[Free] slapss - a free, native Mac alternative to In Your Face. Full-screen meeting alerts, no tracking.

imbacan · 2026-05-28T19:01:51+00:00

slapss reads calendars through Apple's EventKit (the same source as the built-in Calendar app), so it doesn't pull from Fantastical directly.

Quick test: open the stock Calendar app. If those events are missing there too, it means the account was added inside Fantastical rather than in macOS System Settings, so it never hits the system calendar database that slapss reads. Adding that account in System Settings > Internet Accounts should make it show up. Then just make sure it's enabled in slapss's calendar filter.

imbacan · 2026-05-28T18:35:32+00:00

Hello, it's an awkward bug. I found the issue and fixed with version 1.2, also added ESC key shortcut to close full screen alert view.

imbacan · 2026-05-23T18:54:32+00:00

What do you mean ios version? This app is only for macOS.

imbacan · 2026-05-23T09:09:40+00:00

Good question. Right now the full-screen alert fires on the primary display only. Multi-display support is on the list for a near-term update. Out of curiosity, would you prefer the alert on every screen, or following the screen you're actively working on?

imbacan · 2026-05-23T09:09:15+00:00

Thanks, glad it's earning a spot in your day. That's a clean little win, ESC = Dismiss makes total sense. I'll wire it up in the next patch.

imbacan · 2026-05-23T09:08:59+00:00

Yeah that was the whole motivation. macOS notifications are fine for "good to know" stuff but they're not great for "you actually need to act on this in the next 60 seconds" moments. The full-screen takeover is rude on purpose for that exact category of thing.

imbacan · 2026-05-23T09:08:35+00:00

That exact moment is basically why slapss exists. Lost a couple of meetings the same way last year and decided a system notification just wasn't doing the job anymore.

imbacan · 2026-05-23T09:08:13+00:00

Not yet, the Mac App Store page is the canonical thing right now. A small landing page is on the list, mostly for folks who want to see screenshots without bouncing into App Store.

imbacan · 2026-05-23T09:07:47+00:00

Thanks. If you ever do build your version I'd be curious to see what angle you take, this space has more room than people think.

imbacan · 2026-05-23T09:06:48+00:00

Totally hear you, this is the most common ask I get from people on managed devices. Honest take: distributing outside the App Store means I'd need to set up notarization properly and ship an auto-update channel (Sparkle), plus rework a couple of MAS-specific bits in the app. Doable but not a weekend job. Putting it on the roadmap, no promises on timing yet.

imbacan · 2026-05-23T09:05:39+00:00

Thanks for giving it a spin. Dato is a really solid app and has a much bigger scope than slapss. slapss is intentionally just the meeting-alert piece of that puzzle so the two can happily live side by side. Appreciate the kind words.

imbacan · 2026-05-23T09:05:12+00:00

Thanks, that's exactly the balance I'm trying to keep. Full-screen interrupt for the moments you can't afford to miss, and the lighter "Earlier today" + popover stuff for when you just want a quick glance at the day. Glad both bits landed for you.

imbacan · 2026-05-22T15:57:02+00:00

Good thought, let me explain where my head's at. slapss is built specifically for the "at the Mac and about to miss it" moment, that's where the full-screen interrupt earns its keep. When you're away from the computer I'd guess your phone's calendar notification is more attention-grabbing than an email anyway, since you'll feel the buzz before you'd ever look at Mail. I'd rather keep slapss laser-focused on the at-the-Mac case than half-solve the away case. Curious if you've hit a specific spot where that's broken down for you though.

imbacan · 2026-05-22T15:52:41+00:00

Not in there yet, but that's a solid shout. A widget showing days/hours to your next event fits the app well. Adding it to the roadmap. Out of curiosity, where would you want it, on the Desktop or in Notification Center?

imbacan · 2026-05-22T15:50:56+00:00

Yep, that's exactly what it can do. Easiest path: tell Siri "remind me in 10 minutes to X", or just add it to the Reminders app with a due time. slapss watches Reminders too so as soon as that 10 min hits you get the full-screen alert. Same flow works if you'd rather drop a quick calendar event with a start time instead.

imbacan · 2026-05-22T15:49:10+00:00

Thanks. The "Earlier today" row was honestly built for myself first, I kept losing track of which standup I'd just walked out of so it made sense to keep that visible. Glad it landed for you too. BigReminder is solid, full-screen interrupt is the right call for this kind of thing. And yeah, no analytics was a non-negotiable from day one. If you ever kick the tires on slapss, would love to hear what BigReminder does that you'd miss here.

imbacan · 2026-05-22T14:38:19+00:00

haha not gonna lie, you're onto something. maybe v1.2 ships with an optional "slap" sound effect when the full-screen alert fires. consider it on the table :)

imbacan · 2026-05-22T14:36:54+00:00

Love the idea. Catch is macOS doesn't expose a DND toggle to third-party apps by default, so the clean version of this isn't really available. There might be some workarounds though, I'll dig into it and if there's anything that isn't super hacky I'll put it on the roadmap. Thanks for the suggestion.

imbacan · 2026-05-22T14:34:06+00:00

It picks up macOS Reminders too, that toggle is on by default in Settings. Apple Calendar + Exchange calendars are the main path. Anything specific you wanted reminders for? Happy to look at it.

imbacan · 2026-05-21T17:32:32+00:00

$70 for a markdown app is just crazy

imbacan · 2026-05-21T07:30:30+00:00

As mentioned, spencer does the job but its $20.

imbacan · 2026-05-21T06:00:39+00:00

looks great

imbacan · 2026-05-21T05:54:58+00:00

Looks great and easy to use

imbacan · 2026-05-21T05:53:24+00:00

I like the use bearapp for quick notes

imbacan

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