This is Blue Hour.
Blue Hour is my collection of apps and ideas. It isn't a team or a studio. Behind it is one person who likes making things that make sense: me.
By day I work in IT, where I've spent more than ten years designing products and finding better ways to get things done. A lot of that time goes to listening to people describe their workarounds: the extra steps, the spreadsheet on the side, the thing they have to remember because the software won't. Every workaround costs someone time and a little stress, and that time should go to the things they love.
So in my spare time I design apps that work the way I wish apps worked. Each one started with something I needed and couldn't find: an app built the wrong way, designed around the wrong thing, or buried in ads. I care about people-first design and about doing things efficiently, and every screen gets the same test. Does it fit into your day, or does it get in your way?
Why "Blue Hour"
Everyone talks about golden hour. Blue hour comes right after it, when the sun has gone and the sky turns deep blue just before night. I'm a night owl, and that's when my brain switches on. Things start to click, ideas show up, and it feels like the right time to make something. When the rest of the world has gone to sleep, it feels like the whole world is my own.
What I promise
- No ads. Ever.Ads get in the way, and getting in the way is the one thing these apps shouldn't do.
- Your data isn't for sale.Not to advertisers, not to anyone. Every app has an easy way to wipe your data, so you're always in control of it.
- The free version is the real app.Everything that runs on your phone is free, so anyone can use it, whether or not they can pay. Your data stays on your phone.
- Paid plans cover real costs.Daily Backup is usually a one-time $0.99 to copy your data to your own Google Drive. The Sync subscription keeps your devices in step, or helps you share with friends. Both types of features need a database which I run and look after. Prices are low on purpose. I have a day job and I'm not trying to get rich; the plans just help cover costs and some of the time they take to manage.
Who's behind it
Just me, designing from my own laptop at home, usually after dark, with two cats supervising and a patient spouse. I lean on good technology to bring the designs to life, and I bounce ideas off my friends, who now and then get talked into testing.
The apps
Echo
A podcast player that remembers where you were and stays quiet otherwise.
▶Coming soon toGoogle PlayRoundtuit
A to-do and honey-do list for the things you'll do when you get a round tuit.
▶Coming soon toGoogle PlayRoots
A garden planner that knows what you planted and when to water it.
▶Coming soon toGoogle PlayLattice
Your workouts, food, sleep and health numbers in one private place, kept on your phone.
▶Coming soon toGoogle PlayThe fine print
Each app's privacy policy and terms show up here when it's published. Questions: bluehourapps@gmail.com