Overview

Users can enable desktop notifications in addition to in-app notifications of Sococo activities so that they don't miss important events when Sococo is not the application in focus. Sococo desktop notifications work with both Google Chrome browser and desktop clients on different operating systems. These desktop notifications use existing Chrome browser and operating system notification frameworks.

Description

Desktop Notifications Settings

Notifications Disabled by Default

By default, Sococo desktop notifications are turned off. A blue banner alerts you to this fact when you start the app, allowing you to enable desktop notifications or opt-out.

Chrome Notifications Settings

Google Chrome needs to be set up to allow the Notifications from the Sococo App Page (app.sococo.com) to flow into the browser. You can allow notifications by following the process in the article on Configuring Notifications. When notifications are enabled, you can verify the status by clicking on the padlock icon next to the URL field. A window appears, similar to the one below, which confirms that Notifications are allowed and also provides the option for changing the status to either Block or Ask (default).

Configuring Notifications

Sococo desktop notifications are configured on the Notifications page, which is accessible in the Settings menu. From the Notifications page, you can do the following:

Enable or disable desktop notifications (disabled by default).
Enable or disable desktop notifications to display (along with in-app notifications) when Sococo is in the foreground (disabled by default).
Identify the Sococo events for which you want to receive both in-app and desktop notifications.

Desktop App vs Google Chrome

It should be noted that using Sococo's Desktop App (native client) on your Windows PC or Mac offers a more robust desktop notification experience than running Sococo from a Chrome browser. For example, action buttons are included right on the notification banners to do things such as answer a Knock or respond to a Get invitation. These action buttons do not appear on the notification banners when running Sococo from a Chrome browser. Mac users using the Desktop App also have more control over the default notification behavior and format, choosing either banners or alerts when running Sococo from the Desktop App.

Here is an example of a notification alert on a Mac for a Get invitation. The invitation includes the Ignore button to dismiss it and an action button, Let's go, to accept the invitation to join someone in another room:

Using Desktop notifications on Windows

When running the Sococo Desktop App on a Windows PC, desktop notifications for Knocks, Gets, and new chat messages remain visible for 5 minutes, or until action by the user dismisses them or brings Sococo into focus. Action buttons appear right on the notification banners, allowing users to directly answer a Knock and accept a Get by clicking on a button. You can also click on a notification banner for a new chat message to close it or view it, bringing Sococo and the appropriate chat window into focus for your reply.

Desktop notifications for other Sococo events, such as entering/exiting a room, going online/offline, and opening/closing doors, stay visible for only 6 seconds.

Shown below is an example of a Sococo notification banner for a new chat that appears in the lower-right corner when running the Desktop App on a Windows PC.

Windows users may want to disable Show desktop notifications when Sococo is in the foreground so that the notification banner does not overlay the Sococo chatbox, which also appears in the lower-right corner of the screen as shown below.

Using Desktop notifications on Mac

Mac operating systems offer two types of desktop notifications:

Banners, the default notifications, appear in the upper-right corner of your screen, without interrupting what you are doing. Banners appear for 6 seconds, then slide off the screen to the right. Mousing over a banner, however, changes the notification format to that of an alert.
Alerts appear similar to banners, but they display action buttons (for Knocks and Gets) and remain on your screen until you take action.

Follow the steps below to change the default format for all Sococo notifications from banners to alerts.

Click System Preferences.
Select Notifications.
Click on the sococo-notifications application icon in the list and select Alerts to change your default to this more persistent notification format.
Mac users can also check the Mac Notification Center to see all notifications delivered by Sococo.