Gizmodo: Alarm Clocks

Silent Alarm Clock Wakes You Up With Good Vibrations, Smooths Roommate Relations

Elaine Chow — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EDT

Back when I was in college, one of my most frustrating experiences involved a roommate in my dormitory apartment who mistakenly believed that she would be able to wake up daily for her 8:30am lecture series. Said roommate could sleep through an elephant parade. Oh how I seethed in the mornings as I clutched my pillow to my head, begging for the noise to pleasepleaseplease just STOP. If only this alarm were available back then. The Silent Alarm Clock, designed by Johan Brengesjo, uses a wireless rubber ring that vibrates to wake you up in a tactile, noiseless fashion. Though it's just a concept device right now, somebody ought to make and market one right quick. Think of how many friendships it could save! [Yanko Design]

Question of the Day: Do You Use an Alarm Clock or Your Cellphone to Wake Up?

Sean Fallon — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:00:00 EDT

As my cellphone chimed early this morning, I thought to myself in a groggy haze whether or not the majority of people out there have ditched the trusty alarm clock in favor of the cellphone alarm. After all, we already know that the cellphone has taken a big bite out of the wristwatch market, and it only seems logical that a similar phenomenon is occurring with alarm clocks as well. So, the question is: do you use an alarm clock, your cellphone, or something else entirely to wake up in the morning?

Tyrant Alarm Clock Says “Good Morning” by Hijacking Your Phone to Make Random Calls

Sean Fallon — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:05:00 EDT

The “Tyrant” concept by designer Alice Wang is the latest in a growing line of alarm clocks designed to torture their owners into facing the day. Instead of loud alarms, helicopter attachments and early-morning feats of hand-eye coordination, the Tyrant doles out punishment by hijacking your cellphone contact list and making random calls every three minutes until you get up to turn it off.

Again, this device is just a concept, but I think that Alice is on to something here. The only thing that it needs to be truly effective is message playback. Something like automated drunk dialing—only more devastating. For example, record: “Hey sexy, it's me. Listen, I had to call because I had another dream about you last night. I can't get you out of my mind.” The horrifying thought of that message being delivered to your father at 6:00 in the morning is enough to get anyone out of bed. [Alice Wang via Josh Spear]

Hanging Alarm Clock: Blissful Sleep is Always Just Out of Reach

Sean Fallon — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT

Back in 2005 a designer named Hayat Benchenaa developed a concept alarm clock that was suspended from the ceiling. When the alarm sounded in the morning, all you needed to do was give it a smack to continue snoozing. However, doing so would cause the alarm clock to retreat further towards the ceiling, making it more difficult to reach the next time around. Apparently his design has made it into production (or someone beat him to the punch) with a version of the Hanging Alarm Clock that you can actually buy.

The new and improved device functions almost exactly like the concept version, except you must actually press the snooze button instead of smacking it. It also features the Close Encounters theme as the alarm sound—which is a nice touch. All in all, it promises to be the most annoying way to wake up this side of the flying alarm clock. Available for about $40. [Crazyaboutgadgets via GeekAlerts]

iHome IP99 iPhone Alarm Clock Wakes You Up With No Buzz

Adrian Covert — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:10:00 EDT

IHome today revealed their new IP99 alarm clock/iPhone dock specificially designed to shield out the rather annoying TDMA buzz associated with the iPhone and other GSM phones. The IP99 is the latest to protect against the buzz (the Altec-Lansing we reviewed in February also does this), as this is becoming desirable feature in the speaker docks. The 10W gadget makes use of iHome's Reson8 audio system, which produces pretty decent sound, given the size and price of their devices. The iHome IP99 will sell in June for $150. [iLounge]

Home-Appliance Alarm Clocks, Wake You by Simulating Real Thing

Kit Eaton — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:18:54 EDT

Forget boring alarm clocks: now you can buy an alarm toy that looks like a washer, and shows bubbles and vibrates like it's on spin cycle to wake you. Or one that looks like a '60s fridge, but has a radio hidden inside, or even a blender that spins and plays '70s game show themes. How about an iron look-alike clock with a speaker on its foot, an FM radio and a plug to connect up your MP3 player? Or a stove version? They're dubbed "Homade," (no, seriously they are) all take AA batteries and are available for between $17 and $20. And you want one, you know you do. [Homeloo via DVice]

