Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Sun Clock

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

1. Manual location selection / default location request
Users want a way to choose a location themselves rather than relying on automatic prompts.

"I wish my browser let me do this by default. Rather than “let this site know your location?” it should be “select a location to give to this site”." – Retr0id
"you can use my version sunsignal.app and enter a zip code." – mannanj

2. Existing comparable tools & community interest
Several participants pointed out that similar concepts already exist, fostering a sense of shared innovation.

"The “Solar Dial” face does pretty much what the site does." – el_benhameen
"I made something like this called Sun Path which tracks where the sun is through centuries..." – momentmaker

3. Novel clock concepts & time visualization
The discussion spurred ideas for alternative clock faces that blend solar time with traditional timekeeping.

"I would prefer if it showed a regular 12‑hour clock face and show the upcoming sunrise or sunset, or two faces one for each." – karmakaze
"I built a 24‑hour clock a few days ago but in base‑12 and with 72 seconds per minute..." – jasonincanada


🚀 Project Ideas

Generating project ideas…

SolarClock Manual Selector

Summary

  • Provides a Chrome/Brave extension that lets users manually set their location (zip, lat/lng, or city) for solar‑based clocks, replacing the auto‑detect step.
  • Core value: One‑click manual location entry that persists across sessions and can be shared via URL.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience HN users who want manual location control for solar clocks; web developers building timezone‑aware tools
Core Feature One‑click manual location entry that persists across sessions and can be shared via URL
Tech Stack Chrome extension (Manifest V3) + React + Leaflet + localStorage
Difficulty Low
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • Quote from discussion: “I wish my browser let me do this by default… select a location to give to this site.” – shows clear demand.
  • Potential for discussion on privacy‑friendly location APIs and for developers building similar location‑override utilities.

SolarWatch Face Studio

Summary

  • Web app that lets users design custom Apple Watch solar‑dial faces, incorporating true solar noon and sunrise/sunset indicators.
  • Core value: Generates a shareable, installable watch‑face bundle that bypasses Apple’s restriction on custom faces.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Apple Watch enthusiasts, developers, and HN users frustrated by Apple’s locked custom faces
Core Feature Drag‑and‑drop UI to place sun‑position hands, export JSON watch‑face bundle for installation via WatchOS
Tech Stack React + TypeScript + WatchKit JSON exporter + Firebase Storage
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: $4.99 one‑time export or $0.99/month for premium templates

Notes

  • Quote: “Man fuck Apple for not allowing custom Apple Watch faces >:( Always the crippled operating system limiting the potential of their amazing hardware.” – highlights pain point.
  • Potential for discussion on watchOS development, side‑hustle opportunities, and community feedback on design aesthetics.

SunPath Timeline Mapper

Summary

  • Interactive web dashboard that visualizes sunrise/sunset and solar noon over a timeline, with map clicks to compare locations and highlight equation‑of‑time adjustments.
  • Core value: Turns abstract astronomical calculations into an intuitive UI for planning outdoor activities and understanding temporal shifts.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Hobbyist astronomers, outdoor planners, and HN users interested in accurate solar timing and map‑based comparisons
Core Feature Slider to scrub through a year, clickable globe points showing local solar noon, sunrise, sunset; overlay equation‑of‑time correction
Tech Stack Vue 3 + Mapbox GL + d3‑time + WebGL for 3D globe
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: Freemium with premium “historical trend” reports $5/month

Notes

  • User requests: “It’d be neat if you could pan a slider through the year to see the sunrise sunset times change” and “I love it… click points on a map…” – shows clear interest.
  • Potential for discussion on scientific visualization, educational use, and integration with calendar apps.

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