Alternatives
Products that do what Keys, Mac app for learning typing does
Over the last couple of months I have designed and written Keys, a Mac application the helps learning typing and that is supposed to meet Mac users standards for a well-designed application. My goal is to become a micro-ISV or indie developer. The app is only in the Mac app store for now (no trial yet), since end of May, and I have been busy putting together a website and a personal blog since. I would be very interested what the HN community thinks about the application, how you like it, and how it is presented, from a business angle. Prior to this project, I have done much more work on…
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Yesterday I decided I wanted to experiment with different ways of reading HN. After considering a few options, I settled on a Mac app and spent a couple of hours planning/sketching on paper. This morning I fired up Xcode and spent 4 hours hacking away and I must say I'm liking how it's looking. Since the project is in its very early stages, I though that it could be a very good time to get some feedback. I've posted a few screenshots at http://imgur.com/a/rCbVN and uploaded a binary at http://abra.rm-fr.net/~fiam/HackerNews.zip If you have some free time, give a try and let me know what you…
2011
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I'm a long time lurker that recently quit my job to work on my own projects, a lot due to the inspiration from Hacker News. Now I have published my first serious project, an app for learning how to write Japanese characters. It's the app I always wanted but couldn't find when I was studying. It tries to be simple to use, you just start the quiz and go with the flow. There's no need to plan and manage your studies, and it uses spaced repetition for better retention. There's a promo page with more details up at http://www.kanjibyhand.com. It's only for Android so far. The free version includes…
2012
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I got tired of MacOS failing to index applications (it consistently seems to prefer apps installed on my phone instead of the computer) so I've bound them to keys and have started building muscle memory for opening and switching apps. Reduces mental fatigue from constantly cmd + tabbing between apps all day
Jun 2026 · keyghost.dev
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HN, I've been mostly lurking, semi-active on HN for over 4 years. For most of that time, I've been working on my startup, Learndot. I have always wanted to do a "Show HN" post, but I never thought it was ready. We've now finally launched web signup and using a freemium business model. I feel I can now post and offer something to the community (a new app to try out) and hopefully get good quality feedback. Here's the site: http://www.learndot.com Would appreciate any or all thoughts: From pricing/positioning, to design/performance. The app is written in Sproutcore and backed by an API written…
2013
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2013 · hackernewstab.com
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I actually started it June 2011 to learn iOS, launched it in September, and have been steadily adding features and making improvements. It's something I use every day and I hope other people find it useful. Enjoy!
2012 · itunes.apple.com
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Hello all, I made a small transcription app for your Mac based on OpenAI’s Whisper. Would love some feedback. My plan is to make it easy to load weights from any fine-tuned whisper model to enable specialized dictation for any subfield. It’s still early in development. Thanks!
2023 · twitter.com
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I’ve always liked fast online tools for jotting notes or organizing thoughts — but most “productivity” sites either save data to the cloud, require sign-ups, or are full of distractions. So I built an online productivity tools website, a small collection of browser-based tools. It includes an online notepad where you can write and save notes right in your browser, a cornell notes tool available in more than 20 languages, and more coming soon like a pomodoro timer and a simple blank page for focused writing. Everything works entirely in-browser using localStorage — no accounts, no cloud sync,…
Oct 2025 · onlinenotep.ad
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I posted this previously, but there's been a major update. As a high school student, I love LLMs and the execution of Apple's Appel Intelligence Writing Tools, but was disappointed that nothing like that existed for Windows. I thus created Writing Tools, a better than Apple Intelligence open-source alternative that works system-wide on Windows. It's much better than the tiny 2B parameter Apple Intelligence model! Features (works system-wide): 1. Select text in a textbox, press the hotkey, and optimise your text in a click (proofread, rewrite, tone changes, custom instructions...). You can…
2024 · github.com
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Hi HN, I'm thrilled to share with you think, a command-line tool that I developed while diving back into the programming scene. For the past few years, my focus had shifted from hands-on programming to managerial roles, my last one being at Affirm (I started Affirm's Polish office). However, I recently left my job to revisit my passion for coding and see if I could still write code that works. Not to mention that with what is currently going on in AI if you are a developer this probably the best possible time for a sabbatical in human history :) My first attempt was with LangChain, but I…
2023 · github.com
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Over the past three months, I’ve been working with my dad on this app as a way to learn Cursor, shadcn/ui, and Next.js. I’m currently studying UX design at the University of Michigan, and I’ve been really impressed by how much vibe-coding tools have advanced over the last six months. This work journal includes private AI-generated insights with scheduled summaries that can be shared with your team or manager. You can also choose to make a summary public—like I’ve done here for my work on this web app: https://www.workjourney.ai/summary/mkblt2zt-hn2kdbus If anyone has…
Jan 2026 · workjourney.ai
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I just launched Type Spider, a typing practice site I built to help improve speed and accuracy without the clutter or distractions found in some other tools. It's lightweight, mobile-friendly, and built using Vue and Tailwind. One feature I’m especially excited about is the on-screen keyboard that highlights each key as you type. It’s useful for beginners and helps build muscle memory. The site tracks words per minute and accuracy, and it works smoothly on both desktop and mobile. I built this solo and tried to keep things simple and fast. I’d really appreciate any feedback from the…
2025 · typespider.com
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I wanted Whisper-level dictation on my Intel 2020 iMac without: * paying a monthly fee for the privilege of using my own API key, * hauling an 800 MB local model, or * copy-paste gymnastics from a floating window. So I built VTS (Voice Typing Studio). What it is: * 5 MB notarised menu-bar app. Press a toggle hot-key → talk → text lands wherever the cursor is. * Bring-your-own OpenAI / Groq key. Nothing touches my servers. * Universal binary – runs on Intel and Apple silicon. * MIT-licensed; core stays free/open. If future features justify it, a pro tier may appear. Repo, DMG, and…
2025 · github.com
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Hey HN community, I run a small team of writers that built TheRightMargin, a new writing platform that focuses on your goals first and is aiming to be the smartest writing tool on the market. We launched last summer actually, but we're trying to make a push for some growth, so I thought I'd debut it here on HN! The #1 'writer's block' pain point this app solves is helping you figure out your next step. We have some neat tools to break down your writing project into milestones and task and a way to write side by side with your plan. We also have smart tips and a timer for writing sprints,…
2017
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I have always dreamed of learning Swift and creating apps for iOS, but I never found the motivation to do so. I was scared by the complexity and the learning curve of programming with UIKit and Storyboard. I thought they were too complicated and too boring for me. But then I discovered SwiftUI, the new framework for building user interfaces for Apple platforms. I was captivated by its simplicity and elegance. I watched some videos and read some articles about it and I was blown away by what it could do. I decided to give it a shot and see if I could learn it and make something with it. I set…
2023 · apps.apple.com
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Hello HN! It seems there has been an influx of MIDI projects as of late. I myself also got inspired to work on one last January. I had become frustrated in not being able to read my old sheet music without counting the notes mentally. I thought there had to be an easier way to learn them, I surveyd some apps but none of them felt right to me. So I decided to build one myself and learn some music theory too. I'm quite happy how it turned out, in the end. My sheet-reading has improved substantially although playing and remembering notes is two different things. It works best if you use MIDI…
2024 · midi-note-trainer.teemukoivisto.xyz
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