post via email

Ive tried 3 different ways, with 2 different email accounts. One is a godaddy using pop3 w/ out ssl, and the other is a gmail using pop3 w/ ssl and/or imap.
Tried the default way w/ out plugins (wp-mail.php), which gives me the following:

POP3 connect: Error [110] [Connection timed out]

Also tried “postie” which also gives me a timeout error. (interestingly, regardless of which type of mail account I tell postie to use, it says ‘connecting to xyz (pop3)’
I also tried Postmaster, which uses wp-mail, so obviously has the same timeout error.
I also tried “blogmailr” service (https://blogmailr.com) but that won’t insert the picture with the post.
My requirements are pretty basic:
1. send an email (w/ a picture…ie from my iphone) and have it post to the wordpress blog.
2. see number one.

Anyone have this working successfully?
fyi, both email accounts work fine when set up via outlook express.