IMAP IDLE on the Apache

answerman · #1 (**permalink**) 07-09-2007, 03:16 PM

Haven't seen this addressed in a while, so I thought I'd toss it out again.

Has anyone come up with an IMAP IDLE solution that actually works? The only two I have found are vgsmail (never came out of beta, and only works with one account) and FlexMail (which is unreliable and doesn't integrate well with the OS).

This would be a huge benefit for the Apache, since more and more professional email providers (myself included) have IDLE support on the server end and it should in theory radically improve battery life, since the Apache would wait for the server to tell it that new mail has arrived rather than having to go through the whole "Check for new messages every x minutes" thing.

For the uninitiated... the way IDLE works is that the server "pushes" the mail to the device, instead of the device having to check for mail. Kind of like the way a BlackBerry works... and somewhat like the Microsoft Direct Push setup, except that it doesn't use Outlook or Exchange (works with any provider that offers IMAP connectivity with IDLE support).

I've been using IDLE on Mozilla Thunderbird on my PC for several months and it is fantastic... I never have to check for new mail. It just arrives by itself as soon as the server receives it.

rodmann98 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-09-2007, 03:53 PM

Have you tried mail2web it offers a free push service and it works well with any email provier that allows for email fowarding. AOL does not work. Do a search for mail2web here there is a forum on it.

answerman · #3 (**permalink**) 07-09-2007, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodmann98

Have you tried mail2web it offers a free push service and it works well with any email provier that allows for email fowarding. AOL does not work. Do a search for mail2web here there is a forum on it.

Yeah, I know it's there, but that's not what I am looking for.

In this case I AM the email provider (I own a web hosting company) and I'm looking for IMAP IDLE specifically... it's light years beyond what mail2web offers. Mail2web just forwards POP accounts, where IMAP is a true sync connection (syncs all folders including Sent, Deleted, and custom subfolders, not just the Inbox). IMAP IDLE would make the Apache a true business-caliber device, where mail2web is more of a consumer-oriented thing.

It's doable, as the two examples I referred to in the OP show, but neither one of them are ready for prime time.

**schettj** · #4 (**permalink**) 07-09-2007, 06:13 PM

I gave up and live with hourly polling of imap. It's a good exercise in letting go

runt · #5 (**permalink**) 07-09-2007, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schettj

I gave up and live with hourly polling of imap. It's a good exercise in letting go

i do the same. since you can only sync one email account in active sync, the exchange server where i work gets that honor

**nuguy** · #6 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 07:56 AM

I haven't played with it yet, but doen't Smarter Mail do this? it actually has a synch relationship if I am not mistaken. My provider Infosaic.com is rolling out the newest version within the next 6-8 days. I will play and report....

answerman · #7 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nuguy

I haven't played with it yet, but doen't Smarter Mail do this? it actually has a synch relationship if I am not mistaken. My provider Infosaic.com is rolling out the newest version within the next 6-8 days. I will play and report....

Yeah, SmarterMail is the mail server I run for my hosting customers. That's the issue... it supports IDLE, but the 6700 (and most WM5 devices) don't. Without a WM5 client that supports IDLE, it doesn't do you any good.

Apparently it's not supported in WM6 either (apparently Microsoft wants everyone to use Exchange... grr!)