Hockey Club

Imperfect, but does the job (2008-09-07)
I use this for meditation, not yoga, and as a meditation timer it's quite satisfactory. Once you've programmed your usual meditation length on one of the memory buttons, getting started is easy. Simply hit that memory button, push the start button, and that's it. There's one more button that can also be pushed which turns off all the numbers on the display and makes the clock give a visual display of the elapsed time -- worth doing, as it keeps you out of "thinking" if you check to see how much time is left. I agree with an earlier reviewer that it should have a "one gong" setting to mark the end of the session, and a seconds timer would be a great help with yoga. But this gadget travels easily and works well.

it's good, but... (2008-08-18)
I like the round shape, the rubberized backing. The chimes are very realistic. As I meditate and do yoga, this clock comes in handy.

However, instructions on how to use the M1, M2 and M3 buttons are poor. These are the buttons that save a particular set of time intervals that you've set up. I've fiddled with the M buttons quite a bit to no avail. Also, would be helpful if the nightlighting was abt 20-30% brighter.

Great timer, but not perfect. (2008-06-08)
I purchased this excellent clock back in March of 2008, and have been using it daily since then.

In my opinion, the key strengths of this device revolve around flexibility and looks. It allows you to choose from a number of wonderful, rich sounding chimes and other sounds (they actually sound better than the real bells & chimes built in to other meditation timers I own). You can set the tones to repeat "forever" after your meditation period has ended, or sound only twice at varying volumes. Good stuff.

You can also create very complex "programs" for yourself (Chime after x minutes, then y minutes, then z minutes, etc. etc.)

I also find the clock very attractive, but that's just personal opinion.

The flexibility that this clock gives you comes at a price, however - setting (time, alarm time, etc.) the thing is a bit complex. The first thing I normally do with any new electronic gizmo I purchase is throw away the instructions - it's an ego thing, I admit it. Anyway, 3 months later, I'm guarding the instructions to this baby with my life. While setting up a basic timer is easy as cake, doing more interesting programs will take a bit of trial and error.

The backlight button on the clock has also been hit or miss for me. I have to touch it just right or the backlight won't come on. I'd also like the ability turn the backlight on and keep it on. In it's current incarnation it only stays on for 5-ish seconds.

Finally, it would be nice if the buttons had some sort of tactile "nubs" attached (this comment is stolen shamlelessly from another reviewer). At 4AM in the morning, I need all the help I can get making sure I have actually activated the timer.

So, this clock isn't perfect, but it is the best one I've found so far, and it is fantastic for travel - packs really easily.

no seconds timer (2008-03-14)
I agree with the complaint from the first reviewer that you can't set this thing for any amount of seconds. What?? Seems weird to make a timer that doesn't have that option. I want to be able to have a set of intervals of 90 seconds, followed by 5 seconds, followed by 90 and another 5, etc etc. I'm kind of annoyed I didn't return it, but it still beats re-setting my sport watch timer for each interval. I like the chimes and for a routine like I described above I set it for 2 minutes and just end up watching the timer (it does show seconds once it gets to under 1 min). Still, so annoying for a clock/timer that has all the other features one might like for yoga and meditation.

Surprisingly poor human factors (2008-03-04)
The chime sound is beautiful; would that the rest of the timer were as well done. Much as I wanted to love it, and much as Chime 1 pleases me, this is not a usable device.

I bought this as a yoga timer. The timer has 1-minute resolution; for yoga you need something finer, to allow 45-second or 90-second poses... or 85 if I'm feeling tired, 100 if I'm energetic. Even if it had 1-second resolution, setting intervals is challenging: you can't just say "chime every 90 seconds", you have to define a fixed number of intervals through a clunky interface. Perhaps there's something I missed? I emailed the manufacturer, then emailed again after a week of silence, and still (5 days later) haven't heard back from them.

The product shows signs of not having had usability testing. For instance, the backlight button--one of many on the circular face--has no tactile signature. It can't be identified in the dark. And even though the chime is lovely, it sounds twice. That makes it unusable (for me) as a meditation timer. A "chime once only" option would fix that... but I could find no such setting.