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I can't possibly be the first to have this issue, but I can't find a related topic when I search the forums: I have notification alerts set up to email my gmail account, which in turn uses filters to forward the emails to my smartphone as SMS texts (using my phone number along with the "@phonecompany.com" extension provided by my carrier). However, they are so polluted with HTML code that they are absolutely impossible to read. Here's an example: * { -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; } body { Margin: 0; padding: 0; min-width: 100%; background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; } table { border-spacing: 0; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; } img { border: 0; } a { color: #2B7277; } li { padding-bottom: .75em; } hr { background-color: #9B9B9B; border: none; height: 2px; margin: 40px 0; } .wrapper { width: 100%; table-layout: fixed; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; } .webkit { max-width: 600px; } .outer { Margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; max-width: 600px; } .full-width-image img { width: 100%; max-width: 600px; height: auto; } .inner { padding: 10px; } p { Margin: 0; padding-bottom: 10px; } .one-column p { color: #4a4a4a; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; } .contents { width: 100%; } .three-column { text-align: center; font-size: 0; padding-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 10px; } .three-column .column { width: 100%; max-width: 140px; display: inline-block; } .three-column .column td { width: 200px; max-width: 100%; } /* For iOS and other clients' auto-generated links */ .override a { color: #ffffff !important; } .override span { color: #ffffff; border-color: #ffffff; } a[x-apple-data-detectors] { color: inherit !important; text-decoration: underline !important; font-size: inherit !important; font-family: inherit !important; font-weight: inherit !important; line-height: inherit !important; }  ORC-3762.32 (GC94567) has a new log: Logged by: rileyLog Type: Found itDate: 04/26/2017Location: Ohio, United StatesType: Traditional Cache Log: Tinnyyy This email was sent by Geocaching HQ. 837 N. 34th Street, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98103 USA © 2017 Groundspeak, Inc. DBA Geocaching. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy      Once upon a time, YEARS ago, there were options for some emails to be delivered text only. I realize that sending emails in plain text prevents any behind-the-scenes tracking and data manipulation to take place on the emails that are sent out, so the chances of getting an option to send plain text emails are slim to none, but has anyone figured out a way of getting the notification emails to be readable in a text app? Or maybe a relay service that will strip HTML out of an email and forward it to another address?

Hi oerterg, We have had reports of this type of behavior in the past, but each time our systems show a single email being sent to an email -> SMS address. The messages eventually stop, but unfortunately there is nothing on our side that we can do that would alleviate the issue once it has begun. If you would like to privately send me the email address that you were using for the notification I can check our systems to confirm that we are not sending duplicate notifications to you. Thanks!

Since the notification system only sends to email addresses, it sounds like the problem may be with the email to SMS gateway you're using.

I am trying to setup my Sprint iPhone 6 to receive instant notifications through geocaching and it does not work. Every time I request a verification email sent to my phone it receives the text but it comes in cut off. It will show the website to click but it stops halfway through the link. So I am never able to get the full link to verify my phone. Has anyone dealt with this or knows how to fix it? I have tried resetting the network settings, turning off iMessages, turning off LTE, powering on and off the phone from other help on other forums. If anyone can assist I would greatly appreciate it. Either fixing the issue or knowing of an alternate means to verify the phone is mine. Thank you!

I don't believe the site sends instant notifications by direct text; my understanding is that it sends them to your phone by email-to-SMS. Try going to edit your profile, choose email preferences, add the email-to-SMS address for your new # and delete the old one. See option 2 here as well as the list of email-to-SMS addresses here.

"gps averaging" is a better application. it lets you choose the coordinate formatting, and directly exports to either Google maps, Locus, sms, email, your clipboard, or whatever mapping applications you have installed. then you paste that directly into the website if you like. no conversion needed, and reliably gets very good averages in less than a minute.

Some providers have a character limit for email to SMS (text) and cuts off some stuff. If the link was cut off it won't take you to the proper page. A solution if you're using a smartphone, is to use an email app. I use Gmail. The app alerts me whenever I get a new email. I don't have to worry about this problem, and I can access the emails anywhere, any device.

