title: Service connecting to Firebase a bad idea?
body: <p>I am building an Android app that requires real time updates. My server is Firebase. Firebase is meant to receive its updated data when the user is connected to the server. I am very impressed with Firebase so far, however my concern is receiving the new data when the app is not active. I really do not want to try these ideas to find out they are a bad idea, for I am short on time. I am looking for suggestions and advice.</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><strong>A <a href="https://gist.github.com/vikrum/6170193" rel="noreferrer">service (example)</a>.</strong> Worried about battery consumption and going over my <a href="https://www.firebase.com/pricing.html#faq-section" rel="noreferrer">connection</a> limit if users are always connected.</li>
  <li><strong>An AlarmManager to run a sync every X hours</strong>. Worried about not getting updates quickly enough.</li>
  <li><strong>Using GCM push notification to send a <a href="http://developer.android.com/training/cloudsync/gcm.html#collapse" rel="noreferrer">tickle</a></strong>. Worried about paying for another service. </li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Any other suggestions or possible issues I missed? Thanks for your time!</p>
  
  <h2>Edit</h2>
  
  <p>I found <a href="https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/firebase-talk/service$20android/firebase-talk/lUAQeLjtpIU/KDBP6trd3Y4J" rel="noreferrer">this thread</a>. Still unsure. Maybe a service is not a bad idea, per James Tamplin (Suspect he is Firebase dev)</p>