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someone28624

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 15, 2007
849
11
Buffalo
I just recently got the iPhone 4. It's my first smart phone, so please bear with me.

I was under the impression that push notifications worked like text message notifications. When I get a text message, it beeps and I get the notification on the screen. Same with voice mails. I have push turned on for things like Facebook and Mail too, but no beeping or notifications for this if the phone asleep, even if the app is still on in the background. It doesn't notice that there's new mail or messages until I go into the app and refresh. Is there a way to make it notify me all the time when I get new mail or messages on facebook, or any other app that I have push on for? Or is my understand of what push does totally wrong? All it seems to do right now is give me a number on the app icon once I already go into the app and see the notification, which seems pointless.
 

robbieduncan

Moderator emeritus
Jul 24, 2002
25,611
893
Harrogate
Post a screenshot of your push settings and screenshots of the settings for the specific apps you don't think are working: it should work as you expect...
 

murdercitydevil

macrumors 68000
Feb 23, 2010
1,561
0
california
For mail, push is basically broken if you're using gmail. Even when setup as an Exchange account, push refuses to work. Other than that, I think all my apps use it properly.
 

someone28624

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 15, 2007
849
11
Buffalo
For mail, push is basically broken if you're using gmail. Even when setup as an Exchange account, push refuses to work. Other than that, I think all my apps use it properly.

Ah, yeah, using Gmail. That stinks!

Post a screenshot of your push settings and screenshots of the settings for the specific apps you don't think are working: it should work as you expect...

Facebook seems to be the only one I notice not working besides Mail. I just had a friend message me on Facebook. The app is running in the multitasking area, phone sleeping- nothing. Isn't the app store also suppose to use push when you have app updates?
 

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mattdo93

macrumors 6502a
Oct 2, 2010
532
74
I never use Push for Gmail because it drains my battery quickly and I don't usually get alot anyways. As for Facebook Push, the app itself is still glitchy, so Push only works sometimes. I will post a screenshot later when I get a Push and show you.

EDIT: Here's Facebook when it works.

photo.png
 

Small White Car

macrumors G4
Aug 29, 2006
10,966
1,463
Washington DC
Can anyone tell me how to get Gmail working with push?

The best way is to use another app. I suggest 'Boxcar.' (It's free.)

Set G-Mail to manual IMAP that only checks for new mail when you open the mail program. Then get Boxcar and set it up with your G-Mail account.

Then Boxcar will push you a notice when you get new mail. That's your sign to go open Mail. You can just put Boxcar on your last page, you never need to open it again.

This is better because Boxcar has more options. Turn off the "new mail" sound in the phone's settings and let Boxcar make the sound...it has more choices. It also has 'quiet hours' where you can tell it when NOT to message you so you're not getting noises in the middle of the night.

I also find that Boxcar sends pushes far faster than mail-push does on its own.
 

dccorona

macrumors 68020
Jun 12, 2008
2,033
1
I've found push notifications to be very inconsistent, specifically with facebook (and occasionally beejive)

I'm sure many of people have it all working fine, but I find that, facebook only sends notifications for some of the posts I get, not all, and same with beejive occasionally
 

drummingcraig

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2007
613
6
"Armpit of the South"
I've found push notifications to be very inconsistent, specifically with facebook (and occasionally beejive)

I'm sure many of people have it all working fine, but I find that, facebook only sends notifications for some of the posts I get, not all, and same with beejive occasionally

Same here for me. Sometimes it works and other times I open FB to post something and see that I have several new notifications. :rolleyes:
 

Hydrocity

macrumors 6502a
May 14, 2010
527
0
This method is working better. When I wake the phone up the mail icon has the appropriate number of new messages in the corner, however, shouldn't I be able to set it so that I get a notification even if the phone is sleeping?

Mails do not get a pop-up notification like texts/calls missed.

It only vibrates/sounds.

You may be able to find an app which will use pop-ups if you would like to, or you can jailbreak.

Hope this helps.
 

someone28624

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 15, 2007
849
11
Buffalo
Mails do not get a pop-up notification like texts/calls missed.

It only vibrates/sounds.

You may be able to find an app which will use pop-ups if you would like to, or you can jailbreak.

Hope this helps.

Thanks. Probably better with all the mail I get.
 

ajarnfalang

macrumors regular
Oct 27, 2010
201
0
Can anyone tell me how to get Gmail working with push?

Sure.

You have to go into Settings, Mail, Add Account,

Instead of choosing gmail, you have to choose Exchange

Username, and Password,

It will say it couldn't verify. Close that. Then it will give you an option to put the Server. Server = m.google.com

Then it will ask you what you want to Sync. Mail, Contacts, Calendar.

I have it just to Mail.

Tell it to show you the first 25 mails or so.

It will then sync with your account and push any new mail to your phone.

You can turn off Fetch.

It pushes as quickly as a Blackberry.

Here are the step by step instructions from Google

http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?answer=138740&topic=14252

Yahoo natively pushes. So, I will try to just forward my gmail to my Yahoo and try my phone just with Yahoo push to see if I get better battery life.
 
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