Focus Dog: Study timer
Gamified tool rewards screen-free focus; has purchases.
Focus Dog: Study timer
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Focus Dog: Study timer is a gamified productivity tool that rewards users for logging periods of focused attention. The idea is to start the timer then set aside your device while you focus on a particular offscreen, related task. The more time gets logged, the more donuts users collect to then "feed" their virtual dog named Focus. More donuts leads to leveling up which opens more options for collecting donuts. Focus Dog: Study timer wasn't designed specifically for kids. It makes the most sense for teens who have their own device and and feel it can be a distraction. A user account isn't necessary to play, though users who do create an account have access to more features. Registered users can invite friends to their network, or join an open live network, to compete with others for number of donuts they can earn. The free version offers is completely functional, though a premium paid version offers extras. Ads for the premium version are frequent and sometimes require users to click out of the ad screen to access the rest of the app. Users can also buy gems through in-app purchases. Gems can be used to level up in the game, or used to donate to a non-profit that provides help to dogs around the world. Read the developer's privacy policy for details on how your (or your kids') information is collected, used, and shared and any choices you may have in the matter, and note that privacy policies and terms of service frequently change.
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Wow 👏 amazing one. This one is must see
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What’s It About?
Open a session with FOCUS DOG: STUDY TIMER by tapping Focus to start the clock. Then put away your device and focus on whatever task you're working on. Come back to your device and tap Stop to end the session and categorize what you spent your time doing (work, study, or social). Every 10 minutes on the timer earns a donut. When the timer isn't going, explore the gaming parts of the app. Feed collected donuts to the dog, set specific goals, look at your focus time data history and streaks, or join a group to compete for focus time logged. Use earned coins and donuts to level up, upgrade option such as the speed with which you earn donuts. The premium version offers additional functionality like the turning on a "stop cheating" option that stops the timer if you close or switch out of the app.
Is It Any Good?
For teens looking for a tech-based way to help them focus on offscreen tasks, this gamified focus timer provides an easy solution with lots of built in rewards and level up opportunities. The free version of Focus Dog: Study timer works as a fancy timer that lets teens categorize what they've spent their time focusing on and gain a clear sense of progress and accomplishment as they earn donuts and coins. The community function may provide some additional motivation to collect more and longer focus sessions. Of course, the success of this tool really depends on teens using it honestly. And it would be super simple for teens to just set the timer, go do whatever -- whether focused or not -- then come back to see how much they've earned. The paid version offers some options for limiting users' abilities to "cheat," such as a setting that stops the timer automatically if teens close or switch out of the app. Another criticism is that for an app that attempts to provide incentives for users to put their device away, there are lots of reasons to continue checking the app to see progress. On the other side, there's a small connection to the real world in the option to use 185 coins to make a small donation to a dog-focused non-profit organization. Overall, Focus Dog: Study timer can be a fun way to encourage teens to achieve distraction-free focus sessions -- particularly if they buy the premium version.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how using Focus Dog: Study timer might help them meet their goals. What are their main distractions? How much time can they realistically stay focused on a task?
Talk about the ways phones can be distracting. Which apps do you find yourself checking when you're trying to get something done? Are certain activities more distracting than others?
Be a good role model around device use. Make sure to stop looking at a screen when you're interacting with your kids and try to illustrate how to stay focused on one thing at a time.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
- Skills: Self-Direction: achieving goals, goal-setting, time management, working efficiently, Tech Skills: using and applying technology
- Pricing structure: Free to try (additional functionality available with $4.99 in-app purchase for premium version)
- Release date: October 28, 2021
- Category: Productivity
- Topics: Cats, Dogs, and Mice
- Publisher: Fancy Ventures UG (haftungsbeschraenkt)
- Version: 3.6.0
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 11.0 or later; Android 5.0 and up
- Last updated: December 6, 2021
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