Yesterday's Top Launches: 5 Tools from February 9, 2026
New tools released on February 9th focus on automation and smarter workflows, such as Scripta's local AI notetaking for enhanced privacy.
Yesterday brought another wave of tools aimed at making our digital work lives a bit smoother and a lot more efficient. The common thread weaving through many of these February 9th launches is a focus on practical automation and smarter workflows, a welcome trend in the world of new developer tools and productivity software. Let's dive into what hit the shelves.
Scripta
If you’ve ever been in a meeting where an AI bot is awkwardly listed as an attendee, Scripta offers a refreshing alternative. It’s a privacy-first AI notetaker that does all its work locally on your device. Instead of joining the call as a participant, it simply records audio from your computer, transcribes it, and generates summaries without ever sending your data to the cloud. This on-device processing is a significant plus for anyone dealing with sensitive information.
Beyond just transcription, Scripta provides analytics on meeting dynamics, like who spoke the most, and can connect the output to tools like ChatGPT for further analysis, or Slack and Notion for easy sharing. Being free and desktop-based makes it incredibly accessible, though you do wonder how the lack of a cloud component might limit features like cross-device syncing. It’s perfect for consultants, lawyers, or any professional who values confidentiality but still wants the benefits of AI-powered meeting notes.
LIAM
Email overload is a universal pain point, and LIAM tackles it head-on by acting as an AI executive assistant that works directly inside your Gmail. The appeal here is the immediacy; it claims to take about a minute to connect because it doesn’t require installing new software. It integrates into your existing mailbox and gets to work generating email drafts that are supposedly in your own voice.
The promise of having an AI that can prioritize your inbox and help with scheduling is compelling, especially for executives and busy professionals whose primary workflow runs through email. The freemium model suggests there’s a free tier to get started, which is always a good way to build trust. The big question, as with any AI that mimics your style, is how accurately it can capture the nuances of your communication. If it gets it right, it could be a massive time-saver.
GesturePresent
Tired of being tethered to your keyboard or fumbling for a clicker during a presentation? GesturePresent offers a touch-free solution by letting you control your slides with hand gestures captured through your webcam. The fact that it works completely offline is a notable feature, ensuring reliability even if your internet connection is spotty during a crucial talk.
This feels like a niche product, but for educators, conference speakers, or anyone who presents regularly, it could add a layer of polish and interactivity. The paid pricing indicates it’s a dedicated tool rather than a casual add-on. The success will hinge entirely on the accuracy of the gesture recognition. If it’s sensitive enough to distinguish a deliberate "next slide" gesture from an accidental hand wave, it could be a slick addition to any presenter's toolkit.
UX HeatGrid
For web developers and designers, getting quick, visual feedback on a layout is invaluable. UX HeatGrid is a Chrome extension that generates a real-time heatmap overlay, showing where users are focusing, skimming, or completely ignoring elements on a page. This kind of immediate visual data can shortcut lengthy user testing sessions, allowing teams to iterate on designs more rapidly.
Being free and running directly in the browser lowers the barrier to entry significantly. It’s the kind of tool that could be used in quick internal reviews or during early-stage prototyping. While it might not replace the depth of a full-fledged analytics platform, its strength is in its speed and simplicity. You could get a rough sense of visual hierarchy and attention flow in a matter of minutes, not days.
Fix Ugly PowerPoint by CubeOne
We’ve all been there: staring at a cluttered, poorly formatted PowerPoint slide with no idea where to start. CubeOne aims to be the emergency button for bad presentations. This AI tool takes your existing content and instantly redesigns it with what it promises are premium layouts, animations, and styling that matches your brand. The key detail is that the output remains fully editable, so you’re not locked into the AI's design.
The freemium model makes sense here, allowing users to try it on a slide or two before committing. It’s targeted at a broad audience—from students to business professionals—who need to create visually appealing presentations quickly but lack design skills. The real test will be how well it handles complex content like dense data tables or intricate diagrams. If it can make those look good, it’s a winner.
Fix Ugly PowerPoint by CubeOne
A quiet day in terms of major platform shifts, but a strong one for practical, single-purpose tools that solve specific annoyances. From securing your meeting notes to beautifying your slides, these launches show a continued focus on refining everyday tasks.