New Puzzle Alarm Clock Tests Your Early AM IQ

Wilson Rothman — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:30:00 EDT

At the moment you wake up, how smart are you? If you're like me, your answer is "not very." Which is why I hate some jerk for teasing me with this IQ-test alarm clock. We've seen puzzle alarm clocks before, but none that try your cognitive skills in this manner when all you wanted to do was sleep in for another two hours. Then again, how smart can you possibly be if you take the time to insert yellow triangle, red star and green hexagon in their proper niches instead of simply hurling the base across the room until it goes "crack"? [Urban Trend] Thanks Gina!

Rubiks Cube Alarm Clock Puts a Twist Into Telling Time

Sean Fallon — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:30:00 EDT

If this were just a simple clock shaped like a Rubiks Cube it would be cool. Throw in the ability to twist the top row to switch between time, temperature, alarm and date modes and it becomes awesome. Plus, it is priced at an affordable $24.98 and you never have to endure the shame of being unable to solve it. [What on Earth via GeekAlerts]

Pix-L UMPC Concept For Bedtime Browsers

Sean Fallon — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:30:05 EDT

The Pix-L UMPC concept from Jean Hong is designed primarily for those who feel compelled to hit the internet first thing in the morning and just before they go to sleep. It even features an alarm clock dock and a design that allows you to flip the device over for easy browsing while lying on your stomach. I don't know if the execs at Microsoft will be clamoring for this design anytime soon, but the idea of integrating the mobile PC into our daily lives in this way is intriguing. Additional pic after the break.

[Jean Hong via Tuve via DVICE]

Build Your Own Internet Connected Alarm Clock

Sean Fallon — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:00:52 EDT

If you love DIY projects, and you take your alarm clocks seriously, this little project from DJ Delorie should be right up your alley. Using a PIC24FJ64 microcontroller, ENC28J60 Ethernet chip, MP3 decoder chip, an organic LED graphical display and a 24LC512 EEPROM for storage, Delorie managed to make an alarm clock that can automatically set the time, stream MP3s, and be managed remotely. Hit the link and click "Entry" for instructions on how to build one yourself. [Circuitcellar via Make via Unplggd]

Quaker Oats Working on an Oatmeal-Making Alarm Clock

Adam Frucci — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:10:00 EST

The brilliant minds at Quaker Oats are currently hard at work on an alarm clock that'll prepare a steaming bowl of oatmeal for you just as it wakes you up. Containing an insulated milk container, a clock and a heater, it's got all the necessary equipment to make sure you stave off hunger with some hearty oats before work. Also, uh, diabeetus. That's all I've got; it's Friday afternoon, people, and I spent too much time on the retarded image you see to the left. Take what you can get. [Daily Record via Gadget Lab]

Laser Target Alarm Clock: There is No Way I'm Doing This in The Morning

Sean Fallon — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:20:28 EST

The Gun Operated Alarm Clock was a good conceptual design, but the Laser Target Alarm Clock has two things that its predecessor lacks. First off, it is vastly more challenging (and therefore annoying). Second (and most importantly) this device is an actual product. As you might have guessed, in order to turn the alarm clock off in the morning, you have to hit the bullseye with the included handheld laser gun. F that S. [Product Page via TFTS]

Digital Clapperboard Alarm Clock Looks Like the Real Thing

Charlie White — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:30:00 EST

We've shown you a digital clapperboard alarm clock before, but it was lame compared with this one. The Digital Clapperboard Alarm Clock reminds me of the real digital slates we use in professional show business. We're not sure how distracting its display would be if you wanted to use it as an alarm clock on your bedside table, since it appears to be able to constantly zip by hundredths of a second on its brightly lit display. Our favorite feature? You smack down the clapperboard to silence the alarm. Proclaim yourself director by chalking in your name on the bottom, but don't be surprised if you find your name erased the next day, replaced by somebody else. Yeah, everybody wants to be the director. Might be the perfect $36 Christmas gift for that aspiring auteur on your list. [Chinavasion, via TFTS]

