Settings / Mail, Contacts, Calendars / Accounts

SMTP

Advanced

Authentication

Note: It is possible that you will need to set Authentication to Password instead of MD5 Challenge-Response. I have also found that even when I make this change in Authentication, sometimes it only works after I shut the phone off and then power it on again.

I suspect that the phone will go out and try to make a connection to our email server. If you change the Authentication before it has time to cycle through and fails at all its attempts, it gets confused. Always keep a little patience in your back pocket when altering the settings for email ;)

Cookies - What They Are

HTTP is, by design, a stateless protocol. Each HTTP transaction occurs independent of any previous or future transaction. Each transaction (session) consists of these steps:

1) user connects to a HTTP server, making a request for a web page (or other data)
2) server acknowledges request, responds with web page (or other data)
3) transaction is terminated (disconnects)

There is no way for the server to “relate” transactions to each other. No way for the server to know there was a previous transaction with a particular client nor what happened if there was. Hence, the concept of stateless.

Problems using Cookies

The most obvious problem relying on cookies is a user completely disabling them. If your web page relies on them, it won’t work correctly. The best you can do in this circumstance is detect that cookies are disabled and then redirect to another page that doesn’t rely on a cookie.

Cookies Part One

YVOD uses cookies so we can relate one page to the next. When you submit a form and we reply with a “thank you” page, we use a cookie to fill in the information you sent us. When you add something to your shopping cart, we use a cookie to allow you to continue shopping. Anything that requires personalized information from us requires a cookie.

YVOD recognizes that cookies can be abused. We can create non-cookie solutions, but everyone using them will receive the exact same response to enquiries. Almost all websites that offer user accounts require cookies to be enabled because without them, it is very difficult to ensure that private information is returned to the correct browser. Log into your Gmail, Yahoo or bank account and you will need to have cookies enabled.

Cookies can be your friend… just make sure you only eat the ones from friends (ie: only websites you navigate to).

1) Download email to your computer and run additional spam checking locally

This is YVOD’s preferred option as local clients have excellent spam filters. Unfortunately, this options does nothing to help with devices that do not have spam filters (iPhone).

2) Forward email to a free online service (Gmail, Yahoo)

They have fantastic spam filters but read all your email so they can spam you with ads. One client received offers for Viagra from Google because she received a Viagra spam. Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.

3) Forward email to a paid online service (Postini.com, mac.com)

You get what you pay for… Postini has the best spam filtering in the business but costs at least $150/year. mac.com has good filtering and integrates with your Mac/iPhone/iPod touch.

If you DO, check the Spam Detection box.

If you DO NOT, do not check the Spam Detection box.

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That’s the simple answer. The longer answer is that all email that comes to your domain from the outside world goes through a spam filtering process. EVERY SINGLE MESSAGE is marked as spam or not spam.

When you check the “Spam Detection” box, messages marked as spam go into your online Spam folder. The ONLY way to review them is by logging into http://your-domain/mail and then looking within your Spam folder. You can not see these messages any other way. (This makes sense since they are spam and who wants to look at spam?)

The problem is when a messages goes into your spam box that is not really spam. How do you get it out? If you are logged into webmail, it is simple, just transfer it out of the spam box and into another mailbox. However, if you are not logged in… well, there is no way to transfer it out of your spam box.

If you DO NOT get your mail through webmail then Spam Detection is not for you. If you are not getting your mail through webmail, please do not check the Spam Detection box.

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Here comes the fun part…

If you have the ability to make mail filters then you don’t need Spam Detection. Create a filter that looks in the email header for the following text:

Yes, hits=

If you find it, the message is spam.

Coll stuff no? =)

A much better solution is to configure your email application (Apple Mail, Outlook, Gmail, etc) to check your YVOD account and grab the mail off our servers. YVOD makes weekly backups of all email so if you leave the messages on our server for a week, you will have a backup.

How nice. How sweet. How easy =)

1) Log into your Gmail account and click the “Settings” tab in the upper right corner.

2) Click the “Accounts” tab.

3) Click the “Add another mail account” link and follow the instructions.

You will need the following information:

Email address: <your full email address>
Username: <your full email address>
Password: <your password>
POP Server: mail.your-domain
Port: 110

We create solutions that work for our clients. For example, a few of our clients use Postini for email. We recommend Postini to anyone who has critical email requirements that may not be satisfied with YVOD’s offerings.

YVOD does not compete on hosting alone, however. We offer a complete service. Call one number • (800) 434-YVOD • and we will work with you to get all of your problems solved. Period.

Since our clients require unique solutions, it is imperative that we control our server platform. We currently lease 6 server and develop all of our technology on them. Our solutions are driven by customer need and are guaranteed to work on our platform.

Many features will work on any L.A.M.P. box, but plenty require our customized code that only runs on our servers. For example, when someone fills out an online form, not only does the data get sent to a single email address but it gets stored in a database for later mining, the submission address is added to a newsletter list, and the data can be BCC’d to a number of other folks within the organization. We have built our own “wrapper” technology which allows for easier website maintenance. We employ a unique upgrade solution to keep our clients using the latest versions of our Open Source products (blogs, email, etc).

Hosting, while critical, is just one part of what we do. Our clients come to us because they need technology solutions. YVOD adds value because we take care of everything. Everything that gets you there™.

Inbox Zero
Action-based Email

I got turned onto this a few weeks back by Henning. I immediately got hooked and have since spread the word to others. The folks who actually watch the video and then follow his advice have seen dramatic improvements in their email productivity. The ideas are great and the delivery in the video is easy to follow. I suggest you give it a whirl.

The first 32 minutes of the video are Merlin Mann’s talk and then he opens the floor for questions. The video above is linked to a cool version of the talk that has the slideshow on the right. You can easily jump back and forth using the slides as chapter markers (click the little right arrow next to the slides).

32 minutes that will change your relationship to email. Come on in. The water is fine…

1) Click the “Choose File” button
2) Navigate around your computer to find the file you want to upload and double click it (or click it once and select “Choose”)
3) Enter some descriptive text (important for online marketing!)
4) Click the “Upload” button
5) Wait for a bit while your file gets uploaded

6) Select the correct options and then click the “Send to editor” button

That’s it =)

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The “Browse Options” are kind of interesting. You can choose to show a thumbnail of your file, the full sized file or simply the title. You can also choose to link the information to the actual file (ie: clicking on the link will open up the file), to a page in your blog or to nothing.

Show:

Thumbnail will display a small example image of your file. Thumbnails are generally set to a maximum of 128 pixels by 128 pixels. This is great if you want to upload lots of images to your blog post.

Full size is preferred if the image is rather small and will fit within the column width of your blog. Generally, images that are wider than 500 pixels will break the formatting and flow outside of your columns.

Title will display the “Title” information you entered when you uploaded your file.

Link to:

File will link to the actual file.

Page will link to any defined page. This page can be within your blog or anywhere on the internet.

None will not link the image to anything.

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Example:

Let’s say you want to upload that fantastic PDF resume you have been working on.

1) Your first job is to give the finished PDF a descriptive name. It is best to use all lower case, no special characters and never - ever - any spaces. ulan-mcknight-resume.pdf is perfect.

2) Save the file on your Desktop or someone you can easily find it.

3) Write A Post

4) Upload the file. Make sure to fill in the descriptive information. “Ulan McKnight’s 2007 Resume” is a good title. “Ulan McKnight’s 2007 Resume describing his love for computers and how he changes the world daily” is a good description.

5) Go to the section in your post that you want to link the file and click the “Send to editor” button.