Google Sync: Now with push Gmail support

It is likely that you have, even if you don’t use regularly a Gmail email account.

You have always been able to connect to the account via a mobile device using the traditional pull mechanism, that pulls new emails down to your handset, thus enabling you to read and respond to your email whilst away from the PC.

A technology that has long been available is ‘push’ email which results in any email that hits your inbox being directly sent to your mobile device, as opposed to the pull mechanism where emails were only received on the mobile device when you asked it to.

Push technology solutions only work if your mobile device has the technology and your email provider offers push services.

Windows Mobile devices have long supported such technology, but your email provider may have not provided the push facility. Very few online/ISP email services do unless you pay a premium.

To offer push services there needs to be an exchange server, which can be configured to push emails to users mobile devices as and when emails arrive.  This setup is common for businesses and ISP’s have always had exchange servers, but very few offered push email services.

The most demanding user will have subscribed to a service provider (usually having paid a reasonable fee) to get such.  This way any mails sent to that users email address got directly sent to their mobile device that they had configured to connect to it, the moment the email arrived.

The majority of email users will not have subscribed to such or even contemplated the need to have the email, the moment it arrives, often waiting an hour or more to check their mail.

However you can now get ‘push’ email services for FREE from Google’s Gmail service.
Announced yesterday the online giant has enabled this service for all users of Gmail.  If you have a Windows Mobile, iPhone or iPod Touch device you can take advantage of this service and get your emails even quicker than before.

This sync solution works with your phone’s native email application so there’s no additional software needed. Only interested in syncing your Gmail, but not your Calendar? Google Sync allows you to sync just your Contacts, Calendar, or Gmail, or any combination of the three.

To try Google Sync, visit m.google.com/sync from your computer.

To set up you mobile device, find out how to HERE

Important! Google Sync uses the Microsoft® Exchange ActiveSync® protocol. When setting up a new Exchange ActiveSync account on your Windows Mobile device, existing data may be removed from your phone. Please make sure to back up before you set up Google Sync.