Metta Timer vs Are You Sure

Metta Timer: train, sit, brew. A beautifully crafted interval timer for physical training, meditation, and mindful daily rituals. Set a different photo for every interval — your meditation cushion, the trail ahead, the tea kettle, the stance you're holding — and let each phase of your practice have its own visual anchor. PHOTO BACKGROUNDS FOR EVERY INTERVAL This is what makes Metta Timer different. Assign your own image to each interval in a timer. Not one wallpaper for the whole session, but a unique photo per phase. Warm-up, work, rest, cool down: each can show the image that keeps you focused. Photos display on the Current screen and in Zen Mode fullscreen, with a subtle progress bar so you always know where you are. Share timers with photos embedded in `.mttimer` files so friends and students see your setup before they import. TRAIN Build custom interval sequences with groups and rounds. Chain phases together, each with its own duration, sounds, spoken cues, and photo. Keep your eyes on your practice, not your phone. SIT Gentle temple bells mark your meditation transitions. No jarring alarms. A photo of your altar during sitting, incense or candle visuals during transition, whatever helps you stay present. Swipe to change animated visuals without breaking your session. BREW A mindful bell when your patience is rewarded. A photo of the cup while the water steeps. Set it and forget it. SCHEDULE MODE Plan intervals by clock time, not just duration. Set start and end times for each phase, ideal for a morning routine, timed tea steps, or a class on a schedule. The timer waits until the right moment and can join mid-schedule if you open the app late. SIX ANIMATED VISUALS PLUS PHOTO Breathing Circle, Spiral Incense, Vertical Incense, Diagonal Incense, Hourglass, and Burning Candle, each crafted with care. Or choose Photo on any interval. Mix freely: photo for meditation, hourglass for exercise, candle for cool-down, all in one timer. ZEN MODE Tap the fullscreen icon for a distraction-free screen. Animated visuals fill the darkness; photo intervals go edge-to-edge with time and progress along the bottom. Swipe to cycle styles mid-session. Tap anywhere to exit. TEXT-TO-SPEECH Type any phrase and hear it at the start or end of any interval. Customize voice, speed, and pitch. Works with voice packs on iPhone and Android. SOUNDS Bell, Chime, Gong, Beep, Singing Bowl, Temple Brass Bell, Temple Bell, Temple Chime, Wooden Fish (1x and 3x), Big Temple Bell, Giant Temple Bell. Import your own MP3, M4A, WAV, or AIFF files. TIMER BUILDER Unlimited timers and intervals. Groups organize phases with independent round counts. Per interval: name, duration, color, sounds, announcements, animated visual or photo. Duplicate presets with one tap. Reorder with drag and drop. STREAKS AND HISTORY Completed timers are recorded automatically. Track consecutive practice days, total completions, and total time. Delete individual records anytime. SHARE Send any preset as a `.mttimer` file via AirDrop, Messages, email, Quick Share, or any app. Photos travel with the timer. Recipients preview everything before importing. PRESETS One Minute of Silence, Chan (Zen) Meditation, Brew High Mountain Green Tea, Horse Stance, Kung Fu Stances, and HIIT Training, ready out of the box. Set any preset as your default. BACKUP AND RESTORE Export presets and completion history as JSON. On Android, files save to Downloads automatically. Import presets or merge history onto a new device. PRIVACY All data stays on your device. No accounts. No ads. No tracking. Ever. PERFECT FOR Meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, yoga, HIIT, circuit training, martial arts, tea ceremony, kung fu, qi gong, taiji, Chan, Zen, Pomodoro, and any practice where a picture is worth a thousand reminders. Made with love and care by Metta Grove.

I built "Are You Sure" because I wanted a simple way to reduce my screen time. Essentially I was looking to help break a common loop... I would pick up my phone to check something, and twenty minutes later, I'm halfway down a rabbit hole without an intent. So I wanted to build a tool that didn't just "block" apps, but instead helped me document and understand why I was opening them in the first place. How it works: When you try to open an app you’ve locked, "Are You Sure" gently interrupts that habit loop. It asks you a simple question: "Why do you want to use this app right now?" You type your reason, and then (facing your own reason) you get to decide: Are you sure? Features: The Conversation: Your history with each app is stored as a private chat with yourself. Seeing your past reasons is meant to help you spot patterns and decide if that "quick check" was actually worth it. Active Sessions: When you do decide to unlock an app, you get a set amount of time. Once it’s up, the intention loop starts again. Privacy First: There are no accounts and no tracking. Your data never leaves your device. It’s your history, for your eyes only. Purely Helpful: No ads, no paywalls, and no annoying notifications. The app stays in the background until you need it. I built this for the fun of learning and for the benefit of reducing my own screen time. I hope it helps you find a little more space in your day for the things that are meaningful to you. And if you find it helpful, there’s an option to leave a tip, but the app is (and always will be) fully free to use. Thank you for checking this out, Ant