You are a Premium Member. Here's a list of benefits: http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=175 1.1. Benefits of Geocaching Premium [updated September 2012] A Geocaching Premium Membership provides you with many additional features that a basic membership does not provide. Whether you go geocaching every day or only occasionally, many useful tools are available to enhance your geocaching experience. 1.Pocket Queries (Custom Search and Bulk Downloads): Custom Search: Use Pocket Queries to specify desired locations, geocache types, terrain ratings, and many more geocache details. Bulk Downloads: Download geocache details for up to 1000 geocaches at a time to your GPS device using Pocket Queries. 2.Premium Geocaches: Access thousands of additional geocaches not available to Basic members. Premium Member Only geocaches are placed and found exclusively for Geocaching Premium members. 3.Group geocaches into bookmark lists: Organize geocaches into lists that can be accessed on your profile page and downloaded to your GPS device. 4.Trip Planner (a.k.a. Geocaches Along a Route): Input your destination and Geocaching.com will tell you which geocaches are along the way. 5.Instant Notifications: Be the first to find a geocache when you receive Instant Notifications about newly published geocaches via email or SMS. 6.Favorites: Sort search results by most 'Favorited' listings and award Favorite Points to the best geocaches you've found. Read our Favorites FAQ. 7.Select your Map Provider: Choose from providers including Google Maps, MapQuest, and OpenStreetMap when using the advanced map. 8.Filter geocaches: Choose which geocache types display on the map or remove your hides and finds from the display using Geocaching Premium filtering tools. You can also view your saved custom searches (Pocket Queries) and create new Pocket Queries on the map. 9.Über Statistics: With Geocaching Premium Statistics, you can view graphs and other dynamic 'info-graphics' related to your geocaching history. Use the stats to mark milestones and track progress. View others' profiles to see how your game compares to friends and family. 10.Paperless geocaching: With Geocaching Premium and a paperless geocaching compatible GPS device, you can view complete geocache descriptions, recent logs, and any hints provided on the geocache details page directly on your GPS device. 11.Access to the Geocaching Live API: Enjoy full access to the Geocaching.com database of geocaches through partner applications and websites using the Geocaching Live API. 12.Access to all Groundspeak websites: Gain access to all premium features and tools at Geocaching.com, Waymarking.com, and Wherigo.com. 13.Audit Logs: See a list of users who have viewed your Premium Member Only geocaches. 14.LOVE! Support the development and maintenance of the Geocaching.com site.

Since FTF doesn't exist as far as GS (and most of the geocaching world) is concerned maybe this is an underhanded, devious (but long overdue) way of getting those people to go away. Plus one from me. One of the premium membership perks is Instant Notifications. In their effort to persuade people into buying Premium, GS states, "Be the first to find a geocache when you receive Instant Notifications about newly published geocaches via email or SMS". Sure sounds like they know the ftf game exists. I also don't think you're right about most of the world not knowing it exists. I'd go on to bet that most geocachers have tried for a ftf a time or three in their caching career...

