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Push Notification: Biggest Letdown So Far On iPhone?

EgbertAttrick said:
Are there any apps that use the push feature in a positive, helpful, and un-annoying fashion?
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Appigo ToDo - I now have reminders for tasks

However, it doesn't push badge count and you must have a time of day associated with your task in order for the push to work since the reminder is based on 'minutes before' an event.

I'm sure they're working on it.
 
I think push has been a pretty big dissappointment.

I remember telling a BB die-hard friend of mine last summer that "when push comes out in a few weeks, it'll be just as good as Blackberry"

Apple made me eat those words pretty hard - both in terms of time-line and functionality.
 
cellocello said:
I think push has been a pretty big dissappointment.

I remember telling a BB die-hard friend of mine last summer that "when push comes out in a few weeks, it'll be just as good as Blackberry"

Apple made me eat those words pretty hard - both in terms of time-line and functionality.
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Especially when they showcased it using ESPN and that app has yet to incorporate push.. That press conference was the biggest bamboozlefest I'd ever seen. ESPN, Tom Tom, MMS... pfft.
 
organsoup said:
It's all in the implementation. Prowl is an amazing app and being able to script custom push messages from my server has been great. I have scripts setup to push new google voice text messages, new gmails, etc, etc. Possibilities are endless when you can send custom push notifications.
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how do you set it up to push google voice text messages? is this replacing sms for you?
 
heyp said:
how do you set it up to push google voice text messages? is this replacing sms for you?
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For now it hasn't replace SMS through AT&T simply because I'm still testing the setup. If it proves reliable over the long term then I will cancel my AT&T SMS feature.

The setup takes a little work, but here's the rundown:

I wrote a script that runs in the background on my Ubuntu server. Every 60 seconds it logs into my Google Voice account and checks my SMS inbox. When it finds a new message, it uses the Prowl API to send them as push messages to my iPhone. So far it works well and, at most, there's a 60 second delay from when someone sends a SMS to my Google Voice number and when I actually receive the message. I can then use GV Mobile to reply to the texts, bypassing the use of AT&T SMS.

There are other scripts available online (written in python, I wrote mine in PHP) that do the same thing but they all require that you have a computer or server that is always on. There is also a Windows solution using Growl for Windows that you can learn about on the GfW site.

If you're into scripting/coding you can use Prowl to unlock a lot more potential from Push notifications. Even if you aren't, you can use Growl on OS X or Growl for Windows to do quite a bit.
 
organsoup said:
For now it hasn't replace SMS through AT&T simply because I'm still testing the setup. If it proves reliable over the long term then I will cancel my AT&T SMS feature.

The setup takes a little work, but here's the rundown:

I wrote a script that runs in the background on my Ubuntu server. Every 60 seconds it logs into my Google Voice account and checks my SMS inbox. When it finds a new message, it uses the Prowl API to send them as push messages to my iPhone. So far it works well and, at most, there's a 60 second delay from when someone sends a SMS to my Google Voice number and when I actually receive the message. I can then use GV Mobile to reply to the texts, bypassing the use of AT&T SMS.

There are other scripts available online (written in python, I wrote mine in PHP) that do the same thing but they all require that you have a computer or server that is always on. There is also a Windows solution using Growl for Windows that you can learn about on the GfW site.

If you're into scripting/coding you can use Prowl to unlock a lot more potential from Push notifications. Even if you aren't, you can use Growl on OS X or Growl for Windows to do quite a bit.
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Uh ... so does that mean your SMS "conversations" are gonna go in 60 second turn arounds? That sounds a little crappy.
 
I find no problems with push - I actually love it and think it works like a charm!!!

I think people will find problems in everything (it's too much or it's not enough etc...) - or it seems that way on these boards!
 
cellocello said:
Uh ... so does that mean your SMS "conversations" are gonna go in 60 second turn arounds? That sounds a little crappy.
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The delay can be anywhere from 0 to 60 seconds depending. When I reply to a text using the GV Mobile app, it goes out as fast as Google Voice sends the SMS. If someone (or multiple people) sends multiple messages to my GV number within that 60 second time frame, they are all delivered the next time the script checks my GV SMS inbox.

Personally, this works fine for me. I rarely talk to multiple people at the same time using SMS or carry on lengthy conversations. For someone that wants to have (mostly) real time conversations via SMS and absolutely can't wait any longer than 10 seconds, then this isn't a solution for them. For someone that's tired of paying $15 or $20 a month for a text messaging plan and can live with a slight delay now and then, this seems to work great so far.
 
Do u know if there are any plans that skype is updated to support push notification to let you know of incoming calls?

BriGuy20 said:
I'm annoyed it's not on the app I really want it on (Skype), but it's worked fine on the other apps (AIM, etc.).
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organsoup said:
For now it hasn't replace SMS through AT&T simply because I'm still testing the setup. If it proves reliable over the long term then I will cancel my AT&T SMS feature.

The setup takes a little work, but here's the rundown:

I wrote a script that runs in the background on my Ubuntu server. Every 60 seconds it logs into my Google Voice account and checks my SMS inbox. When it finds a new message, it uses the Prowl API to send them as push messages to my iPhone. So far it works well and, at most, there's a 60 second delay from when someone sends a SMS to my Google Voice number and when I actually receive the message. I can then use GV Mobile to reply to the texts, bypassing the use of AT&T SMS.

There are other scripts available online (written in python, I wrote mine in PHP) that do the same thing but they all require that you have a computer or server that is always on. There is also a Windows solution using Growl for Windows that you can learn about on the GfW site.

