Instant Notifications

[+Scubasonic]

Was just wondering.......... when you are set up for instant Notifications on New Caches do they all go out at the same time. Had an experience where there was about a 7 minute difference between when I received a notification and my buddy did on the same cache. Does this happen often, and what has your experience been. Just curious

 

Scubasonic

[+Too Tall John]

I've noticed differences in notification speed from time to time. I believe it has to do, in part, with how fast your mail provider shuffles the message on to you.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

It's been a while since I got them so they may have improved the system, but this question came up amongst the FTF hounds here in central Alabama (of which I was one at the time) when we noticed that we were getting Notifications at very different times.

 

We first noticed it at events. We'd be sitting around a dinner table and somebody's phone would go off. He'd check his phone and get all poker-faced, but we could see it in his eyes... he'd just gotten a Notification and we hadn't! Soon whoever had received the Notification was sliding toward the door. "Hate to run, y'all, but I have to have my sleep!" Yeah, like he was going somewhere without us on his heels.

 

We decided to test it and several, six of us if I recall, set up the same Notification criteria on the same area. That way we could compare the timestamps of when we actually each got the Notification.

 

Half-hour differences were the norm, several hours differences were common.

 

Interestingly it wasn't predictable... sometime I would get them first, sometimes Betaman would, etc. Just no way to predict it... but in a community of FTF Fliers like we had then a few minutes made all the difference!

 

If I recall Groundspeak said it was the various email services that we used throttling throughput on their servers.

 

I quit chasing FTFs (not for that reason) so again, I don't know if the delivery times are now closer, but you can set up a similar test in your area with some pals and find out.

Edited March 5, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+Scubasonic]

We decided to test it and several, six of us if I recall, set up the same Notification criteria on the same area. That way we could compare the timestamps of when we actually each got the Notification.

 

Half-hour differences were the norm, several hours differences were common.

 

Interestingly it wasn't predictable... sometime I would get them first, sometimes Betaman would, etc. Just no way to predict it... but in a community of FTF Fliers like we had then a few minutes made all the difference!

 

If I recall Groundspeak said it was the various email services that we used throttling throughput on their servers.

 

 

WOW that is a huge variation never heard of it being that big of a difference. But thanks for the response.

 

Scubasonic

[+t4e]

we have two premium accounts in the household, our experience is that the notifications set up to go to the cell phone always arrive before the once set up to go to email

[Keystone]

A reviewer's experience is a useful test for this question. I use GMail and new messages are "pushed" to my iPhone so it goes "ding" whenever a new cache is published. Often, I am the person publishing the cache.

 

It is very cool to click the mouse button to publish the cache, then wait five seconds.

 

"ding."

 

[+StarBrand]

A few locals tested that a few year's ago and we were surprised to see about 20 minutes of difference between the first and last one of us to get the notification. A second test and we all had them within 5 minutes of each other.

 

Push email does help.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

A reviewer's experience is a useful test for this question. I use GMail and new messages are "pushed" to my iPhone so it goes "ding" whenever a new cache is published. Often, I am the person publishing the cache.

 

It is very cool to click the mouse button to publish the cache, then wait five seconds.

 

"ding."

 

 

Just to demonstrate how fast notifications to gmail can be...

 

I submitted a cache review awhile back and was amazed how fast I got a notification that my submission was received. Consider how this works. When you click on the "Submit" button your browser send a request to the server along with all the information contained in the form. On the server side it processes that information (stores it into a database, sends an email response that it has been received, etc) then constructs a response that it sends back to your browser so that it can render the "Thanks for your submission" page. In one instance, my phone went *ding* before that response rendered in my browser.

 

I understand the issues involved with email notifications rather well. A few years ago I developed a system which is, in part, a document archival and distribution system. The system receives reports and datasets from a well know U.S. government agency and then distributes them to users of the subscription who wish to subscribe to them. On some days of the week it receives 700 or so reports a day and some of those have thousands of subscribers. Because many of the reports contain time sensitive information we had to establish some service level metrics for how long it will take for us to process the documents and distribute them. Typically, from the time we receive a document we can distribute to a list of email addresses in 10 seconds or less. What we *can't* guarantee is when the reports will arrive in the recipients mailboxes. There are just too many variables (network congestion, spam filters, full mailboxes, etc) out of our control.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Coincidently just after I posted my reply in the last message my phone went *ding*. I had receive an email notification for the PQ I have scheduled for today. I got 7 copies of it.

