Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Bitchat – A decentralized messaging app that works over Bluetooth mesh networks

github.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 457 posts

Re: Bitchat – A decentralized messaging app that works over Bluetooth mesh networks

#131

Post by estsauver »

syntaxing wrote: post #4

Whoa this is really neat. I’ve been trying to get into Meshtastic but it’s hard to convince others when you need special hardware. Would be super neat if Apple did something similar. Shouldn’t be too hard since the AirTags use the same idea? Would also be neat if there was a way to build a LoRA proxy to extend the range. I might give this a try with my meshtastic devices.

FWIW, I've found a T-1000e to be a pretty good way to get people into meshtastic. It's not perfect because it has a weird dongle to charge, but it's pretty cool and I think you can convince people it's a worthwhile thing for emergency recovery.

Re: Bitchat – A decentralized messaging app that works over Bluetooth mesh networks

#133

Post by ileonichwiesz »

apetresc wrote: post #46
lxgr wrote: post #9

Very nice! Could this be published in the App Store, or does it use any APIs Apple considers off-limits? I'm regularly frustrated by modern phone's complete inabilities to allow any communication when outside of mobile network or Wi-Fi coverage, not even within the two large walled gardens. It would be so easy for Apple to extend iMessage to work peer-to-peer, at least between people that have already messaged each o…

Legit curious what the use case would be, that would justify Apple adding it in. Like, when do you need to text someone who's within Bluetooth range but somehow has no WiFi or cell reception?

This is admittedly a rare and minor use case, but maybe on a plane if you’re not sitting next to each other? Last time I flew I saw two teenage girls communicating by typing into the same note file and Airdropping it back and forth for hours - it struck me as very silly that there was no messaging interface that they could use instead.

Re: Bitchat – A decentralized messaging app that works over Bluetooth mesh networks

#134

Post by nelsonfigueroa »

rlt wrote: post #123

The coolest thing about this is apparently it’s written by Jack Dorsey, billionaire founder of Twitter/Square. https://x.com/jack/status/1941989435962212728 Cool to see he still gets his hands dirty in code.

Yeah I noticed this too! The profile picture looked familiar.

Re: Bitchat – A decentralized messaging app that works over Bluetooth mesh networks

#135

Post by cpeth »

sardine5 wrote: post #68

A bit different, as it's mainly for voice - but I made an app 'Murmur : Bluetooth Group Calls' - that lets you hold group voice calls and message via a mesh of Bluetooth LE connections. It's available on Android and iOS. https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/murmur-bluetooth-group-calls/i... Doesn't really get any downloads, so not sure there's much demand for this - but I use it with some shokz bone conducting headphones fo…

Any chance it could use seamless transport switching? It would be so awesome if it could switch to cellular(if available) or wifi-direct as needed on the fly. I have been thinking about creating such an app but lacked the time.

If it's open source, I would love to help.

I will give your app a try.

Re: Bitchat – A decentralized messaging app that works over Bluetooth mesh networks

#136

Post by subscribed »

nullify88 wrote: post #115
roshin wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cool technology, but what is the usecase? I can imagine traveling abroad without a sim and using it as described. But is it any better than using the cellular network (when you have access to it)?

I commonly Signal call my partner when we are at opposite ends of the house. I can see something like this being useful to prevent using some remote Internet server to facilitate a very local call. I wonder if there's a home lab / self hosted solution for this.

Bluetooth to reach and reliably hold a high throughout connection to the device across the house?

I don't think so.

Re: Bitchat – A decentralized messaging app that works over Bluetooth mesh networks

#137

Post by subscribed »

LWIRVoltage wrote: post #89
sardine5 wrote: post #68

A bit different, as it's mainly for voice - but I made an app 'Murmur : Bluetooth Group Calls' - that lets you hold group voice calls and message via a mesh of Bluetooth LE connections. It's available on Android and iOS. https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/murmur-bluetooth-group-calls/i... Doesn't really get any downloads, so not sure there's much demand for this - but I use it with some shokz bone conducting headphones fo…

Okay, this is neat! A true mesh networking bluetooth app- The other one that's notable, Briar is super impressive - but i think it doesn't actually have proper mesh capability due to difficulties with how devices handle things (See: https://old.reddit.com/r/Briar/comments/gxiffy/what_exactly_... https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43363031 } Anyway, -Question: I take it Murmur is end to end encrypted fully? Also, ju…

I'll try this app because Briar never worked between any of my devices (all Androids)

Re: Bitchat – A decentralized messaging app that works over Bluetooth mesh networks

#138

Post by notfish »

jacobgkau wrote: post #100
moneywaters wrote: post #96

I’ve been toying with a concept inspired by Apple’s Find My network: Imagine a decentralized, delay-tolerant messaging system where messages hop device-to-device (e.g., via Bluetooth, UWB, Wi-Fi Direct), similar to how “Find My” relays location via nearby iPhones. Now add a twist: • Senders pay a small fee to send a message. • Relaying devices earn a micro-payment (could be tokens, sats, etc.) for carrying the messag…

> Works best in areas with patchy or no internet, or under censorship. The biggest problem I immediately foresee is that this sounds backwards. It doesn't work best in areas with patchy or no internet, it works best in areas with lots of participating devices. It's most needed in areas with patchy or no internet, but those areas are likely to be the opposite of the areas with lots of participating devices.

Its best for places like football games or festivals, where the traditional network gets overrun

Re: Bitchat – A decentralized messaging app that works over Bluetooth mesh networks

#139

Post by lhoff »

sardine5 wrote: post #68

A bit different, as it's mainly for voice - but I made an app 'Murmur : Bluetooth Group Calls' - that lets you hold group voice calls and message via a mesh of Bluetooth LE connections. It's available on Android and iOS. https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/murmur-bluetooth-group-calls/i... Doesn't really get any downloads, so not sure there's much demand for this - but I use it with some shokz bone conducting headphones fo…

Looks interesting, especially that use case. May I ask which headphone you are using? I have the older openmove from shokzs and voice isn't really understandable while riding a bike.

Re: Bitchat – A decentralized messaging app that works over Bluetooth mesh networks

#140

Post by notfish »

moneywaters wrote: post #96

I’ve been toying with a concept inspired by Apple’s Find My network: Imagine a decentralized, delay-tolerant messaging system where messages hop device-to-device (e.g., via Bluetooth, UWB, Wi-Fi Direct), similar to how “Find My” relays location via nearby iPhones. Now add a twist: • Senders pay a small fee to send a message. • Relaying devices earn a micro-payment (could be tokens, sats, etc.) for carrying the messag…

Yeah I’ve wanted to build this for ages (and have tried a couple times). The use case is festivals/sporting events and other places where permanent infrastructure doesn’t really exist. The hard part is keeping messages small if you wanna include any of the token tech you’re talking about - probably, a system where your payment for usage is that you be an active relay node is more effective. Something something trust models, ala existing cert signing models.
Post reply on HN