4 ms·

Physical pomodoro: <https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Il_pomodoro.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Il_pomod...>

by teddyh 2y ago

neuah 2y ago
Exactly what i thought of as well. That's what i always used to use.
- latexr 2y ago
  That’s where the concept and name come from. “Pomodo” means “tomato” in Italian, and the author of the technique had one of those. The image comes from its Wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique
  - stavros 2y ago
    Correction: "pomodoro" means "tomato".
    - latexr 2y ago
      Thank you for the correction. It was a typo, but it’s unfortunately too late to edit the post.
      - stavros 2y ago
        No problem, I wasn't sure so I had to go looking, and I figured I'd post a correction for anyone who saw it.
ISL 2y ago
Yep. Any timer will do. If you find yourself programming an eInk display and a microchip in order to improve your procrastination, it is time to stop working on the project, get a physical timer, and work on the thing. If you feel inclined to shop around for a timer before getting to work, I'll save you the search. These work great. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TLC9SFZ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TLC9SFZ (but any timer will do). Go do the thing. You're worth it.
- jiehong 2y ago
  Indeed. I tend to like quiet visual timers, though. Something like: https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/63f18bde-f179-4b8e-a32a-8e4a8c09ec20.aabbe23627a7a98d96c72d13243e9986.jpeg https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/63f18bde-f179-4b8e-a32a-8e4...
  - javajosh 2y ago
    That's a very unhelpful link if you want to buy or comparison shop. Online walmart sells over 300 different styles of countdown timer, including ones shaped like a tomato. Note that the Pomadoro Technique recommends a timer that ticks or makes some other unobtrusive sound to remind you that you are in focus mode, and to associate the sound with focus. https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/countdown-timers https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/countdown-timers
- TechDebtDevin 2y ago
  Watches that are already on most people's wrist work great too!
  - Procrastes 2y ago
    It's interesting that your experience is different, but in my region and social circles, I haven't seen anyone wear a watch in ten years or more, other than the occasional smart watch. That habit doesn't seem to last long, either. For people I know, watches have turned into fashion accessories for millionaires.
    - maccard 2y ago
      I wear a watch. Nothing fancy, but I do have a few of them (and none worth more than 2-£300.) it’s about the only accessory I wear so it’s nice to have some variety. My day to day is a smart watch (and has been for a few years now). Lots of my circle is similar.
    - TechDebtDevin 2y ago
      Probably just demographics. I live in a mountainous city that's very outdoorsy and athletic so everyone has a garmin/apple watch.
kaonwarb 2y ago
Of course that's an easier solution to the problem. OP is quite clear in the writeup that this is a project for the sake of trying new tools to make something for a friend. A fun hack need not be constrained by meeting a real market need. It can just be fun.
- hiddencost 2y ago
  It's a joke. Pomodoro means tomato.
  - SamBam 2y ago
    But it's also not a joke. Pomodoro timers are designed to increase productivity. But once of the things that many people who try to increase their productivity discover is that they sink so much time into these tools that they are less productive. Because the underlying procrastination isn't solved, and these tools are a wonderful outlet for procrastination because it feels productive. That may indeed not be OP's problem, but anyone looking at this saying "I need to be more productive, I should make one of these" would be better off with the tomato.
  - dullcrisp 2y ago
    I’m pretty sure that’s the origin of the term
sinuhe69 2y ago
Yep. I think a timer with a physical dial is much more pleasant and easier to work with. I really hate things with knobs when there is nothing to click. A talking/voice controlled pomodoro is also a very nice idea for a ESP32.
layer8 2y ago
If you can stand the ticking noise. ;) Personally, I like the look of these disc-based ones: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/618WCXnyfXL._SL1500_.jpg https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/618WCXnyfXL._SL1500_.jpg
ibizaman 2y ago
Do not underestimate the joy of using something beautiful and something one crafted. Those little bit of joy add up in the end. At least, they matter to me. I “smartened” an energy meter with an ESP32 and a photoresistor that measures every blink from the energy meter. It’s really crude but it works and everytime I go in the garage, I see the little device blink and it brings me joy. It brings me determination to pursue the next project and motivates me to no end. I know I can build stuff and that I can succeed. I know I can progress in life. It will probably sound stupid but that’s how I interpret the author’s project.
wrycoder 2y ago
LOL, read the one star reviews [0]. The problem with the mechanical ones is they are shoddy these days and can't be depended on. It seems no one knows how to make a high quality mechanical timer any more. [0] https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B07H59ZL1L/ref=acr_search_hist_1?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=one_star&reviewerType=all_reviews#reviews-filter-bar https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B07H59ZL1L/ref=acr_se...
gbraad 2y ago
Simple and tactile; a user interface anyone understands