[+modnar24]

I got a notification two days ago that was a little late. By the time the gmail was pushed to my phone (usually seconds), the cache had 2 finds on it. It seems some people had gotten the notification about 45 minutes before I had.

[+t4e]

I got a notification two days ago that was a little late. By the time the gmail was pushed to my phone (usually seconds), the cache had 2 finds on it. It seems some people had gotten the notification about 45 minutes before I had.

 

can sue Groundspeak for the "loss of enjoyment" of being FTF

[+Scubasonic]

so a 7 minute differance between notifications from one phone to the other is not out of the relm of realty.

 

Scubasonic

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

so a 7 minute differance between notifications from one phone to the other is not out of the relm of realty.

 

Scubasonic

Not at all.

 

As I mentioned in the above post, get some friends to all set up the same notification and compare when each gets them.

[+dakboy]

so a 7 minute differance between notifications from one phone to the other is not out of the relm of realty.

You're at the whim of your cell provider & their network. When a text message from my wife can take two hours to arrive on my phone, with us being on the same plan, and Sprint's response being "TS, deal with it" you can't count on anything being "instant."

[+FancoverFive]

How is everyone getting notifications on their phone? It only sends to an email address, doesn't it?

[+dakboy]

How is everyone getting notifications on their phone? It only sends to an email address, doesn't it?

In the US, every mobile phone that can be texted has an email address. 1234567890@vtext.com for Verizon, for example - where 1234567890 is the phone number.

[+t4e]

How is everyone getting notifications on their phone? It only sends to an email address, doesn't it?

In the US, every mobile phone that can be texted has an email address. 1234567890@vtext.com for Verizon, for example - where 1234567890 is the phone number.

 

its not only US, it applies to a lot of other countries too

 

http://www.mutube.com/projects/open-email-...s/gateway-list/

[+popokiiti]

We don't get emails at the same time, even if we are both on the computers, in the same room and also have the email programme running on each. Same provider.....I guess that is just the way it is? We both have our emails set to check for new messages every 3 minutes also....

[mddbkzr]

Welcome to the wacky world of email. I work for an ISP and we deal with email timing issues all the time.

 

Email is not secure nor guaranteed. There is no guarantee that any given email will ever make it to its destination, and even the greenest script kiddie can intercept/copy an email en route to its destination if it knows a single insecure server. Any given email typically goes through at minimum 10 servers unless it is within the same company (like one @yahoo address to another) but even then it is still at least 3 or 4. Never rely on an email for important, legal, or otherwise "needed" emails. Always ask for at least a phone call, fax, FedEx, DHS, UPS or "delivery confirmation" from USPS. Until Microsoft and other major companies force a secure email system, this is not bound to change.

 

As for the timing, the same thing can affect the amount of time it takes to arrive. You can send the same email to 20 different @yahoo.com email addresses and they may all receive them at different times varying from a matter of seconds to possibly the next few days.

[+modnar24]

I got a notification two days ago that was a little late. By the time the gmail was pushed to my phone (usually seconds), the cache had 2 finds on it. It seems some people had gotten the notification about 45 minutes before I had.

 

can sue Groundspeak for the "loss of enjoyment" of being FTF

 

I find that 75% of the caches I get notifications for I can search for the next day and be the FTF. Its the ones that I want to find first that are already found. This one happened to be 20 miles from home but only 1 mile from where I was running errands. Maybe I should join the sue happy of this country. Sue someone for inconviniencing me.

 

How is everyone getting notifications on their phone? It only sends to an email address, doesn't it?

 

I primarily get my email on my iPhone. My gmail account is sent to push emails to my phone so I get them right away. That way I know as soon as I get an email. Luckily, I don't really get that many...

 

When I get a cache published notification, I can copy the GC# into the geocaching app and it tells me how far away the cache is, the description, and what not. If I'm not doing anything and it's within a mile or too, I may go search for it.

