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For something as simple as setting a timer, the built-in apps on our computers can be awfully fiddly. Usually you have to open a Clock app first, then navigate to a separate tab for timers. After that you have to hit another button to create the timer, and only then can you finally set the time. You might even have to wade through a messy list of all the previous timers youve created. Fortunately, theres a faster way when time is of the essence. Even better, its full of powerful features that dont detract from its up-front simplicity and delightfulness. This tip originally appeared in the free Cool Tools newsletter from The Intelligence. Get the next issue in your inbox and get ready to discover all sorts of awesome tech treasures! A plain but powerful desktop timer The next time you find yourself with a timer-needing task, you can skip past all the cruft of your built-in Clock app by just opening your favorite web browser and visiting the appropriately named E.ggtimer. E.ggtimer is a free web-based app for setting quick timers with simple keyboard commands. Setting a timer takes just a few seconds. To set up a basic timer, try typing 5 minutes or 5m into the box on the e.ggtimer landing page. This also works with other units of time, so you can type 3h48m15s for a timer that runs for three hours, 48 minutes, and 15 seconds. When time expires, the site will play a tone andwith your permissiondeliver a push notification to your device. E.ggtimer’s interface is both easy to use and packed with interesting extras. To speed things up further, just include the time directly in URL. For instance, entering e.ggtimer.com/5m into your address bar will bypass the setup page and set a five-minute timer immediately. You can even bookmark your most-used timers for faster access in the future. I was chatting with my fellow Cool Tools writer JR Raphael about this, and he asked a valid question: Why use E.ggtimer instead of, say, Google Searchs built-in timer tool? To this I offer a few answers: E.ggtimer supports more time formats. In addition to the hour-minute-second format I mentioned earlier, E.ggtimer lets you input absolute times such as 4:56 pm or August 10 2025 3pm. It can also count down to holidays such as Mothers Day or New Years. E.ggtimer works offline. If youre using Chrome, click the little download icon in the top-right of the address bar to install E.ggtimers Progressive Web App. Now you can launch a freestanding version of the site that works without an internet connection. E.ggtimer supports the Pomodoro method. Beyond just individual timers, you can also set up sequences of consecutive timers. Try typing 25m/5m/25m for a pair of 25-minute work sessions broken up by a five-minute break. E.ggtimer is more fun. Beyond the basic black text on white background, the site offers a bunch of themes, including a digital clock, dot matrix, andmy personal favoriteone that looks like the Windows Blue Screen of Death. E.ggtimer’s amusing take on the classic Blue Screen of Death. This only scratches the surface of whats possible. Check out the sites Help and Settings page for even more possibilities, such as adding labels to your timers and tweaking things like the default alarm sound. One quick caveat: While E.ggtimer technically works in any browser on any device, Ive found that its alerts dont come through on mobile devices unless your screen is on and the site is open, so youre better off using it on desktop browsers only. Too bad, because the built-in Clock apps on our phones are just as fiddly as their desktop counterparts. E.ggtimer is entirely web-based, though you can download it as a Progressive Web App if you would like. It is free to use and doesnt include any ads (unless you select the Ugly theme which has fake ads on the page). E.ggtimer doesnt ask for any personal information to use the service. Treat yourself to all sorts of geeky goodies like this with the free Cool Tools newsletterstarting with an instant introduction to an incredible audio app thatll tune up your days in truly delightful ways.
Category:
E-Commerce
The delivery app DoorDash and the Alphabet-owned drone company Wing are bringing mall food court favorites to select doorsteps as they expand their drone delivery program. The companies recently announced that they were partnering with GoTo Foods, the parent company behind shopping mall brands like Auntie Anne’s, Jamba, and Schlotzsky’s, to deliver orders by drone to select areas in Frisco, Fort Worth, and Plano, Texas. It’s DoorDash’s latest push into delivery by air after announcing in March it would launch a drone delivery pilot program with Wing for select Wendy’s items in Christiansburg, Virginia, and also a sign that the company sees more room for growth. DoorDash said it began offering drone delivery for Papa Johns and The Brass Tap during limited hours of operation in parts of Little Elm and Frisco, Texas, in June, and now its partnership with GoTo Foods takes that pilot program further. “As we continue scaling our drone operations, we remain focused on building a world-class logistics platform that enables partners like Wing to integrate seamlessly into our ecosystem; provides a smooth, reliable delivery experience for merchants; and offers consumers fast and affordable access to brands they love,” DoorDash’s drone program head Harrison Shih said in a statement. For now, drone delivery is limited to just a 4-mile radius of participating locations, but for those who live in the radius, DoorDash promises delivery within minutes of ordering. The company has leaned into robotic delivery outside of drones with Coco, a delivery robot it began testing earlier this year in Los Angeles and Chicago. And in May, it bought the British delivery app Deliveroo for $3.9 billion. DoorDash reported more than $3 billion in quarterly revenue in the most recent quarter, up nearly 25% from the same time last year, according to PitchBook data. For GoTo Foods, the partnership with DoorDash is a chance to take its brand out of the shopping mall and to reinvent it for a new generation at a time when malls are changing. Thanks to drones, food court pretzels could be more easily accessible to “high-growth suburban areas” that are “well beyond traditional mall locations,” the two companies said in a press release. You used to go to the mall. The mall now comes to you.
