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Don't worry. I do it too. We gripe and get all fussy over a service provided for us for a grand total of ZERO dollars. Gmail and all of its friends have been under my microscope lately as I plan on using them as my default/main email/calendar/contacts hub. The only problem was Apple and Google had different ways of syncing and everything kept getting jumbled (I got frustrated - OK?)

Those nice people over at Google updated the gmail service today by adding push (exchange) service for some mobile devices - yes including the iPhone. I know some might say "What's Gmail?" and to that I say: you should have read the title of this post.

For those who say "What's push? and why do I need it on my iPhone?":

Well, it's not just the "push" that's important here. Google already supported push syncing for Google Calendars and Google Contacts. For some silly reason it didn't work for Gmail so Apple set up a separate IMAP account pane to deal with the absent feature. Now - Google has turned the mail syncing ON. and so should you. If Gmail is your primary email and you don't already have a Micro$oft Exchange account on your iPhone you this feature is for YOU.

You can either decipher the Google directions or mine or both:

- If you set up your Gmail account on your iPhone by syncing it with the Gmail on your computer's email client - well. stop that. There is no need to sync between your computer and your iPhone if they both sync wireless-like to the magic Google syncing center. So you'll want to turn that off next time you sync your iPhone (under the info tab).

- If you set up your Gmail account on your iPhone by adding a "Gmail account" in the iPhone settings menu - delete it. That setup was done by Apple and doesn't sync in the ideal Googly way. 

- If you set up your Google account on your iPhone by adding a "Microsoft Exchange account" in the iPhone settings menu - you're halfway there! (The Google account syncs not only Gmail but also your Google Calendar and Google Contacts - I might explain all that later) Simply select [Mail, Contacts, Calendars] from the Settings app then select your Google account (make sure it's the Exchange one). From that window you should be able to turn Mail syncing On. If you're like me, you had this account on your phone for Calendar syncing. I also had a Gmail account for just Gmail. If you did too. Delete it.

"Okay - I did what you said. Now what does this do for ME?"

When someone sends you an email - the minute their message enters your mailbox - *ding! you have an email notification. Before your phone checked every __ # of minutes to see if there were any new messages (depending on the frequency and how you use email this could drain battery life fast) Also, and more importantly, this setup allows all of your Gmail folders, tabs etc to sync beautifully and without creating multiple "Sent messages" folders and multiple "Trash/Deleted messages" (how annoying).

This little update will get more Gmail users to see the benefits of syncage and hopefully will get some of you to use Google Calendars and Google Contacts because HEY - they sync and push just like Gmail. still Zero dollars.

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It seems that I only blog when I'm trying to avoid something else (studying) or when I don't want to sacrifice a subject to twitters limited characters... I will do better. Speaking of inconsistency- I've been angry lately about my email functionality on my iPhone. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm an iPhone iPhreak and it is quite strange that I should have a problem.  I'm just tired of my "push" email not pushing! I'm about to have an Android developer phone to test gmail's push capabilities. Then we will see... a G1 with gmail pushed and an iPhone 3g with MobileMe pushed... which one will win the battle!  Another idea that I had today: I know that the Starbucks - iTunes syncing at Sbux locations is kinda sketchy and unfinished but I think it has great promise. Right now I'm in a sbux and my iTunes recognizes that I'm in a sbux but can't tell me what I'm listening to. Shazam can but thats more work.  I have an idea for you Starbucks! let customers add songs to a queue (like a jukebox) so that the songs they like can be heard over the speakers! Not a novel idea but quite fancy. The song list can be limited to sbux approved content and everything. Oh and hey Howard...    ONWARD!  In other news: I'm a member of a new vocal ensemble in Birmingham called Ausreisser (runaways in German). We have a new iWeb website at www.ausreisserchoir.com . It's pretty simple but functional all the same. If you want to see the password protected content of the site leave me a comment and I might let you in. I've been pretty busy in school but in my free time I like to keep it updated for the choir.  more later.

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