Show HN: Arete – AI text actions from any browser selection
I built Arete (https://getarete.app) because I kept wanting to ask questions about random text I found online. A word I didn't know, a paragraph I wanted simplified, a quote I wanted fact-checked. Each time I'd copy it, open a new tab, paste it, and come back. It got tedious.
Arete lets you select any text on any webpage and instantly send it somewhere useful. Translate it, explain it like you're 5, fact-check it with sources, or search for it on Wikipedia, YouTube, Stack Overflow—whatever makes sense for that text.
You set up the actions you want. Some people use it for research (Perplexity), others for code help (Stack Overflow), translation, shopping on Amazon, finding music on Spotify. It's just a lightweight tooltip that appears on text selection.
It's a side project. The extension works and is ready to try. Happy to answer questions and get feedback on whether this solves a real problem for people.