Acti
worthwhileProductSlick mobile shortcut keyboard for quick actions, but limited to closed ecosystem and no API access for custom integration.
What it is
A custom iOS/Android keyboard that intercepts text input and uses AI to parse natural language commands (e.g., 'schedule meeting tomorrow at 3pm', 'open Notion doc for project plan') and executes actions or returns results inline, without switching apps.
How it compares to the alternatives
Compared to Apple Shortcuts, Google Assistant, or dedicated app launchers, Acti is always available in any text field and requires zero setup for predefined workflows. Doing it yourself would require a custom keyboard with an AI model and integration hooks — a significant engineering effort. However, the incumbent shortcuts and assistant can often achieve the same with a widget or voice command, albeit with more friction.
Devil's advocate — do you actually need this?
You already have a keyboard. A voice assistant. App shortcuts. A clipboard. Acti bundles these into one UI but adds little new capability. For the AI engineer, there are no SDKs, hooks, or custom model support — you are locked into their black-box intent parser. For the vibe coder, the novelty wears off: after a week, you'll revert to muscle memory for most actions. The core problem — context switching — remains, because Acti cannot deeply integrate with every app's internals. It's a nice demo, not a daily driver shift.
What would make it better
Expose a plugin API so developers can define custom intents and actions. Add a web-based configurator for complex workflows. Support offline-only mode with local models (e.g., on-device LLM) to reduce latency and privacy concerns. Provide native integrations for more than just Notion, Calendar, and LinkedIn — such as Slack, Teams, Jira, and GitHub.
The honest case for it
If you use your phone mostly for quick scheduling, note-taking, and searching across a handful of apps, Acti cuts down the number of taps and app switches per action. Its hold-and-activate gesture is faster than typing 'remind me' into a search bar. The keyboard is always there — no need to open a separate app or learn a new interface. For power users who live in mobile productivity, it's a meaningful upgrade over stock keyboards.
Who it's for
Audience fit
Depth and leverage for a technical engineer who wants to understand it and level up their workflow — not just offload work.
Value for someone who wants a more capable tool without the technical depth — accessible, does-it-for-you.
Focus on mobile UX and non-technical workflows; no code or API hooks for engineers. Vibe coders benefit from instant actions without technical setup.