Seriously? Headphones would drive me nuts all night though, they always hurt my ears after a while. Isn't there a quieter compromise, like lowering the actual device volume instead?

That sundial story is oddly profound. Always thought precision was everything, but you're right about forced slowness. My smartwatch gives me heart rate alerts, but it never makes me NOTICE my own pulse like estimating a shadow would. Now I'm nostalgic for gadgets that demand participation, not just consumption. Your grandfather's frustration with clouds sounds like a better relationship with time than any app could offer.