Best email account for iPhone?

SteveU30 · 16-06-2009, 1:26 PM

I've just got my iPhone 3G this week and have already hit a snag (albeit a minor one).

It's not the iPhone's fault but my Virgin Media email account isn't very flexible in that once a device downloads mail from the server then it disappears from the server so that another device can't read it also.

I want all my emails to go to my main desktop computer but I'd also like to be able to 'check in on' emails periodically from my iPhone.

The only way I can see that I can do this is to set up a 'forward' in my Virgin Media account (thankfully it can do this at least) and then have it send them on to a second email account on my iPhone.

My question is which email account works best with iPhone? i.e. Googlemail, Yahoomail, etc...?

leeb-1977 · 16-06-2009, 1:28 PM

i use yahoo mail on mine - works a treat

daymouse · 16-06-2009, 1:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveU30

I've just got my iPhone 3G this week and have already hit a snag (albeit a minor one).

It's not the iPhone's fault but my Virgin Media email account isn't very flexible in that once a device downloads mail from the server then it disappears from the server so that another device can't read it also.

I want all my emails to go to my main desktop computer but I'd also like to be able to 'check in on' emails periodically from my iPhone.

The only way I can see that I can do this is to set up a 'forward' in my Virgin Media account (thankfully it can do this at least) and then have it send them on to a second email account on my iPhone.

My question is which email account works best with iPhone? i.e. Googlemail, Yahoomail, etc...?

Personally love googlemail matey, seein as it never actually deletes an email you can always go back and find it by searching

Zarch · 16-06-2009, 1:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveU30

I've just got my iPhone 3G this week and have already hit a snag (albeit a minor one).

It's not the iPhone's fault but my Virgin Media email account isn't very flexible in that once a device downloads mail from the server then it disappears from the server so that another device can't read it also.

I want all my emails to go to my main desktop computer but I'd also like to be able to 'check in on' emails periodically from my iPhone.

The only way I can see that I can do this is to set up a 'forward' in my Virgin Media account (thankfully it can do this at least) and then have it send them on to a second email account on my iPhone.

My question is which email account works best with iPhone? i.e. Googlemail, Yahoomail, etc...?

Are you talking about outlook deleting them when it delivers them to your computer?

If so, just stop it doing that: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ou...507931033.aspx (open up the pop3 details)

This should do exactly what you're after.

You'll just have to remember to manage your account better though by deleting unwanted mails as you could end up with a full mailbox!

Although there is the "remove from your server after x days" option too.

SteveU30 · 16-06-2009, 1:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickwall

Are you talking about outlook deleting them when it delivers them to your computer?

If so, just stop it doing that: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ou...507931033.aspx (open up the pop3 details)

This should do exactly what you're after.

You'll just have to remember to manage your account better though by deleting unwanted mails as you could end up with a full mailbox!

Although there is the "remove from your server after x days" option too.

Nice one, didn't realise the server deleting bit was done by Outlook.

I'll look at that first then!!

Cheers,
Steve

Zarch · 16-06-2009, 1:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveU30

Nice one, didn't realise the server deleting bit was done by Outlook.

My pleasure!

niall@inkything · 16-06-2009, 1:40 PM

I thought you were talking about your Iphone deleting messages before Outlook has a chance to download them.

If that had been it, you can fix the iphone thus: On your iPhone go to Settings - Mail, Contacts, Calendars - Accounts - (choose your Virgin Account ) - down at the bottom find 'Advanced' and on 'delete from server' change the setting to 'Never'.

Note that unless one of your programs deletes old emails off the server - even if only every few days - your server will eventually fill up and start bouncing emails. So watch out for that.

And for the one who praised Googlemail - my messages are forever going missing off that. I have two PCs checking my Gmail accounts and one or both of them is/are deleting the messages off the server. I seem to have worked round it by forwarding copies to my regular email address, but it's bloddy annoying...

Zarch · 16-06-2009, 1:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niall@inkything

No, i think he's talking about his Iphone deleting messages before Outlook has a chance to download them.

On your iPhone go to Settings - Mail, Contacts, Calendars - Accounts - (choose your Virgin Account ) - down at the bottom find 'Advanced' and on 'delete from server' change the setting to 'Never'.

I think a bit of both Niall. If he takes both our bits of advice i think he'll get where he wants to be!

