Android app Tactile Clock vibrates the current time

Posted by Eric Scheibler at May 6, 2016

This Android app vibrates the current time when the display is locked and the power button is double-clicked. This might need some practice to work reliably because if you double-click too fast the system only recognises a single click and the screen turns on instead.

The app is free software. You can find the links to the play store, a f-droid repository and the source code below. The latest version was released on December 16th, 2025.

How it works

Two different vibration pattern exist:

A short vibration stands for the digit 1 and a long one for the digit 5. The 2 is represented by two consecutive short vibrations, the 6 by a long and a short one and so on. The 0 constitutes an exception with two long vibrations.

Examples:

01:18 =  .    .  -...
02:51 =  ..    -  .
10:11 =  .  --    .  .
19:06 =  .  -....    -.

Explanation:

The time is processed digit by digit:

  • . = short vibration
  • - = long vibration

Leading zeros in the hour and minute fields are omitted.

To simplify the recognition of the vibration pattern, there exist three kind of gaps with different durations:

  • []: A short gap between vibrations in the same digit
  • [  ]: A medium gap for the separation of two digits within the hour and minute field
  • [    ]: A long gap to split hours and minutes

Additional features

You may also use Tactile clock to keep informed about the current time. The app can vibrate the current time automatically every X minutes or every hour.

It can also play the Greenwich Time Signal at the start of each hour similar to how a radio station would do.

If the double-click is performed too fast or when the display is turned on, the app can warn with a long, persistent vibration or vibrate the current time as well.

The background process automatically initiates once the system has finished booting.

Download and source code:

Change log

Version 2.5.0 from December 16th, 2025

  • Duration of short and long vibrations configurable in settings
  • Test of time vibration added to tutorial and settings
  • When the screen is turned off and on, either a warning vibration or the current time can be vibrated
  • Greenwich Time Signal plays at the top of every hour
  • Tutorial text revised
  • Spanish translation added
  • Leading zeros in hour and minute field omitted