DEV Community: Michael B

I added an in-app currency to my indie macOS screen-time app

Michael B — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 20:41:03 +0000

I recently released the newest app in my little collection of indie macOS apps. This one is pretty niche, but honestly, I think it might be one of my favorite things I’ve built so far.

It’s called ScreenEra.

ScreenEra is a calming, gamified screen-time companion for macOS. It tracks the time you spend on your computer, but instead of making screen time feel like some cold productivity statistic, it turns it into something a little more atmospheric, playful, and rewarding. The app pairs your screen-time tracking with ambient backgrounds, animated scenes, and soundscapes. It also includes XP, badges, and small progression systems that make your time at the computer feel a bit more like a game. Pretty cool, right?

There are different universes to choose from.
The original six are:

Corporate: Clean, polished, and focused.
Fantasy: A softer, magical atmosphere for cozy work sessions.
Cyber: Neon, futuristic, and a little dramatic.
Arcade: Bright, playful, and game-like.
Space: Quiet, cosmic, and floaty.
Cozy: Warm, calm, and gentle.

Each universe comes with its own still background, animated background, and audio soundscape.

Now this is where the currency comes in...

I created an in-app currency called Era Coins. As you use ScreenEra and spend time in different sessions, you can earn Era Coins. Those coins can then be used inside the app to unlock more visual themes, backgrounds, soundscapes, and little customization pieces.

I wanted the currency to feel fun, but not manipulative.

I didn’t want it to be some aggressive mobile game economy where everything is designed to pressure you. ScreenEra is still supposed to feel calm. The currency is there to add progression, personality, and a little “ooh, I want to unlock that next” energy.

Basically, I wanted to make screen-time tracking feel less like punishment and more like collecting little rewards for simply showing up. That’s been one of the bigger themes of ScreenEra as a whole:
What if tracking your computer time didn’t feel judgmental?

Most screen-time tools are built around guilt. They tell you that you’ve been on your computer too long. They show you the numbers, make you feel bad, and then expect that shame to magically turn into discipline.

I wanted ScreenEra to feel different.

A little softer.
A little prettier.
A little more game-like.
A little more forgiving.

Because for a lot of us, our computers are where we work, create, write, code, design, build, research, and unwind. Screen time is not always the enemy. Sometimes it’s where your life is happening.
So instead of treating every minute like a failure, ScreenEra tries to turn those minutes into something you can actually see, hear, collect, and shape.

Era Coins are part of that.

They give the app a small economy, a sense of progression, and a reason to come back and keep customizing your little screen-time universe.

ScreenEra is available now as part of my indie macOS app collection.
It’s currently free / pay what you want, and if you enjoy it, support is always deeply appreciated. Every download, share, donation, comment, or bit of feedback helps me keep building these strange little Mac apps.

I’m still early in this whole indie app journey, but ScreenEra feels like one of those projects where I can really see the personality starting to come through.

And honestly... Era Coins might be one of my favorite parts so far.

Here's the entire collection so far:
🎮 itch.io
🪩 GumRoad

This is me asking the universe... "Is this enough?"

Michael B — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 18:45:49 +0000

[Here's my CARRD]

 I know these kinds of posts are overdone, so I'll spare you the promo/AI ad and give you something real. I've attached my Carrd site with all my info if you're interested in supporting me or following along.

I didn't go to college, nor did I graduate from high school. I ended up getting my GED at age 17. I have no notable achievements or accolades I can flex. What I do have is wicked determination and creativity. If I can do anything... It's turning an idea into a reality. I think that's one of my most valuable skills, and I really do cherish and nurture it as much as I can.

That being said, I've tried using my creativity in many ways. I've written a fantasy novel nobody wanted, I've failed at 3 startups, and was a freelance graphic designer for a while before AI came into the picture and wiped us all out. It hasn't been easy, but boy, have I learned a lot... not only about myself, but also about the resilience it takes to achieve your dreams even when you're losing hard.

