How bad is the mail client...
 

I am LOVING my N900. It is so fantastic.

But it is not without its downfalls [all software so sure to be fixed ]

The email client for me, is unbelievably bad.
1. It takes about 20mins to check my email.
2. It uses 100% cpu for the entire time it is checking.
3. Email that is read, deleted etc are not updated on the server-side, so when I check on a different client later, nothing I did on the N900 is reflected.
4. You can't do any searching.
5. It doesn't respect subscribed folder settings on the server

Is this just me, or do you all experience this and are hanging out for an upgrade in the email client like me?

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

No, I think the email client is pretty atrocious.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

are u sure?.. i did a test... i used to laptop then send an email on my email add.... tried it several times and my n900 receives 1st the email than my other laptop...

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

No searching, true.

I have none of your other problems. Works like a charm. In fact, I was impressed. Sorry to hear about your issues.

Edit:
Oh, and, as per design, server is updated on disconnection on POP access, not as-is-done. You need to manually disconnect the client to reflect changes.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

I am wondering if it's the amount of email I have on my account.

I tried moving a lot out of my inbox into a folder, but I think it tries to check all folders. I'd say I have about 20,000 emails.

But I get the same issue with my work account which is small, like only about 5,000 emails.

I'd like to test it by turning off any folder checking, but there is no option for that :(

I am jealous of you chase15

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

I have similar problems with my N900 and I ran out of knowledge how to fix the problem, did all my e-mail accounts several times but just sometimes takes ages to see the inbox as the client is updating it.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

I am using it with Gmail over IMAP, and i have seen 2, 3 and 4.

The 100% I can sort of cope with (many apps *briefly* spike the CPU), but it is annoying when listening to podcasts as it causes them to "stutter"

On a number of occasions I have seen items not getting marked as read (although that might be as I leave email on 30 minute updates).

The search thing is very anoying, but luckily I can just fire up a browser and serch via that ;)

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

Just off-topic. Is there a wiki or tracker of some sort that I can add my little issues/suggestions I am finding with the device or add my vote to existing issues raised?

Thanks

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

I find it really poor too!

I'm using Gmail over IMAP.

You can't search the emails,

You can't mark/ select multiple emails.

Opening a message takes ages,

Why does it not reflect what I do on the server. I don't want to be deleting messages twice!

I'm not impressed with this at all.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

im having horrible syncing problems with both my exchange and gmail.
i have it set to check every 30 minutes but it syncs randomly. sometimes days at a time. Anybody have this happen it them?

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

yea - i have it set to automatically check every hour and yet it can sometimes go hours without checking.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

Love my N900. My main reason to Jump from BB to N900 was to experience mobile computer. Love it!! But the mail for exchange sucks. I use exchange mail all day. I hope Nokia would include an upgrade to this feature sooner. If the MfE could work as BB (instant email/Push), no other device on earth could beat the N900. Hope someone in NOKIA is listening.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

yeah the client is terrible compared to other implementations of nokia messaging on s60.

my e71 would get emails before my computer.this takes forever to update andsent messages sit in a communal 'outbox' and get sent at next refresh.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

Well I see I am not an isolated case.

Hopefully this adds more weight to the issue and an update is on its way.

Thanks

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

you have over 25000 emails.

lose some weight. makes you run faster.
also get a knife.. everyone runs faster with a knife..duh

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

I have to agree that the E-mail client is horrendous. It took forever to check my e-mail even on 3G. They need to step up thei game asap.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

Ovi email works fast and almost flawless for me on the N900.

Am I doing something wrong? :D

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

Anyone know of any 3rd party exchange client to use with N900 for the time being?

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

For me, MfE is working OK, perhaps because I have it configured to sync only previous 30 days.

Another IMAP server (actually hosted Exchange) performs horribly. Like many, I just keep all my email in my inbox and use search to organize / find. I tried paring my inbox and sent email (largest folders, had probably 10 years of email in them) to about 300-700 messages and archiving the rest temporarily to test, but the client still crapped out.

Anyone having success against IMAP with any size folders? Or is it a folder size independent problem.

This is why I'm running an E71 in parallel (decent MfE performance and great IMAP client with profimail) and I have faith that Nokia or a 3rd party will address this before long. I'd like to get rid of the E71 and rely on just the N900.

My experience with the N900 has been great, seem more errors of omission than comission. But the email client is an exception. I probably would have been happier if they left it out and promised a decent mail client in a committed to future firmware release.

I've resorted to the browser to do IMAP email.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

See https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=5634

It is supposed to be fixed in the next firmware update.
Dealing with large folders (e.g. GMail) is also said to be fixed then.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

Guys
please please state which email solution you are using when you explain the problems you have. Modest as a client certainly has some limitations, but is it a Modest problem or the protocol or the server, or the way you have set it up. So please state:

are you using MfE or Nokia Messsaging, or IMAP/POP to access your server.
what is your back end service ? ie gmail, yahoo,exchange. If exchange, what version.

some of the problems here are known, some have fixes on the way, some are configuration, some are server side.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

As my main client anywhere I use alpine it works great. The only reason I'm not using it on the N900 is that there is no way to specify it what should be the default handler for mailto: and other links that one might want to use. Can anyone write up a tool to do so?

