Configure Timers With Enhanced Functionality Using Mutely [Android 2.0.1+]

You might have thought that the alarm clock business is really strong after reading this or that article, but timers aren’t out of the mix. In fact, very simple timers just aren’t enough nowadays, especially when our devices are capable of so much more. Why limit ourselves to something that beeps after a countdown? Instead, your device should behave in a certain way when a timer is active, and those settings should be configurable for each timer. Sound like something you’d want in a timer app?

About Mutely

Mutely is an Android app which specializes specifically with timers. The real advantage to using Mutely is that you can configure your device’s behavior for whenever that timer is active. If, say, you want to take a nap and not be disturbed, you can choose a nice alarm sound for when the timer is over, but during the timer’s active state, your device can be on vibrate, silent, or even airplane mode. As soon as the timer is over and the alarm starts ringing, all those functions can be restored.

Installation

Mutely can be installed by searching for “mutely” in the Google Play Store, or by following this link with your Android device’s or desktop’s browser. Be advised that the app charges $0.99, but it’s a very small donation for the app’s use. To support the developer, such a low price should be very acceptable for any user.

First Launch

When you first launch the application, you’ll see a very large clock, which will help you keep track of how far through the timer you currently are. If you hold your finger on the clock and slide your finger clockwise, you’ll “wind up” the timer. Keep going past an hour and you’ll see a new clock which offers up to four hours. Keep turning the timer and the clock will switch again to one which goes up to 24 hours. Once you have the timer set, you can hit start to begin.

Presets

For quick access, you can also choose from presets which offer preconfigured timers for certain events. For example, the “Nap” timer is set for 45 minutes, and has the “on start” and “on stop” actions activated. These actions can be configured in the program’s main settings area, which I’ll mention shortly. As you can see, there’s a good number of suggested timers, all of which you can edit, remove, or add new ones.

Settings

The program has a very important settings area, because timers that have the “on start” and “on stop” clauses active rely on the settings present in here. What these settings do is control the device’s behavior for when a timer is active and when it isn’t. For “on start” options, you can choose airplane mode, the volume control, vibration, and excluded contacts (so important people can still reach you at all times). “On stop” settings include alarm sound and volume, vibration, repeat, and alarm stop condition. You can also choose to schedule timers, switch themes, and more. The app even has a widget which you can use on your home screen.

Conclusion

Despite its overall simplicity, Mutely is still feature-rich and adds a nice twist to traditional timer apps. With time the app may gain additional useful features which can set itself apart from all other timer apps. Although its non-free pricetag isn’t ideal for some people, I still recommend it because it supports the developer who created this nice app.

What’s your favorite timer app? What features do you think would be helpful? Let us know in the comments!

Originally published on MakeUseOf.com. Great site, check it out.