If you're into scripting/coding you can use Prowl to unlock a lot more potential from Push notifications. Even if you aren't, you can use Growl on OS X or Growl for Windows to do quite a bit.
Click to expand...

im running the python script version right now, works like a charm and will definitely save me some money on texts. Only problem is now people have to text me at a different number.... not a big deal since my gf is really the only one that texts me a lot, so I can deal with the few random friends that decide to text. I only have the 200 text plan and that can get used up pretty quickly the normal way.
 
SeanMcC said:
Not sure what you were expecting from push notifications..

...

Push notification isn't the letdown.
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It is when it is touted as an alternative to multi-tasking. So, the expectation was that it would fill the role of multi-tasking to a degree that justified the year-long wait, decreased battery life, obnoxious pop-ups, and the required third-party support. What is it good for except instant messaging? As has been posted, even notifications for task reminders are limited - not to mention the whole premise of using push for local tasks makes about as much sense as writing and mailing yourself a letter of your weekend chores sometime during the week.
 
Funny I saw this thread.
I have had OS 3 since it was available, probably a few weeks before and I have yet to see a single notification.

I read yesterday that the ebay app was updated to include Push notifications.
I updated the app yesterday.
I have several auctions ending last night.
My iphone sat silent the entire night, not a single beep, whistle or text.
Wake up this morning and I find out that I lost one that I wanted by like $1.

Does Apple even know what push notifications mean?

Is it too much to ask to have my app buzz me at 10pm that an auction I am participating in is about to end and I am losing?
 
Zimmy68 said:
Funny I saw this thread.
I have had OS 3 since it was available, probably a few weeks before and I have yet to see a single notification.

I read yesterday that the ebay app was updated to include Push notifications.
I updated the app yesterday.
I have several auctions ending last night.
My iphone sat silent the entire night, not a single beep, whistle or text.
Wake up this morning and I find out that I lost one that I wanted by like $1.

Does Apple even know what push notifications mean?

Is it too much to ask to have my app buzz me at 10pm that a auction I am participating in is about to end and I am losing?
Click to expand...

Did you go to settings and turn on notifications, both on the phone, and the app itself?
 
Zimmy68 said:
Funny I saw this thread.
I have had OS 3 since it was available, probably a few weeks before and I have yet to see a single notification.

I read yesterday that the ebay app was updated to include Push notifications.
I updated the app yesterday.
I have several auctions ending last night.
My iphone sat silent the entire night, not a single beep, whistle or text.
Wake up this morning and I find out that I lost one that I wanted by like $1.

Does Apple even know what push notifications mean?

Is it too much to ask to have my app buzz me at 10pm that an auction I am participating in is about to end and I am losing?
Click to expand...

How was that Apple's fault..They provide the service...It's up to eBay to determine what's pushed..
 
juswest said:
How was that Apple's fault..They provide the service...It's up to eBay to determine what's pushed..
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Since Apple put themselves in the middle (they do run the PNS servers after all), there's always *some* chance that any problem is somehow Apple's fault.

They took on quite the responsibility ....
 
juswest said:
How was that Apple's fault..They provide the service...It's up to eBay to determine what's pushed..
Click to expand...

Seems pretty clear that eBay determined that notifications for being overbid are pushed. When it's not pushed, how is that eBay's fault?
 
cellocello said:
Since Apple put themselves in the middle (they do run the PNS servers after all), there's always *some* chance that any problem is somehow Apple's fault.

They took on quite the responsibility ....
Click to expand...

Yes it's their fault if they simply don't deliver...But if the app doesn't offer push for a certain service they've nothing to push..I'll have to read and see what eBay was offering to push..But if they don't offer it for a certain feature..that's something they should address
 
Eso said:
Seems pretty clear that eBay determined that notifications for being overbid are pushed. When it's not pushed, how is that eBay's fault?
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It's not pretty clear..And if that's what they offered and apple says they can push it..Well yes it's Apples fault..But that person never mentioned that such was a feature just that his or her phone sat silent...
 
juswest said:
Yes it's their fault if they simply don't deliver...But if the app doesn't offer push for a certain service they've nothing to push..I'll have to read and see what eBay was offering to push..But if they don't offer it for a certain feature..that's something they should address
Click to expand...

Well ya, barring the lack of a feature in the app itself .....
 
juswest said:
It's not pretty clear..And if that's what they offered and apple says they can push it..Well yes it's Apples fault..But that person never mentioned that such was a feature just that his or her phone sat silent...
Click to expand...

Actually, it's VERY clear. Go see the eBay app on the iTunes store: "Push notifications for outbid events and watched items"
 
jayenh said:
push works fine, we get that. i think the point is the implementation is wrong. sure, its nice to get a warning when someone sends you an IM message, but they should be less obtrusive or less often.

heres an example that happens to me a lot; you're talking to someone on beejive about something, say their new phone. they send you a youtube link that shows off a feature. you tap it and go in to youtube to watch, but they continue to send you messages like "you should see it at 0:54" or something and carry on chatting away to you. you just get fat warning after fat warning covering the screen and pausing the video.

there should be an option to only get the popup alert on the lock screen, otherwise just count up the notifications with badges.

but this just goes back to the general discussion that keeps being brought up about notifications. push isn't the only one guilty of this, texts as well. apple really needs to rethink it and provide more info on the lock screen, less when using the device.
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Agreed.

I think the push notification concept is great but the notification system apple has in place is just embarrassing. I have turned off push on a lot of my apps due to the fact that the notifications are so damn obtrusive.
 
Push

I use push for Notify Me. It works great for work tasks, TV shows or anything else I need to get done. I'm going to check out Sports Tap again now that it offers push. I have no complaints about the implementation.
 
I've used AP Mobile with push and like its occasional pushed news updates, but the best app I've found for using the push technology is 'pushmail' a fairly new app that allows my gmail to be pushed to my iPhone (often hits the iPhone before it shows up on my PC). I've even found a little battery savings by not having to 'fetch' email so frequently.
 
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