Getting Gmail on your phone

Checking Gmail on your phone isn't reserved for those of us with extra fancy mobile devices — sure, it's easier to use Gmail when your iPhone has a touchscreen or there's a downloadable app built especially for your BlackBerry, but Gmail is available on almost all mobile devices today. If your phone has a data plan, it can get Gmail. There are two main ways to check your messages on the go:

(1) Go to gmail.com in your mobile browser
The easiest way to check Gmail from your phone is to go to gmail.com in your device's mobile browser. That opens a version of Gmail built especially for small screens, where you can see messages grouped into conversations, search through your mail, or flag important messages with stars. On some devices (iPhone and Android), Gmail offers some additional features like the ability to add and remove labels and basic offline support. Text the link to your phone to get started.

(2) Use your phone's built in email application
Many mobile devices come with native mail applications pre-installed. Setting up Gmail to work with them is usually pretty straight-forward and there is often a wizard to help. If you have an iPhone or Windows Mobile device, you can get push Gmail using Google Sync. Otherwise, you can set things up using IMAP with these step-by-step directions for specific devices. Depending on your particular phone, you may notice features such as search, conversations, and stars missing. On the plus side, these applications tend to start up quickly and work even when you're not connected to the internet.

For more information, check out this new beginner's guide.