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Show HN: I made a app that uses NFC as a physical switch to block distractions

(www.foqos.app)
225 points awaseem | 6 comments | 21 Jan 25 16:52 UTC | HN request time: 0.869s | source | bottom

Hi HN!

Super proud to showcase Foqos! I wanted to create a way to physically block apps on my phone, always had a bunch of NFC tags, combined the 2 together over the holiday break and Foqos was born. You can create profiles, write them to NFC tags and track your weekly focus.

Its completely open source and will always be free! There is an affiliate link in the app for nfc tags and donations are completely optional

Link here: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/foqos/id6736793117

1. compootr ◴[21 Jan 25 17:34 UTC] No.42782882[source]▶
I was intrigued by brick, now this, and can't use either. is there seriously no android app like these? :(
replies(3): >>42782937 #>>42783062 #>>42783799 #
2. awaseem ◴[21 Jan 25 17:38 UTC] No.42782937[source]▶
Yeah I think the reason is the family activity on iOS is so easy to build around. I'm really sorry I don't own an android phone or have time to port it :(
replies(1): >>42783135 #
3. high_priest ◴[21 Jan 25 17:46 UTC] No.42783062[source]▶
ScreenZen works great. One would have to convince the dev to include NFC support.
4. yard2010 ◴[21 Jan 25 17:52 UTC] No.42783135[source]▶
...on the other hand, it's open source so everybody can port this themselves!
replies(1): >>42795358 #
5. netsharc ◴[21 Jan 25 18:48 UTC] No.42783799[source]▶
Tasker has NFC reading capabilities and is programmable to do stuff when it detects an NFC ID, I don't know if it can lock the phone though (there's an app called Lock My Phone, and Tasker has the ability to cause apps to take some actions, but I don't know if both can be combined).

E.g. I have 2 NFC tags on my desk, when Tasker detects one of them, it calls a HTTP URL of a PHP script on my NAS, the script tells my Hue Bridge to switch on a Hue-enabled power socket (into which my monitor and speakers are plugged), and then the script sends a Wake-On-LAN packet to my desktop PC. The other one turns off that Hue-enabled power socket (I put my computer into sleep separately).

6. compootr ◴[22 Jan 25 17:38 UTC] No.42795358{3}[source]▶
afaik swift doesn't port well to android but I'm a dumbass in regards to mobile apps