Growl Notifications Across Computers & Devices - Setup Guide

Centralized Notifications Across Devices with Growl

For users managing multiple devices, staying informed about activity across all platforms can be challenging. Wouldn't a unified notification system, capable of relaying information between gadgets, be beneficial? Imagine receiving an alert on your mobile phone when a lengthy 3D rendering process, initiated on your office computer, concludes while you are away.

This functionality is readily achievable with Growl. It facilitates the forwarding of notifications from one machine to another, provided Growl is installed on each device.

Growl: Beyond macOS

Many are acquainted with Growl as a notification system for macOS. However, a Windows version of Growl was also available, and in certain respects, it offered advantages over its macOS counterpart. This article focuses on setting up remote notifications using the Windows version of Growl.

The installation process mirrors that of any standard Windows application.

During installation, Windows Firewall will prompt you to allow the application access. If security is a concern, it is advisable to avoid selecting the "Public network" option.

Once installed, Growl operates from the System Tray. Windows 7 users may need to locate it within the tray (or configure it for constant visibility) to access its settings.

Configuring Growl for Optimal Use

Ensure the "Automatically start Growl at login" option is checked. This guarantees the application is consistently available whenever Windows is started.

This settings panel also allows customization of sound notifications and the display of user idle status.

Here's a breakdown of key features:

• Cross-Platform Alerts: Receive notifications on different operating systems.
• Customizable Sounds: Personalize alerts with preferred audio cues.
• Idle Status Display: Indicate your availability to others.

Growl provides a simple yet effective solution for maintaining awareness of events occurring across your various devices. It streamlines information flow and ensures you remain connected, regardless of your location or the device you are using.

Growl: Configuring Notifications Across Devices

To establish a notification system that functions across multiple computers, navigate to the "Network" tab within Growl's settings. Activating the "Forward notifications to other computers" checkbox enables the sending of notifications, while selecting "Subscribe to notifications from other computers" allows you to receive them.

Adding recipient devices is achieved by clicking the "Plus (+)" button located beneath the "Forward..." field. This allows you to specify the computer, iPhone, or email address to which notifications should be sent.

If other computers running Growl are present on the same network, they should appear automatically in the list, simplifying the connection process.

Mac and Windows Compatibility

It's important to note that Mac computers may not be visible on a Windows network list unless Bonjour is installed on the Windows machine. Typically, Bonjour is included with installations of iTunes and QuickTime.