I don't really have any friends, and my family is kind of split up all over the country, but I do have a very supportive partner who has been there with me through every failed venture I've dreamed up and tried to pursue. Without them... well... I don't know where or who I'd be. So here's a special thank you to my partner. I love you.

My newest venture they've been supporting me through is solo app development. The kind that's like "Hey, what if this did this or that?" and then spend days and weeks obsessing over it until finally... it exists. Dreaming up something that doesn't exist yet and then giving it your all to bring it to life... now that's true magic right there.

It's something people can spend their entire life trying to do, but never having the willpower, confidence, or time to ever do. And I know I'm not winning a Nobel Peace Prize or winning an Oscar. I'm simply sharing my hard work with the world. Proudly, and wondering if what I have to give will matter to anyone.

This is more than a promo post about a collection of apps I've exhausted myself mentally, physically, and spiritually to create. This is me asking the universe, "Is this enough?" "Have I found it?" And whether the answer is no or not yet, I've still enjoyed every minute (and I do mean every minute) creating things for people to use. To be of service to someone other than myself for once.

Over the last few months, I've dreamed up and created a growing collection of macOS apps that I genuinely believe are worth sharing. Sorry if you don't have a Mac device and you've read this far, but if this blows up and or there's enough demand... I have a Windows machine that I can use to recreate these apps for different kinds of devices and people. I'm up for the challenge, so let me know if that's something you'd look forward to seeing happen.

As of today, June 21st, 2026, I've brought eight apps into the world. (as if I've given birth or something 🤣) The idea came to me like any "good" idea or idea worth acting on comes... spontaneously, and stemming from a bunch of other "bad" ideas.

I was sitting at my desk thinking of what it was I wanted to do next. I thought... Maybe I could make a desktop Tamagotchi pet...

No... that's been done before. A lot.

And then a decent idea came to me... what if I could blend/fuse the seams of desktop windows to create seamless flows without harsh lines. Like unified windows. Well, that idea turned out to be very, very difficult to pull off. Dang near impossible really, especially with the limitations of customization Apple has around window manipulation. So I scratched the idea.

Then, for some reason, the nostalgic thought of custom cursors came to the forefront. The ones that sparkle, or animate, or trail particles as it moves. and then BOOM 💥

You've heard of cursor customization, but what about window customization? I looked it up and have yet to find anything exactly like this. So there's a prideful part of me that's like, "Did I finally create something new?" Maybe it already exists, and I've just missed it, but my newest app is called TRAYL. Like TRAIL, but with a Y...for funsies.

It's a window and file movement customization utility for macOS. You can select any Apple emoji and customize the trailing effects of windows, and desktop files/folders. There are really cool drop animations, and you can even customize different animations for different active windows open on your computer. So if you want Safari to have earth emojis trailing behind it when you move it, but you want an open picture of your partner to emit little sunshine emojis too, that's possible.

One of the coolest parts about all of the apps I've dreamed up is that they all have auto-updaters installed by default, so if there are features that users really want, or bugs that people find that need to be fixed quickly, I can do it all very fast. And you would get the update instantly.

This is all one long post just to say, I've made something.

And I know that.

But there's so much more that's led up to this moment, and I thought it wouldn't be as sweet if I didn't at least introduce myself and give you something real for once. So thank you so, so, so much for taking the time to read this, and I really hope that if you do try this app or any of the others, they bring real purpose and joy to your life. That's why all of the apps are free/pay-what-you-want.

Because that's all I'm really trying to do.

Chat GPT Codex Empowers My Solo Dev Journey

Michael B — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:51:03 +0000

I'm relatively new to coding and recently bought the $200-a-month Codex plan, and it has continued to save my apps over and over again.

There are so many factors that go into an app. Market demand, the code, the visual assets, the UI/UX, the functionality, the problem it solves, and so much more...

The fact that I basically have a coding partner that I pay about $7 a day to work with me for many, many hours and help me turn my vision into a reality is one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had.

It takes away that stress of "Can I solve this bug quickly, or am I going to be working on the same issue for a week straight?"

