Is the default mail client on the ipad better than using the web interface (the shiny new one with split pane view)?

I like it, but it can't search Gmail's archives. I get so much mail that my iPhone and iPad are only really 2-3 day moving windows across all of the mail I get. For real correspondence, I still use a computer — or, my Blackberry, which has a good Gmail client for searching archives.

Awesome, detailed outline.

If the default choices offered by a major technology manufacturer is wanting in any way (even on something as awesome as an iPad), I can count on Echeng to research the hell out of all the available options and post helpful suggestions on how to extract that last bit of performance out of our tools.

Great blog post.

Great instructions. I've been configuring my Gmail accounts on my Macs, iPhones and iPads wrong all this time :)

Thank you for a bunch of instructions! I really needed it..

Using “Deleted Mailbox > Trash” seems to delete your mail instead of archiving it.

Argh. You are totally right. I will amend the post. Google's default IMAP trash behavior actually archives to a label called “Deleted Messages” — that's what I'll amend the post to include.

Thanks, it is helped
Angie

I found it better to setup gmail as a microsoft exchange account. This way you can sync your gmail contacts and calendar items as well.

Hence, “Alternatively, you can set up your iPhone or iPad to talk to Google using ActiveSync (Exchange). I’ve been doing this for awhile now, and it’s been working perfectly.”

But you can't set an alternate reply address if you use Exchange.

My bad i didn't read the last sentence :)

Another way is to open gmail on safari, press the + sign to add it to your homepage on the iPad. Then it looks like a nice separate gmail app and you can then move the icon next to your other mail app at the bottom of your screen. If you don't mind having a second icon for email that is.

Perfect. Thank you!

Looking at Gmail, it does not have a Deleted Messages box, at least not inmy account. My goal is to be able to view emails from my PC & iPad and never allowing them to be deleted from the gmail server. Ideally it would be nice if the PC and iPad matched inboxes.

Thanks. Setting it up with imap has worked for me.

I followed the instructions and while I'm receiving email, I cannot send mail. They are stuck in the outbox. My outgoing server is set to smtp.gmail.com. Any ideas?

Thanks very much Eric, this has solved a difficult problem for me, much appreciated Peter Blakey

Very handy to have drafts shared between MacBook and iPad. Too bad the default setup does not do this in a reliable way.

I tried and tried for over an hour following EXACTLY what you said. It keeps saying my user name or password for my gmail account is not correct but it is. I gave up and deleted it. I cant tell you how frustrated I am.

This worked after I fat fingered my password and fixed that. THANKS for providing this – I was getting very frustrated after trying Exchange.

I’m tryhing to set up my Gmail account on my shiny new iPad. I did not even get the request for income and outgoing mail server. I went to iTunes and downloaded an iPad software upgrade – it took nearly an hour to download and install. Grrr. However, I did finally get the request for the mail server info in the Add Mail Account window. However, I now get an error message that “The IMAP service “imap.gmail.com” is not responding.” Any suggestions?

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU….this helped me reset my password after I changes it do to hackers.

The trouble is that the author does not track the change in the situation, as google continues to “slip” this decision as the most correct.

In fact, the best solution (oddly enough) on a home service site: http://mail.google.com/support.....swer=77702

Thank you so much for such great “walk me thru” instructions. I have been spending way too much time trying (without success!) to get mail set up. I was about to melt until I found this ~

I just wrote a new post about Gmail and iPads / iPhones, which covers iOS 4: http://echeng.com/journal/2011.....one-ios-4/

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!! Your step by step directions are much easier than anything I found on goggle.com!

Great walktrough, thank you!

On my iPad it worked without problems, but on My iPhone4 I can’t change to store drafts, sent and deleted mails on the server. What could be wrong?

Regards Jocke, Sweden

Thank you, it worked great for me.

Thank you – it works great…

WONDERFUL! BUT MY IPad refuses to let me change the default to “ON THE SERVER”. What am I doing wrong?

Thank YOU!!! this is the solution! Great job!

I followed your instructions and all the mail that existed up until I opened the account shows up…….but new messages are not showing up? What should I do?

Hi   have followed these instructions – got a slight problem:

Email is being received but not sending out.  the following message is coming up:

smtp.gmail.com   failed

any ideas?  Does the system tie into an internet provider or go with anyone?

cheers

jays

Eric,

When setting up your gmail account on an Ipad and asked for a user name on the IMAP do you just make one up? I don’t recall ever being asked this before, hence I don’t think I have a user name. My attempt to set up gmail under “other account” failed.

Tim

Hi, Gmail is working but still all incoming mail is received in trash bin.

Thanks for that. I have just set up my iPad 2 using your guidelines, and it works fine.  Not like one or two other “help” lines. Peter

hye guys, i have 3 account and non are loading anything.  any ideas

awesome… no one can explain better than this

Can you set your calendar the same way?