Tea Timer

Almost all daily activities you perform need to be timed to obtain the best performance. On the bright side, this doesn't need to involve complex tools or operations, and there's a high chance simple applications like Tea Timer are enough to help you record all activities, or at least set up temporary reminders.

The application comes in a lightweight package, with the setup process taking little time and effort. However, you need to have Adobe AIR installed on your computer to both be able to install the program, and benefit from all it has to offer. Once deployment is complete, either for all or the current user, the application starts so you can take it for a spin.

As far as the visual design is concerned, all it has to offer is wrapped around a pretty compact, and simple interface. Accommodation takes a little while, and aesthetics are not really the main aspect here. The general design is intuitive, with a large timer display, and controls found on the side.

The timer isn't really helpful on the long run. It's a straightforward application, with the core functionality to provide a desktop timer for any activities you need to perform. Before the start, there's the possibility to bounce the timer, and enable alerts, which come in the form of a simple chime, as well as flashing the taskbar icon.

Unfortunately, there's not really a great liberty when it comes to configuring the time. You can choose 5 or 30 seconds, as well as 4, 5, or 6 minutes, which leaves much to be desired. It can't be minimized to the tray area, and doesn't show up on the desktop if minimized, while the audio alert is barely noticeable.

To sum it up, timing your tasks can lead to great accomplishments, but it's not really what Tea Timer has in store for you. It can be a practical tool to remind you of upcoming events, given they're not over 6 minutes late. Practicality is questionable, not because of the poor alert system, but because of the lack of manual time limit input.