It's simply gone.

Now, I know there are privacy concerns and other factors people always raise as reasons not to use AI to build your apps. Honestly, I hear you, but in my opinion, as long as you're not collecting personal data from your users and your apps are local (like all of mine are), then I don't find that to be a strong argument.

As far as stealing creative work from other people to craft your own... that I'm on the fence about, simply because I'm still learning.

That being said, I'm having the time of my life creating safe, local apps that hundreds of people are downloading and using. I'm paying for a tool that's readily available to anyone. And if I don't do it... the next guy will, and I'll miss my chance. You gotta get it while the gettin's good. And at this point in our society, the gettin' is REALLY GOOD.

So PLEASE , if you're solving genuine problems or making a user's experience better in any way, I think it's worth it. Because, as I said, if you don't, the next guy will. And I'm not missing my chance to do something I completely enjoy and get so much fulfillment from. It's just not happening. And I'm not sorry.

More apps and app updates will be coming in the near future.

We're not going anywhere!

June App Update

Michael B — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 05:30:51 +0000

Total Quietware Collection Update

I just wanted to hop on here and give a huge thank-you for all the support I've received over the past two weeks. I honestly didn't expect so many people to enjoy my apps as much as they do. It brings me immense joy and fulfillment, so thank you.

This started as a simple solution to annoying little problems I had on my Mac. And now it's beginning to evolve into something much more. More than what I thought it could ever be.

Stats as of Fri, Jun 19th, 2026:

346 Downloads | 1,854 Views

VERSIONS NOW WITH AUTO UPDATES

Sync Mode v1.0.4

Focus Form v1.0.1

Screen Shelf v1.0.5

Pop Note v1.0.4

Mood Sprout v1.0.3

File Fetch v1.0.3

Hourglass Timer v1.0.3

I'm about to start working on my 8th app very soon. I always try to solve a problem or add flair to an already established type of app, so this next one will follow suit. Feel free to drop any productivity / macOS-related app ideas in the comments... You might see it in the lineup.

This is only the beginning.

I accidentally became a solo dev studio

Michael B — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 20:39:39 +0000

About a month ago, I didn't really think of myself as a solo dev studio.

I was just a person with too many ideas, too much caffeine, and a very dangerous habit of saying, “Wait... I can build this?”

Then 1 app became 2. 2 became 3. And then somehow I had a small collection of macOS apps sitting in front of me, all built around the same general feeling:

Software can be useful to others and still be personal.

That became the quiet thread through everything I made. Not huge apps. Not startup pitch deck apps. Not “change the future” apps.

Just small, focused tools that solve little problems in a way that feels aesthetic and simple.

One app helps you keep temporary files and notes nearby.
One helps restore a workspace.
One is a little reminder bubble system.
One is a timer.
One tracks mood and journaling through a growing plant.
One turns app stats into a tiny dopamine machine because, yes, I got tired of refreshing dashboards like a goblin.

And the funny thing is that each app came from a very normal frustration.

“I wish my desktop had a shelf.”
“I wish I could save this whole workspace.”
“I wish reminders felt less boring.”
“I wish checking app downloads felt more fun.”
“I wish productivity software that wasn't a guilt trip.”

That has been the biggest lesson for me so far. A good small app doesn't always need a massive idea. Sometimes it just needs a tiny annoyance that you care about enough to polish. Building all of these has also changed how I see software. I used to think an app had to be big to matter. Big feature lists, big audiences, big launches, or big perfect roadmaps.

A small app can be cozy, weird, have one job and do it with personality, or even make someones computer feel slightly more like personalized.

The hard part, of course, is that building alone is intense.
I'm the designer, developer, tester, support team, the person making the screenshots, and the person rewriting the product page at 3 a.m. because one sentence feels wrong.

I'm also the person wondering if anyone will care when you finally post it.

Launching small software is strangely emotional, too. You can spend days or even weeks obsessing over tiny details... finally release it and then sit there refreshing stats like the judge is about to hand you a verdict.

