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iPhone bell accessories will definitely wake you up
During my sophomore year in college back in 1976, I had a roommate named Chuck who had problems waking up when his alarm went off. We tried a variety of alarm clocks and clock radios, all of which failed. Then we did an experiment with a timer plug and his stereo, setting the volume to 11 and placing the speakers next to his head. Not much worked to wake up Chuck, including punching him and dumping water on him, and it was the downfall of his college career. Perhaps if I could travel back in time to 1976 with an iPhone and the new iBell (at right above, US$38) or iBell Mini accessories (at left above, $27), Chuck could graduate from the University of Colorado and change the course of history... I have to admit that these are some of the most absurd iPhone accessories I've seen yet. The iBell is a cradle that your 30-pin Dock connector iPhone sits on, while the iBell mini is just an attachment that plugs into the Dock connector. Like the ancient alarm clocks of yore, it features a pair of bells that clang incessantly when it is time to wake up ... or until your iPhone battery dies. While the iBell can also charge your iPhone, the iBell mini won't. There's an accompanying app, and the instructions are in Japanese -- but "self-explanatory" according to the website. By the way, you can get the iBell mini in blue, pink or orange in addition to the standard black and white.
Gear4 speaker dock supports USB audio for Jelly Bean at Google I/O 2012 (hands-on video)
Another day, another speaker dock. We initially dismissed Gear4's latest accessory at Google I/O 2012 until we noticed that the attached Nexus 7 was playing audio digitally via the USB port instead of simply through the headphone jack (or wirelessly over Bluetooth for that matter). It turns out that Jelly Bean supports USB audio, a software feature that's bound to spearhead a whole new generation of accessories for Android devices. Gear4's universal speaker dock with alarm clock radio is the first to handle USB audio. While the sound for any app can be routed to the USB port in Jelly Bean, the functionality is missing from older versions of Android. Thankfully, Gear4 includes an app with its accessory that can be used to set alarms, sync time, tune the radio and play media over the USB port on legacy versions of Android. Want to know more? You'll find our gallery below and our hands-on video after the break.%Gallery-159523%
Adafruit modder builds Captain Jack's Vortex Manipulator / Leela's wrist-lo-jacko-mator for real
This impressive wrist / forearm cuff is the brainchild of Adafruit forum member and modder Stephanie, who has built a sensor platform into the fashion accessory. The device can monitor the exposure value, track your movements over GPS, measure your galvanic skin response, tell you the temperature, humidity and even doubles as a watch and flash-light. It was built around Sparkfun's Pro Micro development board and a boatload of sensors purchased from Adafruit. We might just build one ourselves with a radiation detector, so that we can live out our Pip-Boy fantasies down at the mall. %Gallery-156412%
Daily iPhone App: Wave Alarm lets you turn off your alarm with the wave of your hand
Wave Alarm has one feature that sets it apart from the myriad of other alarm clocks in the App Store. It lets you turn off your alarm by waving your hand at your phone. This may seem like a gimmick, but I found it to be extremely useful. Wave Alarm is a no-frills alarm clock. It has a digital clock face with weather information that's pulled down using your location. The alarms are simple -- the app lets you set the time, select a sound, choose a snooze duration and give each alarm a custom name. There's no support for repeating alarms, which may be a drawback for those who need reminders everyday at the same time. The app also lets you customize the motion detection so you can either activate snooze or disable the alarm by waving your hand over the phone. As you would expect, the app uses the front-facing camera to detect your motion, which means you must have the app open in the foreground for the motion to work. Fortunately, it's not a big deal if the app is sent to the background. You'll lose the motion control, but the alarm will still sound. I've been using Wave Alarm for a few weeks now and find that it's perfect as a cooking timer in the kitchen or a project timer when I'm working at my desk. It's useful to be able turn off an alarm by waving your hand when you are in the middle of a messy recipe or an engaging project. You don't even have to move your eyes away from what you are doing, all you have to do is wave your hand at your phone. As much as I like the motion control, the requirement to launch the app right before bed and keep it open all night prevented me from using Wave Alarm as a morning alarm clock. I'd often forget to launch the app and when I did remember, I would check my email in the middle of the night and then forget to re-launch the alarm clock. Though I don't use it at night, I do enjoy Wave Alarm for those quick daytime reminders. Wave Alarm is available for free from the iOS app store. An in-app purchase of US$1.99 will remove the banner ads at the bottom.
DoubleTwist adds Google Music support, gets an alarm clock app
DoubleTwist is certainly still one of the better music management options for Android, and it just keeps improving. Two days ago the player app got an update and now it can hook into Google Music, though, it only recognizes songs that you've checked for offline access from within the Google app. An unfortunate restriction, but at least your tracks don't disappear into the ether if you prefer to play back your tunes via DoubleTwist. There's also new functionality coming to what is now less an app than an ecosystem, thanks to the just released DoubleTwist Alarm Clock. The functionality is pretty much what you'd expect -- set a time and pick a song from your DoubleTwist library to gently rouse you from your slumber (or kick your butt out of bed). The Alarm Clock is just $0.99 in the Play Market right now for the first 10,000 customers. After that it'll go up to $1.99. So don't waste any time, go download it now.