Orgasmo Clock: Wake Up to a Female Orgasm Everyday

Sean Fallon — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:40:50 EST

Long for the sound of a female having an orgasm while in bed? Well, it is time to make that dream a reality, my friend. Not an actual, living woman mind you—I mean, let's be realistic here. I'm referring to this sleek-looking Orgasmo Clock. Just set the alarm and you will be gently coaxed from your slumber with the soothing sounds of a woman getting her rocks off. Not as good as the real thing, but certainly better than the irritating alarm from most clocks. Available for $25. [Product Page]

Bedroom Experimentation: Four Devices Exciting Enough to Put You to Sleep

Charlie White — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:00:00 EST

Okay, you caught us. We've been sleeping on the job, but only because we want to help you, dear reader, to get a better night's sleep and ease out of bed the next day, no worse for the wear. Come along with us into the world of sleep-enhancing and wakeup gadgets, where there are snake-oil salesmen trying to sell you a sack of goods, and others peddling products that actually work. We're here to help, testing out this stuff, subjectively determining which of these devices are legit, and which ones merely add pointless bells and whistles to your nightly cycle. Here we separate the best from the rest, searching for the perfect devices to help us sleep, perchance to dream.

We'll rate each product with Z's, with five Z's (ZZZZZ) being a complete relaxation-inducing miracle, and one Z leaving us frustrated and tired.
1. Pzizz: Available in either software-only ($29.95) or in a attractively-designed mp3 player ($147), Pzizz talks you into sleep or a nap, but frankly, the voiceover announcer was just distracting. Akin to hypnosis, he coos you into slumberland with a duration you can set, telling you to wake you up at the end, after which an alarm sounds. He seriously says: "Thoughts are just thoughts and not reality," while so-called soothing music plays. Worst of all, he kept mentioning my body, pronouncing it "baw-dee." Maybe with the voice turned off, some sleepers might find the new-agey music soothing, but for me, uh, no. Too distracting. Rating: Z [Pzizz]

2. NeverLate Executive Alarm: I never considered sleeping to be a group sport—until I got married. This sophisticated $59.95 clock/radio can handle even the most complicated sleep schedules for two people. You can set seven different daily alarms, different times for different days of the week, and separate alarms for your special someone. It lets you plug in your music player via aux input, and you can augment its weak speakers with your choice of powered speakers out of its headphone jack. It's even sporting a USB port in the back, but alas, only to power devices such as those USB humping dogs; no data transfer. Its reverse backlight was too bright even on its dimmest setting. Even so, if you have complicated schedules, are a power napper or need complete control over your life, this is the clock/radio for you. Rating: ZZZ [American Innovative]

3. Roku SoundBridge Radio ($250) I've tried all kinds of clock radios and alarm clocks, but none are as unobtrusive as this Roku SoundBridge Radio. It does great things, such as connecting via Wi-Fi to your PC and streaming audio from there (but no AAC tunes you bought from iTunes), or playing Internet radio stations from all over the world. But its best feature by far is its ability to slowly fade out its music when you go to sleep and ease into the music the next morning. That, combined with niceties such as kickass sound and a super-easy-to-use on-off/volume control, makes this a big winner and sleeper's friend. If it just had Sirius or XM satellite radio, it would be perfect. Rating: ZZZZ [Roku Labs]

4. Sleeptracker Pro: If you don't mind wearing a watch while you sleep, try this. It works with an on-board motion sensor, and by using proprietary algorithms it can tell if you're sleeping deeply (what researchers call "delta sleep"), or at a lighter stage. You assign it a 20-minute window to wake you up in the morning (or choose up to 90 minutes with this new Pro model), and it picks a time in that window when you're sleeping your lightest to wake you. At the end of that cycle, if it hasn't detected a light sleep cycle within your designated time window, it goes ahead and either awakens you to a vibrating alarm or a noisy one, your choice of one or both. We tested it on two subjects here at our Midwest Test Facility, and both found that it woke both of us up when our bodies were most ready for it, resulting in a more refreshed return to consciousness.

