Show HN: Minimal, customizable new tab for Chrome/Firefox

#1

Post by g3eorge » Mon, Nov 25, 2024, 3:51 PM UTC

Hello HN!

Flowtide is a project I have been working on for about 2 months now. It is a customizable new tab page for Firefox or Chrome. By default, it is configured to have a minimal amount of features, but it can be configured to include a clock, to-do list, or even soundscapes.

Install: https://flowtide.app/ GitHub: https://github.com/thingbomb/flowtide

Show HN: Minimal, customizable new tab for Chrome/Firefox
flowtide.app

Re: Show HN: Minimal, customizable new tab for Chrome/Firefox

#2

Post by jpcom » Mon, Nov 25, 2024, 4:08 PM UTC

Reminds me of the mac lock screen, nicely done!

Re: Show HN: Minimal, customizable new tab for Chrome/Firefox

#3

Post by Y-bar » Mon, Nov 25, 2024, 5:58 PM UTC

This is great, giving it a try!

A few first impressions:

- The dark overlay when customising the screen makes it hard to see the visual adjustments- And

- Can the clock default to system (12 or 24 hours)?

- Can I add the pinned tabs I had on the default home screen somehow?

Re: Show HN: Minimal, customizable new tab for Chrome/Firefox

#4

Post by georg-stone » Mon, Nov 25, 2024, 5:59 PM UTC

Y-bar wrote: post #3

This is great, giving it a try! A few first impressions: - The dark overlay when customising the screen makes it hard to see the visual adjustments- And - Can the clock default to system (12 or 24 hours)? - Can I add the pinned tabs I had on the default home screen somehow?

When saying pinned tabs, you mean shortcuts, right?

I have added these suggestions to the to-do list and should come out in the next update!

Re: Show HN: Minimal, customizable new tab for Chrome/Firefox

#5

Post by Y-bar » Mon, Nov 25, 2024, 6:00 PM UTC

georg-stone wrote: post #4

Y-bar wrote: post #3

This is great, giving it a try! A few first impressions: - The dark overlay when customising the screen makes it hard to see the visual adjustments- And - Can the clock default to system (12 or 24 hours)? - Can I add the pinned tabs I had on the default home screen somehow?

When saying pinned tabs, you mean shortcuts, right? I have added these suggestions to the to-do list and should come out in the next update!

Yes, I did not know what they were called.

Re: Show HN: Minimal, customizable new tab for Chrome/Firefox

#6

Post by atulvi » Mon, Nov 25, 2024, 6:13 PM UTC

Also checkout Minim for chrome. Very Minimal and Open Source

https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/minim-a-minimal-new...

Re: Show HN: Minimal, customizable new tab for Chrome/Firefox

#7

Post by georg-stone » Mon, Nov 25, 2024, 6:21 PM UTC

Y-bar wrote: post #5

georg-stone wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When saying pinned tabs, you mean shortcuts, right? I have added these suggestions to the to-do list and should come out in the next update!

Yes, I did not know what they were called.

Currently, you can't. Chrome doesn't have a built-in API for getting these, but you can have a bookmarks widget.

Re: Show HN: Minimal, customizable new tab for Chrome/Firefox

#8

Post by andrelaszlo » Mon, Nov 25, 2024, 6:27 PM UTC

It looks really nice.

The first question that pops into my head (being aware that this is a popular category of apps) is: when do people look at blank tabs? Whenever I open a new tab, it's with the intention of entering an address or a search term, and any content would be an unwelcome distraction.

I'd be more likely to use something like this if it lived under a regular domain name and I could put it into a pinned tab, personally.

Re: Show HN: Minimal, customizable new tab for Chrome/Firefox

#9

Post by torgoguys » Mon, Nov 25, 2024, 6:28 PM UTC

It looks nice and works well.

Unrelated, but I think we all need to migrate to a new word instead of "minimal" for such things. Perhaps just "simple." I get what we all mean as applied to this project, but it isn't what minimal typically means in English. A minimal new tab experience would be a blank tab.

Re: Show HN: Minimal, customizable new tab for Chrome/Firefox

#10

Post by georg-stone » Mon, Nov 25, 2024, 6:32 PM UTC

torgoguys wrote: post #9

It looks nice and works well. Unrelated, but I think we all need to migrate to a new word instead of "minimal" for such things. Perhaps just "simple." I get what we all mean as applied to this project, but it isn't what minimal typically means in English. A minimal new tab experience would be a blank tab.

I agree! "Minimalistic" would probably have been a better choice for this project.