Ask HN: Browser push? Does this exist?

[harrisonhjones]

Before you all jump on me for not reading HN (yes, I know there's a browser push story on HN right now) let me clarify what I mean by "browser push."

I want to be able to push a message to my chrome browser. I think it's stupid that to receive Gmail notifications I have to have Gmail open in a tab. I don't want to have to install app-specific extensions (Gmail checker in chrome for example.) I want to be able to install 1 extension (Like a growl/chrome mashup) which allows any website to push updates to my browser w/o me having a tab open to that site. For example, w/o Gmail open, Gmail could push an update to all my devices (it already does this to my Nexus) telling me I have a new email. The extension I have in mind would have a standard way of pushing certain bits of data (Notifications vs popups vs a webpage vs another extension message)

Does such a extension exist? If not, why the hell not?

[wmf]

Technically, I see no problem with an extension that keeps one or more websockets open and displays notifications received over them. Politically, people would have to agree to use that extension instead of creating their own.

[yakto]

"Growl for browsers." Sounds like a good startup pitch. Tough to monetize, perhaps (tiny ads?).

Boxcar is doing it for iPhones/iPads.

[jdg → yakto]

We're also doing it for every device imaginable. Just haven't launched the others yet. ;)

We do have a WebSockets API that OP could hit and write a Chrome extension against. E-mail me (jonathan@boxcar.io) if you'd like access to it.