 

M24

[4wheelin_fool]

Welcome to the wacky world of email. I work for an ISP and we deal with email timing issues all the time.

 

Email is not secure nor guaranteed. There is no guarantee that any given email will ever make it to its destination, and even the greenest script kiddie can intercept/copy an email en route to its destination if it knows a single insecure server. Any given email typically goes through at minimum 10 servers unless it is within the same company (like one @yahoo address to another) but even then it is still at least 3 or 4. Never rely on an email for important, legal, or otherwise "needed" emails. Always ask for at least a phone call, fax, FedEx, DHS, UPS or "delivery confirmation" from USPS. Until Microsoft and other major companies force a secure email system, this is not bound to change.

 

As for the timing, the same thing can affect the amount of time it takes to arrive. You can send the same email to 20 different @yahoo.com email addresses and they may all receive them at different times varying from a matter of seconds to possibly the next few days.

 

Thanks for the detailed info.

 

I know it also takes longer if you are being watched by a government agency such as the FBI, or the Illuminatti (or if it contains certain codewords)

Edited March 6, 2010 by 4wheelin_fool

[+carolnbarney]

I set myself up for instant notifications and at this point have "never" gotten one. Could be my radius is too narrow.... I don't know. I need to check I guess. But I've never, ever gotten one!! ??

[+Scubasonic]

It's all very interesting.

 

Scubasonic

[+ConkDonk]

I called a buddy of mine yesterday about an email notification, and he told me he didn't get the email yet.

 

About 20 minutes had passed since I received it. We both have the same ISP (Internet Service Provider) which is Verizon Fios, and the same type of phone where we get the emails (both of the BlackBerry nature, but different models.

 

I didn't try to get the cache because it was 15 miles away, but to me, this shows that there is at least some delay between multiple email notifications.

[+ras_oscar]

My guess is the Secret Platinum members get their notices first.

[+eagsc7]

so a 7 minute differance between notifications from one phone to the other is not out of the relm of realty.

You're at the whim of your cell provider & their network. When a text message from my wife can take two hours to arrive on my phone, with us being on the same plan, and Sprint's response being "TS, deal with it" you can't count on anything being "instant."

Your issue is SPRINT... Use AT&T. I have found that ATT phones getting the messages sent directly to the phone DOES on average come 2-3 Minuites faster than Sprint and tMobile(and verizon)...

 

and the Maps... Yeah... Still better than verizon...

 

The Steaks

[+eagsc7]

Welcome to the wacky world of email. I work for an ISP and we deal with email timing issues all the time.

 

Email is not secure nor guaranteed. There is no guarantee that any given email will ever make it to its destination, and even the greenest script kiddie can intercept/copy an email en route to its destination if it knows a single insecure server. Any given email typically goes through at minimum 10 servers unless it is within the same company (like one @yahoo address to another) but even then it is still at least 3 or 4. Never rely on an email for important, legal, or otherwise "needed" emails. Always ask for at least a phone call, fax, FedEx, DHS, UPS or "delivery confirmation" from USPS. Until Microsoft and other major companies force a secure email system, this is not bound to change.

 

As for the timing, the same thing can affect the amount of time it takes to arrive. You can send the same email to 20 different @yahoo.com email addresses and they may all receive them at different times varying from a matter of seconds to possibly the next few days.

 

Thanks for the detailed info.

 

I know it also takes longer if you are being watched by a government agency such as the FBI, or the Illuminatti (or if it contains certain codewords)

 

Are one of those codewords Geocache?

[+Scubasonic]

so a 7 minute differance between notifications from one phone to the other is not out of the relm of realty.

You're at the whim of your cell provider & their network. When a text message from my wife can take two hours to arrive on my phone, with us being on the same plan, and Sprint's response being "TS, deal with it" you can't count on anything being "instant."

Your issue is SPRINT... Use AT&T. I have found that ATT phones getting the messages sent directly to the phone DOES on average come 2-3 Minuites faster than Sprint and tMobile(and verizon)...

 

and the Maps... Yeah... Still better than verizon...

