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Show HN: DoNotNotify – Log and intelligently block notifications on Android

donotnotify.com

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Re: Show HN: DoNotNotify – Log and intelligently block notifications on Android

#11

Post by awaaz »

mattbee wrote: post #8

I've been happy with the solution of switching off notifications from apps that interrupt me with promotions - one strike and they're out. The remaining notifications are _still_ frequent enough that no single app can expect to get my attention with a single buzz. It's not like apps don't upsell to when I _open_ them and have to swipe away ads before I can use them. So why give them another channel? 25-years ago me i…

> I've been happy with the solution of switching off notifications from apps that interrupt me with promotions - one strike and they're out.

I have exactly the same policy. But in my case I am forced to keep notifications enabled from apps like MyGate (since nobody would be able to visit me without it) and I have no say in the matter - my gated society uses it and my only way out is to pay for the app itself.

Re: Show HN: DoNotNotify – Log and intelligently block notifications on Android

#12

Post by cjbarber »

It would be neat to be able to do LLM filtered notifications. Perhaps with a local LLM for users that prefer.

I hope that Apple does a better job of this too! I don't want Uber's ad notifications, but I do want their notifications about my vehicle status.

Re: Show HN: DoNotNotify – Log and intelligently block notifications on Android

#13

Post by stonecharioteer »

This is really great. I chuckled seeing MyGate. I hate that app. My society uses it and I'd need this exactly for it. I hate that Android doesn't force devs to use the right notification category. Apps need to be penalized for not adhering to that.

Re: Show HN: DoNotNotify – Log and intelligently block notifications on Android

#14

Post by princevegeta89 »

I use an app called BuzzKill on Android for achieving this and many more things. I usually keep my notification bar at an absolute minimum when it comes to the number of notifications, but this app allows me to set rules for notifications based on their content. By default, all apps that I use have notifications turned off by default and they also get into deep sleep mode. So I'm sure they are not even running after a while. Only apps like WhatsApp, Slack, Signal can receive notifications. And by using the rules on Buzzkill, I am also able to automatically discard marketing notifications and useless notifications from these apps as well.

For an app like Google Maps though, I completely turned off notifications because there's really no need for me to have them. If you go into the notification settings through the Google Maps app, it's a big shitshow because it has some 40 categories that you will have to manually manage and I'm sure this was designed for the very purpose of letting users become tired after looking at them and then leave things as is.

Similarly, I do think the vast majority of the apps that we use don't need to send us any notifications at all. Thanks to Android for adding this feature to block all notifications from apps some four years ago, I guess.

Re: Show HN: DoNotNotify – Log and intelligently block notifications on Android

#16

Post by awaaz »

stonecharioteer wrote: post #13

This is really great. I chuckled seeing MyGate. I hate that app. My society uses it and I'd need this exactly for it. I hate that Android doesn't force devs to use the right notification category. Apps need to be penalized for not adhering to that.

You're welcome, friend!

Re: Show HN: DoNotNotify – Log and intelligently block notifications on Android

#17

Post by drnick1 »

Zigurd wrote: post #5

The play store should reject apps that use audible notifications other than those controlled by Android platform notification permissions. Making a user dig through an obscure multiple layer settings jungle to track down and kill annoying notifications is a dark pattern and deserves de-platforming. I'm looking at you, Facebook.

The Facebook app is malware. Remove it from your system and use better ways to communicate with people, e.g. Signal.

Re: Show HN: DoNotNotify – Log and intelligently block notifications on Android

#18

Post by pkulak »

Wow, I had no idea Android allowed a third party app to take over absolute control of all notifications. I assume you have to allow it somehow? It’s actually very cool that this is possible. Apple would never even consider allowing this.

Re: Show HN: DoNotNotify – Log and intelligently block notifications on Android

#19

Post by drnick1 »

stonecharioteer wrote: post #13

This is really great. I chuckled seeing MyGate. I hate that app. My society uses it and I'd need this exactly for it. I hate that Android doesn't force devs to use the right notification category. Apps need to be penalized for not adhering to that.

If you really need an app, e.g. for work, put in a separate user profile (sorry iOS users, your phone is gimped).

Re: Show HN: DoNotNotify – Log and intelligently block notifications on Android

#20

Post by Brajeshwar »

Here is a fun story. Just like you, I too live in a “gated community”, and we also default to MyGate. We have a founders group in there, and the things with MyGate and its irritations would sometimes come up. We all would wink and go about our days. The founder of MyGate is in the group and is one of the neighbors. We sometimes teased that we would just camp out outside his home, asking him to fix these excessive notification issues and bugs, and to add/edit features. ;-)

Another founder friend lives in a different mid-sized community and was using MyGate. He got pissed not just at the ads but at the massive data gathering—contacts, camera, flashlight, and everything. He ended up creating https://dobermanapp.com

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