8gig first gen to the 32 gig 3GS. I've seen the phone progress from a cool idea to a legit multitasking tool (voice dialing, lots of very useful apps, copy-paste, multiple push emails - a lot of the features lauded by BB users when comparing their phones to previous iPhones). Unfortunately, though, iTunes is required to sync calendars (and everything else) on the iPhone, which means no work calendar. Also, the genius bar worker told me that although some days were 100% dropped call rate, the average was still only 25%, and that was average for the area I live in.

So here I am, trying to set up the new BB, which I've always heard is the email machine, and am left somewhat disappointed. The iphone was able to use microsoft activesync to push email and calendar between the phone and my school's email. The folders were all visible and it was easy to search through them. POP/IMAP has up to a 15 minute lag and offers no access to the folders or calendar. I also had a gmail account, which was used sparingly, that also gave access to all of the folders and labels and was pushed to the iPhone. On the BB, though, the lag is there and the interface between what is on the server is not there...

What I'm hoping for here is some help in setting these up correctly. Surely there is some learning curve and I just don't have "it," right? Looking through and learning all I can from the forums, it looks like the old school email offers activesync, but not BES. So that one won't work regardless of what I do. Next is gmail, which, again, was used sparingly - mostly because I am not a fan of gmail in general. To set it up, though, I've read about setting it up with the PIN (bis.na.blackberry.com/html?brand=mycingular)??? Trying to do that, though, I get errors. On the phone, it says "the site can not be accessed in this manner" while on the computer, it says "Your account is not accessible via the HTML browser." What I'm not understanding is two-fold - 1: What is the benefit for going that route, and 2: Why is it not working?

Next - as I'm not setting this up for work, I don't have BES there. It doesn't look like I can do my primary email through the school and have it be push. Because I've had that feature for a while now, I'm not wanting to backtrack - especially on a device that is the known for email - so what are my options? How do I get push?

Sorry for the long email... It's just frustrating to become the guy asking for help because all of this new-fangled technology is over my head.

Again, though. Any help or advice that could be offered would be appreciated. Thanks.

[aiharkness]

Wirelessly posted (8820)

If you are going to set up BIS email, either do it with the setup wizard on the device or at the web portal from a computer. You cannot do it at the web portal with the blackberry.

You will be able to add your work email account to BIS unless your work's system does not allow the BIS to connect, as far as I know. If you have trouble setting it up with just email address and password, then use the web portal and enter wrong information, and the BIS system will kick you over to an advanced settings page, and there you may be able to enter the necessary details to make it work.

[Dubdub]

To send and receive email on a BB, you must have a BB data plan.Email via BIS does come with a potential delay of up to 15 minutes. However, I run two companies and have never known that to be a problem. Do you really need instantaneous email access?

There is an entire section of our FAQ devoted to email. Check it out. Here is one article. How to add / delete email addresses - BlackBerryFAQ

For your school account, if they allow POP or IMAP access, you should be able to set it up in BIS. Talk to the IT Staff and or email administrator to get the settings.

[Ganagati]

Maybe the point of my post was a little lost in the rambling... That tends to happen.

What I'm wondering is whether or not the 9700 has the same email functionality as the iphone. Specifically, the push/instantaneous emails and the ability to view folders, view contents of those folders, and move messages in and out of the folders. Thus far, I'm able to connect to all of the accounts, but only to receive and send emails, not interface with the account. If it isn't possible with the gmail account or old school account, how does one do it (besides through work)?

I suppose none of that is really necessary, but when attempting to decide between the two phones, I'd prefer the one with the most capabilities. Its similar to the navigation in my car; it's completely unnecessary, but now that I'm used to it, I wouldn't want to get a car without it. Also, I have a hard time believing the iphone is better suited for emailing, which is supposed to be blackberry's staple

[aiharkness]

Wirelessly posted (8820)

You can't do what you want with the native blackberry software. There might be third party software. Someone posted a link just today in answer to a question about pulling email when desired. Find it and take a look at it.



"Better suited" depends on what you need. The blackberry is purpose built around push email. If that's not what you want, the blackberry may not be the best device for you. Use the device that best meets you needs.

[Ganagati]

Originally Posted by aiharkness

Wirelessly posted (8820)
"Better suited" depends on what you need. The blackberry is purpose built around push email. If that's not what you want, the blackberry may not be the best device for you. Use the device that best meets you needs.

aiharkness, thank you for your response. Push email is exactly what I'm looking for, but was under the impression that it wasn't possible with gmail. If it is not, how does one get it without going through a work BES?

[aiharkness]

Wirelessly posted (8820)

I can't tell you about gmail--- I don't use it. However, from reading the forum it sounds like gmail is virtually instantaneous, as is yahoo and windows live. I'm also aware that there is a gmail app, which may provide the folder navigation feature you are looking for, but I don't know. And, you can configure your gmail account as either POP3 or IMAP .... There's a lot of discussion about gmail on the forum. Pick a question and search and I know the answer is here somehwere. If you can't find an answer, post the question and someone will respond.

