Gmail setup: default or using ms exchange?

[ribbon]

Hi,

I noticed that a lot of you guys set up your gmail accounts as a ms exchange account instead of selecting the "gmail" option.

What is the difference in setting up a gmail account on this way?

Thanks

 

[fallenfeenux]

the only reason, that i know of, for using ms exchange instead of gmail is instant push notification

 

[TLewis]

http://guides.macrumors.com/iOS_Email_Recommendations

 

[Capric0rn]

If it's important for you to receive emails the instant they're being sent to you, than Exchange would be your best choice for the ability to use Push notifications. If it doesn't really matter to you then you could just use the default Gmail settings in iOS and set up a interval for the mail app to look for new email.

 

[FlatlinerG]

For the exact reason that was provided in the posts above mine. GMail by default does not support push notifications; however, when setup as a MS Exchange account it will do push.

 

[ribbon]

so my next question would be: since exchange supports push... does that drain more battery? because as far as i know, if i set up my gmail account using the "default gmail option", and select push instead of checking manually (every one hour, for example), the battery is drained really fast. does this happen when setting up the account using exchange?

thanks to everyone!

 

[Chabba]

I use both. Gmail setup for email, notes and calendar. I use exchange for my Google contacts. I don't use anything else for my contacts, no locally stored contacts.

 

[rctlr]

imap for email, exchange for everything else.
problem with gmail is there is no reminders capability that was introduced in ios5.

 

[TLewis]

so my next question would be: since exchange supports push... does that drain more battery? because as far as i know, if i set up my gmail account using the "default gmail option", and select push instead of checking manually (every one hour, for example), the battery is drained really fast. does this happen when setting up the account using exchange?

The "default gmail option" does not support push -- it supports fetch.

If you're seeing your battery drained quickly, you're likely spending a lot of your time in an area with no/poor wifi/cellular service. Push might help slightly, but you'll still likely to see poor battery life. Basically, your device (you haven't said what) is trying to talk to the network, but is having lots of difficulty, which sucks your battery dry.

Bottom line: neither fetch nor push work well in areas with poor signal.

 

[takeshi74]

(nm)

 

[kcmo]

Is anyone else still experiencing issues with Gmail set-up as exchange, such as the mail app freezing, delayed emails coming in (I'm talking hours), deleted emails being redelivered, etc?

This is the main reason that I left the iPhone 4S after 5 months and went back to Blackberry. I REALLY wanted to stick with it, but after 2 Genius appointments, and restoring the phone twice, nothng changed and I'd had it.

I set up my Gmail account via Exchange because I needed my calendar and contacts to sync with Gmail, and I wanted true push email. Could never sort out why it wouldn't work properly.

I figure there must be tons of you out there who need the same setup and I am wondering how it's going. I had a family member who experienced the same issues as myself and ended up giving up the phone.

Was VERY frustrating! Wish it would get fixed so I could come back.

 

[sk1wbw]

Or you can download the free Gmail app from Google and it is instant, even gives push notifications.

 

[TLewis]

Is anyone else still experiencing issues with Gmail set-up as exchange, such as the mail app freezing, delayed emails coming in (I'm talking hours), deleted emails being redelivered, etc?

It works great for me and others. Out of all of the email services that I use, gmail w/google sync is easily the fastest/most responsive.

However, it's possible that your problem is at google's end. Google isn't exactly known for their customer service.

Alternatively, the only other (pretty unlikely) possibilities that come to mind are:

• You have some weird gmail filtering rules.
• You have some weird filtering rules on a desktop/web client.
• You have some desktop client/web service putting email back into your account, effectively "undeleting" them.

 

[kcmo]

It works great for me and others. Out of all of the email services that I use, gmail w/google sync is easily the fastest/most responsive.

However, it's possible that your problem is at google's end. Google isn't exactly known for their customer service.

Alternatively, the only other (pretty unlikely) possibilities that come to mind are:

• You have some weird gmail filtering rules.
• You have some weird filtering rules on a desktop/web client.
• You have some desktop client/web service putting email back into your account, effectively "undeleting" them.

Just bizarre considering I'd set up a family member's Gmail account the same way and she started to experience the same issues as I did. I followed the setup directions online that have been posted here and on other forums. Just couldn't ever figure out the issue. One of the genius guys at Apple told me that it was a mail app issue and hopefully Apple would fix it with their next software release.

Does Google Sync allow for syncing of calendar and contacts too? And it pushes mail?

Thanks!

 

[TLewis]

Does Google Sync allow for syncing of calendar and contacts too? And it pushes mail?

Uh, just to be clear, google sync is the ms exchange interface that seems to be causing you problems. (And, yes, it does do calendar/contacts sync, as well as gmail push. The only real issue is that contacts sync is done as one big steamy pile, and ignores any contacts groups that you have.)

I don't know what "instructions" you followed, but the official google sync instructions are here.

 

[TLewis]

Just bizarre considering I'd set up a family member's Gmail account the same way and she started to experience the same issues as I did.

I should also say that being in an area with poor/nonexistent 3G/edge signal and no usable wifi might also cause these issues. However, your battery life would likely be miserable if this were the case.

Edit: weird, the forum software didn't merge my posts?

 

[kcmo]

Uh, just to be clear, google sync is the ms exchange interface that seems to be causing you problems. (And, yes, it does do calendar/contacts sync, as well as gmail push. The only real issue is that contacts sync is done as one big steamy pile, and ignores any contacts groups that you have.)

I don't know what "instructions" you followed, but the official google sync instructions are here.

These are the exact instructions I followed. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why I could never get mail working consistently. Just doesn't make sense.

 

[Hastings101]

I use the exchange version so that I get push notifications. The "gmail" way doesn't seem to support push.

 

[b24pgg]

since exchange supports push... does that drain more battery?

Theoretically yes, but the difference is pretty negligible unless you receive hundreds of emails a day.

 

[JMG]

Theoretically yes, but the difference is pretty negligible unless you receive hundreds of emails a day.

I have been led to believe quite the opposite. A non-push setup will periodically have the check the mail servers for new mail, thereby eating up batterry in doing so, while push setups will only be sent data when there is new data to be sent ie mail. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[bripab007]

I have been led to believe quite the opposite. A non-push setup will periodically have the check the mail servers for new mail, thereby eating up batterry in doing so, while push setups will only be sent data when there is new data to be sent ie mail. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Push email has to keep a constant IP connection open to the Gmail Exchange servers, vs Fetch, which only connects X times per hour. So, no, Fetch will use less battery than Push.

 

[kcmo]

I use the exchange version so that I get push notifications. The "gmail" way doesn't seem to support push.

And have you experienced any of the issues I wrote about above with this setup? Mail app freezing, delayed incoming mail, delivery of emails you'd previously deleted, etc.?

 

[Hastings101]

And have you experienced any of the issues I wrote about above with this setup? Mail app freezing, delayed incoming mail, delivery of emails you'd previously deleted, etc.?

I haven't had any of those issues, sounds like you might need to reset your phone.

 

[kcmo]

I haven't had any of those issues, sounds like you might need to reset your phone.

Wow....I did reset the phone twice and it didn't help. Ended up selling it and going back to Blackberry. I guess I should have demanded a new phone from Apple. When I asked at my second genius appt, I was told that since diagnostics showed the phone as working fine, if they gave me a replacement then I would get no warranty or additional support. I was so turned off by that point (my first iPhone), that I left with the intent to get rid of the phone.

 

[bripab007]

I never had the greatest luck with Gmail's ActiveSync implementation: it seemed push was spotty, search didn't work, there were constraints on contact information syncing (smaller photos, fewer field, etc.), etc.