Gmail et al on a Windows Phone

Forums › Legacy mobile platforms (Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Web OS, Symbian, Meego, Blackberry) › Gmail et al on a Windows Phone

crackrdbycracku

1168 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 68

#116431 29-Apr-2013 10:25

Hi All,

I'm considering moving to a lower end Nokia Lumia, possibly a 720 or 520 as my next phone. The reviews, particularly of the 720 are very positive in the most important specification for me, battery life.

However, I have had an Android for about three years now and I'm kind of tied to Gmail, Google Drive and Google Calendar. I figure there will be some pain involved but I'm really not keen on migrating everything to a new platform.

Does anybody have experience or insight on moving from an Android to a Win Phone?

Thanks,

J

Didn't anybody tell you I was a hacker?

1 | 2

meow
13579 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10910

Moderator

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#807138 29-Apr-2013 10:32

There is also the 820 which has a very good (and tempting) pricepoint, plus most of the features of the 920 - I've moved from Android, whilst like anything there are things I miss there is other points about it (stuff just working like it should, awesome battery life) that make up for it.

People around here know me as being a bit bias towards Android, but I am really enjoying my experience with WP8 so far, no doubt I'll end up on Android again with the S4 but it's got me thinking - should I spend that money upgrading from the Windows Phone 8S to something like the 8X or 820 or switch to the S4

You'll enjoy it :) Gmail seems to work well on it too.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
Referral Links: Quic Broadband (use R122101E7CV7Q for free setup)

Are you happy with what you get from Geekzone? Please consider supporting us by subscribing.
Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 124

Trusted

#807158 29-Apr-2013 10:54

My son's Windows 8 RT "Surface" had an app for Google Drive in the Appstore, so I would expect it to be provided in WP8 too. I'm also a Gmail, Drive and Calendar user and will be using these on my Lumia 720, expected to arrive this week.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80646 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41030

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#807160 29-Apr-2013 10:57

There's no Google Drive app on Windows Phone 8. Calendar and contacts won't sync because Google is moving away from the ActiveSync protocol (obviously they have no fear of an antitrust lawsuit, yet) so you will have problems synchronising those.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 124

Trusted

#807170 29-Apr-2013 11:01

freitasm: There's no Google Drive app on Windows Phone 8. Calendar and contacts won't sync because Google is moving away from the ActiveSync protocol (obviously they have no fear of an antitrust lawsuit, yet) so you will have problems synchronising those.

Oh ... that's a bugger!

Maybe I'll have to switch to Live Drive or whatever they call it these days. Presumably Gmail should be OK though as it's just a web page?

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80646 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41030

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#807173 29-Apr-2013 11:03

Google is notorious (as Apple) for blocking access to its services. For a few weeks earlier on they blocked Google Maps mobile website on Windows Phone because... Because they could. Once it was proved there was no technical reason to block it, they relented and removed the redirection they had put in place.

"Do no evil" is just something people believe, like fairies.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

crackrdbycracku

1168 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 68

#807197 29-Apr-2013 11:29

Thanks for the feed back.

Looks like it will be a question of whether I want to move over to a Windows platform. I'm guessing it will be similar in terms of function but the move is a pain.

Lots more thinking to do as a tablet may be part of the upgrade and ... well Windows Tabs are expensive.

Didn't anybody tell you I was a hacker?

Geekzone support

Support Geekzone with one-off or recurring donations Donate via PressPatron.

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1630
Inactive user

#807201 29-Apr-2013 11:37

Did you ever synch your Gmail mailbox / calendar to an Exchange ActiveSync client, ever?

wasabi2k

2102 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 860

#807210 29-Apr-2013 11:46

Yes. All the time in fact.

Google Apps for Business is an incredibly awesome product. Their sync method for mobile devices is/was ActiveSync.

My Windows Phone syncs my Google Calendar and Email using... ActiveSync.

toyonut

1508 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 211

#807272 29-Apr-2013 12:42

Activesync is still provided with google apps for business. It has been removed for new windows phone activations to standard google accounts since a couple of months ago. Windows phone team would need to build in caldav and some other new contacts syncing protocol to windows phone if they want the full google apps sync again.

