It seems that loading anything in the in-built email app takes about 2-3 seconds. For example, after I've opened the email app, I touch 'Nokia Messaging', which stays highlighted for 2-3 seconds, then eventually it slides over to my gmail mailbox. Then I touch that, it stays highlighted again for 2-3 seconds, then slides over to my list of gmail folders. Again, the same things happens if I touch 'Inbox', and yet again if I touch a specific message.

Overall, just opening a specific email from scratch can take about 20 seconds. By contrast, SMS is *extremely* fast (maybe about 1 second overall). I actually find it faster to open my gmail via microb!

Is this normal? Maybe gmail is the problem? Or something I've possibly misconfigured? (I've searched but not found anyone with similar issues.)

Try this:
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php...t=modest+baxyp

It's a fixed modest (built-in email app). Download the file to the "highest" folder when selecting download location.

You will have to install rootsh before running the commands below.

I would also recommend that You cut & paste the commands below - paste is in the menu in Xterm - press the top bar:
Delete modest-3.4.2-baxyp-1.tar.gz.

Reboot phone.

Wow, that's actually useable now. Thanks!