After an open beta period, the Ember Chime app has reached its first full release version on Google Play. If you haven't heard of it yet, the idea is very simple: it is a quiet companion that helps you stop for a moment during the day, take a deep breath, and return to the present moment.

It doesn't fight for your attention and doesn't send you notifications about what you're missing in the world. It runs quietly in the background, requires no internet connection, and doesn't ask you to create any user accounts. It's simply a neutral tool – like a watch or a compass.

Basic rhythm of the day

The heart of the app is a gentle notification at times you determine yourself. You might be surprised to find that after using the app for a while, you perceive intervals much more accurately. Learn how to estimate time. If that is important to you, of course :).

  • Intervals: You can choose from preset times (from 5 minutes to 2 hours) or set a completely custom interval down to the minute. Regular reminders have a great hidden benefit – after using the app for some time, you will find that your internal compass has become more accurate and you can estimate real time much better even without looking at the display.
  • Sounds: There are five basic tones available (from a gentle "Chime" to "Sanctus" or "Ave Maria"). If they don't suit you, you can upload any custom sound file directly from your phone.
  • Peaceful sleep: The Quiet Hours function ensures that the app fully respects your rest time and will never disturb you at night.
  • Sun: After entering your location (or letting it load automatically), the app precisely calculates the times of sunrise and sunset.

New layers of time perception

Beyond simply measuring minutes, the full version also brings a view of time through the lens of natural and historical cycles.

  • Planetary hours: The app uses the ancient Chaldean system and calculates the ruling planets from sunrise to sunset anew every day. You can thus track which hour is currently passing and what qualities (e.g., strength, creativity, or reflection) are traditionally attributed to it.
  • Lunar calendar: Directly in the app, you will find the current moon phase in percentage of illumination and exact dates of upcoming full moons and new moons for the next 60 days.

πŸ•― Spiritual Profiles

Activate a profile to overlay traditional prayer and observance times onto your day β€” calculated from actual sunrise and sunset. Each profile includes a liturgical calendar of upcoming feasts and observances:

  • Christian β€” Liturgy of the Hours (Vigils, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, Compline)
  • Islamic β€” Five daily prayer times (Fajr, Shuruk, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha) calculated by your chosen method (Muslim World League, Hanafi, Tehran, Jafari). Sunni and Shia branches supported, with Hijri calendar and Ramadan awareness.
  • Jewish β€” Halachic zmanim by GRA method (Alot Hashachar, Netz Hachama, Sof Zman Shema, Chatzot, Mincha Gedola, Mincha Ketana, Plag HaMincha, Shkia, Tzait Hakochavim)
  • Celtic β€” Eight tides of the day tied to solar movement, the Wheel of the Year (eight seasonal festivals), and the reconstructed Coligny lunisolar calendar with MAT/ANM day quality and Atenoux half-month markers.
  • Buddhist β€” Monastic daily rhythm (Morning Puja, Zazen, Dana, Evening Puja). Theravāda and Zen/Mahāyāna traditions. Lunar observance days (Vesak, Magha Puja, Asalha, Vassa). Daily verse from the Dhammapada.
  • Protestant β€” Morning Prayer, Midday, Evening Prayer and Compline following the Book of Common Prayer tradition. RCL liturgical calendar with Reformation Day.
  • Orthodox β€” Eight canonical hours (Vespers, Compline, Midnight Office, Matins, and the four Daytime Hours). The Dodekaorton (Twelve Great Feasts) including Pascha calculated by the Julian Computus. New Style (Greek, Romanian) and Old Style (Russian, Serbian) supported.
  • Regula Gallinarum β€” Aurora surgere

Privacy & Philosophy

πŸ”’ Zero data collection. Everything runs on your device. No accounts, no cloud sync, no analytics, no ads. Your spiritual practice, your location, your sounds stay with you.

πŸ•Š Religiously neutral. Ember Chime serves everyone. It follows no faith and promotes none. It is a tool β€” like a watch or a compass β€” for whoever holds it.

Requirements

Android 8.0 (Oreo) or higher. No special permissions required beyond notification access and optional location for sunrise calculations.

Languages

English · Czech (Čeőtina)

Download the app on the official Google Play Store. And if you enjoy a medieval atmosphere, try our game Scriptorium.