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Pros
- Free! Lots of customization options.
- Both standard and micro breaks available.
- Supports automated scripts.
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Cons
- Not very attractive.
Continually working on spreadsheets, taking conference calls, and participating in online meetings can make it difficult for today's information worker to stop and take a moment to smell the roses. It doesn't have to be that way. Time Out Free (free) is a Mac app that reminds you to step away from the computer at intervals you define by locking down your desktop or laptop. There are several Mac apps that perform similar functions (the $4.99 BreakTime and $2.99 Coffee Break are two such examples), but few combine Time Out Free's zero cost, customization, and functionality. It's our Editors' Choice among Mac break apps.
Like BreakTime and Coffee Break, Time Out Free lets you select the length of your breaks and the amount of time between them. Time Out Free differs from its rivals by giving you deeper customization options: You can change the background color that appears when Time Out Free darkens the screen, the background transparency, and the audio (sound effects, music snippets) that plays as your break begins or ends. You can even use audio files stored on your Mac as alert sounds—very cool.
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