This past month, Sleeptracker introduced this Pro model we tested ($179), and you can now download each night's sleep data onto a PC. It can only store one night's data at a time, so you'll need to download that onto your PC each day. With the included software, you can then see how well you slept last night, statistically speaking. Check it out:

Notice in the six sleep sessions shown here (we tested it for 12), the hash marks indicate a light sleep phase, and the spaces between those marks are the deep sleep phases. We found it fascinating to see how well we slept all graphed up in front of us like that. That's right, the one who gets up at 6am is me, and all because of you fine readers. On one of the days, i got up at 6 but set the alarm for 10, and the result was wakeful dots added about every 8 minutes while I was working. So there it is, proof that I am indeed awake while writing!

This Sleeptracker actually works, picking just the right time to wake us up every morning. I also liked its quiet vibrating alarm, waking me up without disturbing my lovely wife. And, it's a kick to see exactly how well you slept, downloaded into your PC (sorry, no Mac version yet). No, the Sleeptracker's tricks can't totally make up for getting just six measly hours of sleep, but it made me feel way better than waking up to the SCREEE-SCREEE-SCREEE of ye olde clock/radio. Rating: ZZZZZ [Sleeptracker]

Dr. Light Alarm Clock Sheds Light on Your Circadian Rhythms

Charlie White — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:50:26 EDT

This one of the more misleading alarm clocks we've seen lately. The Dr. Light Alarm Clock lamp looks like its mother was an iPod and its father was some kind of Jetsons-imitating telephone. That doesn't mean this alarm clock/lighting instrument is without merit; it has LEDs lined up on its front to simulate dawn and dusk, playing tricks on your circadian rhythm so you can get to sleep and wake up easily, even if you've drunk a half-gallon of Jägermeister. Well, it's not a miracle worker, but at $25, what do you expect? [TFTS]

Waterdrop Weather Station Has New Shape, Mostly Old Features

Charlie White — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:15:05 EDT

Weather stations come in all shapes and sizes, and here's another one to add to that collection, the Waterdrop Weather Station from Sharper Image. While it's supposed to be shaped like a water drop, we think it looks more like a red egg, or worse, a drop of blood. Besides its unusual look, it has the usual features of weather stations of this ilk, including an iconized forecast (this one's color-coded, though), indoor temperature and outdoor temperature and humidity, an alarm clock that's regulated by the atomic clock, and then a graph that shows you 24 hours' worth of barometric pressure readings. We especially like the hands-free infrared sensor that lets you magically wave your hand to turn off its alarm. You'll pay extra for that and its eggcellent shape—it's $119.95. [Sharper Image, via Weather Snob]

Multibook is a Lamp, Charger and Alarm Clock, Disguised As an Ordinary Book

Charlie White — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:45:00 EDT

The Multibook by Italianos Dante Donegani and Giovanni Lauda offers three conveniences in one handsome package that looks a whole lot like a book. From the angle of the Multibook's spine, it appears to be a conventional alarm clock, displaying the date and time. Behind a diffuser (situated where the book's pages would be) are 74 LEDs that emit soft light. Open the book and inside are three sockets into which you can plug your chargers and hide away cellphones or media players along with all their attendant wires. Find a way to hide the AC cable leading to it, and this could be a great way to remove clutter from your desk or bedside table. It's $217, but only available in Euro-style 220-volt configuration so far. [Rotaliana, via Technabob]

