Gizmodo: Clocks

Atmos Clock Uses Changes In Temperature As Power Source

Adrian Covert — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:19:32 EDT

The Atmos 561 Clock, made by Jaeger LeCoultre and designed by Mark Newson, is powered entirely by changes in temperature and sits inside a block of crystal for good measure. According to The Watchismo Times, a change in temperature of one degree celsius can power the clock for two days.

A mixture of Ethyl Chloride and "gas" is what reacts to the temperature change and expands against a spring in a chamber, which then converts its stored potential energy into clock power and so on and so forth. Though not a new technology, this update is easy on the eyes, and that has to count for something. For more shots of retro Atmos clocks, check out [The Watchismo Times via Technabob].

Giant, Functioning LED Wristwatch is Actually a Table

Sean Fallon — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:50:00 EDT

The aptly titled 'Big Time' table from artist Lee J Rowland is, in fact, a giant wristwatch with a programmable LED clock. It has a touch button feature like a normal watch that allows the user to switch between time, seconds and date functions. You can even program it to display an 8 letter message of your choosing. As far as the table side of things is concerned, there are also slim utility drawers hidden somewhere in there so you can store coasters, silverware and the like. The price is available upon request, so you know it won't be cheap. However, if money is no object, chrome and gold finishes are also available. [Lee J. Rowland via BookofJoe]

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]

Big Time Digital Wall Clock: You've Finally Made It, Timex Watch Guy

Mark Wilson — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EDT

The Big Time Digital Wall Clock has no qualms about its place in your life. It's giving you the time. And doing it the big way. At over three feet wide and a foot and a half long, the Big Time clock features an admittedly stylish circuit board backing. Maybe we'd consider the purchase if it weren't so, you know, big. Available in four color schemes, the Big Time clock will set you back $130, but we're pretty sure that it doubles as a Big Time nightlight and Big Time tanning bulb if you're budget is smaller than your Big Time lifestyle. [Lazybone via 7Gadgets]

Get Around the Time with Lexon Around Clock

Kit Eaton — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Minimalist clocks pop up from time to time, and while sometimes they're just good enough for you to know it's "three-ish," the Around clock can actually let you know it's "three fifteenish." It's about as simple design as you can get: with a rotating dial and a red wire that tells you the time. From Lexon, it's available for $45. And you can't get that tune out of your head now can you? Round round get around.... [Acquire]

Car Projector Clock: If You Need One You Probably Shouldn't Be Driving

Sean Fallon — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:15:00 EDT

There are plenty of projector clocks on the market, but many of these are shaped like Batman and confined to bedroom use. However, Brando is bucking the trend with a projector clock designed to be used in the car. Naturally, the size of the date and time displayed is dependent on how far back you mount the device, but the bottom line is this: if you need to spend $32 on a device that projects and magnifies the time in your car, it is probably time to put the keys down and pick up a pair of glasses. [Brando via GeekAlerts via OhGizmo via Jalopnik]

Scramble and Progression Tokyo Flash Watches Aren't Totally Confusing

Kit Eaton — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:28:00 EDT

Just a few weeks ago I showed you the Infection watch, which was very much in the vein of befuddling time display that importer Tokyo Flash has become famous for. But now there're the new Scramble and Progression watches from Nekura, and it looks like their LED-backlit LCD displays are slightly more straightforward, if still funky. You can even chose the illumination color from a choice of six, or go for multicolor changing. Those straps are in engraved stainless steel too, and are "self-adjusting" somehow. Available now for about $124. [Geek Alerts]

Gigantic, Ceiling-Sized Digital Clock Threatens to Crush You with Time

Adam Frucci — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Do you ever feel like time is hanging over your head, adding apprehension and dread to your life? Like it could just crash down and kill you at any moment? Like time has an annoying buzz to it and that it throws a harsh, flat light? Either you have OCD or you've got one of these gigantic, florescent digital clocks hanging on your ceiling.

The clock, an art project by Realities United, is only two digits, so it can only show time in minutes. If you've got a good sense of what hour it is it shouldn't be too much of a problem, but having to tilt your head back to check the time might get annoying after awhile. Oh well, it certainly looks cool, and that seems to have been the point. [Realities United via New Launches and Core77]

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]

Lightning Review: Aluratek Wi-Fi Internet Radio Alarm Clock

matt buchanan — Wed, 07 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT

The Gadget: A Wi-Fi internet radio alarm clock from Aluratek, with over 11,000 free stations worldwide.

The Price: $199.