Now my problems with modest from what I've observed:

painfully slow no matter what connection
again no sent etc... server side
I have also observed it does not mark messages on the server read etc...
no way to tell it only check the following folders
MISSING FOLDERS!!!! I have an alpine alpine.bugs alpine.devel alpine.info folders and they aren't shown in modest.
Folder view... Very very bad way to view folders and subfolders...
i.e.
sourcemage
.bugs
.discuss

How am I supposed to know where something fits in... Especially with some of the larger subtrees.


As for my backend:
a fully IMAP compliant dovecot 1.2.8 server using Maildir storage. Using alpine there is no problem, using webmail(hastymail) there is no problem. Using modest... constant problems.

I have deinstalled MfE and Nokia Messaging from the system completly as I have no need for them. Also removed any activesync/camel stuff I was able to remove without fuss.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

my gmail is set up for IMAP4 and it still does not want to sync.
imhave a old yahoo mail accout. set that up and that doesnt want to sync either.
my exchange is syncing perfectly but the email app does not want to sync my other email accounts.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

Pretty sure I read somewhere on here a while ago that archiving messages in gmail cut down a lot on the 100% CPU and retrieval times.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

OK, so Modest isn't the quickest when dealing with IMAP accounts and it has a fair few other glitches... Hopefully these are just teething issues which will be dealt with very soon.

The thing that really bugs me though, is how it doesn't tell you how many new/unread emails you have in your mailbox(es). It's caused me to miss a really important email once already; and because visiting each inbox to check if they have anything is so slow, the whole thing is really really cumbersome...

I know these kind of comparisons aren't welcome but I do hope that someone who has a chance to work on Modest takes a quick look at the below pictures and grasps what needs to be done - just add the number of new emails on the account summary screen...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2752/...d102bc0d60.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/...3c1c4206b0.jpg

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

I know the frustration sxc
You are better off than me, as you can use Modest, I can't. 20mins to check emails and then 20mins to apply any flags to emails read etc. Then 20mins to check again, that's an hour to do something that takes a few seconds on a desktop, mutt or webmail client. So I am using these means until modest becomes usable.

This and the camera haze issue makes me wonder how little QA went into this; issues that would have been picked up straight away.

Don't get me wrong, I am not whinging, I am glad to have it and I love my N900 and I realise Nokia was pushing out as fast as possible, but just another week [a day to be honest] would have picked these things up in a heart beat.

So looking forward to the update :-D

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

I agree with you sxc, it's annoying how you can't see the count of emails. Other issues about the client that bug me are..

- Not being able to delete messages after you view them after an alert (but that's a bug that's been fixed in next firmware apparantly).

- I wish there was a general overview that let you see all new messages instead of me having to go inside each account.

And comparisions are welcome as long as they are constructive, I see nothing wrong with your post. Welcome to the forums. :)

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

My problems with the email client (I use IMAP and Exchange accounts):

• Does not show recipient list when viewing messages. (You must use "Message Details".)
• Does not download the body of messages for instant reading later. WM devices, for example, let you precisely control how much of a message will get downloaded, whether attachments are included, etc., and for 90% of my messages, they are completely downloaded by the time I am notified about them.
• Does not allow you to read some messages while it downloads other messages. For a multitasking device this is disappointing.
• Has phantom "xx unread messages" status indicators which do not go away even after you read the messages. No amount of send/receive syncing or re-reading the messages makes any difference. Seems like cache corruption -- goes away on its own sometimes but recurs often.
• Does not allow you to specify individual folders to sync or not sync. (I think there's a workaround by temporarily using another IMAP client though.)
• Does not allow you to edit a forwarded message.
• Does not allow you to open Inbox sometimes -- you have to sometimes race with the client to get it to let you open Inbox before it starts syncing, and then it locks the Inbox out.
• Does not handle Exchange calendars well -- I've had entire recurring appointments deleted from my Exchange server by my N900, and other times I've had appointments stay on the N900 and then get duplicated both locally and on the server -- hence every appointment gets doubled. My advice: Don't manipulate calendars with the N900 client; just sync the N900 with the server, and use Outlook Web Access to make any changes with the N900.
• Cannot accept/tentative/reject/propose new times for appointments.

To me, the email/Exchange client is the biggest limitation of the N900, more than all other issues combined.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

Hello to everyone !

I write this short message to add myself to the people not happy with Modest email client. I'm still not using much, since the MFE now isn't working with Exchange 2003 (only with 2007) but I'm really thinking about using it as mt primary email client.
The main reasons are already explained by sxc and leek and also others.

Although in the next firmware update we'll have the main bugs resolved, we REALLY NEED MORE FUNCTIONS and LESS LIMITATIONS with Modest client.
I'm not a Linux expert ( I was an OS/2 user for many years but after I had to change to Windows because of my work) but I can't believe thare is no better email client than this Modest !

Every time we say that Modest has some limitation , someone say ...Modest is open source .... OK, but I'm not a porgrammer and I cannot modify by myself.