Unique Alarm Clock Turns Your MP3 Player Into a Joystick Controller

Sean Fallon — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:40:33 EDT

MP3 player alarm clocks are nothing new—but MP3 alarm clocks that allow you to use the player as a joystick toggle control definitely are. If this concept design titled YOM by Philipp Goeder ever sees the light of day, you would be able to do just that. When the MP3 player is inserted into the USB port on top, it can be used as a joystick that can be shifted right, left and forward to toggle through playlists. It seems that the YOM would work best with a player with a narrow form factor, and there would be a little hand-eye coordination challenge in the morning, but it is an interesting design nonetheless. [Yanko Design]

Oregon Scientific Weather In Motion Clock Keeps an Eye on You and the Weather

Charlie White — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:12:43 EDT

Here's Oregon Scientific's next trick with atomic alarm clocks that tell you the old in/out temperature and forecast, and this one has a motion sensor that reacts to your presence. When you're viewing the Oregon Scientific Weather In Motion from a distance, it tells you the day of the week and the time in big numerals, with an icon showing you its interpretation of the weather forecast. Move a little closer, and it helpfully gives you more info about the inside and outside temperature (gathered from a wireless module), moving the time data to a smaller size. If you'd rather not feel like you're under surveillance by a goddamn clock, set it to dissolve between one display and the other every five seconds. Neat stuff for 50 bucks. Oregon Gadgets, via Technabob and Oregon Scientific]

Mr. Clock Robot Alarm Doesn't Take No for an Answer

Sean Fallon — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 20:20:59 EDT

If you need a little extra incentive to wake up in the morning, the Mr. Clock Radio may be just what you need. He can wake your lazy ass up in one of 30 different ways—from gentle coaxing to flat-out drill sergeant-style orders. He can even tell fortunes, read the time aloud, wink and blink, react to light or motion, and play music via AM, FM or iPod/MP3. Just remember that this little bastard costs $79.99 before you go punching him in the face. [SkyMall via 7Gadgets]

SpongeBob Soaks Up New Nickelodeon Npower Series

Benny Goldman — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 20:51:19 EDT

We got a chance to see Nickelodeon's new Npower line of consumer electronics at ShowStoppers at DigitalLife. The clear winners in my mind were the Flash Micro Digital Camera, complete with de-pantsing ability, the all-eyes Digital Music Player, and the fist-friendly Clock-it alarm clock. Sorry, Dora the Explorer just wasn't cutting it for me. Check the annotated gallery below to see more. Nickelodeon Npower

Grenade-Shaped Alarm Clock Requires Wall Impact To Shut It Off

Adrian Covert — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 17:56:10 EDT

If you need a way to kickstart your mornings, or just really hate waking up before 3pm, this trio of alarm clocks may pique your interest. The alarm clocks are shaped like a grenade, soccer ball or baseball and are covered in a soft PVC material for reasons of safety. It features a sensor that shuts off when its thrown against a wall, floor or the poster cutout of your boss that you scream epithets at on a daily basis. But of course, something this cool only exists in Japan. [Trends In
Japan via UberReview]

Alarm Clock Thinks It's a Light Bulb

Charlie White — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 12:15:00 EDT

Here's an alarm clock that mocks those old-timey incandescent bulbs, packing LEDs inside to show how those tiny diodes can run circles around antiquated tungsten filaments. From a Korean company called 10x10, its LCD panel in front shows you the usual time and temperature info, but it's that glow emitting from within that makes this cheap little trinket a thing of tacky beauty.

It's a good thing there are LEDs lighting up this $12 clock, too, because it runs on four AA batteries, and the energy-saving characteristics of LEDs will come in handy in the power saving department. The device's main trick is cycling through all those colors, and of course, waking you up in the morning. But then, with such a glorious light show going on, who would ever want to go to sleep? [10x10, via Sci Fi Tech]

Mustek TravelFoto Desktop Digital Photo Display/Alarm Clock

Charlie White — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 13:32:50 EDT

If you're out on the road and you forget what your honey looks like, this Mustek TravelFoto Desktop Digital Photo Display/Alarm Clock will pictorially remind you, and wake you up the next morning, too. However, its 128x128 pixel display is not going to be much for perusing your favorite porn, and given its 1.5-inch size, you might need a magnifying glass to truly enjoy it. That said, the company says you can fit 70 photos in its flash memory, while not specifying its exact capacity.

