Need something like Gmail Notifier

[TitanJeff]

I'm looking for an app for my iPad2 which does basically what the Gmail Notifier does on my laptop. It makes a sound when I get an email. It shows a number on the icon and it allows me to see who it's from and the beginning of the email itself.

It sounds simple so I'm hoping something is out there. My searching has been futile so far.

 

[upaymeifixit]

...Like the "Mail" app?

 

[TitanJeff]

I'd prefer to be able to click the icon and it open my gmail account. I use custom signatures I can't produce in the iPad mail app.

 

[upaymeifixit]

I'd prefer to be able to click the icon and it open my gmail account. I use custom signatures I can't produce in the iPad mail app.

What do you mean open your Gmail account? google.com/mail?

What kind of signature can't you use?

 

[TitanJeff]

What do you mean open your Gmail account? google.com/mail?

What kind of signature can't you use?

If there wasn't an app which would allow me to reply with it, just opening it into Safari would work.

I use logos in my sig which I can't seem to make happen in iMail.

 

[taylortm]

Pointing your iPhone/iPad to google.com/mail takes you to a "web app" version of gmail. You have a very "Gmail looking" UI where you can reply, star, archive, search, etc.

I don't know about the badging and sounds. Obviously, if Gmail is your ONLY email account, you can set it up as such in your device's Preferences. You can then use Mail's sounds and badge... but just don't ever launch Mail. Instead, create a shortcut to the URL to your device's home screen and just click that when you want to go to Gmail.

Make sense?

 

[TitanJeff]

Pointing your iPhone/iPad to google.com/mail takes you to a "web app" version of gmail. You have a very "Gmail looking" UI where you can reply, star, archive, search, etc.

I don't know about the badging and sounds. Obviously, if Gmail is your ONLY email account, you can set it up as such in your device's Preferences. You can then use Mail's sounds and badge... but just don't ever launch Mail. Instead, create a shortcut to the URL to your device's home screen and just click that when you want to go to Gmail.

Make sense?

Sweet! I had no idea shortcuts could be created in that way. Great suggestion. Thanks for your help.

 

[taylortm]

Okay. So now, since you're so excited, I re-read what I typed and my English or grammar left a bit to be desired.

It seems like you figured it out. But -- just to be clear -- here are the steps involved.

1) Launch Safari on your iPad (or iPhone)
2) Point Safari to http://www.google.com/mail
3) Google will redirect you to an iPad- (or iPhone-) optimized "web app" version of Gmail that's much better than the mail interface offered by the Mobile version of the Mail app
4) Enjoy your Gmailing experience
5) Click on the "Export" Toolbar Icon (between bookmarks icon and Address bar) and select "Add to Home Screen" button
6) You'll get a little popover window where you can name the icon it's going to make; it will drop a Gmail icon on your springboard (where all your other apps are) on your iPad.

That's it.

 

[TitanJeff]

Yes. I figured it all out based on your earlier suggestion. Thanks again.

I still wonder why there isn't a Google Notifier app though. I see new emails show up on the Google Search app but it doesn't all for the view until it's launched and a button selected.

It seems like it would be a simple thing to do.

 

[DylanG]

It seems like it would be a simple thing to do.

Apple doesn't allow third party apps to do what the native Mail app does - wake up periodically and perform a network request for information. Apple's solution to this are push notifications but that requires running a server which has a cost and operational hassle that is beyond most indie developers.

 

[TitanJeff]

Apple doesn't allow third party apps to do what the native Mail app does - wake up periodically and perform a network request for information. Apple's solution to this are push notifications but that requires running a server which has a cost and operational hassle that is beyond most indie developers.

I see. But doesn't Notifier do this on laptops now? I click the icon on my menu bar and I get a short summary of what the email is. I've not used Mail on my MBP for years.

I'm sure there's different technology involved but if Apple allows it on their laptops, why not the iPad?

 

[DylanG]

I'm sure there's different technology involved but if Apple allows it on their laptops, why not the iPad?

You're right that it's simple and both platforms are capable of supporting this functionality. Apple has decided that iOS should be a strictly controlled environment. The core issues are deep and can spark endless debate but the surface reason for this particular restriction is to preserve battery life. If apps were unrestricted in how they run in the background it would be easy for the user to unknowingly install a bunch of battery sucking background processes and not understand why their battery life has dropped in half.

 

[TitanJeff]

You're right that it's simple and both platforms are capable of supporting this functionality. Apple has decided that iOS should be a strictly controlled environment. The core issues are deep and can spark endless debate but the surface reason for this particular restriction is to preserve battery life. If apps were unrestricted in how they run in the background it would be easy for the user to unknowingly install a bunch of battery sucking background processes and not understand why their battery life has dropped in half.

I understand. Thanks for the reply.

 

[TitanJeff]

Update: in case anyone is looking for a way to do this, I've found a free app called "Boxcar" which allows you to set up push notifications for email, RSS feeds, tweets and facebook.

I have it set up to push me anything which comes to my gmail account with a button to push which takes me to the email if I choose. It doesn't give you a number which shows the total unread messages in your gmail inbox but I still have Mail configured to do that.

Not exactly Gmail Notifier but as close as I've gotten.