Show HN: Atticus, a hold-to-talk Mac assistant that handles simple tasks without AI
SaarthRanka · hn · 2026-10-12
A 9th grader built Atticus, a macOS hold-to-talk voice assistant (Control-Option-Space) that routes intelligently:
- Local-first: simple tasks like launching apps, playing Spotify playlists, or web queries never touch AI and finish locally in under a second (0.08s for opening apps)
- Runs on your Claude subscription: complex tasks go through claude -p, so no API key is needed and costs stay at a fraction of a cent per task on existing Pro/Max plans
- Task memory: after completing a workflow once (e.g. creating a meeting in 30s), it logs the exact steps and replays them next time in 5-8 seconds without AI
- Safety & personalization: learns your name, apps and preferences; destructive actions (delete/send/buy/write) trigger a confirmation prompt, with restrictions toggleable
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