timer posts

Yast offers ridiculously easy time tracking on the web

by Jay Hathaway Nov 11th 2009

Tracking how much time you spend on a project is often a pain, and there are a lot of complex software solutions - both web-based and downloadable - that are more confusing than helpful. Yast, on the other hand is painfully, stupidly easy to use. Pick a project, click and drag on the timeline to indicate when you worked on it, and then enter a note about what you did. That's all. Seriously.

If you want to keep track of your projects in real-time, you can click the play button next to a project to start working, and then click stop when you're done. Two clicks? Even easier than a click and drag! Yast color-codes your projects and keeps track of your total time spent on them, automatically. You can zoom the timeline in and out to make selecting the right timeframe easier. Other than that, Yast has no settings to speak of. If you need anything more elaborate, you'll have to look elsewhere. If you want a bare-bones time tracker that just works, Yast is it.

Tags: projects, time tracking, timer, TimeTracking, yast

Filed under: Macintosh, Productivity, Apple, Freeware

Timer is a countdown timer, stopwatch, and alarm clock for your Mac

by Jason Clarke Jul 29th 2009

There are a million timer applications available online. It seems like creating a timer is something all programmers need to do at some point, somewhere between 'Hello world' and their actual software development career. Therefore, there are a lot, and I mean a LOT of crappy timer apps out there, particularly free ones.

Thankfully Timer by Apimac is not one of them. Timer is a useful, well put-together free Timer application for the Mac. Timer has three primary functions: stopwatch, countdown timer, and alarm clock, though it can also be used simply as a desk clock. The user interface is large and very easy to use, and feels very Mac-like, if not a little bit too shiny. There are three viewing modes in Timer: regular, iconized, and full-screen mode.

There is also a Pro version of Timer available with advanced features such as emailing a generated log file to a specific email address at a specific interval of time, but all of the basic timing features work fine in the free version.

There are a couple of knocks against Timer that should be noted. First of all, the app takes a long time to load for a simple timer app, making it feel heavy. Also, Apimac, the creator, named the application Apimac Timer rather than simply Timer. This makes it awkward to find in your Applications folder, particularly if you have a lot of apps installed. In fact, the first thing I did after installing it was to rename it to simply Timer, which is what it should have been named in the first place. I understand the developer's desire to brand their work, but when it comes at the expense of the user's experience, it's not worth it.

In any event, Timer is a useful free Mac timing utility.

Tags: alarm clock, alarm-clock, AlarmClock, countdown timer, countdown-timer, CountdownTimer, desk clock, desk-clock, DeskClock, free version, free-version, FreeVersion, hello world, hello-world, HelloWorld, interval, timer, timing features, timing-features, TimingFeatures

Filed under: Fun, Windows, Productivity, Freeware, Windows x64

Shoutbox Timer helps you train like a champion

by Lee Mathews Jun 5th 2009

"I'm gonna be a champion!!'

Yes, you are Little Mac. As long as you've got a handy application like Shoutbox Timer installed on your computer.

The free application lets you create a workout routine that plays back on your computer screen with audio notifications, verbal cues, and, of course, a timer.

I imagine this could be very handy for someone running any kind of exercise class, but I prefer to think of it being put to use in the workplace. Picture the look on your coworkers' faces as they see you responding to prompts like "uppercut," "roundhouse," or "combo breaker" in the confines of your cubicle.

If only Bobby had been able to use this program prior to shooting the "Raging Bird" episode of Animaniacs (clip after the break).

There are a couple requirements to run Shoutbox: the .Net 3.5 Framework and The Eye of the Tiger.

Go get 'em, killer!

Tags: exercise, timer, workout

Filed under: Productivity, Web

E.gg Timer is a simple way to start a countdown

by Jay Hathaway Feb 26th 2009

An egg timer is the kind of single-purpose kitchen gadget that I never have around. Hey, the microwave has its own timer, right? If you don't have one around either, and you need a countdown for some reason, you can just turn to the web and open up E.gg Timer. It's a lot easier to figure out than some microwaves.

Here's an example:. Let's say your Jello needs some time to set, and you want 2 hours on the clock. Go to e.ggtimer.com/2hours. Your countdown will start right away, and it'll beep twice when it's over. If you need to remember your brother's birthday, and it's 3 weeks and 4 days away, go to e.ggtimer.com/3weeks4days. You might not want to keep the browser tab open for that long, but you get the idea. If you just put in a number, E.gg Timer will assume you mean seconds.

