

Show HN: Beam – if texting app showed what your friend is typing (try with bot) - Alec3327
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.beamlab.beam

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hobblin
Didn't we already try this and realized that it's a horrible idea with ICQ?

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fiatjaf
Google Wave did this.

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coralreef
OP also posted 3 weeks ago. Was wondering where I saw it before.

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Alec3327
Yep, I put it up again because we had a major update where we were able to
intro a very rudimentary chat bot, so ppl who sign up and don't yet have any
friends to talk with can still see what it would be like to receive real time
(RT) texts.

A lot of people have a bunch of presumptions about RT but have never used it,
so they wouldn't know the benefits of it. They just go by "what it sounds
like". It's new technology, so people are justifiably wary.

As for g wave. Yes, i'm aware. This hasn't been done in an app however, so
thats #1. And #2, we introduced a unique "beam in" mechanic that allows people
to actually respond, comment (interrupt even) on point, as far as I'm aware,
noone was able to solve this problem, of 2 people talking at same time, before
(solve it well that is).

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pmx
I think "new technology" is a bit of a stretch. It's just not really done
because it has very little benefit. I think a lot of people also don't like
the idea of all their typos and "actually I won't send that" moments being
broadcast to the recipient.

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Alec3327
Well we did spend time to actually figure out how to properly display "2
people typing same time" situations. And I think we done that fairly well,
considering there are very few rt examples out there. Hence the "new" frame.

As for the perceived dislikes, lack of benefits; i doubt people really had
experience with anything outside of turn-based sms stuff, you included. I do
agree though, most people do think that, but after they use it's actually not
a big deal at all, you barely notice "your side of real time".