Insert Coin: Alarm clock makes you enter a code to silence it, in another room (video)
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. We love the snooze button as much as everyone else. But we've all postponed exiting the comfort of our Tempur-Pedic one too many times. Enter the Ramos alarm clock, a rise-and-shine solution that integrates a Defuse Panel in order to silence your wake-up call. Don't expect to stay in bed to enter the code either, as the keypad can be wirelessly situated in another room to prevent further slumber. Two time keeping options, LED and Nixie models, await your minimum pledges of $160 and $350 before the April 1st deadline. The latter features a nixie tube display that will put any regular ol' alarm clock's digits to shame. You can spring for a long-range kit if you need to place your key panel more than 50 feet away from your nightstand. If you're feeling extra generous, a pledge of more than $800 will allow you to select the type of wood used for your Ramos. In need of a bit more convincing? Peep the video on the other side of the break for a closer look.
Hello Kitty pays a visit to CES 2012: If you want it, we got it in pink
An electronics show wouldn't be an electronics show without celebrity endorsements. But there was one icon who had more product tie-ins than anyone else. Yep, Kitty-chan was in attendance and she had plenty of pink paraphernalia to hawk to unsuspecting fans of all things kawaii. We've collated together all the gear spotted at CES and, fortunately, there was more than just a few phone cases and laptop bags. Merchandise spotted includes Kitty-themed karaoke machines, alarm clocks with mounted laser cannons projectors, cordless phones and more. A brief video tour of some of our favorite surprises is coming soon, but until then, enjoy all that the super-deformed cat had to offer in our gallery below.Sean Cooper and Sean Buckley contributed to this post.
Archos 35 home connect hands-on
Though we didn't have the Archos 35 home connect to wake us up personally during CES, we had a chance to get hands-on with the Android-based alarm clock on the floor and it did not disappoint. The Archos 35 home connect is the company's entrance into the world of feature-filled alarm clocks, joining the already established Sony Dash and Chumby. In terms of functionality, it's a morning talk show all rolled up into one, providing weather, real time traffic, news, sports, movies, music, TuneIn radio, social networking and much more through the built-in WiFi. You'll also find a webcam on the front, supporting apps like Tango for video calling, a rechargeable battery to take the party with you, and a 3.5 headphone jack for more personal use. The overall device is solid and has a very curvy and nightstand-friendly footprint -- which is important for folks like us who sleep with other bedside gadgets. The volume controls are touch sensitive and the unit itself has a decent enough range. Archos is not only pushing this as a fully-featured Alarm Clock, but also a portable Android 2.2 media device -- supporting over 30,000-or-so apps in Archos' non-Android-Market, Appslib. While the 35 home connect's features make it compelling enough to make it a viable option, we feel there's nothing to push it past its aforementioned competition, especially with the $149 price tag. Check out all the angles and interface of the 35 home connect in the gallery below.
PSA: iPhone alarm clock not working again? Time to update
Hey, remember that madcap time last year when iPhone alarms didn't work on January 1st or 2nd? Still having the same issue this year? Well, you might want to think about updating. We're seeing a flood of reports from users whose alarm clocks are not working again this year, but from what we're able to tell that's because the affected users haven't updated their devices past iOS 4.2.1. If that includes you, dear reader, now would be a great time to tether yourself and click your way through whatever iTunes recommends. There's a whole new major version out there waiting for you! That said, if you're still enjoying your iPhone 3G, we're sorry to say 4.2.1 is as high as you can go on the iOS food chain. Maybe 2012 is a good year for a new phone? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Archos 35 home connect now shipping for $149, still looks pretty unsightly
Sony's Dash let you down? Can't fall for Chumby? Archos has yet another option in the blossoming world of sophisticated alarm clocks, as the previously announced 35 home connect is now shipping to the US of A. Put simply, it's an Android-based web radio that touts built-in WiFi, a pre-loaded TuneIn Radio Pro application and the ability to showcase weather, real time traffic, sports, social networking, movies, music, games and more. If your looking for a more private experience, there's even a 3.5mm headphone jack, but we aren't entirely convinced it's worth the $149 asking price. Call us crazy, but there's a bit too much 1994 in that casing.
Anything your regular alarm clock can do, Ben Heck's can do better
If it's a fight between any gadget, console or mode of transportation and Mr. Benjamin Heckendorn, your money should be on the latter every single time. To kick-start the second season of his eponymous show, the man they call Heck takes on difficult to program alarm clocks with their non-standard arrays of tiny buttons and annoying flashes. His solution? Build a universal model with a single rotary wheel control that's so easy to use a pensioner wearing oven mitts could do it. You can check out the episode in its full visual glory after the break.