Tags: countdown, e.gg-timer, egg-timer, timer

Filed under: Business, Internet, Windows, Productivity, Google, Web, Windows x64

Track task times in your Google Calendar with a Gadget

by Lee Mathews Feb 4th 2009

There aren't many gadgets on my Vista or Windows 7 desktops yet. I have a hard time finding any that are compelling enough to keep installed. This handy little one from Raneri Web Design, however, is firmly lodged in the sidebar of my workbench computer.

The gCalTasks gadget is a slick desktop timer that integrates with your Google Calendars. Enter your credential and choose the calendar to track your times on - I decided to set up a brand new one specifically for tracking.

Enter a tag line for your task, click start, and then click stop when you're done. Information is automatically sent to your calendar, where the agenda view provides a nice recap of your activities. It's a simple, low-resource way to keep tabs on your time.

Thanks, Ricardo!

Tags: billing, google-calendar, tasks, time-tracking, timer

Filed under: Productivity, Web

BubbleTimer: track the time you spend on your goals

by Jay Hathaway Nov 22nd 2008

The basic idea behind the new time-tracking service BubbleTimer is that it's not productive to track how you're spending your time down to the minute. It makes more sense to bubble in your activities in 15 minute increments, and BubbleTimer lets you do that with one click. Once you've added some goals and gathered some data, BubbleTimer becomes a playground for info nerds.

You can export your data to programs like Excel and Apple Numbers, or you can create attractive tables and graphs from within BubbleTimer. BubbleTimer is all web-based, so you can update it from anywhere. It's free to try, but if you get really addicted, you can buy a subscription for $20/year.

Tags: BubbleTimer, GTD, time-tracker, timer

Filed under: Utilities, Productivity

Use Cool Timer to boost productivity and get things done

by Christina Clark Sep 26th 2008

If you don't already use a timer to boost your productivity you are missing out. Pretty much every productivity book, blog and web site out there suggests a timer to help you get things done.

Some of you might be going old school and using a kitchen timer. But, if you've had enough of that once cute ticking chicken, check out cool timer.

It's quick and easy to download and equally simple to use. You can set it up to be an alarm clock, a count down timer or a stopwatch. When the designated time arrives, cool timer can play a preset sound or an MP3 file from your personal library.

I like to set a timer for a certain amount of time when doing chores like cleaning the kitchen or working on tasks I don't enjoy as much. That way, I know I only have to do it for a certain amount of time. The added bonus with cool timer is that I can play some tunes I enjoy at the end of the task. Right now I'm enjoying "Sweet Home Chicago" from the Blues Brothers soundtrack every time my cool timer goes off.

[Via Lifehacker]

Tags: cool timer, CoolTimer, productivity, timer

Filed under: Macintosh, Productivity, Shareware, Freeware

Two timer apps for OS X

by Jordan Running Jul 19th 2006

If you're a Mac user to whom the adage "time is of the essence" rings true, you may want to check out Merlin Mann's review of two different timer apps over at 43 Folders. The apps are called Meridian and FlexTime, and both are relatively new programs from two different developers that offer a lot of customization for kicking procrastination to the curb and managing the balance of your day. FlexTime is currently free and Meridian is $19.95 shareware with a 30-day free trial.

Can any productivity-conscious Windows users point us to some useful timer apps for the rest of us?

Tags: flextime, freeware, gtd, mac, meridian, Merlin Mann, MerlinMann, osx, productivity, time, timer

Featured Time Waster

The World's Hardest Game 2.0 - Time Waster

So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do. Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game. The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...

View more Time Wasters

Featured Galleries

Defective by Design, London: Protest Pictures

Download Squad at the Crunchies After-Party

Android First-look: Amazon.com MP3 Store

Flickr Pool

www.flickr.com

Download Squad bloggers (30 days)

#	Blogger	Posts	Cmts
1	Jay Hathaway	108	5
2	Lee Mathews	76	23
3	Sebastian Anthony	67	248
4	Brad Linder	35	4
5	Jason Clarke	23	0
6	Dolores Parker	7	2
7	Grant Robertson	6	2
8	Nik Fletcher	5	0
9	Victor Agreda, Jr.	5	1
10	Matt Heerema	3	2
11	Paul O'Brien	2	0
12	John Burke	2	0
13	Download Squad Staff	1	0

More Tech Coverage

Control Shift It's all about the experience
Somewhat Frank Perspectives on tech as it fuses in everyday life
Switched Gadgets, web news and commentary
Urlesque Exposing bits of the web

Download Squad