Category:
E-Commerce
Sarah thought she’d nailed it. Three rounds of interviews for her dream marketing role, glowing feedback from the hiring manager, and a reassuring “we’ll be in touch soon.” So when the rejection email landed in her inbox two weeks latera generic “we’ve decided to move forward with another candidate”it felt like a gut punch. If youve had a similar experience taking job rejection more personally than youd like, youre not alone. Youre also very human. In fact, research has found that 78% of professionals say job rejection negatively impacts their confidence for weeks or even months afterward. But as normal as it is to feel knocked down, were also capable of using rejection to clarify our direction, refine our value, and accelerate the outcomes (and ideal roles) we wantnot to let it define us. This isnt about building thicker skin. Its about building smarter systems and more empowered thinking. Here are six straightforward strategies to do that. 1. Use the 24-hour rule. Youre human, not a robot. Its okay not to feel great when a rejection email lands in your inbox. Emotions may not always be rational, but theyre still real. So cut yourself some slack and give yourself permission to feel disappointed without immediately trying to “fix” it or bounce back. Set a timer for 24 hours, acknowledge the sting, then deliberately shift into learning mode. This prevents both endless rumination and what psychologists call “emotional bypassing”jumping straight to positivity without processing the real emotions. 2. Separate the ‘no’ from your self-worth. This rejection isn’t a referendum on your value as a person or professional: it’s simply a mismatch, not a verdict. Research has shown that people with a growth mindsetwho ask What can this teach me? instead of Whats wrong with me?are more likely to bounce back from setbacks, stay motivated, and take constructive action. When Marcus, a software engineer, didnt get the senior developer role he wanted, he initially spiraled into self-doubt. But when he shifted from “I’m not good enough,” to “What skills do I need to develop?” he used the feedback to land an even better position six months later. You do yourself a disservice when you let the subjective evaluation others place on you depreciate the value you place on yourself. That Tom Brady was the 199th pick in the 2000 NFL draft is proof that sometimes those tasked with assessing others’ future potential have absolutely no idea. 3. Ask for feedbackeven if you don’t get it. The simple act of requesting constructive feedback signals a growth mindset and helps you reflect more objectively on the experience. Even when companies dont respond (and many wont), the process of asking forces you to think strategically about your performance and what you might do differently next time. 4. Reframe it as redirection, not rejection. Jenny, a finance executive, felt incredibly disappointed when she didnt get a controller position at a startup. Six months later, when that company folded, she realized the rejection had actually protected her from a career disaster. Sometimes a “no” is actually steering you away from a situation that wouldnt have served you well. Research from Glassdoor shows that 65% of people who stay in roles that werent their first choice report lower job satisfaction within two years. 5. Dont personalize systemic issues. Sometimes hiring decisions come down to budget, internal politics, timing, or internal candidates being preferredfactors that have nothing to do with your qualifications. Other times, personal preferences, unconscious judgments, or stereotypes bias hiring decisions. According to research from SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), 48% of HR managers admitted that biases affect the candidates they hire. Many hiring decisions are influenced by factors completely outside a candidates control. Avoid interpreting rejection as anything more than a decision someone madea decision shaped by a whole array of factors and biasesthat simply wasnt the one you wanted them to make. You cant control those variables, but you can control your response. 6. Track your progress, not just your wins Top performers dont avoid rejectionthey risk it regularly and treat it as no more than a hidden curriculum, mining any insights for their next opportunity. Create a system that tracks not only your wins, but also your courage: interviews taken, skills built, connections made, insights gained. Maybe you realized you need to clarify your value proposition. Maybe you discovered a role or industry isnt for you. These are all progress markers. These are all victories worth celebrating. Its not rejection itself that holds future potential hostage, but the emotions of unworthiness it triggers. The irony is that by avoiding rejection, we often reject ourselveslong before anyone else has the chance. So whether youre starting out or starting over, the biggest setback isnt being told no. Its letting it stop you from showing up again. Just imagine the possibilities if you moved forward knowing that rejection is simply part of your individualized growth plan. Let rejection refine your clarity, not shrink your courage. Keep putting yourself forward. Keep learning. Your next opportunity may just need the version of you that rejection helped shape.
Category:
E-Commerce
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