TimeLeft

CNET Editors' review

by: CNET staff on September 16, 2012

TimeLeft is a big improvement on the Windows system clock, but it's more than that; it includes a countdown, stopwatch, alarm clock, timer, and time synchronizer. It comes in several versions, including a Free edition that leaves out some features and limits users to one of each feature at a time, and a Deluxe version that has lifetime support and upgrades and unlimited features. But the Deluxe version is free to try for 30 days, which is plenty of time to see if this timekeeper is a keeper. We tried TimeLeft Deluxe in both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows. We think anyone who tries TimeLeft and uses it every day (or nearly so) will value the Deluxe version's advantages.

Setting up TimeLeft involves choosing a few options. For instance, the program can replace the built-in Windows Tray Clock, but only in 32-bit Windows editions. We declined the Auction Watch browser add-on, which works with an optional feature that can keep track of your online auctions with help from a wizard that also packs a cool tool for exporting countdowns to Web sites. Some of TimeLeft's add-ons, such as the skins pack, cost extra; that's OK, because some users don't want to pay for extras (like skins) that they don't want or need and won't use, and choice is good. Speaking of choices, TimeLeft has plenty of them, starting with the New Year Countdown and Clock windows it displayed when the installer finished. These are compact, but can be resized; colorful, but can be reskinned; and legible, but can be configured to display any time or date format, number sequence, layout, and action you like. Clicking the program's System Tray icon opens the Main Window, an efficient utility for configuring TimeLeft's features. Right-clicking the tray icon opens TimeLeft's main menu, which accesses its primary features: My Reminders, My Countdowns, My Clocks, My Stopwatches, My Timers, and My Stickers. Right-clicking any clock or display accesses its own menu with options like Edit Countdown and Zoom.

What else? Customizable sounds, personal reminders, sticky notes (the Sticker feature) and still more. If it's about time, TimeLeft Deluxe has it covered.

Editors' note: This is a review of the trial version of TimeLeft 3.59.