Monday, May 18, 2009

iPhone and Gmail Unlock Captcha

This is totally not related to food but I just discovered a solution to a problem that quite a few iPhone and gmail users may be experiencing. It has something to do with gmail's captcha feature. What the hell is a captcha? It stands for: Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. You know those distorted word verification boxes with strange phrases that you have to retype? It is designed to test if you are human.

I suppose that when you access your email through iPhone and AT&T G3 network you somehow trigger gmail's security feature designed to block automated spamming. Once you trigger gmail's system, you have to log in and unlock your POP3 or IMAP access. You have to log in, sucessfully complete the captcha puzzle and essentially prove that you are human and not a malicious computer spammer. I notice that this only happens when I check my email using the AT&T network and the IMAP feature. I have no problem if I am connected using wifi or navigate to the gmail page on Safari.

Below is the link to the page you have to go to to prove that you are human:
https://www.google.com/accounts/DisplayUnlockCaptcha

So if you get this wonderful message: "The connection to the server imap.gmail.com failed" after having successfully accessed gmail on the iPhone mail client in the past, it probably means you have to go and prove that you are human and not computer.

It is likely that you will have to prove yourself human many many times because by accessing gmail through your iPhone on a regular basis you will trigger the block over and over. I read that you have three options. 1. Stop accessing your gmail too often (I don't know what gmail considers too often.) 2. Change your password to a stronger password. (I have enough passwords to remember that I cannot create yet another one that is 9 characters long using both numbers and letters plus one symbol.) or 3. Stop using the iphone mail client for gmail. Instead have your gmail forwarded to your outlook, yahoo or other mail client and access it through the other email. What a drag. I love my gmail and have since let go of other email addresses through other email services. I use gmail for personal and outlook for work emails. I don't even have my mac mail set up because I don't want to manage another mail account or calendar. My outlook calendar is synced with my outlook calendar and every is synced with my phone.

I'm not a computer whiz so I cannot explain it in computer whiz terms. I am just a master googler who believes that the answer is somewhere out there on the world wide web.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

In fact with this incredible simple unlocking solution unlock-iphone.org has become the leader in the business. The unlock comes as best and final solution for all people wiling to unlock iPhone 3G but hesitant to do so previously because of the share complexity of this task.
________________
[url=http://www.unlock-iphone.org]unlock iphone 3g[/url]

Unknown said...

When you access your e-mail, and through the iPhone unlock suggestion.This is give a good way people can easily unlock it iphone.

Jailbreak iOS 5

Unknown said...

Hello guys. I have just gone through some useful information about the unlocking of an iphone. I found it better from others. You can also follow this link and get rid of your problem.
how to unlock an iphone

Unknown said...

org has become the leader in the business. The unlock comes as best and final solution for all people wiling to unlock iPhone 3G but hesitant to do so previously because of the share complexity of this task.jailbreak my iphone 3gs

Unknown said...

you can install "Hotspot Shield" free VPN if you are not able to access facebook from your work place. Although with the help of this VPN you can also bypass office firewalls to access gmail from work.

Unknown said...

Great post!!! In really had a great time reading it!!! It was really informative, thanks for sharing!!!! visit more info Gmail Support You can reach Acetecsupport at their Call Toll Free No +1-800-231-4635 For US/CA.