First select an advance warning time of 5 to 30 minutes, or None, using the Warning Time selection box.

Check the audibility of the alarms.

After depositing coins in the real parking meter, enter the time showing on the meter as follows: Tap the keypad icon next to the "Enter Time" button to open the Soft Input Panel keypad. On the keypad, tap the time value, such as 20 for 20 minutes, or 120 for 1 hour 20 minutes; tap the "Enter Time" button to start the meter. The time value is in hh:mm (hours and minutes) format.

While entering time, use the Backspace key or Left Direction Arrow to backspace incorrect digits.

After starting, Meter Minder will count down the time entered, displaying hours and minutes remaining. The colon flashes on and off while timing is in progress.

If you have selected a Warning Time, warning beeps will sound for approximately a minute or until you tap the "Warning" button to turn it off.

After expiration, the alarm will sound until you tap the "OK" button or select menu Tools/Reset. The time since expiration will be displayed as hours, minutes, seconds until the meter is reset. This is the time "Over" the original meter time: It will help you decide whether to walk or run to your parking space.

If you ''feed the meter'' before it expires, select menu Tools/Reset, then enter the new time showing on the meter followed by the "Enter Time" button, as described above.

Menu Tools/Reset stops any timing in progress and sets the meter value to 00:00.

Power Settings

If the device powers off as a result of your Power Settings, Meter Minder will power the device back on automatically to issue a warning or expiration alarm. However, you must take notice of alarm events before the device powers off again! If the device powers off while a warning or expiration alarm is in progress, the consequences could be unfortunate.

It is your responsibility to acknowledge alarm events. We recommend a power setting of at least 2 minutes to power off while "on battery". This will give you at least 2 minutes to hear the expiration alarm, in the worst case.

Audibility

Make sure your device's volume is turned up to insure you can hear the Meter Minder's beeping in a noisy environment. Placing your device in a protective PDA carrying case, a handbag, or pocket may significantly dampen the sound! Turn your sound volume to the maximum setting.

To test the audibility, select a Warning Time of "None" then select menu Tools/Reset followed by menu Tools/Start. A time value of 00:00 will cause the expiration alarm to start immediately and it will contiue until you tap the OK button. You can also use menu Tools/Test to sound single-shot warning and expiration alarms.

Also available from Publish or Perish, a version of Meter Minder for Smartphone 2003.