"Timer" is built into network. The last 5000 coin reward is whomever finds block 34,750. Blocks after that are rewarded with 2,500 coins for each found block until the next halving, and so on...
Blocks are targeted to be solved every 2 minutes. Regardless if there is 100 terahashes, or 100 kilohashes per second on the network in total.
Multipool is in beta and not currently open to the public. They are hoping to open it on Saturaday to those who applied to the pool via email.
Actually that is not entirely correct. We are going from 2500 which is the current reward now down to 1250 or 1/4th the original amount of 5000.
This will be the second weekly block halving.
39,742 is the current block so now only 49 blocks or 98 minutes till reward is 1250 (down from 5000 then 2500 now 1250)
Next halving is in 7 days and that will take us to 625 coins reward or 1/8th the original amount.