SteveU30 · 16-06-2009, 2:33 PM

Yep, sounds good to me chaps, thankyou!!

ash · 17-06-2009, 1:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niall@inkything

And for the one who praised Googlemail - my messages are forever going missing off that. I have two PCs checking my Gmail accounts and one or both of them is/are deleting the messages off the server. I seem to have worked round it by forwarding copies to my regular email address, but it's bloddy annoying...

I have had 2 Gmail accounts setup on my iPhone for nearly 2 years now, fine.

Gary D · 17-06-2009, 7:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niall@inkything

And for the one who praised Googlemail - my messages are forever going missing off that. I have two PCs checking my Gmail accounts and one or both of them is/are deleting the messages off the server. I seem to have worked round it by forwarding copies to my regular email address, but it's bloddy annoying...

I've got 2 Gmail accounts on 2 PC's and the iphone and its never missed a beat. Best email you can get IMO.

G

Hitby · 17-06-2009, 7:12 AM

Basically you need an IMAP account rather than a POP account. You can set up most free email addresses as IMAP these days - personally I think gmail is pretty unbeatable!

simon69c · 17-06-2009, 7:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niall@inkything

And for the one who praised Googlemail - my messages are forever going missing off that. I have two PCs checking my Gmail accounts and one or both of them is/are deleting the messages off the server. I seem to have worked round it by forwarding copies to my regular email address, but it's bloddy annoying...

Best off using IMAP to access your googlemail - that way everything is synchronised to what is on the googlemail servers and you avoid issues of one device downloading some messages and another device downloading others (as can occur with pop if you aren't careful).

I have my "regular" email account auto forward everything to gmail and then when i check gmail I get both it and my regular email. It also serves as a very useful email backup so I don't need to worry about backing up a huge inbox from my computer.

guvvie · 17-06-2009, 8:47 AM

I use google mail and yahoo on mine, plus I am on virgin too. I wanted to recieve email from people in my outlook contact list and no one else so I set up a rule to forward these to my googlemail account. I like googlemail as I can send emails and it appears that it has come from my ntlworld address, so if someone hits reply I don't have to check two accounts on my pc. I then forward everything recieved at googlemail to yahoo so I can use push rather than fetch. If anyone knows of an easier way of doing that please let me know.

fayraz · 17-06-2009, 10:30 AM

When I got my iPhone I changed from Hotmail to Googlemail and I am glad I did.

darren68uk · 17-06-2009, 12:15 PM

Gmail is just so versatile, love it, i also have hotmail as it was an old account but found setting up apain on iphone, and takes up to 20 secs to check servers, but gmail is rapid, plus i always have my desktop home page as google as its plan and simple but at a click ive got mail/shopping/googlemaps,,,

RobM · 17-06-2009, 12:17 PM

I'm a big Google fan and I think Googlemail is by far the best webmail solution at the moment.

BUT... if you want the best iPhone email experience, don't overlook MobileMe and it's Push functionality.

ash · 17-06-2009, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobM83

I'm a big Google fan and I think Googlemail is by far the best webmail solution at the moment.

BUT... if you want the best iPhone email experience, don't overlook MobileMe and it's Push functionality.

Is there no chance of GMail introducing push to iPhone now?

simon69c · 17-06-2009, 1:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ash

Is there no chance of GMail introducing push to iPhone now?

I suspect it is more a question of when rather than if. GMail already syncs calendar and contacts with the iPhone via push. I believe the stumbling block with regards push email is that Gmail uses "IMAP idle" which supposedly isn't currently supported by Apple's push service for the iPhone. I should think it will be resolved at some stage - by one side or the other.

alan280170 · 17-06-2009, 2:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeb-1977

i use yahoo mail on mine - works a treat

I have a problem that if I check it on my iphone first and then go to a computer and open up my yahoo the messages are not there, but are still on my phone, do I need to configure something?

Alan

fayraz · 17-06-2009, 2:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alan280170

I have a problem that if I check it on my iphone first and then go to a computer and open up my yahoo the messages are not there, but are still on my phone, do I need to configure something?

Alan

I suspect you have got it setup as POP on the iPhone and not IMAP, have a look at your settings.

EEC3 · 17-06-2009, 2:59 PM

Surely the best email account is MobileMe?

It does cost money but it works absolutely flawlessly with the iphone so if you are looking for the best then look no further. You get webspace and online disk space as well