[aiharkness]

Wirelessly posted (8820)

Also, so there is no confusion, see

http://www.blackberryfaq.com/index.p..._on_BlackBerry

And

http://www.blackberryfaq.com/index.p...mail_addresses

All BIS email is pushed to the device. Yahoo, google and windows live email in BIS is almost instant. As is email sent to the carrier provided address. Other email inboxes (such as ISP accounts) are polled. When new mail is found, it is pushed to the device. The max interval is something like 15 minutes. When email is found, the polling will be more frequent until the inbox is found to be empty.

[Dubdub]

Originally Posted by Ganagati

aiharkness, thank you for your response. Push email is exactly what I'm looking for, but was under the impression that it wasn't possible with gmail. If it is not, how does one get it without going through a work BES?

Please use the SEARCH feature. I think you might be able to answer most of your questions that way.

Many have GMAIL coming to their BBs. There are a couple different ways to do so. The FAQ and SEARCH are good places to start. I only use Google Sync to keep my calendar in sync on multiple devices and cannot help with GMAIL at all.

If you start a new thread specifically asking about GMAIL, that might also get a response. But be sure you SEARCH first.

[Ganagati]

Originally Posted by Dubdub

Please use the SEARCH feature. I think you might be able to answer most of your questions that way.

Many have GMAIL coming to their BBs. There are a couple different ways to do so. The FAQ and SEARCH are good places to start. I only use Google Sync to keep my calendar in sync on multiple devices and cannot help with GMAIL at all.

If you start a new thread specifically asking about GMAIL, that might also get a response. But be sure you SEARCH first.

I promise you I did search first, and have read a number of threads, none of which answered the question of how to set it up so that you're able to view the folders set up on the email's server when looking at the blackberry.

Note, this is not gmail specific. I actually prefer to avoid gmail, yahoo, et cetra altogether, but as it is a more commonly used system, I thought it would be easiest to refer to it.

I apologize. Like I said in the title, I'm a bit overwhelmed as everything is so different.

What I've got so far is this - gmail works almost instantaneously (after setting it up, deleting, and resetting it up a number of times) as a POP/IMAP. Gmail software required to view calendar and previously sent emails or file structure. Old school address (previously the primary) is not instantaneous and likely won't be. No calendar syncing. No viewing of previous emails on the server or file structure. To have those capabilities, one needs access to BES, which is the blackberry equivalent to microsoft activesync.

Is that correct?

[Dubdub]

To do what you want to do, as said above, you need a BES solution or go back to the iPhone or Windows Mobile. Check "exchangemymail" , "mailstreet" or similar provider.

[bbgirl]

sir, there should be an icon on your bb for email setup. just enter your gmail address and password and your gmail account will be the account for the blacbkerry. You do not need a BES to use Gmail. You do need a BES for work email unless your exchange "guy" allows your exchange server to allow POP incoming and outgoing...(which can be confusing as hell...for non techies..)

so just go with Gmail, bud. Also, when you have that setup you need to go into message services, and make your gmail account the default.


Aaaafter that is all done, you will get two icons on your bb one for "Messages.." and one for "gmail" just hide one..and you are all set...

then login into your BIS and you will see your gmail listing (somewhere's) that will allow you to setup syncing the folders you select.

Now....

its been at least 8 months, since I have done any bb administering, but I just divorced my blackberry after 8 years, and was using my gmail account faithfully so i'm pretty sure of what I just said. but there may have been some changes as far as the folders and stuff, but hey...you know how to read...

good luck.

and let us know if you are all set and post what you had to do differently...


please.

[NJBlackBerry]

Wow.

[bbgirl]

Originally Posted by NJBlackBerry

Wow.

umm...huh?

[NJBlackBerry]

Poorly written and it appears you didn't actually read the thread.
Wow.

[HaTaX]

There's another option you have as well to get your company email / calendar / contacts, etc. on your BlackBerry without a BES...

AstraSync - BlackBerry ActiveSync Compatibility - Sync BlackBerry® to an Exchange ActiveSync® Server

I've never used their product, but for less then $5 a month it looks like it would accomplish exactly what you're looking for without the need for a BES server.

If you try it out, let us know how it works back here!

[bbgirl]

Of course I went back and read the thread (again)..and ultimately didnt he ask for assistance in setting up to use gmail? Now if I read too fast in which sometimes I do...I may have mis read the part in which he wants to use folders with gmail... and etc., which very generically (?) i explained how to do..

so MR. NJBlackberry instead of pointing out how you think I wrote up my way of performing what he asked "poorly" and that fact that I may have not read the thread at all, (which you really dont know, I could have not read it and still answered it this way,) why didn't you just answer his question yourself? Just as HaTaX did...

one thing I did read was your status which says "Retired" and because you were the moderator of this board, does this mean that I should be intimidated? geesh..potatoe<pototoe...at least I gave him some information that none of the other posters gave him. In fact one post was simply not correct.

is there a format to answering posts now...?


please let me know, before I answer try to give my opinion on any other posts...

[NJBlackBerry]

No, ms bbgirl, no reason to be intimidated, with our without a potato (where is Dan Qualye when you need him).

Just write in clear, concise sentences and everything will be fine. Rambling be bad.

Wow.

[bbgirl]

Okay sir, I understand...

"Concise sentences.......ugh"

[NJBlackBerry]

Good.