Okay Geek Farm
How to get Gmail desktop notifications without Chrome (PC and Mac)
Ricardo Trejo
Yesterday, Google flipped the switch to enable HTML5 desktop notifications for Chrome — sorry Firefox and IE users. So for all you guys who haven’t warmed up to Google’s browser and don’t want to wait around for Google, here are a few different ways to go ahead and start getting notifications for Gmail sent right to your desktop.
Google Notifier (PC or Mac) | Download
Google Notifier was Google’s original plan for Gmail desktop notifications, but to it’s outdated and is no where near as slick or polished as their latest, churned out HTML5 attention grabber. However, it does get the job done, and efficiently too.
Growl for Windows (PC) | Download
Growl is the ultimate tool for desktop notifications period. It doesn’t start or end with Gmail; customizable windows, themes, and positions make Growl a mandatory download for anyone looking to stay informed on what’s coming in and out.
MailPlane (Mac) | Download
Using the power of Growl and a touch of tasteful design, MailPlane delivers your mail in simplistic and enjoyable way — never getting in your way as you’re notified when mail is delivered. Not to mention that you also get a slew of additional features; such as Mac specific keyboard shortcuts, multiple account management, as well as opening as its own stand-alone email client.
These applications may get you notified when a new incoming email has its made its way to your inbox, but sadly it isn’t able to notify you when a new Chat message has arrived, as seen in the official HTML5 Chrome only option. For that, I’m afraid you’re just going to have to wait because we all know how important Chat desktop notifications are to you.
