Looking for a small wearable periodic alarm

January 10, 2007 2:12 AM

I am looking for a small device that I can either wear or carry in my pocket that will beep, ring, and/or vibrate at a pre-set interval. (I'm thinking every 15 minutes.) I am an easily distracted individual, and I think that this would help me focus on what I should be doing at the moment.
posted by qvtqht to Technology (13 answers total)

My $20 timex digital watch does this. It's about 10 years old, was from their "expedition" series. I'm sure there's a similar model in the current lineup.

Actually, my Nokia 3220 does this too.

Both of them have a "countdown timer" function that can be set to automatically repeat.
posted by toxic at 2:24 AM on January 10, 2007

There must be such a thing as a sports watch or timer with a lap alarm function, that would sort your beeping requirements.
posted by tomble at 3:00 AM on January 10, 2007

Do you want is all the time or just say between 9-5? Do you have a PDA or similar you could adapt?
posted by rus at 3:19 AM on January 10, 2007

Best answer: We use exactly this kind of thing in the lab all the time. It's like a digital countdown clock that clips to your belt and beeps at set intervals. Presumably you could get them from scientific suppliers.
posted by primer_dimer at 3:25 AM on January 10, 2007 [2 favorites]

Check the suggestions on this page of the Mentat Wiki (MotivAider etc). Scroll down and read the comments as well.
posted by teleskiving at 3:25 AM on January 10, 2007

Response by poster: toxic: Thanks for the tip about Nokia. My Nokia phone has a countdown timer, but I don't see an option to have it automatically repeat. There is a "Restart" option when the timer goes off, but it's not automatic. Still, this will come in handy for other uses.

primer_dimer: Thanks!

teleskiving: Thank you! The suggestions are pricey, but the thread was good.

rus: There is no regular schedule, I'll just turn it on and off manually.
posted by qvtqht at 3:40 AM on January 10, 2007

Beware, there is great potential you will learn to ignore the signal. My capacity for this is amazing. I am easily distracted and
posted by Goofyy at 3:48 AM on January 10, 2007 [4 favorites]

Yeah Goofyy..LET'S GO RIDE OUR BIKES!!

I want the same device that qvtqht wants, except that I want it to give me a shock or poke me with a pin. I've tried the beeping thing and I start ignoring it after the 5th or 6th iteration. I respond much better to pain :)
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 5:29 AM on January 10, 2007

This is slightly dorky-looking, but: Watchminder. Full disclosure: they advertise in a publication I work for. Delete freely if this is too close to advertising/self-linking.
posted by sonofslim at 6:48 AM on January 10, 2007

if you plan to use this in an office environment, please, please, please don't set it every 15 minutes and then walk away to go get a coffee or go to the restroom while the stupid thing is driving all your coworkers stark-raving batshit insane!!!
posted by j at 8:21 AM on January 10, 2007

I too want the same device that qvtqht wants. (I guess you've started a trend) I'd love one as a program to run on my treo, if anyone knows of one.
posted by yohko at 12:35 PM on January 10, 2007

yohko, try PocketDoan.
posted by teleskiving at 2:43 AM on January 11, 2007

Response by poster: I think an update is in order: I ended up using my cell phone. I have gradually added on calendar reminders with alarms that repeat daily. This has been somewhat successful, though sometimes just annoying.

(The main problem is that my cell phone, while being mostly smart in other areas, is mentally challenged when it comes to calendar alarms. If I miss and fail to acknowledge one alarm, all others are put on hold until I do.)

I have annoyed my co-workers at least twice by forgetting my phone on my desk in "Normal" mode, when it beeps continuously for a minute or two until the alarm is acknowledged. They are too polite to just throw my phone in the nearest toilet, which is good for me, but bad for them. I am trying my best to not let it happen a third time, but it has already happened two times too many.

As predicted by some, I have gotten somewhat desensitized, but it still helps.
posted by qvtqht at 7:56 PM on June 6, 2007