Hotmail... What's the secret?

[jayes]

I hate to bring this up again.. it's been discussed so many times, but thought just maybe someone has come up with a workable solution (other than K-9 or other third party software.) A phone of this caliber should not require workarounds to get mail!

My Hotmail is terrible! This has also been discussed over and over again in the google code forums.

For example...

Reply emails are left unsent in Outbox
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=4951

Issue 1507 - Emails don't delete from server...
Issue 5616- Hotmail stops working....

(Please add your star if you're having issues. Maybe someone is actually reading!)

Every morning (save one or two, here or there -why does it work sometimes?) I turn my phone off and then on again and most of the time, my email will download. I don't even care that I get notifications of messages over and over again and there's nothing new. I don't care that I can't delete email from the server. I can live with these ideosyncrosies.

Sometimes I can send mail. Sometimes I can't. It's inconsistent. I can't figure out why it works sometimes, and is fast asleep other times. Most of the time I rely on going directly to hotmail.com in the browser and reading mail there because I can't ever be sure if I've downloaded the latest emails.

So my question.. has ANYONE gotten their HOTMAIL account to function 100% of the time? 80%? Even 50%? And if yes... HOW DID YOU DO IT? I don't want to forward my mail to Gmail.. I want my Hotmail to work! Even my dumb phone got my Windows Live mail 100% of the time! What am I doing wrong????

 

[colnago]

You'd have better luck posting on the google help site/forums. I doubt that there are too many people here that can "re-code" the native email app to make it work properly. Most everyone either forwards mail to their Gmail account, or just switch to K-9, et al.

FWIW, when I had K-9, Hotmail delievery and receipt was flawless.

 

[P-Droid]

What?!? People still use hotmail?

 

[jayes]

What?!? People still use hotmail?

Yes.. believe it or not. There are some of us non-techy folks who still use Hotmail. I don't recall any disclaimers when I purchased the phone that certain email providers did not work with a Droid.

I HAVE posted to the google forum, but thought perhaps someone here had something new to suggest. Changing email providers should not be the solution.

 

[bschellva]

I feel your pain. I have all the same problems. It drives me insane. I shouldn't have to reboot my phone just to check my email. I've starred both those issues and can't believe that simple email could function so poorly on this phone.

I've tried K-9. It is slightly better, but not a complete fix. It still locks up, retrieves old emails as new, and doesn't support push email for my exchange account.

I really don't want to hear "just use gmail." That's the same as telling me "just use windows mobile" or "just use msn" or just use bing." If I wanted a closed system that only works with "blessed" software, I would have bought an iphone.

 

[colnago]

Yes.. believe it or not. There are some of us non-techy folks who still use Hotmail. I don't recall any disclaimers when I purchased the phone that certain email providers did not work with a Droid.

I HAVE posted to the google forum, but thought perhaps someone here had something new to suggest. Changing email providers should not be the solution.

Its not that some email providers "do not work" with the Droid, though some non-standard configurations may be required for some providers, as much as its the general buggy nature of the native email app that is the problem. People can "suggest" here, as there are numerous pages of threads regarding email issues here, but without anyone being able "write code", your problem will most likely not be solved on this forum.

No need to change email providers. You may need to chane email apps if you want consistent delivery. That, or "login to your hotmail account and save that page as a bookmark".

 

[colnago]

, retrieves old emails as new, and doesn't support push email for my exchange account...

Does it retreive old messages as "new" or "unread"? As far as "push for Exchange", K-9 is a POP3 client. Exchange account would be better serverd (as recommended numerous times here) with the Touchdown app.

 

[jayes]

"login to your hotmail account and save that page as a bookmark".

That's precisely what I do! It's bookmarked and takes one click to get me to my Hotmail account. I can also get to ALL my folders by using the browser, but that's another issue in itself. I can get to my mail through the browser whenever I want. But that's not the point. I feel like I should be able to access my email with the built in app... it says EMAIL. It does not specify exclusions or limitations. Set up was a breeze. Went right to Hotmail and got mail. But it's totally inconsistent and that's what drives me nuts. The fact I can get the mail sometimes tells me it's set up correctly. So what happens that it all of a sudden stops working and a reboot wakes it up? I put my phone on the charger at night and can see that it checked mail at 2 am.. or maybe 4 am. But when I get up and try to get my morning mail.. it just spins. So sometime during the night, it went night-night... but won't wake up. WHY??!! That to me should be fixable.. if someone wanted to fix it. (someone=google!)

