Widget-first

Dense: Rolling Micro News Digest Widget

Most news apps push you into a feed and a pile of links. Dense is a widget-first micro digest that rewrites as stories break. New stories and developments are highlighted so you can scan the updates in seconds.

iOSiPadOSmacOS

Why I built Dense

Most news widgets waste space, then push you into a feed. I wanted a tiny dashboard that stays readable in a 2x2 square. Dense writes a rolling digest per topic, then rewrites it as the news shifts. New stories and developments are highlighted so you do not reread the same paragraph all day.

Everything is tuned for the widget. The digest stays tight, refreshes quietly, and keeps continuity as stories evolve. There are no links. When you tap in, you get digest history with the same visual language, just more room to read.

Fresh web inputs

Dense pulls fresh stories and keeps the digest grounded in what is happening now.

Highlights what is new

New stories and developments are highlighted so you can spot updates in seconds.

Dense widgets showing rolling news digests

Dense keeps a rolling digest per topic, then rewrites it as the news shifts through the day.

The widget is the primary interface. Pick a topic, set your colors, and Dense handles the rest. New stories and developments are highlighted so you can scan updates without hunting through a feed. There are no links. Just the digest.

Adding a Dense digest widget — Add the widget and pick a topic

Dense digest history view — Tap in to read digest history. New text is highlighted.

Dense topic list and digest navigation — Jump between topics and scroll the day

Dense digest on iPad — Same digest, more room on iPad

How Dense works

Dense pulls fresh web stories, AI ranks and dedupes them, then rewrites a rolling digest with new-story highlights.

Widget-first, not an afterthought

Designed around the small widget. A rolling digest that stays readable in a 2x2 square.

Fresh web, AI synthesis

Dense pulls fresh stories, then AI ranks, dedupes, and rewrites them into a single digest you can actually skim.

New-story highlighting

New stories and developments are highlighted so you can glance, scan the updates, and move on.

Micro digests

Short prose, rewritten as the story shifts. Enough context to understand what is happening.

Cost-aware

Gemini calls are throttled and cached. The widget favors reuse over constant refreshes.

Everywhere

iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Same pixel grid identity, tuned for light and dark.

user@foldingsky:~/cumbersome

Widget-first digest for people who skim

Dense is a rolling micro digest. It keeps rewriting as stories break and highlights what is new. The widget is the surface, and the app is just more room to read.

iOSiPadOSmacOS

See Dense Try Cumbersome

I also enjoy growing dahlias in Beaverton, Oregon

Built by Me (Peter)

I am a bootstrapper who has spent 30 years building products that solve real problems.

Since 1994, I have led three companies from startup to acquisition (Cybersight, Followerwonk, Fluxguard) and built Starbucks' global digital product organization.

One person. No VC money. No growth hacking. I build these apps because I want tools that respect power users.