I just hit the "GPX" button on a cache and get this: (cut the logs) <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <gpx xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" version="1.0" creator="Groundspeak, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.Groundspeak.com" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0/gpx.xsd http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0/1 http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0/1/cache.xsd" xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/0"> <name>Cache Listing Generated from Geocaching.com</name> <desc>This is an individual cache generated from Geocaching.com</desc> <author>Account "walkingdogs" From Geocaching.com</author> <email>contact@geocaching.com</email> <url>http://www.geocaching.com</url> <urlname>Geocaching - High Tech Treasure Hunting</urlname> <time>2015-12-23T12:39:07.6749972Z</time> <keywords>cache, geocache</keywords> <bounds minlat="51.130767" minlon="4.40585" maxlat="51.130767" maxlon="4.40585" /> <wpt lat="51.130767" lon="4.40585"> <time>2015-05-10T07:00:00Z</time> <name>GC5V8EF</name> <desc>Groeningenhof Plus 6 by walkingdogs, Traditional Cache (1.5/1.5)</desc> <url>http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=fd8c261e-5ed4-4f32-90fe-e5ca80a226bc</url> <urlname>Groeningenhof Plus 6</urlname> <sym>Geocache Found</sym> <type>Geocache|Traditional Cache</type> <Groundspeak:cache id="4989188" available="True" archived="False" xmlns:Groundspeak="http://www.Groundspeak.com/cache/1/0/1"> <Groundspeak:name>Groeningenhof Plus 6</Groundspeak:name> <Groundspeak:placed_by>walkingdogs</Groundspeak:placed_by> <Groundspeak:owner id="11168789">walkingdogs</Groundspeak:owner> <Groundspeak:type>Traditional Cache</Groundspeak:type> <Groundspeak:container>Micro</Groundspeak:container> <Groundspeak:attributes> <Groundspeak:attribute id="1" inc="1">Dogs</Groundspeak:attribute> <Groundspeak:attribute id="15" inc="1">Available during winter</Groundspeak:attribute> <Groundspeak:attribute id="32" inc="1">Bicycles</Groundspeak:attribute> <Groundspeak:attribute id="41" inc="1">Stroller accessible</Groundspeak:attribute> </Groundspeak:attributes> <Groundspeak:difficulty>1.5</Groundspeak:difficulty> <Groundspeak:terrain>1.5</Groundspeak:terrain> <Groundspeak:country>Belgium</Groundspeak:country> <Groundspeak:state>Antwerpen</Groundspeak:state> <Groundspeak:short_description html="True">GROENINGENHOF PLUS: </Groundspeak:short_description> <Groundspeak:long_description html="True"><p>Deze 7 afzonderlijke traditionele caches, in willekeurige orde genummerd (perfect te combineren met onze reeks Groeninghof met Bonus) zullen U door het landschap, rond het domein “Kasteel Groeningenhof, ook Kontichhof of Hof van Helmont” genoemd, leiden.</p> <p>De aangeduide “Private weg” is niet toegankelijk voor motorvoertuigen (behalve voor de bewoners), wel voor fietsers, voetgangers en hun dierbare honden. Bij nat weer kunnen sommige paadjes wel modderig zijn (waterdichte schoenen is een aanrader).</p> <p>Het prachtig kasteel, dat U in de verte zal kunnen zien, is een privaat eigendom, dus niet toegankelijk voor het publiek.</p> <p>Deze caches zijn “hand en home made”. Daar is soms veel tijd aan besteed. Wij hopen dat U deze met liefde behandelt. Leg deze aub ook terug op dezelfde plaats waar U ze vond.</p> <p>Geef aub geen hint in jullie logs, foto’s zijn natuurlijk welkom, maar geen spoiler foto’s op de site!</p> <p>Moest U problemen hebben bij het zoeken van een cache, kan U steeds een sms sturen naar nummer 0477/97.16.74 of 0473/97.69.99. Wij zullen er zo spoedig mogelijk op beantwoorden. <strong>NIET BELLEN AUB.</strong></p> <p><strong>Wij wensen U veel plezier!</strong></p> </Groundspeak:long_description> <Groundspeak:encoded_hints>Een "déjà vu" voor sommigen.Wel hier nu herboren.</Groundspeak:encoded_hints>

I do agree and disagree with you. I am using Instant Notification with SMS for my 20-30 km circle. Yes, that is fast, because I get SMS and email in the same minute. For the rest of the country, I have a GC FTF Pro android app, which is not 100% reliable, and has 15 minute update time. I am using app mostly for events, but also for FTF's if I am in that region. Time on web page would help me to decide to go for FTF or not.

I get published notifications for new caches to my email. I heard you can receive them via sms text messages to your phone. Is this true? When I went to the section to set up all it said was for emails.

Not a guarantee, however the probability to receive a reply is much higher when sending e-mail messages to cachers who are around for several years and are used to that system and its advantages in comparison to the MC. Many cachers in my country have turned off the notifications for MC messages and do not react to them at all. [emphasis mine.] Why is everything always a protest? Boycotts and all? People are trying to contact you and succeed. Reply with your actual email address (well, its forwarding alias ), with one courteous reply to use that email address and not MC which you don't like. If the OP actually does mean he's in fact using PM and that email may be getting lost, your country's plan makes communication much more difficult. I hope you're wrong, but I think you're right . That is, I see no reason the edit box could not be made like every other edit box on the site... why it must be two scrolling lines of text. I agree that it's been set up as a fad social media chat area that really can't work in a PC environment unless everyone keeps that Message page open and available as a Smartphone can. Yet the PM system on the web site (and I guess "email" in general) is difficult for Phone users. I would have like to see the MC become so much more, such as having "MC" integrated with cache logs. That is, a privately sent "Message" could be right there in the context of the log that it's talking about, visible to the parties in the message. As is, it's a kind of unfinished SMS thing, which competes with full-featured systems that already exist on Smartphones.

