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Show HN: I built a Bible verse feed to replace doomscrolling(scrollhope.com)

8 points by jclardy 3 days ago | 9 comments

Hey all, I just released my latest iOS app, Scroll Hope. It is a tiktok like scrolling feed, but the content is Bible verses with fun dynamic backgrounds. It also tracks your reading progress and keeps stats over time.

You can try it out on the website, or on iOS if you want the app lockout feature which lets you block your social apps. Completely free, with the option to support the app with a tip and unlock some additional icon and sharing options.

Coming soon is audio and auto-scroll, so you can set the phone down and read/listen hands free.

Android is on the way, the lockout feature is taking some additional review time.

[–] tourmalinetaco 3 days ago

I love the idea a lot, here’s some feedback on the UX: the share/link buttons are too large and distracting on my Safari’s light mode, I’d look to remove the bubble effect on them and make them a bit less contrasting. And, maybe adding a different format to reading? Like, instead of one verse at a time, a continuous stream as an option; while information density isn’t paramount to hopescrolling, being able to use the app as a dedicated reader would be nice, since it is very pretty. And, a personal thing, but I’d love a webapp version with persistence, but I get why you’re funneling people to the app.

I’ll be sure to share it with my brother in ministry, perhaps his church will enjoy it. Hopefully the Android version will come soon, I know my parents and a few other friends would love it as well. God bless!

[–] jclardy 3 days ago

Thanks for the feedback! I agree the side buttons might be a bit too prominent and I think the animating them in on each swipe is a bit too much, I'll take a look for the next release.

As for "streaming", thats an interesting idea, I'm working on auto-scroll, but for straight reading I could probably do something cool with the scrolling and backgrounds highlighting the current verse but keeping the surrounding context in the view.

The webapp is mostly promotional right now, but I'm considering adding an account system since Android doesn't have an iCloud like service to auto-sync all of your related devices. At that point I'll add in more persistence to the web. That'll be a ways off though, and after getting the android app into the play store as is.

[–] Redster 3 days ago

Love to see the World English Bible here. (Nothing against the ASV or BSB, I'm just used to seeing KJV and ASV as the only options when someone reaches for a public domain translation.)

The WEB is woefully under-utilized for such a good, readable, modern and openly licensed translation. I do read from the Greek New Testament and when I've compared the WEB with it, I've been pleasantly surprised at the level of Greek nuance they were able to capture with their English phrase choices. (I do not know Hebrew and have not checked the WEB on that.)

[–] jclardy 3 days ago

Thanks, I’ve enjoyed it as well though I’m typically using ESV and NKJV. I found out about WEB from an app my wife uses for listening to the Bible, the recordings are also openly licensed and audio is something I’d like to add to the app in the short term.

[–] throw03172019 3 days ago

Didn’t some guy make something similar and is doing $100k+ MRR?

[–] jclardy 3 days ago

I believe so, I took a look at it and my main issue with it was that they have a lot of AI generated content (Bible studies, verse meanings and such) which they don’t seem to explicitly state that it is AI, but after tapping the button twice you get two different responses. I’m fine with AI usage, but please tell people what it is first.

[–] Festro 3 days ago

Feels like this is just more doomscrolling?

[–] cameron_b 3 days ago

but there is an end

[–] angoragoats 3 days ago

Yeah, genocide, murder, slavery, etc are not exactly great substitutes for doomscrolling.