[cj]

> the browser simply wasn't viable because there's no taskbar timer.

Chrome supports badges on chrome extensions. E.g. I've built a chrome extension that shows an "On" badge when it's activated in the current tab. Via the same mechanism you could display the number of minutes remaining.

Edit: Random article showing this in action: https://dev.to/paulasantamaria/chrome-extensions-adding-a-ba... -- also, no idea if it's supported in v3

[lelanthran]

> Chrome supports badges on chrome extensions.

Then it's not a browser app anymore, it's a chrome app. Maybe not even that, it's a chrome app that needs a specific extension as well?

I'm using Firefox. Having to install Chome+extensions just for a pomodoro app is extremely unappealing to me.

[refulgentis]

Nah, you’re reaching too far to neg your interlocutor, been available for mobile for years and even Safari finally shipped it

[z3t4]

I think most popular browsers support badges in standard mode (no extension or webapp mode needed). A fallback would be to change the favicon and/or the window title and tab color.