Athan Editor's Review

If you were in any doubt that modern technology can mesh with ancient traditions, Athan is the answer.

The software carries out a straightforward task in an effective and efficient manner. The user simply inputs their location (choosing from six million cities and towns worldwide) and the application then calculates the correct times for the five daily calls to prayer, which are based on sunset and sunrise times.

At the appropriate times, the software then plays audio of the Athan, or call to prayer, in the same way the user would hear if near or in a mosque. A particularly neat touch is that the software also looks at the user's location and figures out the Qiblah: the correct way to point so the user can face Mecca as required during the prayers.

The software includes a wide range of prayers and also allows the user to choose different voices reciting the call to prayer at different times of day. For users who will be away from their computer, the software can also print out upcoming prayer times as far as a month in advance. There is also a handy converter for switching dates between the Hijri and Gregorian calendars. It's not a beautiful looking interface, but is effective and simple to use.

Pro's: Very simple to use; uses minimal system resources

Con's: May feel a little clinical for some users

Conclusions: An effective way to marry technology and tradition, allowing the information age to aid faith.