Gmail for mobile: near perfect….
I finally had GMail client application working! The program was always complainging with the following error: “This program require a working connection. Check your settings“. My settings were good, and it was obvious that the connection was on-going between GMail and their server.
In fact, the problem was that my GMail account had a default language which was not english (in that case french). So switching it to english solved the issue. Surprisingly bad user experience for a Google application.
Anyway, the program is working fine, and already a hit. I will not go into the details, C.Enrique made a nice “review” on it…
Just some though:
- compared to all others mail program that I was able to test, it’s from far the most easiest to use, and the most readable. It shows how complex it is to create a simple to use UI (this is not a framework issue, but a usability issue)
- shows also that except from my small connection issue, most of the mobile are ready for mass deployment of connected applications. Mobile2.0 is heare, and it’s a perfect exemple of the power of synchronisation vs browsing (and for me, this is a mobile Ajax application).
- MIDP still have some works to do, especially on the ability to launch one app from an other. Today, no way to launch GMail client from Opera Mini, or from a Widget engine. You need to exit, and find the app by yourself. Should be solved by “JSR211, content handler API”, but there is still no handset implementing this JSR!
Technorati Tags: gmail mobile, google, gmail, j2me
8 comments November 6th, 2006