Filed under: Software, Reviews
Concentrate promises to help you get work done
Concentrate is designed to help you "work and study more productively by eliminating distractions." The simple application offers a number of options to help you get down to business. With it you can:
- Quit applications that distract you such as games or web browsers.
- Run applications, and only the ones you need for your task.
- Open websites you need to use for work.
- Block websites that you know will distract you (ahem, Facebook)
- Record spoken messages that help to keep you going.
- Play sounds to let you know how far you've gone.
- Alter your iChat/Skype status to keep friends from bugging you.
Concentrate sports an elegant interface and an intuitive system to set times and tasks. The developer promises that he has "big plans [for] a few updates to make it even better".
Roobasoft offers a 60-hour free trial and the full applications sells for $29 with a money-back guarantee if you're not happy.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Nick said 11:07AM on 8-13-2009
This seams a little redundant. First of all, if you need this app in the first place, you will probably end up turning it off after 5 minutes any way. Second of all, if I need to block websites or turn off my internet all together I would just go into my router prefs and block internet to my IP for 2 hours or so and have a friend or roommate set the password so that I cant change it.
If you really want to concentrate, just do it.
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Think Adrian said 11:55AM on 8-13-2009
some people just don't have access to and/or understand how to edit the router preferences.
jasminer said 2:01AM on 8-17-2009
also, i don't think its one of those "turn off after five minute apps" because there is something similar which once you turn off, for example (this is what the app does!) your internet, you cant turn it back on for your computer till the time you set it to be off is over. This application basically does the same thing, however you don't have to turn off your internet, since a lot of projects and stuff require research found best on the web, just certain sites that provoke you to not do your work.
frank said 12:49PM on 8-13-2009
it is ironic that I found this while procrastinating reading TUAW. I think I'll give it a go.
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coyo t said 11:18AM on 8-13-2009
I think this sounds like something that could workout okay. Obviously I could turn it off, but I think that speed bump type barrier is all that is required for me to return to work.
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Paul F. said 11:21AM on 8-13-2009
You can also check out SelfControl (http://visitsteve.com/work/selfcontrol/). Pretty much you set a time for how long you want to block internet access and then type in the admin password. After that, not even restarting your computer kills the program. The only other feature it has is a blacklist or whitelist option that lets you get a bit more control over what you want to block.
The app above, Concentrate, seems to have a lot more features and a much nicer user interface, but SelfControl is free. You get what you pay for (and since I'm a grad student trying to finish my dissertation I try not to pay for much).
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Jansperus said 11:49PM on 8-13-2009
It seems SelfControl fits my needs better than Concentrate. Concentrate seems like a great program with lots of potential, but unless I missed something in my quick sampling of it, I can turn it off whenever I please, which makes it kind of useless for those times when I REALLY want to be lazy.
Mehul said 2:45AM on 8-14-2009
Its a good point you make. I feel like TUAW is usually biased towards paid applications. And it may be due to several reasons. It could be because the developers of the paid programs drop off programs more frequently to be evaluated than the free ones or it could be because TUAW may get paid to recommend the paid versions. I understand that the paid versions may be better (After all, they have to justify the price) but its always good to see what else is out there.
Either way, I request them to just mention a good free alternative to the program reviews they do.
rishak67 said 11:37AM on 8-13-2009
Wow, I bought the app after seeing the title and the picture! Now I wont be going on Digg, Facebook, Twitter, TUAW and Slashdot so often. Goodbye TUAW~ see you in.. 2 hours?
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Chris said 12:16PM on 8-13-2009
I'm pretty sure there are plenty of people out there who know how to edit router preferences but would prefer a one-click solution to do that (along with killing and launching apps, etc.) for short periods of time.
This seems like a useful application for many people.
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Kiteless said 12:16PM on 8-13-2009
Honestly the internet is a huge distraction to me here at work. I mean here I am on TUAW instead of working. I would love to have a program like this but I use Windows XP here, My Mac is at home. Anybody out there is TUAW land know of a good Windows equivalent version of this program? Thank you,
- KD
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Gilbert said 12:27PM on 8-13-2009
Pretty much all of these apps deal with "ipfw". A simple "sudo ipfw flush" on the command-line and Twitter works again ;) - I really need some more hardcore app for boring work tasks.
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David Hildreth said 1:25PM on 8-13-2009
I fear that when this blocks Reddit I'll just go to my iPhone.
I have a problem.
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Zettt said 3:13PM on 8-13-2009
Hey there,
This may sound a little more advertising than intended, but...
Currently you can get 5 licenses and a 10$ discount of Concentrate on our Mac OS X Screencasts:
http://www.macosxscreencasts.com/en/2009/08/concentrate-review-gewinnspiel-discount/
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Zettt said 1:46PM on 8-13-2009
Oh Sorry I forgot to mention that the purpose of our site is not to spam TUAW. We're doing Mac Screencasts, Tutorials and such.
The refered Screencast shows a review about Concentrate. (If you'd like to see the program in action.)
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Jash Sayani said 2:20PM on 8-13-2009
I believe in Remember The Milk & self-control!
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Lauren said 2:51PM on 8-13-2009
I think I'm totally going to get this! Last year I was in a perpetual state of procrastinating. This semester I've vowed to stop! Is there really any reason to sit on Facebook or Tumblr waiting for it to update? No, but we all do it anyway. Now if only I could get an application to stop me from going to my boyfriend's dorm or ordering dominos...then I'd really do well.
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valthewu said 3:39PM on 8-13-2009
Hey, i've just come by to tell you how great that program is and how happy i am to get my work do-------
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jaejbear said 4:21PM on 8-13-2009
I'm someone who could use this...but never would! :)
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Juz said 6:02PM on 8-13-2009
But can it block Parachute Panic on my iPhone? (must.... beat.... 170....)
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