PLEASE...Request to Any of the Great Linux Gurus and Programmers in this community: instead of porting some new niche apps, dedicate some of your time and efforts to IMPROVE Modest email client and Calendar app, adding some features that now are common on the others email Mobile clients.
You'll make thousands of N900 owners really happy !!

Since Nokia tells us that N900 "iso not a phone but an Internet tablet", please delive better email and calendar programs, more close to the desktop similar apps.

Thank you,
SkyEagle

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

I don't have any problems with it, I set it up for 2 accounts, one Gmail and the other my own domain email address, both Imap, I didn't use the MFE,
Yeah I'd like it to say you something like "you have 3 emails" but its not really needed as if there is any unread messages in any of the folders the text changes to blue so you know to look in that folder.
I have mine set to update every 15 mins
Works well for me

Edit - Just noticed when you open an account up it does say to the right of the inbox "X read message"

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

The email app works fine for my (2) POP3 and Gmail accounts. Damn-near flawless compared to the Droid's native POP3 app...talk about "real issues". While it may not be as robust w/configuration setting as my WinMo phone, w/search not being a concern of mine, I'm more than satisfied. Sort options are enough for me.

For the people not seeing changes "server side", is the "Leave messages on server" box still checked?

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

In my opinion regarding to the n800 it is a very heavy step back. No imap idle, why? My n800 was functioning for days without recharging..

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

If you're using Nokia Messaging, the option is blocked, along with the option to download entire messages. So to use Nokia Messaging, you have to downgrade on other features. Not a smart move.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

Your N800 hasn't had IDLE since the last SSU either :-(

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

Guys, I have just strarted a Brainstorm on how to turn Modest into a useable email client. Please visit, add solutions and vote! This may be the only way we'll ever get Nokia to do something about it...

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

Hi
Yes email is terrible. I use POP3 with orange.net which is free.
I have found if I switch the phone off and then on, then check the email, I get the inbox back with latest emails in them. If I don't switch it off, I can wait hours for emails, literally or even until the evening.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

That is an unfortunately titled brainstorm. Modest is arguably "useable" by many people already. A better title, if you wished to create a catch-all brainstorm for Modest, might be "Improve Modest usability".

But this shouldn't be an all-encompassing brainstorm anyway. As written it mostly contains references to existing reported bugs. These shouldn't be repeated here. There is a useful, if somewhat hyperbolic, problem statement regarding unread message summaries with multiple accounts. So consider having this brainstorm concentrate on that issue, and retitled "Unread messages summary".

Brainstorms shouldn't be used to vent frustrations. It is okay to be critical, but always remember that criticism will be accepted in the spirit of which it is offered. The Modest developers are people too, justifiably proud of their work. Let's help them, m'kay?

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

I want to see per-folder imap notifications, with an option per folder for notifications to be on and off.

I don't get any new emails into INBOX - my email (aggregating from other accounts) comes initially into to various 'incoming' folders (which I do not want notications on) then popfile automatically files them into various other folders within the heirachy - some of which I absolutely need notification for and some I don't want at all.

With IMAP-IDLE monitoring is per folder anyway so it is a small change from only monitoring INBOX via hardcoding to monitoring a list of folders defined in a config file.

I suppose if I wanted to work around this limitation, I could symlink any new emails from folders I am interested in to INBOX.

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

I'm replying to this thread as well to mark that I too think that Modest could be improved.

It is "usable" by all standards, but satisfyingly usable only for casual and light users. I don't think either, that Modest can compete with other business orientated smartphones' e-mail programs.

I find the lack of a more clear way of searching for e-mails that have arrived as priority #1, as Modest serves to all my ("light and casual") needs well.

Let's get this post and Brainstorm going, but let's keep it constructive to ease the process of "fixing" Modest.

EDIT: Is there a way to rephrase the Brainstorm title and allow voting for Solution #1?

Re: How bad is the mail client...
 

Well hello Mr dba and thank you for the lecture.

You've got half a point here and I am renaming the brainstorm and giving it the somewhat less critical, if slightly more difficult to remember/grasp title: "Bridge the gap between Modest and competing smartphone email clients". I hope this meets your approval.

There I beg to differ. I have read and been told that bug.maemo.org is no longer the place to log anything but actual bugs and minor enhancement request. Some of the "bugs" referenced here have been opened over a year ago and not been implemented. My understanding is that the new process is to expose "feature" requests in Brainstorms and as it takes time to do so, I chose to make mine reasonably open so it can gather a few useful proposals along the way, as has been the case with other recent examples.

I get that Modest developers are likely proud of their work but justifiably? This is exactly how Nokia has lost ground to the competition over the last few years: by being complacent and not bothering to check out what others (including their own S60 offering) have long been capable of.

Let's also take a second to remember who are the paying customers - the numerous people struck in disbelief, contributing to this and other threads when they get acquainted with some of Modest's shortcomings (when's the last time you used a mail client that didn't prominently display the number of unread messages)?

This is hurting Nokia's chance to pull through this otherwise excellent platform. That what bugs me. I do not want to have to go back to an iPhone or Android device because Nokia had to pull the plug on Maemo/Meego, having failed to make the platform viable...