Getting Gmail anywhere: IMAP versus POP
First thing it solves for me is Send HTML Signature with gmail. I can configure gmail with out look and use its features as well.
Now Gmail is providing IMAP. If you are using POP facility to download, read emails via outlook or something similar. It will not sync things you do in outlook with Gmail server.
For example: If you delete couple of emails it will still stay on the Gmail server
But if you use IMAP service it will solve this problem.
Here is the definition given in Gmail Blog for POP and IMAP.
1. A one-way communication path (POP). Your device asks us for data and pulls it from our servers -- but that's it. Things you do on your device have no effect on the server. If you read a message on your phone, then log in to Gmail, you will see that same message marked as unread. It may start to feel like Groundhog Day.
2. A two-way communication path (IMAP). Unlike with POP, your devices talk back to our servers and sync your changes automatically with IMAP. When you sign in to your Gmail account in a web browser, actions you've taken on your email client or mobile device (like putting a message in a 'work' folder) will also appear in Gmail (your message will already have a 'work' label on it).
This all happens automatically once you set up IMAP, so you don't have to read or sort all your mail twice. This is really helpful when accessing Gmail from multiple devices.
Lets have a look at how you can add your gmail account to Outlook 2003 with this cool IMAP.
1. Go to "Tools"
2. Select "Email Accounts"
3. Select "Add a new e-mail account"
4. Select "IMAP" Connect to an IMAP email server to download email and synchronize mailbox.
5. Type all the account detail
User Information
Your Name: Enter your name as you would like it to appear in the From: field of outgoing messages.
Email Address: Enter your full Gmail email address (username@gmail.com)
Server Information
Incoming mail server (IMAP): imap.gmail.com
Outgoing mail server (SMTP): smtp.gmail.com
Log-in Information
User Name: Enter your Gmail user-name (including @gmail.com)
Password: Enter your Gmail password
for the Gmail IMAP details help go to
http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=77695&topic=12891
6. then Click "More settings" and then click "Outgoing Server"
7. Check "My outgoing server(SMTP) requires authentication and put the user name and password.
8.Click the Advanced tab, and check the box next to This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL) under Incoming Server (IMAP).
9. Check the box next to This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL) under Outgoing Server (SMTP), and enter 465 in the Outgoing server (SMTP) box.
10. Click OK. You can test the account and click "Next and "Finish" Cool you can access your emails via outlook or any other email client software. Plus whatever you do with your emails will sync with Gmail Server.
