Vario III

[Guest zackman]

The Vario III is packed full of goodies but I'm unsure about the "instant email" T-Mobile are advertising on their website. How does it work? A colleague has a Blackberry Pearl 8100 and it is great for instant email which is one thing I must have but I'd prefer the Vario III to any Blackberry due to it's goodies. Is V III instant email really instant like with a Blackberry? If not then i guess the new Blackberry 8310 Curve would have to do the trick.

Appreciate advice here anyone. I want the V III but not if email isn't workable.

** I should point out i don't have an Exchange Server. I use a UNIX server and get emails via POP3 through Pipex...

Cheers

;)

Edited October 6, 2007 by zackman

[Guest the_ape]

The 'instant mail' is just that, instant.... It's based on the Microsoft Direct Push technology, and for all intense and purpose is done in the same way as the BB's do it.

It's not quite identical, as if you have a server at home, then you can run your own mail server (like I do), wheras the Blackberry corp software is insanely expensive.

However, if you still want to use the Blackberry service dont worry, the WM devices can run the Blackberry connect software, so best of both worlds.

[Guest Phil Lee]

If you have your own server you could sign up for a free push service like mail2web Live and forward your mail to it then set your Vario up to get mail from the mail2web Exchange server. That's what I do with my NTL email.

[Guest jimbouk]

Or you can enjoy full exchange server client functionality with someone like 4smartphone.

[Guest Neil5459]

Just to add to all the above- T-Mobile's Instant Email is actually their BlackBerry service, designed to be used on a BB hardware device. I'm not sure if they offer it as a BBConnect service on WM devices, but if they do there will be a significant charge for the service.

The Vario III (as all WM5 SP2 devices onwards) supports AUTD (Always Up To Date) Email/ContactsCalendar services, usually called Direct Push, but you need a suitable AUTD server. Some have their own Microsoft Echange 2003 server, some use BB Connect, and some subscribe to services like 4Smartphone, as JimboUK suggests. The free Mail2Web live service is OK but has some major limitations for power users.

I've used 4Smartphone for the past 2 years, and the service is impeccable, plus you get a free copy of Outlook 2007, though the costs are rising, and for the standard service is now $12 per month. This is still cheaper however than most BB connect services which cost upwards of £10 per month. Both of these exclude data charges for the transfer of information.

[Guest zackman]

Hi and thanks to you all.

With the BB we simply set up an Googlemail alias on the work server (UNIX) so that incoming email for the BB user went to their work email and their Gmail account (for Pop3). We then setup the Blackberry to receive the Gmail and then the reply setup was straightforward. Was quite simple and works well.

I read what you say about the V III so I wonder if I can do the same using Gmail rather than going via the likes of 4SmartPhone?

If you only used a Pop3 setup like Gmail/Yahoo/MSN surely the V III would be able to grab those?

Sorry if I sound a little thick but if the BB setup was simple I wonder if that same setup could work for the V III.

Appreciate any advice.

Thanks