Learning Resources LER6900 Time Tracker Programmable Electronic Timer

by Learning Resources

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 5.3 x 10.6 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0007DHU0S
• Item model number: LER6900
• Batteries: 4 AA batteries required.
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (132 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #406 in Office Products (See Top 100 in Office Products)
  • #4 in Toys & Games > Learning & Education > Science > Biology
  • #7 in Home Improvement > Electrical > Timers
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 14, 2004

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

It's never been easier to keep kids on track! Lighted sections of this unique electronic timer alert kids to time remaining. Program green, yellow and red sections and 6 sound effects easily to indicate that time is running out. Features 180° viewing, large, easy-to-read LCD display; volume control and pause feature. Measures 9"H. The ideal timer for ¿ Play time ¿ Homework ¿ Projects ¿ Experiments ¿ Speeches ¿ Practice sessions ¿ Cooking ¿ Children with hearing impairments ¿ Time out. Requires AC Adapter (LER 2901) or 4 AA batteries, not included.

Product Description

Keep students on track with programmable electronic timer. Set green, red and yellow lighted sections and six sounds to indicate time remaining. LCD and volume controls. Requires adapter (LPNLER2901), sold separately, or four AA batteries (not included).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

229 of 231 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This thing is great, once you get it set up, May 6, 2005

By 

Richard L. Nelson "chardlee" (Oakland, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Learning Resources LER6900 Time Tracker Programmable Electronic Timer (Office Product)

We bought this to use as a timer for my daughter who is almost 4. We were all tired of the endless hassles involved in trying to get ready to go out, go to bed, and so on.

It has worked remarkably well. Now I can start the timer a half hour before we leave for preschool, and she knows when she has to start hurrying, and also realizes when she doesn't yet have to. When it announces "Time's up!", she knows that we're *going*.

Strong points are that the timer is colorful and attractive, and gives feedback in several ways. I can look at the digital display and know exactly how much time is left. My daughter can see the green, yellow, and red lights, and know roughly where she stands. The flashes before the color changes and the programmable audible feedback are very helpful, too. It just gives a lot of different ways for us to understand how much time is left.

The main drawback is that the controls are awkward. There is both a manual and an automatic mode, but they are both pretty similar. "Manual" means you set the amount of time for each phase, along with the optional sounds. "Automatic" means you set the total time, and the percentage of the total for each phase. Once you have a standard one set, you can reuse it (which is good for our 30-minute morning routine), but if you need to change it (like this morning, I only had 20 minutes) you have to do some button-pushing, and you need to choose the sounds for each phase as well as the time.

My guess is that we'll eventually settle on a couple of standard programs and just leave it at those. It's well worth using, regardless, but the awkwardness of the controls keeps me from giving this five stars.

One last note: the picture of the product is slightly misleading. The numbers on the digital display are quite small; about half as large as they appear in the picture. And the back of the tower is all solid blue: the colored lights are only on the front. That's not a problem, because you can see from a wide range of angles, but for some reason I thought the lights would be visible all around.

This item has definitely reduced the stress level on all sides. There is less nagging, less fussing, and more cooperation.

55 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It works!, November 10, 2005

By 

Noname - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Learning Resources LER6900 Time Tracker Programmable Electronic Timer (Office Product)

I bought this because my son dawdles when he does anything. The first night, we used it to get him to finish his dinner. It worked, but he didn't like it. Now, I just have to threaten that I'll bring out the timer and he gets going. We also use it for naptime. I don't require that he sleeps during naptime, only that he stay in his room for two hours. He had no concept of when that is. With the Time Tracker, he comes out when the light turns red (he does not get upset when used for this purpose). As for programming, I have no trouble programming it and it doesn't take long to change it. They could have made it more intuitive, but you just have to do it a couple of times to get it.

UPDATE:

We've had this unit for about four years. My daughter started using it when she was about three for her naps. It worked just as well for her as it did for my son. Unfortunately, it broke soon after we started using it with her. Great concept and wonderful to have when it was working.

67 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Such potential! Such disappointment., July 3, 2006

By 

B. Ward (Lebanon, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Learning Resources LER6900 Time Tracker Programmable Electronic Timer (Office Product)

We had high hopes for this product but as another reviewer has said, its engineering is HORRIBLE. I would only recommend this product if you always want to use the same time span. I say this because you can set a default time which is relatively easy to reuse.

The idea of 80% green, 15% yellow, and 5% red is great, but if you're hoping to enter 1-5-0-0-start and get a 15-minute 80/15/5 countdown, forget it. Every time I want to use the thing I have to go track down and re-read the documentation. Because of the difficulty in using it, we only use it for long tasks.

As I'm trying to figure out how to use it each time, I do so with gladness that there is no one timing me as I set the timer. :-/