Today is the 10 year anniversary of the
@Pebble
Kickstarter launch. I had enough foresight at the time to take a photo of the exact moment when everything in my life changed:
New app alert: I've been working on Beeper for a while and today we're launching! It's a single app to chat on iMessage, WhatsApp, and 13 other networks. Been using it as my default chat client for the last 2 years and there is NO going back. Check it out
I’m excited to introduce a little side project I’ve been working on: Beepberry - a portable e-paper computer for hackers, designed for chatting on Beeper. It’s available today to pre-order for $79. It’s a partnership between me (
@onbeeper
) and
@sqfmi
:
Proud to share our new app: Beeper Mini - iMessage client for Android
- Runs locally on your phone (no cloud server in the middle)
- Fully end-to-end encrypted
- New design
Download it now!
After 4 years at YC, I'm totally jealous of all these founders building amazing startups. Time to give in to the urge and join the fun! I'm now working 24/7 on . The idea is simple: messaging today is painfully fragmented. We're going to fix that.
Beeper Cloud and Mini are apps that need to exist. We have built it. We will keep it working. We will share it widely.
This attitude surprises me, especially from people in the tech world. Why do hard things at all? Why keep working on anything that doesn't work the first time?
Calling all
@startupschool
participants - pitch me your one or two-sentence description of what your company does and I will give you feedback! Just reply to this tweet
Right now, Apple makes it really easy to send unsecure, unencrypted message from iPhones to Androids. Keep that in mind. For iPhone customers, Beeper Mini is a huge boost to security and privacy. iPhone customers have an incentive to encourage their Android friends to use Beeper.
This transparent Beepy (né Beepberry) case is beautiful! Running a custom buildroot OS that boots in a few seconds! Next step is getting gomuks (Beeper client) up and running.
This is not about forcing Apple to make an iMessage app for Android. This is about making the default chat experience between Android and iPhone customers more secure, with better features. Defaults are powerful. On iOS, Apple makes it impossible to change default chat app.
Right now, Apple makes it really easy to send unsecure, unencrypted message from iPhones to Androids. Keep that in mind. For iPhone customers, Beeper Mini is a huge boost to security and privacy. iPhone customers have an incentive to encourage their Android friends to use Beeper.
The reality distortion field is soooo strong with apple fanbois.
I had dinner with family in Indiana last night. All have iPhones. Each one had a story of annoyance about crappy low resolution videos, broken group chats, etc when chatting with Android friends. No one had
I want a small Android 🤖 phone, but it appears that no manufacturer has the guts to make one.
The only way we can change this is if we work together. I wrote a manifesto/ode to small phones. If you want a small Android phone too, please check it out!
I'm back! 10 years after my first
@ycombinator
demo day I went back on stage today to pitch
@onbeeper
. We're still in the early days of the company and working to deliver the basics and fix bugs, but man...it does feel exhilarating to talk about the whole plan!
I understand how ridiculously annoying this uncertainty is for our users. I won't feel bad if you duck out for now. We'll let you know when things are back up and running.
@TimSweeneyEpic
and Epic won this week against Big Tech. We have a chance. We're not giving up.
Apple appears to be deliberately blocking iMessages from being delivered to ~5% of Beeper Mini users. Uninstalling and reinstalling Beeper Mini fixes the issue.
We won't have a fix tonight, but we're working on it.
Green bubble texts are less secure. So why would Apple block a new app allowing Android users to chat with iPhone users on iMessage? Big Tech executives are protecting profits by squashing competitors.
Chatting between different platforms should be easy and secure.
Forgotten how beautiful this one is. I have the unreleased ‘heavy metal’ band which feels chunky and amazing.
Still pairs and works great! 2014 tech going strong in 2023. How many other gadgets can say you say that about? (I have to side load the iOS app once a year…stupid 🍎)
Thank you Senator Klobuchar for inviting us to testify for the Senate Judiciary subcommittee, and for your support on this issue. Let's get the AICO brought to vote!
Beeper testified at a hearing I held on the impact of monopoly power on innovation, and now we are seeing that impact in real time. Apple is blocking their app that increases choice and convenience. We must pass my bipartisan legislation to stop this anticompetitive abuse.
Today, the US DOJ sued Apple for illegally creating a walled garden that traps users in the Apple ecosystem and stifles innovation of new apps/accessories. This is relevant to everyone in the US. It's a big deal.
Full complaint:
Ukama just launched today. They are making a $600 open source LTE tower. It is a full network-in-a-box with all the hw/sw you need to run your own LTE network. Spectrum: CBRS (free, supports iPhones/Android). Download eSIM on phone. It's magic ⬇️ ⬇️
Aspiring consumer HW makers (big and small) - this may sound obvious, but my rec is to underpromise/overdeliver for your first version. It's hard because you want to balance sharing the vision for what the product category will become, but get customers adjusted to the reality
But in the end, Pebble failed. A few years ago I wrote but never published a blog post about why I think we failed. I decided to finally publish it now for your reading pleasure -
When you run a remote startup out of the garage and have 2 kids <3, it's truly a family business. My wife
@pouvesLP
and the partners of all my colleagues at
@onbeeper
work 24/7 to keep the biz running. Thank you so much. The last week has been...exciting...for everyone involved.
