A bit back we shared with you a list that RIM provided of webmail accounts that give you real time delivery with BIS (BlackBerry Internet Service). RIM has been kind enough to also adds some more information in a nice and easy to digest chart that shows you the email reconciliation features. This breaks it down by email type/service and what features you get with each. Very useful if you are tying to decide which features you care about most. Real time delivery, two way read/unread reconciliation, saving sent items, wireless deletion… This just lays it out straight by comparing them across BIS and BES.
| Source | Wireless Deletion | Save Sent Items | Wireless read/unread status |
| Microsoft Outlook Web Access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Exchange (BES) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| IBM Lotus Domino (BES) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Yahoo! Mail | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Live Hotmail or MSN | No | Yes | No |
| AOL | Yes | No | Yes |
| Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) | Yes | N/A | N/A |
| Internet Message Access Protocol 4 (IMAP4) | Yes | Yes, in some cases | Yes |
| Gmail | Yes | Yes | No |
So far it looks like Yahoo Mail or Outlook Web Access seem to be the best options since Gmail does not have the Wireless read/unread option. The thing that I cannot understand is how RIM manages to do wireless read/unread with regular IMAP4 but cannot do it with Gmail… I know Gmail is setup a little different but I am sure it is possible.
chum Not Registered
Posted: April 29, 2009 at 2:14 PM EST
I agree, I loved using Yahoo Mail with my BB. True 2-way sync even for deleted items. Now that I’ve been on Gmail I still miss the 2-way sync.
Come on RIM and Google!
KeNNethX Not Registered
Posted: April 29, 2009 at 3:26 PM EST
I am using Gmail on an 8320 (via POP3) and recently read/unread started working on my Gmail accounts.
JerryD Not Registered
Posted: April 29, 2009 at 4:54 PM EST
The above chart is somewhat inaccurate as far as Gmail goes.
I have four Gmail accounts set up (through AT&T) with POP3, and when I read an email on my BlackBerry, it gets marked as Read in Gmail, but unfortunately it doesn’t work the other way around.
That said, I tried IMAP with Gmail, and although the delivery was quicker, Reads didn’t reconcile.
Ronen Halevy ( View Profile) Senior admin - Posts: 5298
Posted: April 29, 2009 at 6:12 PM EST from my BlackBerry 9000
You are right about gmail
With pop3 you get read unread status updates but it does not save sent messages
With imap you get sent messages saved but not read or unread
I can recreate the read/unread status but not the saved messages
Josh Not Registered
Posted: April 29, 2009 at 6:29 PM EST
I cannot seem to get my AIM.com email to sync read status. Am I doing something wrong? According to this table it should work, right?
Gavin Not Registered
Posted: April 30, 2009 at 9:00 AM EST
I think this is out of date. As of the latest update to the BIS gmail supports all. It saves sent msg’s as well as marking msg’s as read/unread. I think the key to getting them working is to remove and re add your gmail account. It all works for me.
Ronen Halevy ( View Profile) Senior admin - Posts: 5298
Posted: April 30, 2009 at 9:07 AM EST from my BlackBerry 9000
Still not working for me on AT&T with gmail. I don’t get read unread status and I have added and removed the account 3 times
Joe Not Registered
Posted: May 12, 2009 at 4:02 PM EST
You only get 1 way sync on the blackberry with IMAP and gmail, meaning if you read it on your blackberry, it will be marked as read in gmail. But if you read it online in gmail, it will not be marked read on your blackberry.
Julie Not Registered
Posted: August 26, 2009 at 10:10 PM EST
This link will take you to the updated information… http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/dynamickc.do?externalId=KB05133&sliceID=1&command=show&forward=nonthreadedKC&kcId=KB05133