I think so, too. I'm not so sure it need to be reinvented. There are existing full-featured SMS systems. There are hints around here that the “Free App” will become “The App”. Until then, open both the “Intro” and Paid, and you get the Message Center. So there's a slight inconvenience for now, in order to use the slightly inconvenient Message Center . Use it mainly to help Intro App Users (the word help being key) and PM or better yet, actual email for anyone else. If their email is working. But more that one “MC” per device would become a problem. People would be asking which one to shut off. I also thought the MC could be its own separate App, and let the phone open whatever App you use, from within it. If the sender has set their Profile to publicly display their email address, can you reply via email directly from the emailed MC notification? I haven't gotten a wide enough variety of MC notifications to know. If so switching from MC to actual email can be seamless. It requires a special Profile setting, but if the plan is to be able to contact everyone, all avenues of communication must be open. If or when an Intro App user decides to join the web site, they may switch to "PM" (but let's not confuse PM with "email", PM is a GS server to email system with tons of problems) like everybody else. For those who are still bringing up the "Verified" thing, I'll point out yet again that someone just testing the App may not want to reveal a "Verified" email address to a company they haven't decided to use, and I don't blame them. "Verified" is to prove the web user is a human, which App users have in fact proven several ways ($60/mo data plan, anyone?). They've revealed plenty by just having a phone. People using the Intro App don't need email, we contact them via the MC. If one needs everyone "Verified", take that up with TPTB. Convince them about the periodic "re-verified" plan or whatever, because it's a much bigger issue on the web site than it ever was in the App, with many who cannot be contacted who never used the App, plus the web site has "Verified" non-human Spambots to this day. "Verified" is not about the App. I've stated this until I'm blue in the nose yet somehow it never sinks in.

I was considering leaving mine un-hidden due to it being such a pain to un-hide after hiding. Especially if I might forget which conversation was which, and must send a new message to get a hidden conversation restored. In order to keep things sorted and searchable, maybe I'd save the emails (the notifications of the Messages) on the phone as well as on the PC. This IS an improvement, right? Right? Isn't it? One way the MC really shines (aside from being a thrill for the SMS-chat crowd), is it's pretty much possible to communicate with someone who otherwise can't be contacted by email (or if you can't), especially if either party is not actively trying to not be contacted. The App of course has popup notifications, and it's easy to tell the message is live and can be read (as opposed to email where you don't know until a reply arrives). The web site has a little yellow dot to show a message is waiting, but that's the site programmers' idea of a visible notification, not necessarily the only way it could be presented. Another advantage of the MC is there's plain evidence that the message occurred, and all the recipient has to do is attempt one of the several ways to read it. It's available, and both parties can forevermore read exactly what the message says. No email settings needed. For the rest of us, if the sender's email address is posted, and if it is sent with each message, and if email is tested and assured to be functioning with the site most of the time, and if the recipient has similar things in effect, go ahead and use email. Not necessarily "PM" with its built-in "No-Reply" Geocaching.com address, but actual email to real addresses. If you can't be bothered to ensure your email works, bite the bullet and check the MC once in a while. The previously hidden conversation is automatically unhidden at that time. Your first reply should be "my actual email address is [*****], I will respond from that, please reply to that address". All the weirdness and functionlessness of the MC goes away, because you're using email directly. You will also lose the online record of the conversation, if it's possible for GS to see it to solve disputes faster, but you can report emails to solve disputes, too. If the recipient prefers the online record provided by MC, maybe due to him getting a lot of "I didn't get your email" replies or whatever, ratchet the angst down a bit, and use MC with that person. If instead they are just playing with App features, go the email route. A connected phone can send and receive email just as well as "messaging", so go ahead and state your request. And if one is trying to prevent communication and enjoys the chaos of "PM" alone, sorry. The new MC causes messages to get through. There's no excuse anymore, to say you didn't get the message. It's right there. Go read it.

Except that the MC doesn't work on Groundspeak's paid app, or on any of the third-party API-based apps, or on any of the GPX-based apps, or on the site-scraping app that shall not be named. And not everyone who uses a smartphone app for geocaching is into IM or SMS. I use my phone for voice calls or for email. SMS messages can sit on my phone for weeks before I even notice they're there. Yeah, I don't like the "gotta log it immediately, gotta respond immediately" trend either. It's a game about finding hidden containers, not a production datacenter that went offline.

