Do you know about the Pomodoro Technique? It’s a system of breaking down the process of working on tasks into 25 minute intervals, punctuated by 5 minute breaks. It’s a simple and elegant method of helping people do their work in regular, concentrated bursts without distraction.
It’s no surprise, then, that a number of iPhone apps in this genre have emerged. There are also Pomodoro applications on the Mac, but we feel they are less effective because they are confined to your computer. With a Pomodoro iPhone app, you can be studying at a cafe and use a Pomodoro timer.
There are several free options, as well as a few paid apps, but Pomodoro Pro by Peer Assembly is one we’ve found worth paying for. It gets the basics right: 25 minute work sessions broken up by 5 minute breaks, with a longer 15 minute break after 4 work sessions. If the lengths of the time periods are not quite your tempo, the app lets you tweak the times for the work, short breaks, and long breaks. Pomodoro Pro’s timer will continue ticking even if you get a call or switch to another app, which is great.
What sets Pomodoro Pro apart, though, is its distinct visual flair. It’s gorgeous. All the other Pomodoro apps try to imitate a Tomato timer, which is cute, but we much prefer the clean, brushed metal aesthetic of Pomodoro Pro’s timer. The interface itself is well thought-out: the start/stop button is big and easy to hit, a radial colored fill shows graphically and very clearly both the amount of time left, as well as what type of mode you’re in. The app also shows the number of completed Pomodoros with stars, which is a neat addition.
We recommend that you check out the Pomodoro Technique first, and if you try it and feel that it’s a system for you, get this app.
Pomodoro Pro gets our AppSmile 5-Dimple rating:
