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Help Google Talk "cannot connect to server" and gmail won't auto-sync

Hobocamp

Lurker
May 11, 2012
5
0
I had a firmware update a few days ago that required my phone to power off and then dial verizon to reactivate, since then I've been unable to connect to google talk and my gmail account will not auto-sync.

I think the update might have had something to do with the civil alerts chip/app thing? I never noticed it on my phone until after this.

My android version is 2.3.4, my phone is a sony xperia play.

I've gone through all the settings, auto sync is turned on, notify once is turned off, i've tried a factory reset and settings reset, tried with the SD card removed... tried connect to my wifi, nothing is fixing this.

when I start google talk it says "could not connect to server. will retry shortly."

I have to refresh gmail with the refresh button, or toggle auto-sync off and back on through the power management bar.

I've found threads reporting the same problem with google talk, but they're relatively old and have no solution.

I am connected to the the app store/google play and I can download and install apps just fine.

What's going on? Thanks for any help. I'm probably going to call verizon later today.
 
I can't offer any solutions, but I also have a verizon xperia play, got the 2.3.4 update two days ago and my phone has the exact same symptoms, starting immediately after the update. I also have an exchange account on the same phone and it is still autosynching. So it seems like something about the update screwed up the settings with some but not all of google's services. Or something.
 
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I can't offer any solutions, but I also have a verizon xperia play, got the 2.3.4 update two days ago and my phone has the exact same symptoms, starting immediately after the update. I also have an exchange account on the same phone and it is still autosynching. So it seems like something about the update screwed up the settings with some but not all of google's services. Or something.

Good to know I'm not the only one. Do you know if the update was to add the civil alerts app? did you get that?
 
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The app may have been bundled in the download but I think the update was verizon pushing out 2.3.4 itself. Although after a bit of additional googling, it seems like loads of people with other devices had the same problem MONTHS ago when they got the same update on those devices. So...seems like Verizon's known for a while about issues with this update and pushed it out anyway. Or google. I don't know who to be more annoyed at, Verizon or google.

Seems like a factory reset is the only way to go, which is a major bummer.
 
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The app may have been bundled in the download but I think the update was verizon pushing out 2.3.4 itself. Although after a bit of additional googling, it seems like loads of people with other devices had the same problem MONTHS ago when they got the same update on those devices. So...seems like Verizon's known for a while about issues with this update and pushed it out anyway. Or google. I don't know who to be more annoyed at, Verizon or google.

Seems like a factory reset is the only way to go, which is a major bummer.

Have you tried a factory reset? Because that didn't work for me - gmail and talk were still broken and android didn't rollback.
 
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I have been having the exact same problem since I updated to 2.3.4 on Wednesday. Called Verizon twice. Both techs acted like they had never heard of this problem. Tried all the restarts, including a full factory reset. They sent me a new phone, which I received today. It loaded with 2.3.3, worked great, but then updated to 2.3.4. Epic fail. Same issue immediately. Spent two more houts on the phone with Verizon. The first tech said she had never heard of this problem. Brought Sony on the line who also said they had never heard of it, and actually wanted me to send them my phone so they could spend two weeks troubleshooting. The Verizon tech shot this down and then proceeded to try to convince me that the problem is likely that Google is no longer supporting Talk because it's not popular. She believed it was intentional with the update and that GTalk is being phased out. I told her I refused to believe that. She passed me off to someone else who also had never heard of the problem and said he was gling to create a ticket which would begin gathering info on like complaints so they can find a solution. I just want a phone where GTalk works. I canceled my messaging because everyone I chat with is on GTalk, and now I'm cut off. If anyone finds a solution, please lost it. I'm exhausted with it.
 
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Either verizon's trouble ticket system sucks, or I call BS on their part. No way they "never heard of it" when in seconds I googled at least dozen other threads on numerous sites complaining of the same thing, chock full of people claiming to have spoken to verizon. If that many posted about it, there have to be more who talked to them but just aren't the posting type.

I feel for you on the gtalk issue, although for me, the autosync problem is the bigger one. I know some people don't autosync to save battery, but seriously, if I can have my phone sync my email automatically, what the hell is the point of a smartphone. Every other app for me is handy and/or fun, but 95% of what I do with my phone is email. I can't believe a bug like that would last this long unpatched.
 
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To the best of my knowledge, my Google autosync is actually working. My address book has been completely wiped, and syncing for Backup Assistant is not working. Also, I just checked my phone and it mysteriously removed my work exchange email. I swear it was there a half hour ago, and now, gone.

I agree that Verizon is lying when they say they've never heard of this issue. I finally got one of the techs to actually surf the net with me so that he can see the posts on the forums. It seemed to be eyeopening for him. They'll try anything to get out of offering support, like claim that Google is no longer supporting Talk for phones. I was like, "Hey lady, why would they keep it for the computer, where I'm sure less people use it, and get rid of it for android phones?" She was nuts.
 
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Anyone tried a different email client? Or an IM app that lets you connect to multiple messengers (pidgin etc)? I'm wondering if the issue with the update is specifically affecting the stock gmail + gtalk apps, or if it's related to however they talk to google's servers. I'm thinking different apps might be my next attempt.

EDIT: Just downloaded k-9 and my gmail seems to be autosyncing just fine to that. So far.
 
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Anyone tried a different email client? Or an IM app that lets you connect to multiple messengers (pidgin etc)? I'm wondering if the issue with the update is specifically affecting the stock gmail + gtalk apps, or if it's related to however they talk to google's servers. I'm thinking different apps might be my next attempt.