So is this going to be like that old joke where the woman complains about the shitty food at a restaurant, and then adds that the portions are too small? Perhaps so. But the small number of photos this unit can accommodate might be a good thing, since you must feed them into it via poky USB 1.1. On the upside, you'll know how long that transfer is taking by glancing at the time of day displayed on its LCD, and it even helpfully tells you the indoor temperature. It's all yours for $39.99, shipping next month. [Mustek]

Ring, The Vibrating Alarm

Charlie White — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 08:57:47 EDT

Here's a design concept that's long overdue: It's a vibrating alarm that you wear on your finger, bypassing all that morning racket for a gentle jostling. Each of the two rings can have its own separate wake-up time, designed for comfort with an elastic band so you'll hardly know you're wearing it.

When you wake up, place the ring on its charging stand, and its indicator light lets you know when its power's replenished.

This design is especially appropriate for two bedmates who must awaken at different times, or for the hearing impaired. However, some users may sleep so deeply they don't even feel that tingling on the finger. Perhaps it could also be designed with a Taser-like electric shock. On second thought, that may not be very popular feature. [Yanko Design]

Audiocron Audible Clock, the Faceless Alarm for Counters

Charlie White — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 10:00:05 EDT

If you don't feel like opening your eyes in the morning, or if you're blind, you'll love this $25 Audiochron Audible Clock, a faceless timepiece that plays charming bell sounds instead of showing you what time it is. You can set it to chime on the hour or half hour, or it will just start its little binging and bonging (heh heh, he said bonging) every time you touch it, making one sound for the hours and another for the minutes.

That could mean hearing a lot of noises, and counting, not bad if you're someone who likes to count crows on a clothesline. Take the jump to see a video of this 5-inch clock that looks like a doorknob singing its lovely song, which is quite pleasant at first but might turn into a nightmare after about a week.

This must be a real bitch to set. Couldn't they have just put a little LED face on it, too? – Charlie White

Product Page [Think Geek, via Oh Gizmo]

Bomba Alarm Clock Refreshingly Old

Wilson Rothman — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 09:26:40 EDT

Dutch designer Will Vanden Vos takes an old style and gives it a new look. In much the same way of older clocks and information boards (like the ones you used to find in airports, and still see in many train stations), the Bomba Alarm Clock displays time by dropping the top half of the card down, exposing the number behind. But what's most eye- catching is the exposed machinery.

With so many gears promising to twist and turn, it's nice that Mr. Vos decided to eschew any sort of covering for his clock. It's a shame there's no video to be found. The numbers are a nice, rounded typeface, come lit by blue and white LEDs, and probably make that signature flip card "tick" when the time changes. No word on what kind of noise it makes when the alarm goes off, but you can find out for yourself for $80 from Japanese importer Visions Coax.

As a side note for any of you overly wealthy Gizmodo fans: Grab a few dozen of these, sit back, and take a trip back to the old flip-board days when TVs lacked color and you ate your morning cereal with cream. – Kevin Hall

Product Page [Visions Coax via Technabob]

Fluffy Alarm Clocks Awaken Your Tackiest Impulses

Charlie White — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 09:13:30 EDT

Mother's Day is coming up, and you know what that means: Time to break out the kitsch. Here are two perfect candidates, these fluffy alarm clocks by Luft, and hey, one of them even looks like an old-fashioned iMac.

Sure, we showed you that Glo Pillow techno-pillow clock yesterday, but that one isn't even real yet and will probably cost you a ton o' money. Here's the real thing, waking you up and embarrassing you if anyone else sees it in your house. And that joy, that comfort of knowing you have the tackiest taste on the whole cellblock—now that's certainly priceless. – Charlie White

Interesting Desk Clock (Chinese) [163.com, via Spluch]

Glo Pillow Simulates Sunrise to Gently Wake You Up

Charlie White — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 09:48:16 EDT

Say goodbye to that obnoxious alarm clock, scaring you out of bed every morning with its cacophonous din. Now you can rage against the dying of the light with the Glo Pillow, gently waking you up with soft LED lights, slowly increasing their brightness over 40 minutes just like the sunrise. Also embedded under a few layers of cushiony foam is a digital display, perfect for those who sleep with their heads completely buried face down into the pillow.