Assuming the MC works in your environment. If it doesn't, then that minute becomes forever. And in situations where an archive of past conversations is important (e.g., volunteer reviewers and EarthCache owners), the MC takes the conversation out of the email context where that archive of past conversations is conveniently available. The same could be said about the MC user who replied to the email via the MC. Different people prefer different systems at different times for different reasons. Sometimes I reply to email via IM, or via phone, or even via postal mail. Sometimes I reply to voicemail via email, or via IM. I usually reply to SMS via email (once I finally notice the SMS). And so on. It's not a crime to switch communication systems when you reply. I'm not really an opponent of the MC. But I'm not a fan either. The only messages I've sent on the MC have been test messages of one sort or another, and I can understand the points raised by the opponents of the MC. From my perspective, it's yet another PM system that I'll probably ignore, except when I get an email notification, or when I happen to notice the "unread message" icon on the site.

Ten criticisms for the user interface of the Message Center beta. Others have probably made the same comments. Perhaps I'm reiterating here. 1. More than 75% of the page shown in the image below is wasted real estate. This is a poor user interface. 2. The squiggly line messaging graphic offers no significant advantage to its existence. Remove it and the space in which it resides. 3. The "Add Conversations" column isn't in use. Remove it. If it's for use for people with more permissions than most, show it only to those with the correct permissions. Not to the rest of us. If it's an upcoming feature, don't show a confusing, unused feature in the beta until the feature tested and out of alpha. 4. The first time I saw this, I had no idea where to type the message. It was below the fold. Seriously. Why on earth do you have the "Type a message" all the way at the bottom of the page, entirely divorced from the "To" field? 5. Add a "Subject" field. That's pretty standard in a messaging center. 6. Bring the "message content" field just below the "Subject" field. Make the content field resizeable, like post content fields. 7. Make the interface mobile friendly. It isn't now. 8. Messaging is currently divorced from post content. That's counterproductive. There should be a button left of "Reply" and "Multiquote" that says "Message <name>" and another "Email <name>" that includes post reference link and a copy of the specific content in the message. 9. PHPBB provides full messaging, extended to something around 40K characters per message, with images and bolding, etc., in the content, just like public posts. You can also save your messages in folders. This beta tries to approximate something between text messaging at 140 characters and a real messaging center operations like PHPBB. At 1000 characters, it's enough to suggest you might have something to say, but too much for quick comment. Make a choice. Is it like SMS or twitter, or is it a real message center? Please, please, please... Make it a real message center. 10. Y-Slow gives most pages on geocaching.com and forums.Groundspeak.com a grade of D, where A is great and F is not so great. Profile pages generally get a grade of E. Changes to the "model" and "view" parts of interface could enhance performance, even on stretched servers. Many pages take a long time to load, even though I've got a pretty snappy high-speed connection. It may mean Groundspeak servers are reaching or at capacity. Perhaps it's time to rethink more than just the message center beta. It may seem like harsh criticism, but I hope you'll find it to be well-reasoned and honest feedback.

Yes, access via smartphone is THE way. I know peoples with Garmin Monterra which do not use Garmin software and use Android application - Garmin software have obsolete possibilities. Try to find out the demands on data transfer for simple email and web operations at the message center. Try it when you imagine that in many countries the data transfers at an inclusive price seems like you in America, but it must be quite pay dearly. and install additional geocaching application only for read eventual messages (as another instant messager)? This is nonsense. And another thing - email message can be by simple way converted into a free SMS message! [sorry, translate with help of google]