A view feels exciting.
A download feels amazing.
A donation feels unreal.

But I think that is also what makes building in public is so interesting.

It sort of turns software building into a story.

The messy code.
The late nights.
The little wins.
The annoying bugs.

The moments where something finally works and you just stare at the screen like, “Oh sh*t, I actually did it.”

I still do not know where all of this goes. Maybe one app finds its people. Maybe all of them slowly grow. Maybe the whole thing just becomes a collection of small tools that make a handful of people happy. Honestly, that would still mean something to me because building these apps reminded me why I like software in the first place.

Not because every project has to become a company.

But because sometimes you get to take a tiny frustration, shape it into something real, give it a name, give it an icon, and put it out into the world and that is still kind of magical.

So yes, I guess I accidentally became a solo dev studio.

A very tired one.

A very caffeinated one.

But a real one.

And I think I am going to keep building.

Reads Rhythm, Not Content.

Michael B — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:44:01 +0000

I built a macOS Focus App That Reads Your Rhythm, Not Your Content.

I have been building a small macOS app called Sync Mode, and the whole idea came from one very simple feeling:

I did not want another productivity app yelling at me.

No strict timers.
No streak guilt.
No fake motivational dashboard telling me I am either “crushing it” or “failing.”

I wanted something quieter than that. Something that could sit in the background, pay attention to the shape of how I work, and gently adjust the atmosphere around me. So I started building Sync Mode, a macOS focus app that responds to your current work rhythm.

The app looks at local rhythm signals like:

typing pace
pauses
mouse movement
click rhythm
app switching
idle time

Then it estimates what kind of state you might be in:

Calm: For slower work, reading, planning, journaling, or easing into a task.
Focused: For that steady “I am locked in but not frantic” kind of work.
Energized: For the fast typing, high momentum, brain-is-sprinting moments.
Scattered: For those moments where you are bouncing around, switching things, clicking everywhere, and your focus is basically holding on by a thread.

The important part is that Sync Mode does not read what you type.

No typed words.
No documents.
No clipboard.
No URLs.
No cloud tracking.

It reads rhythm, not content.

That privacy piece mattered a lot to me. I wanted the app to feel intelligent without being creepy. There is a massive difference between “this app can sense that I am working quickly” and “this app is watching everything I write.”

I wanted the first one. Very much not the second one.

The current version can shift between different modes and adjust things like soundscape, visual atmosphere, dimming, blur, and a small mode orb that reflects your current state.

The part I have been most excited about is the focus dimming feature.

When you are working, Sync Mode can gently dim and blur the space behind your active window so the thing you are doing feels more centered. It makes the Mac feel less chaotic without fully locking you into some dramatic fullscreen mode.

It is subtle, but when it works, it feels really nice. Almost like your workspace is breathing with you a little. I know that sounds dramatic, but I stand by it.

This app is still small, still evolving, and still very much a solo dev project. I am building it because I want my computer to feel more supportive while I work. Not louder. Not more demanding. Just more in sync with me.

That is the whole goal.

A focus app that does not force you into a system.
A focus app that listens to your rhythm.
A focus app that quietly changes the room around your work.
That is Sync Mode.

I am still polishing it, testing it across Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, and tightening the way the modes respond. But it is getting closer to the version I had in my head, and that part feels really good.

If you build apps, write, design, code, or spend way too much time trying to get yourself into the right headspace, I think you will understand why I wanted this to exist.

Sometimes the problem is not that we need another timer. Sometimes we just need our workspace to stop fighting us. Sync Mode is a macOS focus app that adapts to how you work, while keeping your actual work private.

That is the magic I am chasing, at least.

Link: https://quietware.itch.io/sync-mode

Hi, I’m Michael 👋 I build small macOS apps under QuietWare… tiny tools for focus, organization, and oddly specific problems. I’m here to share launches, bugs, late night breakthroughs, and the very real chaos of building solo. ✨

Michael B — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:59:23 +0000