Thanks
@CBSMornings
and
@jolingkent
for visiting Beeper worldwide HQ (my garage) and getting the full story about Beeper Mini. Fantastic summary of the app and ongoing battle with Apple
Beeper Mini, a new app, lets Android users send blue messages to iPhones — instead of green ones.
But Apple isn't happy about how the app was made, admitting it tried to shut it down.
@jolingkent
reports that a group of lawmakers has asked the Justice Department to look into it.
This is our last attempt to get this working. It works quite well - my number is now blue again! It's out of our hands now (open source ).
Read our detailed response to Apple's accusations:
📣 UPDATE: amidst deliberate targeting of Beeper Cloud and Mini’s stable compatibility with iMessage, users can now restore their connections and resume reliable messaging starting today.
Get the full details on our blog:
Today, the US DOJ sued Apple for illegally creating a walled garden that traps users in the Apple ecosystem and stifles innovation of new apps/accessories. This is relevant to everyone in the US. It's a big deal.
Full complaint:
After 3 years, Beeper is finally out of beta! No more waitlist - you can head over to and download it today. I'm excited to hear what you think of it.
Read more on our blog:
Also...👇
The US Department of Justice thinks Beeper — a hack that spoofed Mac serial numbers to make iMessage work on random hardware — was ‘fixing’ the messaging experience on iOS.
What… the actual fuck
Doing
@ycombinator
changed my life (for the better 😛) when I got accepted to w11 over a decade ago. I am a life-long YC fan. If you are working on a startup, consider applying - deadline for w22 is tonight
We're in the final stages of testing the new
@onbeeper
Android app! It's a complete rewrite of the app. Built for speed and performance, with a complete redesign of the look and feel. You'll be able to try it for yourself soon, but here's a sneak peek (not done yet, still WIP🏗️)
Some late night fun - tested the upcoming major overhaul of Beeper Android on
@thelightphone
E-INK phone... worked out of the box and feels kinda usable! What can I say, I like e-paper 😂
I am a founder again. Now I can get back to tweeting about important things like how Apple has taken 48 damn hours (and counting) to review a simple Testflight iOS app update (after 4 days of back and forth over stupid questions like 'who is the target audience for your app?')
Beeper Launch Day: No more waitlist + we joined Automattic!
- No more waitlist, Beeper is now available for everyone!
- Beeper has been acquired by Automattic
- Our new Android app is out of beta
Download now:
Read more on
It will take a few years, but the impact of Apple's actions over the last few months will fundamentally change how the world (and devs specifically) perceives Apple.
Update - it's alive!
@sqfmi
has built my little dream Beeper device 🤩 2.4" Sharp memory LCD panel (same as Playdate).
Running linux and gomuks (terminal CLI Matrix client written by
@tulir293
)
@theradxa
zero is the SBC
I'm dreaming of a Beeper chat-only device for hackers! Maybe use
@sqfmi
Franky (unit on right) which has same e-paper display as Pebble. Could change it to a Blackberry keyboard ala
@arturo182
Keyboard featherwing
I think we have happened upon a topic that is even more catnip for HN than e-paper. Next step - an e-paper reversed engineered iMessage client. Oh wait......
It didn't have any instructions, so what was I supposed to do!
Honestly, I think the ear is probably the best place for an AI device like this (could be a bit smaller tho)
Pebble was an intense and wild 9 year ride. While it didn’t work out perfectly, I can’t say I would change too much about the experience. I loved being part of the team that invented the smartwatch. I loved seeing Pebbles on wrists all around the world!
We're extremely pleased to announce that Qi Lu has joined YC as the founding CEO of YC China. This is a really big deal for YC - our first ever program outside of SF. Applications are open now!
Getting closer to real sideloading! Still tons of problems (€0.50 fee, still need to be compliant with Apple BS rules, etc), but it's clear that the EU is chipping away at the ridiculous malicious DMA compliance that Apple announced in Jan.
Hey
@startupschool
founders - today is pitch practice!
Pitch your startup and get instant aggregated feedback from the community using a Twitter Poll to see how many people understand your pitch! More info and an example:
The jailbreak community is one of the internet's best renewable resources.
Every year there are new teenagers who want to fight the system and create some cool new hacks. Continually amazed at how many interesting tricks y'all figure out.
Wild story from
@ReedAlbergotti
great newsletter today about Apple v Qualcomm 2019 antitrust case. Apple accuses QC of antitrust behaviour, but the real story is Apple conspired for years to bring this lawsuit...
@t3dotgg
Let me just get this clear - do you think there should be no anti-trust regulations at all? Or that there should be anti-trust but apple is too small currently to be governed by then?
Today we're mourning the recent passing of
@UWaterloo
Engineering Dean Pearl Sullivan. She was an infectiously enthusiastic force for good on campus and around the world. I enjoyed every single encounter we had over the last decade. I miss her already.
Most people don’t know this but we actually started building smartwatches 5 years earlier in 2008. By 2012, we weren’t doing that well and only had $30k left in the bank account. Launching on Kickstarter was our last shot. If it didn’t work, we’d have probably shut it down.