Hourglass Timer: Draw Yours

Drag five points and the glass becomes the shape you drew. Wide where it sinks slowly, narrow where it drops fast - and it still ends exactly on time.

Every hourglass app gives you the same glass. This one lets you draw your own.

■ Draw the glass Drag five points and the glass takes the shape you give it. A bulb, a tube, a string of beads, a funnel - anything you like. The other half and the bottom bulb follow automatically, so whatever you draw is a real hourglass that flips over.

■ The shape changes the rhythm, never the time The sand is measured by area, not by height. Where your glass is wide the surface sinks slowly; where it narrows it drops fast. So the shape you draw decides how the sand moves - and the timer still ends exactly on time, whatever you drew. Four glasses are built in to start from: Classic, Straight, Wavy and Snake.

■ Pour in the sand, and that is your time There are no preset buttons. Drag the hourglass up and sand pours in; drag down and it drains away. The glass holds the amount of time you gave it, so thirty seconds and three hours never look alike. Stand the phone on your desk and you can read the length from across the room, without a number.

■ No frame, no stand The glass fills the screen from edge to edge. Nothing around it, nothing to look at but the sand.

■ Tap to turn it over Tap the hourglass and it flips, just like a real one. The sand runs out, the glass turns, and the next round starts.

■ Eight colors of sand Amber, rose, coral, ocean, forest, wisteria, ink and charcoal. You can also pick any color you like.

■ Hide the numbers Turn off the remaining-time readout and just watch the sand fall.

■ The sound of falling sand A soft ambient sound while the timer runs, with adjustable volume. It follows the silent switch and will not stop your music.

■ Full screen Show the hourglass alone, in a large size. Stand the device on a desk and watch it from across the room.

■ When time is up Bell, beep or chime, or no sound at all. Vibration can be switched on or off. The alarm sounds even when the silent switch is on. If the timer ends while the app is closed, a notification lets you know.

■ Light and dark The colors follow your device. The glass looks its best against a dark background.

From ten seconds to three hours.

Good for ・Studying, reading and focus sessions ・Meditation and breathing exercises ・Cooking and brewing tea ・Board games and turn timers ・Screen time and breaks for children ・Falling asleep to something calm