Gmail inbox previews – update

Just a quick note to let you know that Gmail has been having problems with their RSS feeds, which power the Gmail inbox previews on Protopage.

Until Google fix this problem, there is a workaround. Google will allow you to access your Gmail via POP3 – and you can enable this feature by logging into your Gmail account and clicking the Settings button in the top right of the screen. Then select the Forwarding and POP tab, and in the POP Download section choose Enable POP only for mail that arrives from now on. Then click the Save Changes button.

Now, add an inbox preview widget to your Protopage, and click the edit button. For inbox type, choose POP3 (instead of Gmail), and enter your login and password (for login, if you Gmail email is yourname@gmail.com, then just enter yourname as the login).

For the POP3 server address enter pop.gmail.com and tick the Server uses SSL box. Finally, enter http://mail.google.com/mail/ for the Webmail URL, click Save changes, and voila!

UPDATE: Gmail have restored their RSS feed service, so this workaround is no longer necessary.

31 Responses to “Gmail inbox previews – update”

  1. SomeGuy Says:

    Wow, Protopage Team – thanks so much for that workaround ! It works just great !!!

  2. FreeBee Says:

    People who didn’t use pop anyway, would not be affected this way, and would simply follow your instructions with no ill effects, of course! :)

  3. Protopage Team Says:

    We weren’t correcting you FreeBee – sorry if it looked like that. You were and are perfectly correct. We just wanted to clear up any confusion because a few people emailed in asking if they were at risk of removing messages from their Gmail account by using the POP option. Not being familiar with the options you were talking about they weren’t sure about the instructions.

  4. FreeBee Says:

    Oops, my sincere apologies for that, then.

    Maybe I could have written a more elaborate initial message so this misunderstanding would not have occurred… if only I mastered english a little better and was more patient about writing such messages :)

  5. Protopage Team Says:

    Gmail restored their RSS feed service, so this workaround is no longer necessary.

  6. summergrl28 Says:

    is there any way that you guys can make the link widget font colors be able change? that be really cool!
    thanks, love the site!

  7. FreeBee Says:

    Hi Team,

    I agree with the grl, here. Would be very cool if links in any widget could change color for being visited, or even when you hover your mouse pointer over them. Just like on ordinary pages :)

    Would that be feasible?

    Heck, you’re the best anyway!! [grovel, grovel] B)

  8. Protopage Team Says:

    Thanks, your requests are noted. As always, we’re currently working on new features which should be out in the next few days…

  9. Protopage Team Says:

    Oh, this is only the beginning – much much more to come. There are business models here – many of which do not even require advertising. First things first though – we’re building out the platform so that it’s everything you want it to be! As always, please send feature requests to us at http://www.protopage.com/_api/contact

    Thanks!

  10. Bonifacius Says:

    Great article. I am just sad I dont know how to reply properly, though, since I want to show my appreciation like many other.

  11. p Says:

    Hi,

    the gmail module seems down today.. just hangs in: checking…

  12. Protopage Team Says:

    Thanks for letting us know – we have now resolved the issue.

  13. p Says:

    Thank you!

  14. AMITRIPTYLINE Says:
  15. Strega Says:

    Any thoughts/work arounds for a gCal widget?

  16. joseph Says:

    are you sure the issue is resolved? i’m still getting a “checking…” and my inbox from two days back.

  17. joseph Says:

    okay.. it’s working now.

  18. joseph Says:

    and i think it’s off again. the same error.

  19. paul Says:

    Gmail it’s not working again.. it has been 3 days now.

    I tried the work around and it didn’t work either. A fix
    from protopage will be great and it should be possible as
    other start pages have no problem right now to get Gmail
    previews.

    Please fix it Protopage team

    :-)

  20. paul Says:

    still down..

    i have started to consider using a different start page provider :-(

  21. paul Says:

    it’s working again, thank you protopage

  22. Steve Morton Says:

    The mail facility appears to be down, both POP and Gmail, just sits there saying checking. I’ve deleted them all and recreated them all, no different.

  23. Steve Morton Says:

    Working again, thanks
    Steve

  24. Okan Says:

    I cannot seem to work the gmail. I am left with the “This widget is temporarily unavailable. Service will resume shortly.” I tried the work arounds as well as updating settings in my gmail account. Any thoughts?
    Thank you.

  25. Steve Morton Says:

    Same here with POP settings as well, been the same for about 3 days now on 3 of my 5 accounts.

    Steve

  26. Mark Says:

    Hi

    Using the Gmail/email widget, I can only see first line or so of the message in my inbox. As my work disallows Gmail, clicking on it brings up a ‘page blocked’ page. is it possible to view *all* of a message instead of just the first line or two?

    Cheers
    Mark

  27. cone crusher Says:

    For this matter, once I discussed with one of my friends, not only about the content you talked about, but also to how to improve and develop, but no results. So I am deeply moved by what you said today.

  28. teacherinform Says:

    I want to know if I create a page, will it be publically seen, but no one change make changes to it? Also, I would like to set up a private group for my classes. Something that only I can view. For example, the students can create their own pages but I have some general access code that will allow me to view it. I don\’t want other students to be able to go onto someone\’s page and make changes.

    I want to be able to check their updates without it be accessible to the whole class.

  29. jj Says:

    is it possible to upload logo for webpage? to make it look professional? If yes how to upload?

  30. jj Says:

    is it possible to upload a logo

  31. Donna Says:

    Still don’t know how to access my gmail.