Feedback Would you like push notifications to your phone for forum alerts?

There's a few ways I can do this, using a dedicated push service such as Pushover or Pushbullet or by having a dedicated app.

The first works by you installing the Pushover app on your phone, linking your forum account to your Pushover account and then they send you immediate push notifications for alerts and conversations from the forum. You could then also use this app for any other websites that also uses their service.

This notifications would link you back to the full fat version of the site in your phones native browser so you get full functionality in your mobile browser of choice.

The second option would be I could sign up for an 'Evolve Forums' app that would be released in the iOS and Android app store. This would also send you push notifications, but load up the site in an in-app web browser. Very similar, but a small chance it would be more prone to bugs/quirks due to everything being done in app. This would be free to you, but I would be covering a monthly cost.

I've personally been using Pushover for about a month on here and it's great. The only downside is that it costs approx $5 per device install for the app, and then if there's a huge amount of push traffic I would have to cover some extra costs as the site admin.

I enjoy it as it's quite granular, you can choose which notifications actually warrant a push to your phone. So you may want notifications for replies to threads you're watching, when another user tags you, when a post is created in a forum you're watching and when you receive a conversation message. But you don't want push alerts for notifications of likes received and other post feedback.

So in general, would you like push notifications?

If so, do you have a preference as to how they're delivered?

Would you be happy to pay for the app or service?

If not, would you use it if you could get a licence for free?

Any feedback and suggestions with regards to this are welcome, let me know what you think below

 

Thanks for the feedback so far everyone. I've edited the options and added an extra one for those who are happy with email as they already get notifications through the email client on their phone.

You can change your answer if you want to switch.

 

Okay, I've enabled it for all users, for anyone that wants to give it a go. Let me know how you get on


Head to your user menu and select External Accounts





Then find the Pushover Integration section and click the subscribe button and follow the instructions to link your account (provided you've already created a Pushover account on Pushover.net

Pushover: Simple Notifications for Android, iOS, and Desktop







Once you're all linked, you may wish to edit the in app settings.

In the new version of PushOver I noticed that alert links opened up within a browser inside the PushOver app. I wasn't too keen on that. But you can edit it in the app settings to use any browser installed on your phone, I find the Auto-open URLs toggle handy. As when selecting the notification it will then open up your phones browser bringing you straight to the content, bypassing the app and giving you a better full screen experience.

 

I forgot to add, if you start to use any kind of app that sends you push alerts, you may wish to turn off the option that also sends you emails when subscribing to threads. Either by creating a new thread or replying to another.

That way your not getting dual email in your inbox and push alerts.

To do this head to your Preference and uncheck the and receive email notifications of replies box (not the one above it though).

Then Save Changes at the bottom of the page.


This is only for thread update emails. You'll still get the newsletter digest and the occasional updates I type up manually to send out.

 

Hey Kevin,

If you guys create a flexible XenForo add on that integrates with your product I'd be willing to test it.

There's currently only Pushover (which requires users to pay for each phone or pc system licence), or Pushbullet (which is free, but I found not as reliable or flexible).

Some admins have been experimenting with One Signal, but I don't think anyone has released a packaged add on yet using that service. OneSignal Mobile Push Notification Service

There's a lot of demand from XenForo admins for a reliable, cost effective, cross browser and platform push product that's easy to setup.

 

bulkpush when you're obviously a company trying to push your own product? Makes me not want to consider your solution. Just be up front about who you are and what you can offer.