Mutewatch wrists-on: stay on-task with good vibrations (video)
No, the picture above isn't some modernized Power Ranger's wrist communicator. This is the Mutewatch, and we've been intrigued since we first laid eyes on it over a year ago. At a glance, it looks akin to a rubber fashion bracelet, which could make its $260 price tag a shocker. But with the right touch or flick it reveals itself to be much more. The Stockholm-based start-up behind it, dubbed Mutewatch AB, envisions the device serving as "time management tool" for setting quick wrist-felt vibrating reminders during the course of the day. Think Growl, but on your wrist. The wristwatch lacks a dial and crystal, and instead has an angled, touch-sensitive section for a face with hidden LEDs, an ambient light sensor, a motion sensor and a vibrating motor for alarms. We've spent some time using a near-final unit seeing what it would be like silently manage our days, and it's all laid out just past the break. %Gallery-134989%
Still awake? There's a Chumby FunBox app for that
The FunBox is a bedside alarm clock but it's also a widget-running Chumby, which means it'll let you check your twitter feeds, load up a track on Pandora or do other inappropriately stimulating activities right before catching some Zs. The device has just passed through the FCC and its paperwork reveals a 3.5-inch (possibly resistive) touch screen, a 454MHz processor, 1GB DDR memory, SD card slot and a USB port for an external drive. We couldn't tell you price or availability at this stage, but with top smartphones increasingly coming with night dock accessories the FunBox is hardly likely to find a guaranteed perch beside our pillow.
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.
Engadget's back to school guide 2011: speaker docks
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we have speaker docks in our sights -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here. Yeah, studying's the hip thing to do, but waking up for class is arguably where success begins. Rather than relying on some ear-piercing tone emitted from one's cellphone, we prefer something more... substantial. Here, we'll be covering the best and brightest in speaker docks, also known as the alarm clock that your grandkids will eventually point at and laugh, mockingly. Jump past the break for our recommendations, and another opportunity to enter our back to school giveaway. Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and head over to our giveaway page for more details.
Nyko cures Kinect's farsightedness, brings bountiful battery life and alarm clock capability to the 3DS
E3 2011 is upon us, and you know what that means, a heaping helping of new gaming gear from Nyko. Zoom for Kinect is a set of clip-on specs that lets you get 40 percent closer to the sensor bar with no loss of function -- so the studio apartment set can get in on the gesture gaming craze. Nyko's Play Clock is a charging dock for Nintendo's 3DS that doubles as an alarm clock, because you always wanted to turn your 3DS into an alarm clock. Nintendo's new handheld could definitely use some longer battery life, however, so the company's also rolling out three new extended battery packs for the 3DS. There's the Shock n' Rock that brings thrice the juice, "added vibration feedback," and four speakers to your personal gaming party, while the Power Grip is an ergonomic external battery that also triples the 3DS' battery life. Lastly, the Game Boost battery simply snaps on for an extra hour or two of gameplay. Prices and availability remain unsaid, but there's eye candy in the gallery below and PR's after the break. %Gallery-125407%
Lark's silent alarm clock hitting Apple Stores on June 14, promises not to wake your bedmate
Remember the Lark Up, that alarm clock that's likely to scare the bejesus out of you by sending vibrations through your unsuspecting wrist? The company's already taking pre-orders, but come June 14, you'll finally be able to waltz into an Apple store and handle one in person. For $129, it promises its silent vibrations won't wake your bedfellow, but if you've got a New Agey streak you can spend an extra $60 for one that analyzes your seven-day sleep history, including how long it took to fall asleep and how many times you woke during the night. For now, it's only available for iOS (hence, the Apple Store launch) but an Android version's predictably on the way, too. So is all this worth a good night's sleep? We'll leave that to you and your bed partner (or partners, if it's been that kind of week).
Alarm Dock gives your iPhone retro cred
There are plenty of alarm clock apps and plenty of docking stations available for iPhones, but the Alarm Dock from Jonas Damon is a cut above the rest -- it looks, quite simply, gorgeously retro. Reminiscent of those GE alarm clocks your parents had on their bedside table, your iPhone slides into a cutout in the front of the beechwood dock. Together with the (included) flip-clock app, it gives a great old-school look to your bedroom. It fits the iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4 and iPod touches, but note that the dock is effectively just a holder for your i-Device -- you thread your regular charging cable through the back to charge your phone and the speaker grill on the top is just that, it doesn't include a speaker. But for just $39.50, it might be just what you need to set off your waterbed. Cool, daddio. [Via Swiss Miss]
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.
Acoustic Alarm ditches the snooze button for strings
There's a long history of alarm clocks that promise a better way of waking you up in the morning, but few quite like this Acoustic Alarm built by designer Jamie McMahon. As you can see, it's not technically an alarm clock, but it does have an alarm of sorts: four tunable strings that are plucked using a spinning guitar pick. Unfortunately, this one's strictly one of a kind for the time being, but it does actually exist in prototype form -- made of birch plywood, walnut and stainless steel, no less -- and you can check it out in action in the video after the break.