A few thoughts... 1. Email notifications - These should definitely be improved. Provide the option for immediate or digest. Primarily: provide a way to treat the MC as an email communication tool for those who don't want it or don't want to use it. If someone sends a message to a user who doesn't check the MC, the worst is for it to remain there unchecked unbeknownst to anyone. Email notifications for new messages without the content would go ignored by such people too. So treat a new message like an existing communication. Include the message in the email. You can default the sender to no-reply, so you don't have to worry about non-validated users (as currently). And if the recipient wants to reply, then a link going right to that conversation on the site would be HUGE (and as simple as linking to the 'send message' page to reply). Better though would be to allow replying to the message email and inserting the reply as a response in the conversation (as described in a previous comment here, can't remember which post #). By providing the message content in the email notification, it accomodates users of the MC, as well as those who couldn't care less about the MC, without creating holes of communication with the implementation of the new system. A digest option would be helpful as well, depending on busyness of the user's MC inbox. But that's just an idea. 2. Conversation deletion - I'm not positive how forums tend to handle message exchanges and deletions, but afaik I believe that 'deleting' a sent message doesn't remove it from the recipient's inbox. Usuaully PMs don't show up as conversations as it's more a message exchange type format. Facebook however, I can't remember if you can actually delete a conversation. (as opposed to functionally hiding it from your view). Ultimately, I don't think it should be possible for one person to delete a whole conversation. Now, if one person 'hides' (or deletes, by label) a conversation, and all other participants do the same, then it could be wiped form the system. But I think if there's a 'delete' option, it really is just a 'hide' from the system perspective, until it has no more context. At the same time though, it would also be comforting to know that you retain control so you can delete your own message(s) completely. ...yeah actually I'm not sure really where I stand on what a 'delete' option should do. 3. Unread messages - The unread message count should definitely be clearly visible on the website. And I don't mean a white on green number outline in the far right border of the website header that is so far away from main vision that it's easy to miss, or have scrolled off the browser edge if the window isn't wide enough on any page. I mean use the generally accepted scheme of bright red dot with a bold, contrasting number in it. Perhaps as well, if a message/conversation remains unread for a few days or a week, send an automated reminder EMAIL that the user has unread messages. At worst, if they intend to ignore them, then there can (should) be a 'Mark all as read' option. 4. Opt-out the MC - Why? Just ignore it. Ideally, some of the things I mention here should make it easier or smoother for people to indirectly 'opt out' by pretending it doesn't exist. But if it's there for all users, it should not be turned off for some. I've never understood the "I don't like... I'll never use... So it shouldn't exist" mentality. At best, an argument could be made for development resources being put to good use elsewhere, but even then it's no tangible loss, even presuming there is actually only one development resource being put to use at any one time So, opt-out of the message center? No. But options to make it as transparent as possible for users if they so desire? Yes, I'd say that should be doable. * forward messages as emails per the existing system (message content in notification emails) - these shouldn't mark the conversation as read however * allow replying by email to participate in the conversation (or provide a link to the page on which to send the response) * clear and bright unread message count badge on every page of the website * periodic reminder email of unread messages, including a brief summary of the conversations' senders and last message datestamp, if not including more conversation content 5. User blocking - Yes! At any time, not just after receiving a message. This should be a transparent effect too - equivalent to an automated ignore. No notifications received for new messages from a blocked user, and conversations are hidden. Blocked user doesn't know they're blocked. Incoming messages are still treated as normal in the chance the blocker unblocks the user (unhides all past correspondance). The blocked user could be left not knowing if the receipient has 'seen' the message(s). I admit I don't really have any idea whether the numbers would back me up, but my guess is that anyone without a validated e-mail address is as unlikely to check their gc messages as to correct their e-mail address. Ironically enough, one of the biggest suggestions in the topic of contacting unvalidated-email users was an on-site messaging system. And that's what we've got. Now we're seeing comments that a problem with the messaging service is that people without a valid email may not use the website so won't get the messages...? If there's a user like that, then there is no hope, apart from validating email addresses. While I still firmly believe ALL emails should be validated before being able to do anything on the site (even mobile users), I just find it ironic this circle in the argument See THIS is a big benefit. (for those with smartphones). If one of the senders is the GS notification system, then you could have a 'conversation' where one of notification system options is to send a MC alert. Then if you have push notifications on with your app, you actually would get immediate notification. That would be a huge draw, imo. heh, you realize you're making an argument that because there are 3rd party apps that compete with their own, they shouldn't offer any features to encourage people to buy and use their own? That said, yes I'd love to see the MC, if it's integrated into the official app, have API hooks to allow 3rd party apps to also make use of the in-app messaging. But I think jumping to them considering people who use other apps "second class citizens" is pretty off the mark. They want people, justifiably, to use their app. Even though (afaik) on iOS it's the most expensive and not really the most feature rich at this point Personally, if they actually integrated push notifications in app (not sms alerts or email), then I'd make use of it again. Thanks also, seandynamite for chiming in this thread

