About this app

Are you an expat stuck in a country who misses the unique sound of Big Ben? Have you ever been in London within the vicinity of Big Ben and heard that unmistakable chiming? Chime Me Big Ben Free brings those unforgettable sounds to your Android device. One of my customers told be he drives people crazy on the train. People turn turn their heads in confusion looking for the source of where the chiming is coming from. In the mean time he is just simply trying not to laugh too loud. :-)

If you like this app, please consider purchasing the full version because it allows you to choose 2 different Westminster chime sounds (Big Ben & mantle clock). Also choose 3 different types of ticking. Separate volume sliders for ticking and main volumes.

Other customers tell me this app helps them keep track of the time.

By the way, you won’t find any adverts in any of my apps. Why? I just think adverts are just plain annoying.

This app will work with the accessibility screen reader.

This app also contains a widget that allows you to mute and unmute the chiming with a single tap.

Here’s how to use and set up the app. If you need help please email contact me:

**** IMPORTANT: Before you rate this app, make it harder for Android to put this app to sleep based on the instructions from: https://www.geekdashboard.com/stop-android-killing-apps-background/

Using the widget:
The direction of the Big Ben icon indicates wether or not the chiming is active. Up means it’s active and upside down means it’s muted.

Using the app:
You will also see a Big Ben icon on the main screen of the app. The direction of the icon indicates the same as the widget.

Taping “Exit” will get you out of the app but the app will keep chiming if you have the Big Ben pointing upward.

Tapping “Settings” will get you to the “Setting” screen.

Tapping “Silent Periods” will get you to the “Silent Periods” screen.

The “Settings” screen has a volume slider and light bulbs that toggle between on an off. To hear the current app volume, tap the speaker icon next to the slider. This screen contains these settings:

Speak The Time: If it’s on, it app speaks the time on the quarters.
Big Ben Chimes: If it’s on you will hear the Big Ben Chimes on the quarters.
Short Tone: It it’s on, you will hear a short tone on the quarters.
Quarter After: If it’s on, the app chimes at 15 minutes after the hour.
Half Past: If it’s on, the app chimes at 30 minutes after the hour.
Quarter Before: If it’s on, the app chimes at 45 minutes after the hour.
Quarter After: If it’s on, the app chimes at on the hour.
Ok to chime even if media is playing: It it’s on, the app chimes even if you are watching a film.

Tapping “Main Menu” takes you back to the app home screen.

The “Silent Periods” screen allows you to set silent periods and schedule when those periods are active. 1 silent period can be set from this screen. The full version of the app allows up to 5 silent periods to be set.

Tapping “Main Menu” from this screen takes you back to the app home screen.

As tutorial example, we are going to set an overnight silent period between 21:30 and 04:30 in the morning.

1. Tap “Silent Periods” from the app home screen. The “Silent Periods” screen is displayed.
2. On line number 1, tap the numbers under the “Starting” column. A time picker is displayed.
3. On the outer ring of numbers, tap the “21” for the hours. The time picker will be ready for you to pick the minutes.
4. Tap 30 for the minutes, then tap “OK”. The time picker will disappear and you will see your chosen time on line 1 “Starting”.
5. Using steps 2 through 4 as a guide pick 04:30 for the “Ending” time. Since you entered an ending time less than the starting time, the app knows you selected an overnight silent period.

A screen with the days of the week is displayed with light bulbs that you can tap to turn off. When the bulb if off the app ignores the silent period set on the days you have turned off.

That’s it.

I hope you like this app.

New features

Android introduced changes in the operating system that affected this app's ability to silence the chimes when you are on a phone call. I coded around those changes and the app now again will not chime while you are on a call.

App Permissions

Allows applications to open network sockets.
Allows an application to write to external storage.
Allows using PowerManager WakeLocks to keep processor from sleeping or screen from dimming.
Allows read only access to phone state, including the phone number of the device, current cellular network information, the status of any ongoing calls, and a list of any PhoneAccounts registered on the device.
Allows access to the vibrator.
Allows an application to receive the ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED that is broadcast after the system finishes booting.
Allows an application to read from external storage.