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That time France tried to make decimal time a thing
During the Revolution of 1789, France briefly considered converting the realm's clocks to run on a 10-hour day. It did not end well.
After Facebook and Google, the EU tackles... daylight savings
After holding tech giants to account with fines and legislation, the European Commission (EC) sights are now trained on a new target. The commission is polling EU residents to figure out whether it's time to reconsider daylight savings.
Physicists construct the most accurate clock the world has ever seen
Calling a clock the most accurate ever may sound like hyperbole, but physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colorado have built a pair of devices that can claim that title. The team used an optical lattice to address an issue that plagues atomic clockmakers: constantly shifting frequencies that negatively impact the accuracy of their measurements. For example, a single second can be defined by the frequency of light emitted by an atom when electrons jump from one state to the next, but those frequencies change as the atom moves. The optical lattice essentially suspends atoms to minimize the Doppler effect produced by that movement. By combining the lattice with the element ytterbium, the group was able to create a device that measures time with a precision of one part in 1018. To put that into perspective, Andrew Ludlow, one of the paper's authors, said, "A measurement at the 1018 fractional level is equivalent to specifying the age of the known universe to a precision of less than one second." To read more about the team's work, you can find the full PDF at the source.
IRL: Clocks for Mac, Pong Research iPhone 5 case and the BlackBerry Z10
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Is saying you need to keep track of six timezones a humblebrag? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but either way, don't expect an apology from Mr. Darren Murph -- the man is positively giddy about his new $3 Clocks app. You know who else won't be issuing any apologies? Jon Fingas, our resident Canadian smartphone nerd, who says the BlackBerry Z10 isn't half bad.
Custom clock pays homage to CPU, separates geeks from the squares (video)
Pop quiz: Can you tell what the device pictured above is? If you answered "a clock that represents the essential building blocks of a CPU while using binary and HEX numerals to display time," then you're certifiably crazy -- and correct. The brainchild of tinkerer extraordinaire Lior Elazary, the "CPU clock" mechanically emulates the application of computer concepts -- codes, instructions and checks -- to create a "simple" wall clock. To display the time, the middle register uses binary numbers to indicate the hour (a reading of "0010" indicates 2 o'clock, for example). For minutes, the clock uses the HEX numerals on the outer edge of the device, so "05" represents "5," "0A" indicates "10," and so forth. Keeping the clock up to date is a ball that goes around and activates the various levers to change the time. Given all its geeky goodness, this one easily takes the nerd cake from the wordy QLOCKTWO W and super flashy Sci-Fi watch. For a more clockwork-like explanation about its inner workings, check out the video after the break.
Biegert & Funk bring the literal time to your wristwatch with QLOCKTWO W
It's a common desire among everyday folk: we often say we'd like to read more, if only we had the time. While it's unlikely to fill your noggin with the prose of Hemingway or the poetry of Whitman, a new wristwatch from Biegert & Funk promises to quench your thirst for words and literally provide you with the time. Known as the QLOCKTWO W, the timepiece is a portable revision of the company's original wall clock, both of which display the current time in everyday language. Priced at €550, the watch is scheduled for arrival this autumn and will be available in black or stainless steel variations, with either rubber or leather bands. As another option, those who find English far too mundane may spring for the Deutsch version. Curious shoppers will find the full PR after the break.
