Notifications

Travis Himes

Intro

• Travis Himes
• Developer for approx 12 years
• Android developer for about 4 or 5
• Work @ DramaFever, and we're hiring
• If I get something wrong, tell me!

Notifications

1. Create an app
2. Add a button
3. Add a Click Listener to that button
4. Click Listener posts a notification...

First Notification

Build the notification and post it

1. Create NotificationBuilder
2. Build notification
3. Get Notification Manager
4. Notify!

Thanks!

We're done here, have a great conference!

Just kidding

this is just the tip of the iceberg... let's go deeper

Make it more interesting

• Add a PendingIntent
• Make it go away when tapped
• Build the back stack when it's followed
• Add a DeleteIntent
• Update the notification

Keep in mind

Noitifications can be blocked by the user

Let us expand on what we've learned

• 4 types of "expandable" notifications
• Build a BigText
• Build a BigPicture
• Build an Inbox
• Build whatever you want (in a few slides)

Keep in mind

Use the right one for the situation

Take Action!

• Expandable notifications can have Actions
• Add some actions to your big notifications
• How many is too many?

Keep in mind

A LOT

Let us play with...

• Heads Up Notifications
• Lock Screen Notifications
• Notification visibility/privacy
• Media Playback
• Progress notification

Pimp my notification

• Custom notification
• Custom Big notification

Keep in mind

Use with care, can either put users off, or delight them...

View Heights

64 dp unexpanded

256 dp expanded

UI / Flow summary

• 3 "routes" out of a notification
• Consider navigation when building notification destinations
• Don't harass your users, there are consequences if you do...
• Give users useful options

Make it even more interesting

• Set Number
• Lights, Sound, Vibration!
• Icons (big vs small)
• A Heads-Up about Priority
• Consider the default behavior

Other things to consider

• Vibrate permission
• Ongoing notifications
• Notification's ID
  • Updating notifications
  • Canceling notifications
  • The current state of a notification
• Keep your icons in line with the style
• Consider your audience
  • NotificationCompat is awesome
  • Auto-downgrades the notification
  • Make sure users can use the one you build
• Active Notifications (Moto X, 1st and 2nd gen)
• Wear

GCM Notifications

• You mean "push notifications"?

Before we begin

• Multiple ways to do this...
• Should use a real device
• Needs Play Services
• Old way:
  • curl
• New way:
  • google gcm example!

Questions?

Thanks!

We're done here, have a great conference!

Seriously this time...

Slides: goo.gl/cPSpRI

Code: goo.gl/BCFNPn

Work with me at DramaFever: