HourPower review

Jennifer Scott

We review HourPower, an irritating app that insists on telling you the time

Published on Nov 9, 2009

Mobile phones are being used more and more these days as time devices, there was even research recently showing they were replacing alarm clocks, so naturally a number of apps will emerge to assist - or perhaps complicate - the clock functions on your handset.

This app, will the original name HourPower, cannot really be said to do either. A free and quick download leaves you purely with the icon in your folder, or on your home screen if you so choose. Then on the touch of the icon HourPower gives you the exact time, as programmed to your handset, out loud.

The developer sells it as a tool for the early morning wake up call. When your eyes are bleary and you clumsily reach for your phone, pressing a button and hearing the time can ease you into the day a little more softly before even having to open your lids.

This could be a quirky little app and lighten up a few people’s lives but that illusion is shattered the minute you hear the voice. Saying it sounds like Stephen Hawking is probably an insult to him.

The computerised tinny voice annoys you the minute it is played and ensures you either hide or delete the app instantly. If you don’t do either of these things you just end up left with the embarrassment of accidentally pressing it at the wrong time and getting many eyes staring, firstly wondering what the hell is that followed by a look of distain.

Maybe people do feel the need to hear the time read out loud but we suggest you dial 123 and head for the speaking clock to pay out the 10p after the three beeps than suffer this aggravating app.

Perhaps if the developer took its lead from SatNav companies, using celebrity voices to give you the time and adding a little bit of personality, we would not be so vehemently against this but even for the time obsessed like us, we're much happier to read the display on our phone, computer, watch or the clock on the office wall than want to press that button again.