Nuclear clocks could be 60x as accurate as atomic counterparts, less prone to errors
For years, atomic clocks have been considered the most accurate devices for tracking the slow march towards obsolescence, a subatomic particle vibrating a given number of times per second with relatively few issues. Now the reliability crown might be passed to the nuclear clock, which in addition to sounding gnarly, could prove to be less susceptible to errors from outside stimuli. It goes like this: although an atomic clock will measure a certain number of vibrations per second, external forces such as ambient electric and magnetic fields affect the electrons used in atomic clocks, causing mishaps. The particles used in nuclear clocks that are measured for vibrations -- and thus timekeeping -- can be excited with a relatively low-energy ultraviolet light, allowing for fewer variations from the aforementioned fields. To wit, Corey Campbell and colleagues at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta have devised a scheme that uses lasers to carefully control the spatial orientation of the electron orbits in atoms. A nuclear clock containing a thorium nucleus controlled in this way would drift by just one second in 200 billion years, the team claims. Before nuclear clocks become a reality, researchers must identify the precise frequency of light needed to excite thorium nuclei; but this is what grad students are for, right? [Image credit: University of Colorado / Science Daily]
Gresso flaunts $30,000 white iPhone 4, holds more ice than a skating rink
Sure, you probably waited longer than you should have to get the elusive white iPhone 4. But, you know what's better than a boring regular model? One with diamonds, crystals and pearls... of course! Known for its ridiculous custom mobile devices, Gresso may force you to refinance your house and hock a kidney to afford its latest creation, the Lady Blanche. A solid diamond-coated mineral glass backing, three independent Swiss clocks and pearl dials replace the usual body on this iced-out iPhone. If the $30k diamond model is a bit out of your price range, the much more affordable Swarovski crystal version will only set you back 7,000 bones. Release details are unclear at this point, but when they drop you better act fast -- only 150 of these gems will be available. Heck, if you have that kind of cash lying around, just get the salesman to throw in one of these for your iPad, too.
Night Stand for iPad updated with news feeds
I love a good alarm clock app and I've enjoyed using Night Stand for iPad for a few months. There are plenty of apps to wake you up, but I thought Night Stand had a nice mix of features, including slide shows of your own images, sleep to music, a local weather forecast and more, all wrapped up in a pretty interface. When I first saw the app I told developer Gerard Schol it would be nice to get some news when I wake up, and now Night Stand has been updated with that feature. You can see a good mix of RSS derived news, or your Facebook and Twitter feeds when you wake up. You do have to select what you want to read by tapping on it. I think I would have preferred that the feed choice be handled in settings and have it be there only when the alarm goes off, perhaps scrolling slowly across the screen. Hopefully we'll see that in a later update. As it is, Night Stand for iPad is a very full-featured companion for travel or at home. There is a free, lite version of the app you can check out, or you can go for the full app at US$1.99.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me find a better alarm
Dear Aunt TUAW, Why do all iPhone alarm clock apps have to simulate an old and unattractive 7-segment display? Or the old, cheap, unattractive flip-clock display? I understand the gee-wiz factor of emulating these classic displays, but aren't we way past that point? I would love to see a simple, attractive and reliable alarm clock app for the iPhone without 7-segment or flip displays. Does such an app exist? Thank you! Your loving nephew, Pete L. My Darling Pete, Auntie is right there with you on alarm clocks. Auntie is so over mornings. Just let her sleep in or bring the caffeine right to her, along with roses and a tasteful continental breakfast, as she rises to a well-designed iDevice app's summons. After receiving your letter, Auntie set out on a hunt for beautiful clocks. Thanks to many of her electronic nephews and nieces, she tracked down the following suggestions that offer alternatives to the humdrum. Emerald Observatory (US$0.99) offers a stunning clock that's full of astronomical information without sacrificing a clock or a daily alarm. Observatory was the single-most recommended application in Auntie's search. The presentation includes the phase of the moon, the current time, sunrise and sunset times and much more. Night Stand HD ($1.99) offers some handsome analog displays as well as those 7-segment and flip presentations you're looking to skip. Clockus ($0.99) puts a mechanical spin on 7-segment output with elements that flip and adjust to show the time. Art Clock Van Gogh (free) provides a beautiful take on waking up. It has a criminally small audience (only nine ratings to date), and offers over 50 impressionist backgrounds. Unfortunately, the highly recommended Pencil Clock from Paz Interactive seems to have disappeared from the store -- but the screen shots that Auntie has been able to track down show that it really had a fabulous and non-traditional take on time. Hopefully one of these apps will strike your fancy and help you transition away from the boring 7-segment/flip-clock run-of-the-mill alarm apps. Love & hugs, Auntie T. Thanks to gonzopancho, NienorGT, pTracker, josh_m, Consumer_NeXT, mssres, rosskimes, zyafa, LucasTizma, jeffmc, and everyone else who tweeted suggestions...