The Verdict: I actually like this thing a lot despite its laundry list of flaws—it's a bread-and-butter gadget that mostly works as advertised. It's got more radio stations than you could possibly ever listen to, from a good portion of the United Nations and organized into a bunch of different genres. Whether or not you want it basically comes down to how much you love radio, and if having thousands of stations on your alarm clock makes you tingly.

Here's what I dug: You can use any radio station (internet or otherwise) as your alarm. Bookmarks for your favorites, a necessity. The stations are about as well organized as you can hope for in cataloging thousands of them, and you can sort them by genre or location. Setup is simple, even without instructions. The sound and size aren't bad, though the bass could be a bit punchier. And I just like the concept of the thing—the core internet radio functionality works really well, above all.

Not groovy: The screen and UI are ugly, straight out of the early '90s. A significant issue is that the Wi-Fi receiver is weak—my DD-WRT router blasts the signal at 85mW, and on the other side of my apartment (which is by no means cavernous) two rooms away, I only got two bars. In a larger pad, this will be a problem. It lost service occasionally, requiring a reboot. And I never could get it to sync up with Windows Media Player, even though it saw my computer, and my computer saw it. Given these issues, $199 is just way too much, as much as I like this thing's soul. [Aluratek]

Two Timer Clock Does Dual Time Zones, Handy for Away-From-Home Bloggers

AddyDugdale — Thu, 01 May 2008 06:10:00 EDT

This name of this product is something to be cherished—way to go Industrial Facility, the guys behind this wall clock. A second dial gives the Two Timer a melted effect, and if I had one of these, maybe I wouldn't cock up my time stamps on Giz so much. Coming in two sizes and three colors—black, white and red, the Two Timer is available from up-and-coming furniture makers Established & Sons. [Dezeen]

Matchstick Clock Spells Out The Hours But Can't Tell Time

Jack Loftus — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EDT

Christiaan Postma's morphing, malleable matchstick clock is pretty amazing, though a tad flawed. A portion of the 150 white lines plastered about the clock's 160 cm by 160 cm face form a word corresponding to the hour of the day. If it's three o' clock, the area where the number three appears on a typical clock would read "three." As four o' clock approaches, "three" disassembles and "four" slowly takes shape. There is one omission that could be painful if you're trying to use it to, well, to tell time. See a time lapse photo of shifty clock in action and the reason for its failings after the jump.

Do you see the glaring issue with this shape-shifting timepiece yet? That's right, this "clock" doesn't have a minute hand. Another minor quibble: The immature among us can't rearrange the matchsticks into funny words, like "poop," "grundle," or "redrum," for example. [Christiaan Postma via Design Milk]

Icon Clock Merges Design With Telling Time

Jason Chen — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:10:00 EDT

We've got plenty of clocks around our home, but none of them are as minimal or as stylish as this Icon Clock. Each clock comes in all of one shade (but there are many colors to choose from) and feature two tongue depressor-ish hands. That's it. Pick the color that matches your motif and decorate away. Here's a secret to interior design from us. Let someone (not you) who doesn't think adding an iPod dock to a room will improve the ambiance. [GNR8 via Better Living Through Design via DVICE]

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]

Lifetime Clock Measures in Years

Jason Chen — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:00:54 EDT

There's nothing more depressing than seeing your entire lifespan condensed down into something as small and contained as a clock. Can we really measure a lifetime's worth of accomplishments (dick jokes) in a clock that ticks years instead of hours? Perhaps. Perhaps not. All we know is that this clock makes it easy to tell your family that your birthday's coming up soon (slyly gesture towards the clock). That, and our flu medication is really kicking in, so we'd better take care of ourselves if we ever expect to make it past 9 o'clock. [Life Clock via Szymon Blaszczyk via Technabob via Geekkologie]

Time Bomb Alarm Clock Wakes You Up With a Boom

Sean Fallon — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:20:08 EDT

Bomb themes and alarm clocks go hand in hand. We have seen it a number of times in the past, most notably with the Danger Bomb Clock. Both devices will attempt to wake you up with a loud explosion sound, but only the Time Bomb clock warns you with ominous ticking as the alarm approaches. Let me tell you, being a deep sleeper, I would appreciate the heads-up. After all, when something this loud wakes you up out of a coma, you are liable to drop a deuce right there in bed. Available for £19.99 (around $40) [Thumbs Up via Quinquil via Coolbuzz]

Vintage View-Master Clock: A Reminder That You Are Getting Old

Sean Fallon — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:00:19 EST

View-Masters were a part of just about everyone's childhood. For those trying to relive those days, Minnesota artist Debra Dressler has come up with these handmade clocks made with genuine vintage View-Masters. As you might suspect, "handmade" and "vintage" are usually codewords for "expensive," and at $145, that is pretty much the case here. However, if that is a little more money than you want to spend on a clock, you could probably build one using a newer View-Master fairly easily. [Uncommon Goods]

Aroma Waker Early Morning Scratch 'n' Sniff Technology

Kit Eaton — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 07:22:38 EST

Aroma Waker is a not-so-cunningly-named alarm clock that wakes you by emitting aromatherapy scents at a preset time. Its actually got two heated scent pots, so you can have a second dose of smells later in the day— perhaps to remind you it's lunchtime, to feed the cat, or a "warm welcome from a hard day's work" as designers Abiogenesis suggest. So, fragrant Giz readers, how would you like your olfactory glands to be aroused this morning?

