Switched On: Pimp My Rise
posted Feb 2nd 2005 1:40PM
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a weekly column about the future of technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment:History tells us (but only over a quiet candlelit dinner) that the primitive man would often have trouble getting out of the cave early enough for the hunt. Rather than rely on natural stimulants such as daybreak or the consumption of a limb by a predator, he would ask a more reliable cavemate to guide him from slumber. Cave drawings show that the first human to serve this role, named Noodge, pioneered a very effective technique that only distant descendants would appreciate as an advanced application of physics. As far as the silly caveman knew, he was simply being hit in the head with a rock.
Fast-forward a few hundred thousand years to when science brought us the alarm clock. While much more sophisticated than the rock of ancient times, it did not prove significantly more effective at waking consumers at first. The product was nearly deemed a failure until someone took the cord used to sling it at the sleeping party and plugged the device into a wall. Consumers rejoiced in the new freedom from concussions, oblivious that they had set in motion a turn of events that would ultimately lead to the much more painful morning radio "zoo" show.
Since its early days, the alarm clock has seen many changes. It made the transition to digital display. It incorporated the cassette, the CD, and even in some instances, the cordless phone. Many models now offers such functionality as automatic time setting, dual alarms, countdown timers, battery backup and snooze (a real sleeper feature). An alarm clock feature is conveniently built into many cell phones these days. You can't miss it - fourth deck down, eighth menu item.
Alarm clocks have also gone upscale. Bose, Cambridge Soundworks, and other audio brands have recreated the devices as �table radios� that sell for hundreds of dollars. Even The Sharper Image turned a matched set of two clocks into stereo speakers, complete with a matching subwoofer, that play from either side of the bed. It was innovative in an ionic-breezy, sound-soothing kind of way.
Yet, alarm clocks continue to be perceived as the Rodney Dangerfields of consumer electronics. We know this because they are, along with tanning beds, electric toothbrushes, metal detectors and bug zappers, one of only five products that someone is not trying to turn the Mac mini into. A few years ago, a startup named Simple Devices (which of course made no devices at all) designed a product called SimpleClock that could stream music and pertinent morning bits such as weather and traffic from the PC. However, buying one proved not so simple as it was never put into production.
This year, though, at least two companies will heed the wake-up call for the next generation of alarm clocks. Philips will release the PS110, a white miniature boombox that fits in the palm of one�s hand. Rather than use CDs, it has 256 MB of flash memory that can be filled with MP3s from a PC. Unfortunately, there�s no flash memory card slot, but it has an opportunity to bring the travel alarm into the 21st Century.
Valuing service over small size, Oregon Scientific will use Microsoft�s MSN Direct service to expand the high end of its weather station business. Rather than relying on a sensor outside the home, these devices will have the weather and forecasts delivered through wireless data broadcasts. It remains to be seen whether this will incur the subscription fee of SPOT watches or whether a basic level of service can be underwritten, as Ambient Devices has done. It�s a natural extension of automatic time-setting that also relies on wireless data.
Whether it�s beamed from some distant source or from the PC over the home network, though, there is an opportunity to enrich the waking experience. Perhaps if we could be gently alerted to relevant daily details like pertinent news, weather, and to-dos, a fun horoscope or an inspirational quote of the day, we could face the day more easily. There has to even be some offbeat revenue potential here for a branded information source such as Yahoo! But, if not, we can always count on the rock.
Ross Rubin is director of industry analysis at NPD Techworld, a division of market research and analysis provider The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On, however, are his own. Feedback is welcome at fliptheswitch@gmail.com.
At least technology has come a very, very long way; medieval alarm clocks consisted of candles that monks lit and stuck between their toes. When the wax burned low... well, you can guess what happened then. They woke up, that's for sure.
Wow, that column could've been shortened to:
"Status quo: alarm clocks are ugly. Soon: two companies will introduce cool alarm clocks."
That "history" of alarm clocks was unnecessary and terribly cliched. Honestly, I've been disappointed time and again by these Switched On columns; this is just a new low point.
indeed, that was pretty stupid
almost as bad as the title
You forgot to mention the clever Native American Indians, who used to drink copious amounts of water the night before a big hunt or raid, so that they would be woken by a bulging bladder before the sun rose.
What, no mention of the clock that dangles over your head from a retractable cord that retracts further and further away from you until you have to physically get out of bed to turn it off?
Kent Wong doesn't get it. Dude, it's not The Economist. These columns have been great -- on point and entertaining. That Christmas poem parody was hilairious.
I want an alarm clock which is really difficult to turn off, and makes a really annoying noise so I have no choice to turn it off. Preferably not mains powered, some sort of Li-Ion polymer battery stops me from taking the easy option of pulling the plug. What would be cool is if it flashed up a number sequence on the clock which you then had to type in to turn it off - by that time I would be awake, and mildly annoyed - yet satisfied that the alarm clock had done it's job.
Thanks for the chuckle! I think a lot of people are looking for a way to wake up. With the rise of knowledge work over factory work, and the need for being more of a self-starter, the waking experience is really ready for some enhancement. I try with a timer set to turn on a lamp and some speakers hooked up to my MP3 player, but that gradual room brightening and increase in volume would be a huge help on dark mornings where I live.
http://gmail.google.com/gmail/a-770150fddf-8883581811-55f63dfddc
A real advancement is when an alarm clock gets you out of bed. I'be buying one of these soon... http://www.sonicalert.com/htm/clock.htm
I happen to use one of my PocketPCs as my high-tech (and yet at the same time oddly ineffectual) alarm clock. Having fifteen different "Remind me again in so-and-so minutes/hours" settings on the snooze button tends not to be the best thing in the world for getting you to wake up.
WakeYoo - the recordable alarm clock. http://www.wakeyoo.com.
It's simple. We all have more imagination than a beep beep and at under $20 it's the best alternative to an alarm clock.
Thanks for the idea, I'll use my mini Mac as an alarm clock.