WakeUp
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RIM claims responsibility for "Wake Up" stunt at Apple Store
RIM, maker of the BlackBerry, has claimed responsibility for the ultra lame "Wake Up" flash mob stunt that appeared outside the Sydney Apple store last week. The stunt saw flash mobs pull out black signs that read "Wake Up." When confronted with the signs, shoppers at the Apple Store seemed to have thought the same thing as everyone else, "Wake up to what?" then continued shopping and went about their day. Until RIM owned up to the stunt, many had thought it was spearheaded by Samsung, which has performed similar stunts in the past. Tiphereth Gloria, a social media strategist at VML Australia, told The Age, "The punch line -- which is the fact that BlackBerry is behind it -- is what makes it fail because BlackBerry is not associated with any kind of success." The past couple of years have not been kind to the BlackBerry, as both the iPhone and the Android-based smartphone offerings have chewed away market share from the one-time market juggernaut. Aside from the shifts in the competitive landscape, at times RIM itself seemed to encourage its own demise. First, the Canadian phone maker suggested that the iPhone was a physical impossibility when Apple announced it in 2007, and subsequently the continued self-denial that the iPhone wasn't a threat to RIM's business didn't help matters. Unfortunately, RIM doesn't seem to know (or at least admit) that it's the next Palm. When your brand is weakening, you need killer products and not marketing stunts to get your game back. But hey, at least it's starting to admit "BlackBerry isn't for everyone."
Talk O' Clock makes alarm clocks more social, strangers more friendly
Alarm clocks have been developing more and more unique ways to wake people up over the years, but being woken up by a stranger has always been something of a difficult proposition. Sure, you can use an old fashioned wake-up call service, but then you still sort of "know" who's calling you. Not so with the Talk O' Clock service -- soon to be available for Android and iOS devices, in addition to the current web-based app -- which relies on the power of social networking to ensure that a complete stranger calls to wake you from your slumber. Yes, it is real -- and, yes, you should proceed with caution (although you can at least rest assured that the person calling you doesn't actually see your phone number). It's still at the invite-only beta stage right now, but those seem to be readily available to anyone with a Facebook account. See how it works in the videos after the break.
Mutewatch now in production, set to silently manage your day by July (video)
We first caught wind of Mutewatch AB's eponymous sort of anti-watch -- a personal vibrating time management wristband, equipped with a hidden touch-activated LED display -- when it became available for pre-order back in August. It seemed unique, but back then we had no idea of how it looked in action or when we might finally get one strapped onto our wrists. It's a mystery no more, as the Swedish suite has just released a heavily stylized (and totally rendered) video showcasing the Mutewatch's various touch-enabled functions. Also in tow, a press release announcing retail availability in July. Although our cellphones can do pretty much the same thing as this spendy $259 timepiece, we can't hide our geeky (and guilty) lust for one. You can check out the video for yourself past the break, but be warned: a moderate case of GAS -- Gadget Acquisition Syndrome -- may occur after viewing.
Twist alarm clock has you wring math equations by the neck
Man has striven for centuries to build a better mousetrap, but in the digital age, mice are the least of our worries. No, the modern day rat race requires a better alarm clock instead, and lord knows we've seen plenty, from tickers that chomp your change to clocks that give you target practice. What we don't see that often is a clock that makes you think at the same time it provokes a physical action. Thus, the Twist Alarm Clock, which displays a simple math equation when it's time to wake up, but requires effort to silence. In order to quiet the alarm, you have to twist the numbered dials on either side of its LCD screen into the right position -- in this case, to figure out what minus what equals two. It's no Turing Alarm Clock, to be sure, but this human number cruncher's actually for sale; you can get yours for ¥2,625 (about $28) in Japan.
iLuv iPhone dock includes "bed shaker"
The iLuv iMM178 shares a lot in common with many iPod docks available in the market today: Play and charge your iPhone or iPod -- check. Alarm clock scheduling based on full-week, weekdays and weekends -- check. Alarm clock with customizable sounds -- check. Alarm clock that vibrates to wake you up -- wait, did I read that wrong, or did that say that this alarm clock will vibrate to wake me up? That's right, folks. The iLuv iMM178 (couldn't they have thought of a more friendly name?) is equipped with a corded "bed shaker" that, as its name suggests, will vibrate in tandem with your alarm. As the iLuv iMM178 wakes you up to The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations," it can also literally give you some good vibrations of its own with its bed shaker. iLuv suggests that the bed shaker be placed underneath your pillow. In addition to these niceties, the iLuv iMM178 also plays FM radio, and has a time sync feature that reconciles time between it and your iPhone or iPod. iLuv's website lists the iMM178 at US$99.99, where it's available for purchase. Alternatively, you can improve your sleep habits with Sleep Cycle (available for $0.99), a bio-alarm clock iPhone app that analyzes your sleep patterns and wakes you when you are in the lightest sleep phase.
How to: Create a smart podcast playlist in iTunes
I picked up Awaken with the recent Macheist deal, and with it I planned to do something I've been thinking about doing for a long time with iTunes: try and figure out a way to wake myself up with a short roundup of the daily podcasts I never seem to find a time to listen to during the day itself.Getting your Mac to play a playlist on demand at a certain time isn't hard at all (Awaken will do it easily, or Alarm Clock 2 will do it as donationware), but the tough part is getting your podcasts rounded up into a playlist so you can hear all the new shows all in one go. What I wanted to do was create a playlist that contained one of each of the daily podcast shows that iTunes had downloaded for me most recently, and to have that playlist update as the podcasts did, so that every day I had a playlist full of new show episodes set to play one after another.Easier said than done (and it's not even that easy to say). But I got it done, just by manipulating a few iTunes smart playlists. Here's my short tutorial how.
Boynq rolls out Wake Up iPod speaker / alarm clock
Yeah, what you see above actually is yet another iPod speaker / alarm clock mashup, but being that it's from Boynq, it looks noticeably better than most of the alternatives. The interestingly designed device does quite a few things aside from wake you from your slumber, as it also includes an FM radio and line in / out ports to compliment the built-in equalizer and 20-watts of amplification. Best of all, this thing plays nice with every dock-connecting iPod ever created (including the iPhone "on models produced after January 1st"), and the remote controllable snooze practically guarantees that you'll never be on time for anything again. Talk about user friendly. [Warning: PDF read link]UPDATE: Looks like Amazon's got this thing for $129.99. Thanks Russ![Via The Red Ferret Journal]
Pull-handle alarm clock concept
No matter how much sleek design, aromatherapy, USB power, WiFi connectivity, advanced technology or medieval torture companies manage to cram into their alarm clocks, they still remain one of the most hated devices in our electronics arsenal. Designer Duck Young Kong is hoping his hip new concept clock's pull-cord operation is charming enough to keep you from hucking it out the window. To set the alarm you simply pull the cord on the bottom of the unit until the numbers on the LCD screen reflect the time you wish to get up. The cord then slowly retracts into the clock as your awakening approaches, until it reaches the end and the alarm sounds. The alarm can be turned off by pushing (punching?) the LCD screen, so we're hoping the production models are made with durability in mind. Of course there's always the chance that like some alarms it'll kill you instead, but at least you'll have fun setting it.
