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Android's Mobile Email An Epic Fail?

Uh oh. Reports are pouring in from users of the HTC G1 Android phone and the news is not good. Users are saying that the mobile e-mail client fails to retrieve e-mail and reports mysterious "connection errors." Many complain that mobile e-mail doesn't work at all on the G1. Google, T-Mobile and HTC, you'd better fix this one fast...

The posts over at Forums.T-Mobile.com are pretty damning.

One user writes:

I have set the incoming and outgoing settings properly for a Yahoo business account. It is clearly able to authenticate and work as it allows me to save the settings. When I go to the in-box it states "Connection error". It is not network related, as I am able to access the mail via the Web browser on the device. I have tried it with Wi-Fi on and off. My in-box has only 40 messages in it. This software is unusable. Having used a BlackBerry on T-Mobile for 2 years, this is a step into the dark ages. Honestly a disappointment and can't recommend any one to buy this phone.

This user is not happy, and asks for help. Another frustrated user writes:

I am having the same issues with my Comcast.net account. I have a permanent "Connection Error" and only one e-mail ever displays in the Inbox. I, too, am extremely disappointed in this phone.

There are pages and pages of complaints about the G1's ability -- or, in this case, inability -- to retrieve e-mail. Perhaps the one that hurts the most reads:

Just packaged it up and am sending it back today . . . this is no iPhone. Apple has nothing to worry about . . . now, when is that touch-screen BlackBerry coming out?

From my perspective, the G1's mobile e-mail product worked flawlessly for about one week. The day that the device launched, the Gmail client stopped working entirely. I was never able to resurrect the e-mail system before I needed to return the phone to T-Mobile. I don't know if my device was experiencing the same issues as these users, but the end result is the same: no e-mail.

This is a pretty major problem, T-Mobile, Google and HTC. Mobile e-mail is supremely important to many. I hope that fixing this is a high priority for all involved.

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