A few weeks ago, it was reported that the Google timer and stopwatch were gone. The tools can be found with a simple Google search for “timer” or “stopwatch”, which makes them convenient and easy to use. Thankfully, after a short hiatus, the tools are now back.
Google’s Danny Sullivan, the company’s search coordinator, tweeted that the feature is now back and available for use. Although there is no exact date, it was reported that the timer was removed sometime in mid-July. Sullivan confirmed on August 1 that the timer and stopwatch had already been pulled due to an issue. At the time, he didn’t confirm what kind of problem the tools had. On August 17, Sullivan tweeted, letting everyone know that the timer and stopwatch had been restored. He went on to thank the Google team for working on the problem, but he didn’t go into detail again about what kind of problem you might have encountered.
If that’s all news for you, Google’s timer and stopwatch were first introduced nearly a decade ago. If you have not enjoyed using it before, it is very convenient. To activate the timer, simply do a google search for “timer” or “stopwatch”. This will bring up the tool in your web browser. You can also type “set timer for minutes (value)” and set a timer for any value you entered.
Since it is a simple tool, the timer has limitations, such as having a maximum time of 99 hours for the timer function. Like a real timer, once the countdown is complete, a beep will sound, indicating that the countdown is complete. Of course, if you’re doing something more serious, you’ll likely need to use a dedicated stopwatch or your phone’s timer app. But for quick access, the Google search timer is an excellent option.
source: Danny Sullivan (Twitter)
Via: The Verge