FlipClock - Ad-free flip clock

Are you frustrated with clock apps that bombard you with ads and request numerous permissions? This open-source application offers a flip clock for your phone without any permissions required and free from advertisements.

You can easily switch between a 12-hour and 24-hour format by double tapping the screen, and rotate your device to toggle between landscape and portrait modes.

I’m uncertain about how to implement it as an Android screensaver because my background is in Linux development; I merely adapted it since SDL2 is compatible with Android. Additionally, I believe that screensavers are not commonly used on Android devices these days.

This app is perfect for repurposing an old, unused Android phone as a simple clock, especially considering they likely have an LCD display. However, I advise against using it for extended periods on OLED screens (which are prevalent in most newer phones) as displaying static images for long durations can cause burn-in issues.

Flip Clock Bliss: Pure, Unadulterated Timekeeping Elegance

My experience with this Flip Clock app has been a revelation of minimalist perfection—a defiant breath of fresh air in a landscape saturated with bloated, ad-infested utilities demanding unnecessary permissions. From the moment I installed it, its radical honesty struck me: zero permissions requested, no hidden trackers, utter silence where other apps scream with intrusive ads. This isn’t just a clock; it’s a principled statement—a digital sanctuary where time itself becomes the sole focus, undistorted by commercial noise.

The moment those crisp, retro flip-card digits snapped into place against a deep black background, I felt immediate serenity. The animations are mesmerizingly tactile—each flip audibly satisfying, mirroring the physicality of mid-century analog clocks. Double-tapping to instantly toggle between 12-hour and 24-hour formats feels like intuitive magic, while rotating the device seamlessly transitions between portrait’s classic vertical stance and landscape’s cinematic wideness. Every interaction is frictionless, intentional, purposeful—a triumph of thoughtful design.

I particularly admire the developer’s transparency about OLED burn-in risks—a rare touch of ethical pragmatism. Repurposing an old Android device as a dedicated bedside clock has been transformative; no glow, no distractions, just elegant, silently-ticking ambiance breathing new life into forgotten hardware. Even the app’s origin story—a Linux developer adapting SDL2 for Android—adds charm. Though the screensaver dream remains unfulfilled (for now), its absence feels trivial against such focused execution.

For anyone exhausted by surveillance capitalism masquerading as utility, this app offers liberation. It proves sophistication doesn’t require complexity. Here, time isn’t monetized—it’s honored. No frills, no lies, just pure, beautiful horology. Essential for digital minimalists, nostalgic aesthetes, and anyone craving silent integrity in their palm.

A note: Use on AMOLED sparingly, LCD generously—and let its quiet revolution inspire you.