Show HN: I built a thing • Hacker News Board

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#91

Post by iamweisser » Sun, Nov 04, 2012, 2:26 PM UTC

This is a problem that many people have in Boston because most are transplants without local numbers and it seems like you've built a nice solution.

My current fix: I created a Google number with the local 617 area code.

I could see this being very useful however.

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#92

Post by narcissus » Sun, Nov 04, 2012, 2:53 PM UTC

That's a really cool idea, but just out of curiosity, is it normal for the gate to have to be programmed with a phone number? In the apartment complexes that I lived in, the gate would just buzz through to a small intercom type system beside the door in the apartment.

Is the phone calling thing a new process, or is this just an Australia vs. USA thing?

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#93

Post by gallaghersean » Sun, Nov 04, 2012, 3:55 PM UTC

This is a wonderful idea. I've thought of doing the same with Twilio. You could also make it a little more secure with Twilio by only opening the gate (dialing "9") for specific phone numbers that call in - for example your friend's number of the pizza place's number.

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#94

Post by bashzor » Sun, Nov 04, 2012, 4:56 PM UTC

What thing did you build? I'm not gonna click on titles like these.

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#95

Post by stephengillie » Sun, Nov 04, 2012, 5:13 PM UTC

weaksauce wrote: post #61

pud wrote: post #56

Tell landlords they can offer the service to tenants for $10/mo. Split proceeds 50/50. Call every landlord in town. Landlords love upselling tenants (parking spaces, storage space, etc.)

This is great advice but it also brings up a point; why do these systems require a local number in order to operate? It seems that a firmware upgrade could possibly decimate the op's business. Edit: I want to point out that I am in no way, shape, or form saying that the op could not make a decent amount of money on this(though, 10/month is a touch steep for someone living in an apartment) but I was just curious why t…

A firmware upgrade could probably decimate the OP's business, but the whole value is that this service may be a lot cheaper in terms of mental effort and stress for many landlords.

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#96

Post by ricardobeat » Sun, Nov 04, 2012, 5:20 PM UTC

trb wrote: post #66

Is there anything that prevents this from being a phone app and sell it in one of the app stores? You could abstract away all the web and phone (press '9') stuff and just have a button "Open the door? Yes/No" if someone activates the buzzer. Maybe add some easy management for pins that: - always open (roommates/family/friends) - open only one time (deliveries, not-so-close-friends) - open only under certain condition…

This system can only open the street-facing gate, not the front door.

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#97

Post by ricardobeat » Sun, Nov 04, 2012, 5:28 PM UTC

allbombs wrote: post #68

imglorp wrote: post #49

I think you need a better domain name. QuestionsThree is a fun name, but it conveys no information. How about something like this: * openmydooor.com * buzzmein.com * apartmentbuzzer.com etc

buzzme.in

Gimmicky. Lots of people will try to access buzzmein.com regardless, specially if it's not a tech/nerdy product.

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#98

Post by nu2ycombinator » Sun, Nov 04, 2012, 6:33 PM UTC

I had similar problem and I gave google voice number, which is local

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#99

Post by logn » Sun, Nov 04, 2012, 9:13 PM UTC

nilved wrote: post #80

> I’ve built a thing. > And unfortunately, I haven’t found a succinct way to market it or even just describe it. My first tip is to stop using such vague and obnoxious phrasing.

I agree with this. I wasn't sure if he was a non-native English speaker or was going to play this up rhetorically (e.g., "I made a thing: it is now The Thing"). Very odd, repetitive, and unusual construction. I wouldn't normally call someone out on this, but if they're taking this messaging to a customer it's terrible. Use some terminology, vocab, jargon, not "a thing".

Re: Show HN: I built a thing

#100

Post by davemel37 » Sun, Nov 04, 2012, 11:55 PM UTC

mseebach wrote: post #82

davemel37 wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I was paying rent, and now I had to pay more money to open the door, that would probably deter me from renting from this building. Almost like a protection racket... You might be a tenant, but cough up extra money to get into your apartment... I would strongly discourage a landlord from trying something like this. This is not a typical upsell, if anything the tenant blames the landlord for the problem in the first…

Read the article. The service is for an enhanced way of opening the gate, not for opening it in the first place.

The perception of offering charging for any type of access to your apartment enhanced or not would be perceived negatively. Consider an apartment where the landlord charged you $1 every time you want to use the elevator, but you can always walk up the stairs. While one might be an enhanced way, I think people would still view it as the landlord double dipping. I think this product is much more suited to be a promotional feature subsidized by an outside delivery company (pizza joint) or the landlord to show off fancy bells and whistles in his building to entice new renters.