6 ms·

Ask HN: What tool/product do you wish existed?

10 points by janalsncm 3y ago

Alternatively, what is a feature in an existing product that you wish existed/was better?

FridayoLeary 3y ago
A device which can detect every single electromagnetic tranmission on every frequency. So i'm visualising something which can pick up bluetooth, wifi, radio, ir etc etc and display it on a screen with as much information as possible. Maybe theres an app for it or perhaps the flipper device can do all of that idk. I think it would just be interesting to see all the activity going on around us.
- zakary 3y ago
  This does exist, as a combination of a spectrum analyzer and software defined radio. But For the bandwidth you're talking about, esp 6ghz wi-fi, and to get good signal fidelity and fast data decoding, they cost thousands.
  - mikewarot 3y ago
    For $30, you can get an RTL-SDR dongle and get a pretty good slice of the spectrum. It's amazing how much you can get with a simple antenna and the cheapest possible receiver.
- theNailz 3y ago
  Try the nRF Connect app! I was amazed at how much info devices are spewing info all around me every day.
tuga 3y ago
tele-transportation
greentext 3y ago
A tool that takes my gap-ridden resume, calculates the best trajectory moving forward, and frames it in such a way that someone will actually want to hire me.
- atleastoptimal 3y ago
  You could probably just prompt that to chatGPT
- ApolloRising 3y ago
  Do you need help?
mikewarot 3y ago
Memex, as proposed by Vannevar Bush, updated slightly for the modern era. A proxy that sits between my browser and the internet, and records everything into a huge disk buffer (perhaps using GIT as a storage engine?). It would allow annotation of anything seen on top of the page, without altering the source. The default policy would be to then keep all the pages, images, etc.. for at least a year, and anything not annotated, bookmarked, or otherwise linked to could be safely purged. You should be able to select a trail of documents, and create a zip file of everything needed to view them, so you can share your stuff with friends.
- spikey_sanju 3y ago
  Did you check out https://www.rewind.ai/ https://www.rewind.ai/? They're using Gen AI to address the issues you mentioned.
- toomuchtodo 3y ago
  https://github.com/webrecorder https://github.com/webrecorder
strongbond 3y ago
A gadget you fill with water and put in a microwave oven and the water gets turned into ice cubes.
- nvusuvu 3y ago
  The gadget is a cup and have the microwave oven in a deep freezer. :)
ensocode 3y ago
- an universal messenger tool which integrates with all the messengers (whatsapp, telegram, signal, e-mail) - an open source ChatGPT voice interface which I can use easily for ongoing interactions. I want to do like "OK Google" and start asking questions and interacting. Additionally it could record all my daily conversations to get context on what I am doing. If it could create calendar events and todos and remind me on that - it would be perfect
- 6sp 3y ago
  Beeper.com might be similar to what you’re looking for
ezedv 3y ago
I've often wished for a tool that seamlessly organizes my digital life across devices. Imagine an all-in-one platform that syncs bookmarks, notes, passwords, and files effortlessly. While some apps come close, having a unified hub would save so much time and streamline my productivity.
- undopamine 3y ago
  I'm trying to achieve this for bookmarks, saved too many at this point to even consider organizing them manually.
- floydnoel 3y ago
  I use iCloud for that, and it is quite handy. I can lose my phone and pick up a new one. All my notes, bookmarks, photos, passwords, etc are all there after a quick sign in.
amerkhalid 3y ago
Laser based mosquito killer machine. I remember seeing something about it once but cannot find it now. I think it would be awesome.
- toomuchtodo 3y ago
  Intellectual Ventures holds the patent. You can build one yourself though. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_laser https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_laser https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202101.0412/v1 https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202101.0412/v1
kazinator 3y ago
A GCC patch mailing list similar to the one we have, but one where you get replies. At least if you developed something with test cases, documentation and a detailed ChangeLog entries.
mikewarot 3y ago
If I could, I'd nuke the help system in Lazarus/Free Pascal and create something more granular and/or Wiki based, that could compile down to help files in the current format, if necessary. There are many things that need correction, but the ask is far too big for a one-off.