 

The Steaks

 

I have a iPhone with AT&T and a Blackberry with Verizon so I can compare the both of them although I love the iPhone I hate AT&T their service sucks big time...... very undependable. Verizon on the other hand is very dependable just does not have the iPhone if they did it would be a perfect world.

 

Scubasonic

[+ConkDonk]

so a 7 minute differance between notifications from one phone to the other is not out of the relm of realty.

You're at the whim of your cell provider & their network. When a text message from my wife can take two hours to arrive on my phone, with us being on the same plan, and Sprint's response being "TS, deal with it" you can't count on anything being "instant."

Your issue is SPRINT... Use AT&T. I have found that ATT phones getting the messages sent directly to the phone DOES on average come 2-3 Minuites faster than Sprint and tMobile(and verizon)...

 

and the Maps... Yeah... Still better than verizon...

 

The Steaks

 

I have a iPhone with AT&T and a Blackberry with Verizon so I can compare the both of them although I love the iPhone I hate AT&T their service sucks big time...... very undependable. Verizon on the other hand is very dependable just does not have the iPhone if they did it would be a perfect world.

 

Scubasonic

 

Thanks on the Verizon props! I agree that the AT&T service stinks. I'm not an employee or anything, I just happen to have experienced them both.

[+eagsc7]

so a 7 minute differance between notifications from one phone to the other is not out of the relm of realty.

You're at the whim of your cell provider & their network. When a text message from my wife can take two hours to arrive on my phone, with us being on the same plan, and Sprint's response being "TS, deal with it" you can't count on anything being "instant."

Your issue is SPRINT... Use AT&T. I have found that ATT phones getting the messages sent directly to the phone DOES on average come 2-3 Minuites faster than Sprint and tMobile(and verizon)...

 

and the Maps... Yeah... Still better than verizon...

 

The Steaks

 

I have a iPhone with AT&T and a Blackberry with Verizon so I can compare the both of them although I love the iPhone I hate AT&T their service sucks big time...... very undependable. Verizon on the other hand is very dependable just does not have the iPhone if they did it would be a perfect world.

 

Scubasonic

 

Your issue is not AT&T, its your iPhone... Blackberry's do work faster than iPhone status symbols...

 

The Steaks

 

PS I don't work for AT&T either... my Aunt works for Sprint, and though she gets her phone for free from them, Pays for AT&T Service, cause she says its faster and better.

[+Scubasonic]

Speaking of notifications last night a new cache was published in my area I didn't get notification on my Verizon Blackberry or my AT&T iPhone bummer.

 

Scubasonic

[+Scubasonic]

so a 7 minute differance between notifications from one phone to the other is not out of the relm of realty.

You're at the whim of your cell provider & their network. When a text message from my wife can take two hours to arrive on my phone, with us being on the same plan, and Sprint's response being "TS, deal with it" you can't count on anything being "instant."

Your issue is SPRINT... Use AT&T. I have found that ATT phones getting the messages sent directly to the phone DOES on average come 2-3 Minuites faster than Sprint and tMobile(and verizon)...

 

and the Maps... Yeah... Still better than verizon...

 

The Steaks

 

I have a iPhone with AT&T and a Blackberry with Verizon so I can compare the both of them although I love the iPhone I hate AT&T their service sucks big time...... very undependable. Verizon on the other hand is very dependable just does not have the iPhone if they did it would be a perfect world.

 

Scubasonic

 

Your issue is not AT&T, its your iPhone... Blackberry's do work faster than iPhone status symbols...

 

 

No I'm talking about even being able to make a call AT&T SUCKS in our area, there coverage is spotty, and lose calls randomly I had them for 10 years then switched to Verizon now I have AT&T back only for the iPhone had to keep Verizon cause AT&T is totally unreliable for getting a signal works great when you do have a signal, but that's only 60% of the time. My AT&T iPhone is just an expensive paperweight when U don't have service period. For what I do for a living I get paid for my availability and when I have NO SERVICE on my Cell phone I'm outta work. It's always the same line when I talk to the AT&T guys they say the service is better and they have more towers now, right the service still hasn't changed CRAP.

 

Scubasonic