The author argues that smartphones, by consolidating multiple functions into one device, create a false sense of antisocial behavior and constant distraction. Unlike dedicated devices of the past, phones enable constant code-switching between work, social, and leisure activities while hiding users' actual engagement from those around them, fragmenting attention and presence.
CreditWatch is a macOS menu bar utility for monitoring prepaid cloud credits from providers like Vast.ai, displaying balance, burn rate, estimated runway, and resource usage. It stores provider credentials securely in Keychain, refreshes every 60 seconds, maintains 72 hours of local SQLite data, and sends low-credit alerts via desktop notifications or ntfy integration with smart deduplication to avoid repeated warnings.
In Meeting is a native macOS utility that monitors microphone and camera access for home automation and privacy purposes. It detects hardware state changes using CoreAudio and CoreMediaIO framework observers with minimal CPU impact, triggering webhooks for smart home integration and native notifications when apps access cameras or microphones.
Fredy is a real estate listing aggregator that monitors 24 property portals across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, and Portugal, deduplicating listings and sending notifications via multiple channels. Beyond basic listings, it calculates affordability based on user finances, estimates actual travel times via public transport or car, detects rental scams, and provides market price benchmarks. The tool runs via Docker or Node.js with a web UI and can be queried by LLMs through an MCP server.