I am just a simple user of the phone. I don't use all the bells and whistles. I don't want to root the phone. I just want it to do what it says it can do. Not asking a lot, am I?

 

[colnago]

...I feel like I should be able to access my email with the built in app... it says EMAIL....I just want it to do what it says it can do. Not asking a lot, am I?

We all want(ed) it to work.

The problem is, its a new device, new OS (version), and it has issues...native email being one of them. Unfortunately, the resolution will not be resolved with a set of configuration settings.

All of your options are before you. There are alternatives proven to function properly...choose wisely. I gave up on the native email app after 2 days, and never looked back. The only other thing you can do is wait.

 

[jayes]

We all want(ed) it to work.

The problem is, its a new device, new OS (version), and it has issues...native email being one of them. Unfortunately, the resolution will not be resolved with a set of configuration settings.

All of your options are before you. There are alternatives proven to function properly...choose wisely. I gave up on the native email app after 2 days, and never looked back. The only other thing you can do is wait.

I can be as patient as the next as long as I know someone IS trying to fix it.

So given my simple needs..just HOTMAIL (no Exchange.. I don't even know what that is!) what do you think is the least complex alternative? Browser, K-9 or Touchdown.

 

[colnago]

I can be as patient as the next as long as I know someone IS trying to fix it.

So given my simple needs..just HOTMAIL (no Exchange.. I don't even know what that is!) what do you think is the least complex alternative? Browser, K-9 or Touchdown.

K-9 has proven "stable", and is slightly more robust than the native app. Just make sure that you do not install the "Beta" version. It will allow you to receive email automatically, without clicking your bookmark all the time. Try it...you'll like it.

If you don't have an Exchange account (typically "work email"), Touchdown is not needed.

 

[jayes]

Thanks Colnago,
I will give K-9 a try. Appreciate your thoughtful posts.

 

[colnago]

Thanks Colnago,
I will give K-9 a try. Appreciate your thoughtful posts.

Game on.

 

[bellisimo1]

thought i'd throw my $.02 in here as someone who has run into this problem on several different phones. i got the hero and decided to stop fighting hotmail and just forward to gmail like everyone said.

what did i find? gmail sucks. sorry to offend everyone here but (my opinion) the conversation thing is awful. even with a different email client view, it still sucks - emails end up all over the place, in folders i wasn't expecting, they get bunched together when there are multiple people on the chain etc. and the spam blocker is useless. i can't believe i'm saying this, but i miss my hotmail. going to try this k-9, hope it works.

 

[doomedromance]

These are my settings and my Hotmail works fine. Although I don't email very much and receive an average of 5-8 a day. My hotmail account is also very old, since before the "premium" paid accounts, so I have most of the perks of the paid accounts because of Grandfather Clause. I don't know if that would have anything to do with it.

INCOMING
POP3 server: pop3.live.com
Port: 995
Security type: SSL (accept all)
Delete from server: I use never. I use my phone to notify me of emails but a lot of times I'd rather read it on my computer so I keep them on the server till I delete off my computer.

OUTGOING
SMTP server: smtp.live.com
Port: 587
Security type: TLS (accept all)

hope it helps.

 

[Ivanhead]

I got K-9! end of problem! Really!

 

[altimax98]

I don't see the need for this topic really... I use k-9 for my 3 hotmails and gmail and its flawless.. no server problems or nothing.. it gets the email every 15minutes and it deletes from server, I have had no problem for a month now.
The same goes for the stock text app, I use handcent and won't go back... you need to remember that this phone isn't perfect, yes it does text and email somewhat good lol, but the beautiful thing is that you have the ability to use something else at the drop of a hat, in less the 5minutes all from your phone.. not like the old winmo days of finding a file online and then putting it on the phone lol.

Like I said, the phone isn't perfect but how many winmo, or iphones have turn by turn nav w/gps that is as good as ours? Or a app store that supports open development? Or can overclock to high heaven with no side effects? Its a awesome phone, look at the things it does incredibly well, and for the others... ''There's a (android) app for that''

 

[rfmdroider]

I got K-9! end of problem! Really!

Whats K-9? And how do I get it?

 

[famac!]

Whats K-9? And how do I get it?

Its an alternate email program that is slightly better than the default one. You can find it in the market. Personally, i stopped using it a few weeks back because it was almost no better than the default app when it comes to notifying me over and over of new emails that i had already read.