Hoy combines AirDrop, Loom, and voice messages in the Mac menu bar
Hoy puts file sharing, voice notes, and screen recording directly in the Mac menu bar, using iCloud behind the scenes to keep the whole workflow lightweight and surprisingly direct.
Hoy is a new app for the Mac menu bar that aims to make file sharing, voice notes, and screen recording as simple as dropping a file onto someone's desk. Instead of opening a separate app, users can drag items onto a person's avatar in the menu bar. The recipient effectively becomes the shortcut, integrating communication into macOS.
Once a person joins a channel, their avatar appears in the menu bar. Users can drag files, type, or record voice notes without opening a full conversation window. Screen recording is similar, with an optional camera bubble capturing the display. Hoy then sends the recording directly to the recipient, bridging the gap between quick sharing and asynchronous feedback.
The app relies on Apple's CloudKit for content storage, with larger files and recordings counting against the host's iCloud storage. Hoy does not operate its own content server. Despite not being serverless, Apple's infrastructure handles most of the work. The biggest challenge is convincing users to adopt it, as Macs already have many similar features.
However, small remote teams might find it useful for quick feedback and screen recordings. A free tier offers three hosted channels for testing. An iPhone companion is planned for later this year, increasing the app's appeal. Email Aliases in Brave browser allows users to give websites a different email address, limiting tracking across different services.
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