10 points by janalsncm 3y ago

Alternatively, what is a feature in an existing product that you wish existed/was better?

A device which can detect every single electromagnetic tranmission on every frequency. So i'm visualising something which can pick up bluetooth, wifi, radio, ir etc etc and display it on a screen with as much information as possible. Maybe theres an app for it or perhaps the flipper device can do all of that idk. I think it would just be interesting to see all the activity going on around us.

zakary 3y ago
This does exist, as a combination of a spectrum analyzer and software defined radio. But For the bandwidth you're talking about, esp 6ghz wi-fi, and to get good signal fidelity and fast data decoding, they cost thousands.
- mikewarot 3y ago
  For $30, you can get an RTL-SDR dongle and get a pretty good slice of the spectrum. It's amazing how much you can get with a simple antenna and the cheapest possible receiver.
theNailz 3y ago
Try the nRF Connect app! I was amazed at how much info devices are spewing info all around me every day.

tuga 3y ago

tele-transportation

greentext 3y ago

A tool that takes my gap-ridden resume, calculates the best trajectory moving forward, and frames it in such a way that someone will actually want to hire me.

atleastoptimal 3y ago
You could probably just prompt that to chatGPT
ApolloRising 3y ago
Do you need help?

mikewarot 3y ago

Memex, as proposed by Vannevar Bush, updated slightly for the modern era. A proxy that sits between my browser and the internet, and records everything into a huge disk buffer (perhaps using GIT as a storage engine?). It would allow annotation of anything seen on top of the page, without altering the source. The default policy would be to then keep all the pages, images, etc.. for at least a year, and anything not annotated, bookmarked, or otherwise linked to could be safely purged. You should be able to select a trail of documents, and create a zip file of everything needed to view them, so you can share your stuff with friends.

spikey_sanju 3y ago
Did you check out https://www.rewind.ai/ https://www.rewind.ai/? They're using Gen AI to address the issues you mentioned.
toomuchtodo 3y ago
https://github.com/webrecorder https://github.com/webrecorder

strongbond 3y ago

A gadget you fill with water and put in a microwave oven and the water gets turned into ice cubes.

nvusuvu 3y ago
The gadget is a cup and have the microwave oven in a deep freezer. :)

ensocode 3y ago

- an universal messenger tool which integrates with all the messengers (whatsapp, telegram, signal, e-mail) - an open source ChatGPT voice interface which I can use easily for ongoing interactions. I want to do like "OK Google" and start asking questions and interacting. Additionally it could record all my daily conversations to get context on what I am doing. If it could create calendar events and todos and remind me on that - it would be perfect

6sp 3y ago
Beeper.com might be similar to what you’re looking for

ezedv 3y ago

I've often wished for a tool that seamlessly organizes my digital life across devices. Imagine an all-in-one platform that syncs bookmarks, notes, passwords, and files effortlessly. While some apps come close, having a unified hub would save so much time and streamline my productivity.

undopamine 3y ago
I'm trying to achieve this for bookmarks, saved too many at this point to even consider organizing them manually.
floydnoel 3y ago
I use iCloud for that, and it is quite handy. I can lose my phone and pick up a new one. All my notes, bookmarks, photos, passwords, etc are all there after a quick sign in.

amerkhalid 3y ago

Laser based mosquito killer machine. I remember seeing something about it once but cannot find it now. I think it would be awesome.

toomuchtodo 3y ago
Intellectual Ventures holds the patent. You can build one yourself though. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_laser https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_laser https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202101.0412/v1 https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202101.0412/v1

kazinator 3y ago

A GCC patch mailing list similar to the one we have, but one where you get replies. At least if you developed something with test cases, documentation and a detailed ChangeLog entries.

mikewarot 3y ago

If I could, I'd nuke the help system in Lazarus/Free Pascal and create something more granular and/or Wiki based, that could compile down to help files in the current format, if necessary. There are many things that need correction, but the ask is far too big for a one-off.