Still more iPhone alarm clock issues in the UK
You'd think that after the clock returned to Daylight Saving Time a little while back, iOS clocks would be back to normal, but no. Macworld is reporting that iPhone users in the UK are having even more issues with their device clocks, with some alarms not going off and others going off at the wrong time. At this point, the issue seems to simply be old versions of iOS out there -- Apple has, of course, been dealing with this one for a while, so the latest update to version 4.3.1 should fix the issues. Britain also moved from Greenwich Mean Time to British Summer Time over the weekend, which could have caused some confusion. At any rate, if you had issues, make sure your iOS device is updated, and hopefully this will be the end of the problems we've seen with clocks.
Lunchtime Clock mod offers false promises to beleaguered office workers
We've seen a lot of DIY clock mods in the past, but the Lunchtime Clock has to be the most useless. It's great in theory: the thing speeds up 20 percent starting at 11AM and slows down twenty percent at 11:48AM. So, at 11:48AM the clock reads noon, and by 1:00PM it's back in sync, giving you an extra 12 minutes to digest that chili dog you so hastily sucked down before returning to work. Here's the catch: watches, cellphones, and computers also tell time, and if you work in an office where you've got to fake it to get an extra 12 minutes with your chili dog, you can bet your boss isn't trusting ye olde wall clock. So, before you go tinkering with your office timepiece, thank the heavens you've been blessed with an hour long lunch break to begin with. We hear the guy at the chili dog stand only gets 15 minutes.
Alarm clock apps for iOS and Mac
Now that the iPhone's built-in Clock app has suffered two alarm-hindering hiccups, some users are ready for an alternative. Sure, Apple says the latest issue, affecting non-recurring alarms set for January 1 and 2 of 2011, will be "fixed" as of January 3. However, some of us here at TUAW experienced the problem again this morning, and others are just sick of the shenanigans. Fortunately, we've reviewed a number of alarm clock apps for the iPhone over the years, and we present the best here for your consideration (all prices are USD). Awaken We last looked at Awaken 1.2 for iPhone. Today it has matured to version 1.9 with support for iOS 4.2, the iPad and more. With iOS 4.2, Awaken supports local notifications for alarms, so the app needn't be running in order to wake you. Both the iPad and iPhone versions offer multiple clock faces to choose from, with an additional photo frame option that's unique to the iPad. An alarm can trigger either your favorite iTunes track or one of the app's built-in sounds. You'll also find a sleep timer and a flashlight feature, for those late-night sojourns beyond your bed.
iPhone alarms still not working, worlds crashing left and right
Hey, you -- it's January 3rd. You know, the day you're supposed to return to work / school / life. And the day you're supposed to catch a flight you've had booked for three months. And probably a day that you're supposed to accomplish lots of other tasks. Unfortunately for you, you actually believed that your iPhone alarm would fix itself when today rolled around, but based on hordes of complaints seen on Twitter and Facebook, said fix is still hibernating. And thus, you're still sleeping. Even here at Engadget HQ, we've seen iPhone 4 handsets not wake us as promised (on non-recurring alarms), so who knows when Apple will step up to the plate and address the issue. In the meantime, go ahead and set up a recurring alarm while gently crossing your fingers and toes. Or, you know, buy a battery-powered alarm clock off of your grandmother. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
PSA: iPhone alarms not working come New Year's Day 2011
We're not exactly sure of the cause of this fancy new issue affecting Apple's super cool iPhone line of cellphones, but apparently you've got trouble come 1/1/2011. According to an explosive stream of frustration-filled tweets on the Twitter microblogging service, when the clock strikes midnight, one off alarms will cease to sing out. The issue sounds eerily similar to recent Daylight Savings Time trouble we witnessed back in November, although we saw both repeating alarm and single alarm failures. So how can you fix this potentially life-ruining problem? Well until Apple patches its OS -- and it's currently unclear if this is just iOS 4.2.1 or earlier versions as well -- you can simply create a recurring alarm at the time you need to be woken up, and then disable it once your dreams are completely ruined. We're taking a deeper look into the issue and have contacted Apple -- if we get more news, you guys will be the first to know. In the meantime, feel free to commiserate in comments, and... happy new year? Update: 9to5 Mac says that the bug will get fixed all by itself once the calendar hits January 3rd. We haven't confirmed this, but if it turns out to be the case, that's pretty good news. In less good news, the issue seems to be affecting iOS 4.1 and 4.0.2 as well. Update 2: Apple responded to us on the issue, though they didn't offer any surprises: We're aware of an issue related to non repeating alarms set for January 1 or 2. Customers can set recurring alarms for those dates and all alarms will work properly beginning January 3. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
The multimeter clock doesn't fail to electrify us
This is the multimeter clock. It's made of three actual multimeters -- one each to display the hour, minutes and seconds with a 16F628A PIC microcontroller to do the actual timekeeping. Do we want one hanging in our living room? Not really: but it's still very cool.