I just started forwarding everything to outlook.com, exported my contacts from gmail and then cut my losses with the calendar. I didn't have much on it anyway.

Other than that, get a windows phone with 8gb rom, 4gb fills up way too fast. Go the 620 over the 520, its an awesome phone. I am really enjoying WP8 though the interface is fast and smooth. It looks great and everything has been really stable. The only app I don't have is google plus, but I don't miss it that much. The rest of my move to WP8 has been awesome.

Try Vultr using this link and get us both some credit:

http://www.vultr.com/?ref=7033587-3B

billgates

4705 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 671

Trusted

#807311 29-Apr-2013 13:06

crackrdbycracku: Thanks for the feed back.

Looks like it will be a question of whether I want to move over to a Windows platform. I'm guessing it will be similar in terms of function but the move is a pain.

Lots more thinking to do as a tablet may be part of the upgrade and ... well Windows Tabs are expensive.

Forward your gmail emails to outlook.com and start switching account emails slowly to outlook.com. In no time, all your data will be on outlook.com

You can also transfer over your existing gmail emails to outlook.com via an email client on your desktop or use a free service like trueswitch.

Edit - Buy a Nokia Lumia 720. Best phone ever for your money.

Do whatever you want to do man.

grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 124

Trusted

#807601 29-Apr-2013 18:18

freitasm: There's no Google Drive app on Windows Phone 8. Calendar and contacts won't sync because Google is moving away from the ActiveSync protocol (obviously they have no fear of an antitrust lawsuit, yet) so you will have problems synchronising those.

Actually, I just found that there is a Google Drive App for Windows Phone 8:

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/gdrive-wp7/1a2c2d85-ebda-47c0-ae7c-d60ba15ca19f

It sounds like it may have some problems, but is there any reason why it wouldn't be worth a try?

Geekzone

Want to support Geekzone and browse the site without the ads? Subscribe to Geekzone now (monthly, annual and lifetime options).

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80646 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41030

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#807683 29-Apr-2013 20:46

Yes, there are third party apps. And sometimes the experience is not all that it should be. There is only one Google app in the Windows Phone Marketplace - the search app.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

motorwayne

841 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 5

#812272 6-May-2013 20:20

Just coming up to speed with WP8 options.

Am I right in saying:
1) A WP8 phone can see Google mail and Contacts and download/Sync with Gmail.
2) A WP8 phone can't see or D/L gCal though, so you either have to export your stuff to an outlook.com or to Office 365.

Q: Is MS working on a calDAV solution etc?

Cheers

grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 124

Trusted

#812325 6-May-2013 21:48

motorwayne: Just coming up to speed with WP8 options.

Am I right in saying:
1) A WP8 phone can see Google mail and Contacts and download/Sync with Gmail.
2) A WP8 phone can't see or D/L gCal though, so you either have to export your stuff to an outlook.com or to Office 365.

Q: Is MS working on a calDAV solution etc?

Cheers

I'll answer just the bits I can:

1) The built-in mail app works fine with a Gmail account. I use IMAP so all folders are visible, just as they are on my laptop or desktop. You can set individual folders to sync or not, so you don't need to bother downloading zillions of messages in All Mail, just Inbox, Spam and Sent Items are what I use.

I am finding myself using my phone mostly to reply to messages that have come in since I was last at my PC, so the lack of contacts isn't an issue for me. However, if it was, you can use the webpage for Gmail and copy any contacts you need from there. This approach may or may not be good enough for you, depending on what you are doing.

I did try several other Gmail apps, but none of them were as good for my purposes as the one provided with WP8.

2) I haven't tried using Google Calendar yet, but suspect I will probably use WP8's built-in calendar instead. It may turn out to be easier to sync with other PCs via SkyDrive, but I haven't looked into it yet.

motorwayne

841 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 5

#812330 6-May-2013 21:55

I don't mind using the built in WP8 apps as long as they can see gmail/gcal/contacts..if they can all do that then great!

1 | 2