EDIT: Just downloaded k-9 and my gmail seems to be autosyncing just fine to that. So far.

Yeah, I tried ebuddy messenger and that works for google talk, but it sets an ad for ebuddy as my status. I will try k-9 next, i think i saw that one but wasn't sure exactly what it was for.

UPDATE: I finally called verizon today, they were telling me it isn't an officially known issue with verizon, and that they could only replace my phone with the same model loaded with the same version of android.

They called sony though and the sony guy said that sony is aware of the issue, and that an update is due out in 2 weeks.

So I'm just waiting for an update... What I gathered is that if it doesn't get fixed before verizon recognizes it as a known issue, then you can get a different phone, otherwise you get the same broken phone... maybe not the worst deal if you want an extra battery.
 
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I just got a call back from Verizon. They told me that it's now a recognized issue but thag Sony and Google need to make the fix. They couldn't guarantee a timeline--weeks to possibly months. He said I can upgrade to a different phone at the 2-year price. Of course, the free phones suck so I'm going to end up paying, but I need Google Talk because I canceled my messaging. Verizon should be pleased that they're going to make money off me.
 
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I am also calling Verizon to complain and see if there is "anything" they can do. Maybe Ill get the option of doing my two year upgrade. Wish me luck, Ill post anything on here if they tell me anything new / different

###update###
According to the guy I just talked to at verizon there is no known issue with this phone, lol and they are sending me a refurbished one to "fix" the issue.
 
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luckyJQ9, don't give them your money as a reward for pushing out a buggy update! I suggest you try some of the other apps available for using google talk and see if they work for you. ebuddy messenger like Hobotalk mentioned, or another. It could be a much easier (and less expensive) solution. Plus I've seen on other boards other phones with the same issue with this update, so if you do decide you want a new phone anyway, do your research. Make sure you don't pick one that also has the problem.
 
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I had a similar experience to JediSam. I know double-posting is frowned upon, but here is what I just posted in another thread:

I got my replacement XP from Verizon, set up my Google account, and got the 2.3.4 update right away before installing even a single other app. Result = same issue with Google Talk, "could not connect to server".

I called VZW right away and explained what I did, they contacted Sony who claimed to not have had any reports of this issue, and after a bit of haggling, they agreed to replace my XP with a Droid X2 instead.

YMMV
 
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Things seemed to work out ok for me. I got a new and nicer phone with ICS, so for now, I'm happy. That said, I did end up having to pay a bit. BUT, now my husband's phone has been pushed the update. As we speak, he's watching the functionality of his phone drain away. And he really likes his Xperia, uses it to play games all the time. I'm prepping myself for the next call to Verizon. This is not cool this time. He doesn't want a new phone, and even if they offer him a new phone in a different model, they're going to want to extend his contract out, which he does NOT want to do. It's going to be a fight, but now it's down to principle. I mean, I would have assumed that after the first wave of updates ruined everyone's phones that they would stop pushing out 2.3.4 until they fixed the issue. Not the case. Not cool Verizon, not cool.
 
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Things seemed to work out ok for me. I got a new and nicer phone with ICS, so for now, I'm happy. That said, I did end up having to pay a bit. BUT, now my husband's phone has been pushed the update. As we speak, he's watching the functionality of his phone drain away. And he really likes his Xperia, uses it to play games all the time. I'm prepping myself for the next call to Verizon. This is not cool this time. He doesn't want a new phone, and even if they offer him a new phone in a different model, they're going to want to extend his contract out, which he does NOT want to do. It's going to be a fight, but now it's down to principle. I mean, I would have assumed that after the first wave of updates ruined everyone's phones that they would stop pushing out 2.3.4 until they fixed the issue. Not the case. Not cool Verizon, not cool.

Tell your husband to use flashtool to flash 2.3.3, root his phone & freeze the update client (mobile care/innopath?) when he wants to update, he just has to unfreeze the update client & can update :D

Pax
 
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I am also calling Verizon to complain and see if there is "anything" they can do. Maybe Ill get the option of doing my two year upgrade. Wish me luck, Ill post anything on here if they tell me anything new / different

###update###
According to the guy I just talked to at verizon there is no known issue with this phone, lol and they are sending me a refurbished one to "fix" the issue.


####UPDATE####
I called back to them because the refuburished not only had the same issue of course, but it also had random restarts constantly. So I called and they only told me that they could get me another Xperia Play, so I would have to keep going through them, or they said that they could talk to sony and get me a different verizon android phone by sony I told them that wouldn't work because they dont have one. But these were the only options I had, I hung up and called back, that person was amazing and they are sending me a Droid 3 as the replacement
 
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My son's Sony Experia Play is experiencing the same problem. After the update, it will no longer sign in to google talk. So frustrating. I know I am not going to call Verizon for another phone.. Because it is the update they just pushed... But since our whole family is on Android, GTalk is the way to go with texting/video chatting. So, I am hoping they will push a fix out shortly.
 
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My son's Sony Experia Play is experiencing the same problem. After the update, it will no longer sign in to google talk. So frustrating. I know I am not going to call Verizon for another phone.. Because it is the update they just pushed... But since our whole family is on Android, GTalk is the way to go with texting/video chatting. So, I am hoping they will push a fix out shortly.

Downgrade with flashtool, root & freeze innopath until the update that fixes this one comes out.
 
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