How are emails handled on an handheld device
Jun 14, 2006 | 5:25 am
#1
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How are emails handled on an handheld device
Looking at a new Nokia N70 and the N70 has 3G,
How does the email work; and how do you stop the problem of having multiple emails doubling up between your inbox on your computer and the hand held device.
This question could relate to any other cell phones.
Downloading emails on a standard 2G phone hasn't really been useful due to slow speed.
For lots of emails then a Blackberry would be the better solution but then you still have the problem of dealing with emails doubling up everywhere.
How does the email work; and how do you stop the problem of having multiple emails doubling up between your inbox on your computer and the hand held device.
This question could relate to any other cell phones.
Downloading emails on a standard 2G phone hasn't really been useful due to slow speed.
For lots of emails then a Blackberry would be the better solution but then you still have the problem of dealing with emails doubling up everywhere.
Jun 14, 2006 | 7:03 am
#2
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I don't know about the specific devices you mention, but the general solution is: use IMAP, not POP. Unfortunately some cellphones only seem to support POP, and many mailservers only support POP as well.
Basically, POP is a protocol to download messages from the server, whereas IMAP is a protocol to synchronize files on a server and client (specifically mail, though its architecture is a bit more generic.) Sure, you can configure POP clients to leave the message on the server, but it's not really built for that type of synchronization. IMAP has features like server-side searching and so on, letting you just grab an index (or partial index even) and have the server perform operations for you. This can speed things up immensely, especially on a slow connection, with a properly-implemented client.
For what its worth, I do have my mail synched locally via IMAP (with Mail.app), but attachments not automatically downloaded. If I need to check my mail from a remote location I can always ssh in and use pine (yeah, yeah, I should've switched to mutt years ago, I know.) I've set up OPIE (one-time password mechanism) and found a cool Java applet called VeJOTP that runs on my phone to generate the one-time passphrases, so I can just use putty if needed and log in securely from any random public machine without having my password stolen
. (Worst risk would be somebody screen grabbing whatever I look at in that session. I suppose the machine could be hijacked via some other remote-access software while I'm using it though... Still, a lot better than logging into random webmail with your regular password from an unsecured machine.) I've tried regular phone IMAP clients (just on simple devices, no PDA-type phones) and not been impressed with any of them...
Basically, POP is a protocol to download messages from the server, whereas IMAP is a protocol to synchronize files on a server and client (specifically mail, though its architecture is a bit more generic.) Sure, you can configure POP clients to leave the message on the server, but it's not really built for that type of synchronization. IMAP has features like server-side searching and so on, letting you just grab an index (or partial index even) and have the server perform operations for you. This can speed things up immensely, especially on a slow connection, with a properly-implemented client.
For what its worth, I do have my mail synched locally via IMAP (with Mail.app), but attachments not automatically downloaded. If I need to check my mail from a remote location I can always ssh in and use pine (yeah, yeah, I should've switched to mutt years ago, I know.) I've set up OPIE (one-time password mechanism) and found a cool Java applet called VeJOTP that runs on my phone to generate the one-time passphrases, so I can just use putty if needed and log in securely from any random public machine without having my password stolen
. (Worst risk would be somebody screen grabbing whatever I look at in that session. I suppose the machine could be hijacked via some other remote-access software while I'm using it though... Still, a lot better than logging into random webmail with your regular password from an unsecured machine.) I've tried regular phone IMAP clients (just on simple devices, no PDA-type phones) and not been impressed with any of them...
Jul 14, 2006 | 10:56 pm
#3
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If you are running (or your firm) a blackberry enterprise server, you can have the option of removing e-mails from the handheld, your mailbox, or both.
Jul 14, 2006 | 11:36 pm
#4
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I run GoodLink on my Treo - My Outlook Inbox/Sent Items/Deleted Items are kept in synch between phone and Outlook mailbox. I receive messages on my phone and laptop within a second of each other. If I move, reply, delete, etc. on either device, it is reflected on the other device within 15 seconds.