If there's one thing that annoys me about modern internet-connected technology, it's that everything is a subscription these days.Features that should just be part of an appliance, or performed locally by an app, now depend on siphoning a few dollars from your account every month.But with a small, cheap computer like the Pi Pico 2, a few bits of hardware, and free community-made software, you can cancel at least a few of those pernicious payments.
Stop paying for noise generation with the Picosounds Project Better sleep for free! BetterSleep is a popular sleep and meditation app that used to use a freemium model, but in 2025 the company announced its transition to a premium-only service.So after your free trial ends, you're on the hook for $9.99 a month, $59.99 a year, or $249.99 for a lifetime subscription.Close Personally, I'm pretty skeptical of "lifetime" licenses, because at some point the company will need to get more money out of you, but regardless, if you need apps like these to sleep soundly, it's going to cost you.
However, the picosounds project promises to let you get at least part of the benefit of these apps for no more than the cost of a Pico and this Cytron Maker Pi Pico Base.If you already have a compatible Pico, the base is just ten bucks, and with the picosounds software, you can loop MP3 or WAV files or generate colored noise like white, pink, and brown.Obviously, this only replaces the noise-generator part of those sleep-aid apps, but if you weren't using that aspect anyway, just roll your own.
Sadly, all the best sleep tracking apps cost money these days.But if you have an Apple iPhone or Watch, or a Samsung device with Samsung Health, you can get most of that for free.Get more macro keys for free with picoMacroPad Imagine subscribing to buttons You've probably heard of the Stream Deck (not to be confused with the Steam Deck), which is a macro key device streamers use to control their live streams.
Press a button to switch scenes, press another to activate an on-screen overlay, and so on.Elgato also makes an app called Stream Deck Mobile, which turns your mobile device into a virtual Stream Deck.The free version of the app gives you a generous six buttons, but if you want more you'll have to pay for it.
Or, hear me out: take your Pi Pico, buy a Pico RGB keypad base, anduse picoMacroPad to build your own pad with programmable shortcuts.Stay productive for free with inkmodoro The cost of staying on-task should be zero I'm a big fan of the Pomodoro method, and it's probably my best hack for getting all my work done every day.It's a simple timer-based system where you work flat-out for a set amount of time, and then rest for a set amount of time.
These intervals let you focus at your best, and it's ridiculous how effective they can be.You can get timer apps for free, and even Windows 11 has a built-in Pomodoro timer, but some people still prefer a more bespoke solution.For example, Focus Keeper will run you $35 a year.
Instead of that, why not try inkmodoro? It's designed for use with the Waveshare Pico-CapTouch-ePaper-2.9 display, which costs just $25 plus whatever you paid for your Pico 2.It is just a custom Pomodoro timer, but because that e-paper screen is touch-capable, you can control it elegantly with on-screen controls or three physical keys.Yes, this doesn't have all the extra cloud-connected features of paid Pomodoro apps, but it works because it's simple.
When you start tracking productivity and have to sift through data, you miss the point.Focus on the cadence, and all the rest will fall into place.It's a small price to pay Even if you already own a Pico, these projects generally need a little extra hardware and a few hours of your time to get it all working.
However, when you add up the cost of subscriptions to do the same job over time, you'll be in the black within a few months.Not to mention, since you own and run the service, no one will cut you off or suddenly decide to charge you more once you're hooked.Best of all, you get to learn new stuff as you tackle these projects, and now you finally have a justification for those Picos you bought for fun.
Everyone wins except the companies leeching your money.If you have more Pi Picos on your hands, you might want to explore more projects that solve surprisingly relatable problems.At the very least, it solves the problem of having a drawer full of things with no clear idea of what to do with them.
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