Do you see the "watch this thread" button at the top of any post? It doesn't have to be your post, it can be one you want to bookmark for later... There wont be a way to have it email you when a reply is made, but you can click the button, and it will save that post. Later on, if you scroll down to the bottom left of the screen, there is a link that says "threads i'm watching". you can view them there.
Re: How can i tell if a new post was made?