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Steampunk and the Pomodoro Technique creates The Amazing Mechanical Pomodoro

by Steven Sande Aug 2nd 2010 at 7:00PM

Last November, I wrote a post about the Pomodoro Technique of getting things done. The technique involves using a tomato-shaped kitchen timer to get you to concentrate on work for a set period of time before taking a mandatory break, and it's very useful for those of us who tend to get easily distracted.

Well, I'm also a fan of steampunk, so when an email from ThinkOrange introduced me to The Amazing Mechanical Pomodoro, I just had to bite. The US$1.99 app is probably the best looking Pomodoro timer I've ever seen, with a nice Victorian-looking set of instructions about the Pomodoro Technique, a lovely brass, wood, and ivory timer, and even a history of your completed Pomodoros.

However, there is a tiny bug about the size of an adult rhinoceros beetle in this app that currently makes it a bit worthless, other than being extremely nice looking. When the iPhone goes to sleep, the counter stops counting down. Since I don't wish to keep my iPhone's screen active during most of my work, that's a huge problem that needs to be fixed as soon as possible. The timer also gets reset to zero if you tap on the "How It Works" or "History" buttons at the bottom of the screen.

It's nice enough to make me want to put on a rough wool suit and hat to do my work, but only if I can also give my 27" iMac a bit of that Victorian flair before I start. Huzzah for the gentlemen and ladies at ThinkOrange for creating this beautiful mechanical wonder! Now if they can just make it work properly... Check out the gallery below for more screenshots.

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Last November, I wrote a post about the Pomodoro Technique of getting things done. The technique involves using a tomato-shaped kitchen...
 

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19 Comments

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Célio Cidral Junior

Hello guys, take a look at Tomighty, a desktop timer for Pomodoro Technique users:

http://code.google.com/p/tomighty/

Cheers!

October 05 2010 at 7:51 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bec

Are there no women here? I like it but it looks exactly like a birth control pill dispenser.

August 10 2010 at 12:57 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Pedro Sousa

hi guys,

the fix is online now at the iTunes store.
for a roadmap of what's to come, check: http://reinventar.com/2010/08/upcoming-updates-to-mechanical-pomodoro/

sincerely,
Pedro Sousa

August 05 2010 at 11:28 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Pedro Sousa's comment
Etienne Segonzac

Hi Pedro,

For Peak (another iPhone Pomodoro Timer) I have made a timer who supports complete multi-tasking on iOS 4 but also nicely degrade on iOS 3 with a timer who runs even when the screen is locked.

Don't hesitate to contact me (via the contact address on http://goingpeak.com), I would happily share some code with fellow pomodorers :)

Cheers

August 07 2010 at 2:49 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Pedro Sousa

hi,

@Denis, the fix was submitted and is waiting approval from Apple.
I'm sorry that it escaped our testing procedures. we'll do our best to compensate this situation.

sincerely,
Pedro Sousa

August 04 2010 at 7:20 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Denis

As a pomodoro timer, this app is useless. It doesn't run in the background or remember what it was doing if you switch apps (or get a phone call). I bought it thinking "it can't be that bad". It is.

TUAW - I can't believe you're reviewing (and recommending) an app that doesn't work at its stated purpose.

August 04 2010 at 5:56 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ali

I prefer using http://mytomatoes.com/. It allows you to save your progress which is great for understanding your patterns of productivity and procrastination.

August 04 2010 at 1:32 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Pedro Sousa

Hi,

just to let you guys know that we submitted an updated version with the bug fix to Apple.
hopefully it should be available soon.


sincerely,
Pedro Sousa

August 03 2010 at 10:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
PSM

Looks gorgeous. I would buy it if it worked. This is a huge bug, but since iOS4 came out, I have yet to experience any kind of alarm or timer app that functioned in the background successfully in the way any sane person would expect it to. I wonder if the API actually allows true background alarm functionality, since I have yet to see it implemented fully. I'm going to be very cautious before spending money on alarm apps.

August 03 2010 at 8:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Erik

Does the iPhone come with a built in timer?

August 03 2010 at 5:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
TIm

It sure looks great .. but I am going to hold off buying until the bug is fixed.

For the time being I just found Desktop derivative that actually does even make more sense to me, since I am sitting at computer all day anyways.
http://pomodoro.ugolandini.com/

T.

Off to the next tomato then .. 'scusi pomodoro.

August 03 2010 at 7:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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