Thanks for this new feature. We discussed the new message center in our local community. This is what we would suggest to be added /changed. 1. Links from the MC to user profiles. While being within the message center it would be nice to click on a user's photo/avatar and get to their profile. It's common that I wish to know a bit more about who I'm communicating with. 2. Links from user profiles to the MC. I would like to have a hyperlink in a user profile to take me to the MC and send a message to this person. 3. MC settings available from the MC webpage. Currently I see only one setting for the MC (switching email notifications on/off) and it's hidden in the general settings section. It would be great if there is more straightforward/simple way to get to settings from the MC. 4. To delete messages/conversations. Currently there's an option to hide conversations. This may be useful sometimes but I believe it's not good at whole because once a conversation is hidden it's too easy to just forget about it. For privacy reasons (and also to save resources) I think it's necessary to have an option to delete conversations completely. It could be implemented somehow similar they used to do this in Facebook. 5. To limit the number of potential message senders. There are "friends" feature on this website already. I've never had any profit of this feature. Perhaps this could be the case: to have an option to select people to get messages from ("All", "Friends only"). 6. To block any user at once. Currently I can block someone but to do this I actually need to communicate with them first. It may easily happen that I wish to block someone whom I don't want to communicate at all (for example, someone who has already proved to be rude with my friends). 7. More space to enter text. With the limit of 1000 characters per message it's not comfortable to have only two strings to enter text. Normally, you even have more space in feedback forms at websites. In the MC I have to scroll again and again and again to compose a message which is bigger then a general SMS message. Four or at least three strings would be much better. 8. Different types for attachments. I suggest that .GPX, .LOC, .ZIP and .TXT files are also allowed. Perhaps it would be OK to limit size of an attachment. 9. Number of new messages shown on the frontpage of geocaching.com / in user account. There are currently two ways of knowing that I've got a message: following an email notification and manually checking the MC. It would be great if the number of new (unread) messages are somehow displayed along with the envelope icon in the header of the website. If this is not done, it often happens that there's no conversation at all, I have to wait until my friend opens his email inbox - in this case I better send him the same message by email. Geocachers here also asked if the new feature appears in your mobile app.

I have had the exact same problem with my GS3 and an 'email account' of {myphonenunmber}@mycarrier.com. My txt message stops at /emailpreferences and tapping the link just takes me to the preferences page and doesn't actually send the verification token because the messaging app on the phone cuts it off. I tried a different messaging app and got the same thing. I suspect that our carriers limit the size of a SMS message and for some reason it is not splitting this validation message into multiple pieces. I noticed in the help area on the Geocaching web site that they do mention the possibility of manually validating an email address if it can't be done any other way. So I emailed them and requested a manual validation. We'll see what happens....

Notifications (a premium member feature) are sent immediately, so it would depend on your mobile provider and how you have mobile notifications sent, or else how often or how fast you check your email. We have a number of FTF hounds around here as well, but there's really nothing you can do to stop them unless you can make them consider giving someone else a chance (or try to beat them, of course) If I can't get a cache, sometimes I check back to see who got it, and occasionally I'm surprised if it's in a known FTFer area but a newcomer gets to it first When summer comes around, I get my little email workaround up and running again; my provider doesn't have much flexibility in mobile notification content, so I whipped up an automated scanner and dedicated email address so that as soon as one arrives it sends me an sms with a little more detail for a quick lookup. AFAIK there aren't any push notifications with the official geocaching app connected to the notifications you've set up in your profile. I think gc.com does have SMS notifications for some providers though. I would love to see push notifications via the app, or allowing 3rd party apps to set up push notifications from existing profile settings.

I just added a secondary email address for which to receive text notifications. I verified the address and received the text message on my phone, so that is fine. But I don't have the option of changing my email address to that one, either for existing notifications, or for new notifications. There also is no option for me to change my default email (although I really don't want to do that... I only want to use the new one for certain notifications.)

Elaborating (I didn't think this is necessary when I posted my first response because your join date is 2004 - but then I see you've been away for a long time) : If you set up instant notification, it will send you an email when a cache is published. If your mobile service provider has an email to SMS service, you can redirect that notification to that email, and it will send you a text. You need a notification for every cache type you're interested in.