Even though this tech seems far-fetched, the pillow's display and lighting are designed around an LED woven substrate that's been actually demonstrated by Philips. But the Glo Pillow is just a design concept so far, and a few problems have yet to be worked out, such as, would a serious bout of night sweats turn into a shocking experience? It also might be a bit daunting to spend, say, $1000 on a pillow just so you can go gentle into that good night, but nobody's talking price just yet. – Charlie White

Glo Pillow Gently Wakes You In 40 Minutes [Yanko Design]

LED Clock Gives You That Timeless Sinking Feeling

Charlie White — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 15:40:00 EDT

The Sinking Clock by master clockist Ross McBride depicts a certain fatalistic and pathetic mindset whose pessimism is not necessarily representative of your humble Gizmodo narrators, but appreciated by all nonetheless. It's as if the poor thing was flung down onto a desktop and permanently embedded therein. Alas, it's just a design concept. Somebody build one of these so we can revel in its existential nothingness.

Now a request for Ross: draft a concept just like this one, except instead of an LED alarm clock slammed into a tabletop, make it look just like a Motorola Q half-buried in a brick wall. Then in late June (or maybe later), we'll actually construct one for you in a jiffy, just in time for the iPhone. – Charlie White

Design Page [Normal Design, via Oh Gizmo]

Voice Interactive Alarm Clock Takes Orders From You

Charlie White — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 12:15:00 EDT

We have a jones for voice recognition, and of course, there's that clock fetish that we can't seem to shake, so here's an alarm clock that satisfies both: The Voice Interactive Alarm Clock can actually hear you when you tell it to shut the fuck up (well, in so many words). You can also ask the thing what time it is, tell it to play back a recorded memo, and command it to turn on a night light. If you want to snooze, you just say "snooze," and if you're really out of it, its display even shows you the day of the week.

If you can't stand that honking buzzer that wakes you up every morning, you can get that comely young lady who spent the night at your place last weekend to record a good morning greeting for you on it, and then it will play that back at your designated time instead of those obnoxious and customary alarm noises.

If it weren't so dog-ugly, looking like a front of an Edsel or someone's mouth with his cheeks pinched together attempting to enunciate the phrase "Porky Pig," we might even be interested in something like this. Expected to ship on April 27th, it'll be $59.95. – Charlie White

Product Page [Hammacher Schlemmer]

Money-Grubbing BanClock Alarm Demands Cash to STFU

Charlie White — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 15:20:00 EDT

Okay, now the clocks have gone too far. The BanClock extorts money from you in order to shut the fuck up. Here's one device we hope will stay in Japan, where they're selling it right now for $50. But it looks like it would be easy to defeat, with a simple unplug instead of giving up the cash.

Even though we like its minimalist cube-shaped design and variety of primary and monochromatic colors, there's something about an extortionist alarm clock that rubs us the wrong way. Heck, we'd give them $50 to keep it out of our house. – Charlie White

Product Page (Japanese) [Plywood, via popgadget]

Song Bird Serenade Alarm Clock: Replace the Beep with a Cheep

www.gizmodo.com — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 07:21:03 EDT

There are two types of people in the morning: those who need a short, sharp shock in order to face the day, and those who like a gradual awakening. Well, for those of you in the latter group, the $29.95 Songbird alarm clock is for you.

The digital alarm comes with 27 different cards, each with 10 different types of birdsong, which slide into the clock to give you the chirp of your choice. Hard bastards will no doubt plump for the Birds of Prey version, clubbers can have Birds of the Night, and watersports aficionados will no doubt go for the Puddle Ducks. Who wouldn't like to be roused by a White Breasted Nuthatch singing her sweet song in their ear each morning? – Ad Dugdale

Product Page [Herrington Catalog via UberReview]

Time Table Gives You the Time on a Table Top

Charlie White — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 10:09:21 EST

Nice name for this design concept by Ross McBride, a table whose entire surface is coated with electroluminescent film that boldly reminds you what the heck time of day (or night) it is. If it starts bugging you, you can turn off its display manually or set a timer to shut it down at certain times of the day, and it has an alarm, too.