Physical pomodoro: <https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Il_pomodoro.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Il_pomod...>

by teddyh 2y ago

Physical pomodoro: <https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Il_pomodoro.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Il_pomod...>

neuah 2y ago

Exactly what i thought of as well. That's what i always used to use.

latexr 2y ago
That’s where the concept and name come from. “Pomodo” means “tomato” in Italian, and the author of the technique had one of those. The image comes from its Wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique
- stavros 2y ago
  Correction: "pomodoro" means "tomato".
  - latexr 2y ago
    Thank you for the correction. It was a typo, but it’s unfortunately too late to edit the post.
    - stavros 2y ago
      No problem, I wasn't sure so I had to go looking, and I figured I'd post a correction for anyone who saw it.

ISL 2y ago

Yep. Any timer will do. If you find yourself programming an eInk display and a microchip in order to improve your procrastination, it is time to stop working on the project, get a physical timer, and work on the thing. If you feel inclined to shop around for a timer before getting to work, I'll save you the search. These work great. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TLC9SFZ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TLC9SFZ (but any timer will do). Go do the thing. You're worth it.

jiehong 2y ago
Indeed. I tend to like quiet visual timers, though. Something like: https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/63f18bde-f179-4b8e-a32a-8e4a8c09ec20.aabbe23627a7a98d96c72d13243e9986.jpeg https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/63f18bde-f179-4b8e-a32a-8e4...
- javajosh 2y ago
  That's a very unhelpful link if you want to buy or comparison shop. Online walmart sells over 300 different styles of countdown timer, including ones shaped like a tomato. Note that the Pomadoro Technique recommends a timer that ticks or makes some other unobtrusive sound to remind you that you are in focus mode, and to associate the sound with focus. https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/countdown-timers https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/countdown-timers
TechDebtDevin 2y ago
Watches that are already on most people's wrist work great too!
- Procrastes 2y ago
  It's interesting that your experience is different, but in my region and social circles, I haven't seen anyone wear a watch in ten years or more, other than the occasional smart watch. That habit doesn't seem to last long, either. For people I know, watches have turned into fashion accessories for millionaires.
  - maccard 2y ago
    I wear a watch. Nothing fancy, but I do have a few of them (and none worth more than 2-£300.) it’s about the only accessory I wear so it’s nice to have some variety. My day to day is a smart watch (and has been for a few years now). Lots of my circle is similar.
  - TechDebtDevin 2y ago
    Probably just demographics. I live in a mountainous city that's very outdoorsy and athletic so everyone has a garmin/apple watch.

kaonwarb 2y ago

Of course that's an easier solution to the problem. OP is quite clear in the writeup that this is a project for the sake of trying new tools to make something for a friend. A fun hack need not be constrained by meeting a real market need. It can just be fun.

hiddencost 2y ago
It's a joke. Pomodoro means tomato.
- SamBam 2y ago
  But it's also not a joke. Pomodoro timers are designed to increase productivity. But once of the things that many people who try to increase their productivity discover is that they sink so much time into these tools that they are less productive. Because the underlying procrastination isn't solved, and these tools are a wonderful outlet for procrastination because it feels productive. That may indeed not be OP's problem, but anyone looking at this saying "I need to be more productive, I should make one of these" would be better off with the tomato.
- dullcrisp 2y ago
  I’m pretty sure that’s the origin of the term

sinuhe69 2y ago

Yep. I think a timer with a physical dial is much more pleasant and easier to work with. I really hate things with knobs when there is nothing to click. A talking/voice controlled pomodoro is also a very nice idea for a ESP32.

layer8 2y ago

If you can stand the ticking noise. ;) Personally, I like the look of these disc-based ones: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/618WCXnyfXL._SL1500_.jpg https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/618WCXnyfXL._SL1500_.jpg

ibizaman 2y ago

Do not underestimate the joy of using something beautiful and something one crafted. Those little bit of joy add up in the end. At least, they matter to me. I “smartened” an energy meter with an ESP32 and a photoresistor that measures every blink from the energy meter. It’s really crude but it works and everytime I go in the garage, I see the little device blink and it brings me joy. It brings me determination to pursue the next project and motivates me to no end. I know I can build stuff and that I can succeed. I know I can progress in life. It will probably sound stupid but that’s how I interpret the author’s project.

wrycoder 2y ago

LOL, read the one star reviews [0]. The problem with the mechanical ones is they are shoddy these days and can't be depended on. It seems no one knows how to make a high quality mechanical timer any more. [0] https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B07H59ZL1L/ref=acr_search_hist_1?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=one_star&reviewerType=all_reviews#reviews-filter-bar https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B07H59ZL1L/ref=acr_se...

gbraad 2y ago

Simple and tactile; a user interface anyone understands