The Aroma Waker is just a design concept, sadly, but a prototype is showing at the Wellcome Trust Sleeping and Dreaming exhibition in London until March 10th. [Abiogenesis via Yanko design]

New Atomic Clock Will Be Accurate for 200 Million Years

Sean Fallon — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:50:31 EST

Physicists at the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics have developed a new atomic clock that is so accurate, it will not lose a second of time in more than 200 million years. That makes the old atomic clock record holder and its 80 million year accuracy rating look like something you would get out of a gumball machine. According to designer Jun Ye, the secret to making such an accurate clock is to speed up how fast it ticks. That way, any errors will be immediately recognized. This particular clock "ticks" 430 trillion times per second. That's a hell of a lot of ticks. [Reuters]

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]

Oblong Gear Clock Anything But Conventional

Adrian Covert — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 15:20:59 EST

Now that timekeepers can be found on everything from computers to cellphones to dog collars (well, maybe not that), the wall clock lacks function, not to mention it's boring looking. This Oblong Gear Clock, however, eschews the round/proportionally square look for a tall, rectangular look thats jam-packed full of working gears. Even if the gears were just for show, I'd still like it just because it looks so nice. The Oblong Gear Clock can be yours now for $125. [Z Gallerie via 7 Gadgets]

Yet Another Gear Clock For You To Drool Over

Sean Fallon — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 20:50:12 EST

Gear clocks are nothing new, but each new design offers a little something different. You can watch in awe as the gears turn and display the hour, minutes, and seconds. It is almost hypnotic. And the best part is that it costs $20 —can you say cheap holiday gift? I sure can. [Product Page via GeekAlerts via BookofJoe]

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]

Lightning Alarm Clock Gets You Out of Bed at Lightning Speed

Haroon Malik — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 06:03:06 EDT

Obeying our alarm clocks is nigh on impossible, but with the Lightning Alarm Clock the incentive to exit from slumber may be enough to get us out of bed swiftly. The plastic, butt-ugly base containing the clock dial leaves a lot to be desired—until you see the upper half. A glass tube arches across the top housing a Tesla coil, and we all know that Tesla coils have more entertainment value than a small monkey that can dance, sing, act and navigate through a labyrinth whilst blindfolded on a bicycle.

Once the alarm activates the Tesla zaps, crackles and, what the hell, pops, too. The resulting effect looks like something Doc could have used to generate enough gigga watts to put Marty back in 1985. The electricity extravaganza should also be enough to get you out of bed to turn the damn thing off, either that or prepare your pay packet to be expended on one huge-ass energy bill. The shocktastic timekeeper stands 14.5", uses an AA battery, connects to a power outlet to generate the high voltage and retails at $59.95. [Product Page via Sci Fi Tech]

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]

Projection Clock Mixes Up Past and Future to Give You the Present Time

Charlie White — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:30:00 EDT

We've seen our share of projection clocks, but not like this futuristic bullet-shaped timepiece that tosses a clock face with Roman numerals onto your wall. Don't worry if it's too bright for you, you can dim that display, or even throw it out of focus if you want. Put it on the other side of the room and have a gigantic version of Big Ben filling up your room with timely illumination. Available in a couple of weeks, it'll cost you $99.95. [Plow & Hearth, via Oh Gizmo]

CB2's World Panel Clock is Sci-Fi Sexy

Haroon Malik — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 13:00:00 EDT

Our desks are so cluttered we have given up the fight for organization, and that is exactly why we are tempted by CB2's World Panel Clock. The transparent LCD display looks Star Trek awesome and has all sorts of useless information we would otherwise have on our desktops, including time and calendar functions.

As you well know, we are suckers for cool, as you can tell from our fantastic fashion sense...well, CB2's World Panel Clock certainly does have ample flair, with a brushed aluminum base and a slanted transparent display. The timepiece is battery powered, which will saves you adding to your wired disorganization and is available for a reasonable $24.95. The fight against unneeded, largely pointless gizmos is futile—we'll have one over here, please. [Product Page via Technabob]