Yeah, yeah, we know this design has been around since 2004, but maybe its electroluminescent technology is a little closer to the realm of the possible. We wish. And then, well, we couldn't resist the punny name of the thing. – Charlie White

Time Table [Normal Design, via Crib Candy]

NightCove: Sleep System for Suckas

Charlie White — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 12:45:20 EST

As soon as somebody called this NightCove lamp a "sleeping solution," we knew we were in for some majorly expensive hooey. The idea is that a combination of different-colored light and some noises can put you to sleep and wake you up.

The purveyors of this lamp have put together soothing marketing materials that conjure up some wonderful, energizing and miraculous benefits, and it's all "based on medical and scientific research." Yeah, junk science.

How about this sleep solution: Turn off the lights, close your eyes, go to sleep. At $2300 for each one of these alarm clock/lamps, they urge you to buy two. Don't. – Charlie White

Product Page (pdf) [NightCove, via Coolest Gadgets]

A Camera in an Alarm Clock? I See No Sleazy Uses For That.

Adam Frucci — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 10:47:39 EST

If you've been dying to make some "home movies" with your significant other in the bedroom but keep getting shut down because she doesn't trust you to not put them on the internet (and really, why should she? You probably will.), the only thing to do is make videos without her knowledge. I mean, that's what any loving person who respects their partner would do, right?

You won't need to hide your camera in a pile of dirty laundry with this alarm clock with a hidden spy camera inside. At $330 it's pretty expensive, but you can't put a price on deceptive love. –Adam Frucci

ChipChick [via UberGizmo]

Danger Bomb Clock: Yet Another Obnoxious Alarm

Charlie White — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 08:38:00 EST

If you'd rather be shaken and not stirred out of bed in the morning, the Danger Bomb Clock is for you. First it makes a loathsome noise that's supposed to mimic an explosion, and then you must unravel some sort of secret code (and just how that's done is not quite clear in its description) by pushing its buttons in a certain order just to make the thing stop honking at you. Check out this elegant prose:

You'll be shaked out of bed with explosion sound. To stop the bomb, you have to pull out just one code from 3. The safty code is set randomly every morning. So thrilling!

Now available for pre-order, it ships March 16 for $31. Just don't take this insufferable alarm clock to work with you, especially if you live in Boston. – Charlie White

Fabric Clock: Altered States, But No Time Machine

Charlie White — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 08:04:47 EST

The Fabric Clock won't alter the fabric of time, but it might give a bit of unity to your decor. Use one of the three fabric swatches included with it, or swap out that material for one of your own to match your bedspread, curtains, or the nightie that babe sleeping next to you wore for about 10 seconds last weekend.

Although we can't figure out why the manufacturer used that plain plaid fabric to demo the red LED numerals peeking out from behind, it still is rather swank-looking with its walnut wood veneer and stainless steel trim. This just might be worth it for someone to gin up a US version; it's now available in the UK. – Charlie White

Product Page [Suck, via Sci Fi Tech]

DangerBomb Clock: Boom! You're an Idiot.

Adam Frucci — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 15:45:15 EST

Doesn't the morning suck enough without punishing yourself even more when you wake up? This DangerBomb Clock is cruel in two ways: one, it'll scare the crap out of you for a second when you first wake up, scaring you before you realized you were the dumbass who bought an alarm clock that looks like a bomb. Secondly, it'll frustrate you by forcing you to connect the colored wires correctly before the alarm shuts off.

What ever happened to waking up to annoying drivetime DJs and having the demeanor of a sociopath before you get a cup of coffee? Is that out of style? –Adam Frucci

Product Page [via Akihabara News]