Adafruit's Monochron retro clock now on sale, changes time with every match point
You might have the vaguest of memories seeing this piece before -- it made a cameo in an Engadget Show segment -- but here we are with a much clearer picture of Adafruit Industries' Monochron clock, now also on sale! As is its modus operandi, the timepiece is open source... but should you plan on sticking to default, you'll be gifted with a great retro-style Table Tennis for two. The best part? The time changes whenever the clock "loses" -- something tells us that gives one side at least a 59-to-1 advantage. See for yourself after the break.
CES Watch: More clocks and docks
(image by Cult of Mac) As expected, there are a number of iPhone and iPod-related accessories coming out of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. Here's a couple we've seen already: iHome's got both audio systems and alarm clocks on display -- the clocks even have a sync button that will pull the time in straight from your iPhone or iPod, so no more having to set it yourself. They've also got another unit for the kitchen, but is it just us or do these all look pretty much the same? Sharper Image has a clock that uses an app on the iPhone screen as the clock hands, while sitting in a dock that holds numbers around the handset. They also have a speaker dock that can pull sports, news, and weather information from a custom app and display it on a separate LED screen. Pretty cool, actually, even if an iPhone already gives you all of that information anyway. FLO TV and Mophie are trying to bring mobile television to the iPhone this year. And Tunebug is showing off "surface sound" speakers -- you attach a little piece to a bike helmet or other surface, and it turns the whole thing into a giant speaker, sending the music into your head. Freaky. So far, as you can see, it's mostly clocks and speakers. Which sounds about right for CES, actually -- not everybody gets to release an augmented reality helicopter. We'll keep an eye on the show all this week, and let you know about any other iPod-related releases there.
Biegert & Funk QLOCKTWO gets an English version, our sincerest admiration
This is exactly what we need: a clock that politely dispenses with the math (no matter how simple) in favor of words. Biegert & Funk handmake this one, called the QLOCKTWO, with both German and English language faces -- and there lots of color options. The price is a stunningly uncheap €1099 (about $1600), so get to saving your dollars and cents. There's a video showing off the QLOCKTWO after the break, but you'd better speak German -- or do what we did, and mute it and listen to AC / DC while you watch it.
'Reverse Alarm Clock' keeps the kids in bed so you can party
Three cheers for Professor John Zimmerman, who's finally doing some research to benefit Joe Public, and who has invented a device that lets parents sleep in late and put the kids to bed early on those long summer days. Zimmerman, of Carnegie Mellon's School of Design and Human-Computer Interaction Institute (and probably a parent himself), designed the so-called 'Reverse Alarm Clock' to give the tykes a visual representation of their expected schedule; when the clock's 'Sky Display' shows a sun, young children know they're free to roam about the house, but when a moon and stars appear, they'd better not get out of bed lest the boogie monster devour them whole. So far the system -- which uses a parent-set sunrise and moonset calculator, and also features a "Treasure Chest Music Selector" to pleasantly awaken your own little treasures -- doesn't seem to be commercially available, which is kind of a shame, because we know more than a few people who would love to trick their tiny terrors into bedtime at five o'clock on the daily.
