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Sagem My Dual Radio 700 does internet / FM radio, MP3s
Don't look now, but it appears that Sagem is taking a brief break from kicking out Bluetooth accessories and smartphones to delve into the oft ignored world of internet radio boomboxes. The Sagem My Dual Radio 700 touts a lopsided design, a very noticeable antenna, and a built-in LCD screen to keep you in the know. Feature wise, it plays nice with internet radio signals (via WiFi or Ethernet) and FM radio, while also supporting RDS and MP3s via the integrated USB port. Additionally, you'll find a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, wireless remote, RCA stereo outputs, two-watt amplifier, and an obligatory alarm clock function to get you all cranked up in the AM. Sure, we have our doubts about the sound quality here too, but if you're looking to cover most of your audio bases in a single device, and are hoping to keep it all under €150 ($200), you can look Sagem's way when this thing reportedly lands next month.[Via TRFJ]
Power up your alarm clock with He-Man and friends
We have to admit, after having seen software engineer Douglas Gray lovingly transplant the heart of a He-Man Talking Alarm Clock into one of Sony's ubiquitous Dream Machines, that maybe we were a little cruel when we performed all sorts of horrifying childhood experiments and unnecessary surgery on the most powerful man in the universe and his MOTU posse. Nonetheless, we've got the old power of Grayskull flowing through our veins again, maybe even enough to follow Doug's step-by-by step guide on gutting the salvaged toy and wiring it to the buzzer output of Sony's cube. Yeah, waking up to He-Man and Teela rapping about Skeletor every day for the rest of our lives seems like appropriate penance for dismembering poor Man-at-Arms and using a magnifying glass to scar all three visages of Man-E-Faces. Sorry guys.[Via MAKE]
Furni's ALBA wood and acrylic fashion clock
Fashion clocks aren't necessarily the highest form of technology, but that's not to say we don't value them: alarm clocks are after all one of the first things you see in the morning, so why shouldn't it be an aesthetically attractive one? Furni's ALBA beech wood and acrylic clock definitely falls into the latter category, with its minimalist mix of old and new materials being particularly pleasing on the eye. At only $88, it's also happily on the affordable end of the fashion clock chart. As part of Furni's spring '07 range, the ALBA will be shipping on June 1, and you can pre-order now.[Via MoCoLoCo]
Devious Clocky hits the market, ready to roll
We must have missed the memo explaining the world's growing problem of ignoring their alarm clocks, but on second thought, maybe it's just time (ahem) for manufacturers to crank out solutions to the issue that has quietly been around for centuries. Not too long after the ever-mischievous Blowfly hit the market to force drowsy individuals to rise and shine, Nanda Home is offering up the rugged (and oh-so-devious) Clocky to those who are ready to deal with their addiction to snooze. Ready to roll in almond white, aqua, and mint colors, this dual-wheeled alarm clock gives users just one free round of snooze before it darts around the room, blaring its alarm and zooming across floors until the exhausted owner manages to locate, load, and fire his / her shotgun at the free-spirited toy. Watch out, though, as this bugger can even leap from three-foot heights without missing a tick, and it's finally ready to shake up your morning routine for a relatively modest $49.99.[Via GadgetReview]
Planetary Orbit Clock does the ticking thing all fancy like
For all the nifty timepieces we've spotted over the years, the truth of the matter is that our cellphone, computer and microwave clocks do a solid 99 percent of our time telling around the Engadget HQ. However, that doesn't seem to have slowed these inventive clock makers one bit. The Planetary Orbit Clock reads just like a normal clock from above, but from any other angle appears to be a fairly random assortment of spheres in orbit -- perpetual motion style. It's hard to imagine us actually standing up to see what time it is with any level of regularity, but we suppose the conversation or three this thing might spark could be worth the 3,990 Yen (about $34 US) being asked for it.
The BANCLOCK: if the IRS made alarm clocks
Meet the BANCLOCK alarm clock. Not to be confused with the bang clock, this alarm clock features a display like a national debt ticker and alarm which can only be turned off by feeding the damn thing some coin. No option to snooze here brother. Of course, there's nothing to prevent you from feeding it slugs you cheap azz, but you're only cheating your kids of their education. Available in Japan for ¥5,985 or $51 bucks which is itself, a crime.[Via Akihabara News]
Olympus unveils VJ-10 clock radio, touts 37GB hard drive
Although the recording industry is making quite the stink around here about satellite radio receivers with internal storage, that's not stopping Olympus from kicking out a svelte clock radio with gobs of room for backing live broadcasts up. Granted, the VJ-10 only tunes into AM / FM transmissions, but the whopping 37GB internal HDD gives users the ability to store between 1,250 and 2,500 hours of footage based on quality into WAV files. Moreover, the USB 2.0 connector allows users to access the drive from any PC if you're looking to consolidate your radio and external storage, and the SRS WOW XT stereo speakers should provide decent office enjoyment as well. As expected, users can queue up recordings based on time, and thanks to the large integrated LCD screen, all the information you need will be front and center. Currently, the VJ-10 is slated to land in Japan on March 16th for the ever elusive "open price," but it looks like an English version will only be a fortnight or so behind.[Via AkihabaraNews]
Rockridge Sound's iSR-01 "luxury" iPod alarm clock
Surprise your guests when you tell them this gem isn't from a thrift store and that it actually plays an iPod, not cassettes. Rockridge Sound busts out yet another iPod clock / dock option, this time with 2.1-channel audio, alarm clock function, and AM / FM tuner. Although the specs aren't exactly eye-popping, it seems Rockridge is pushing the iSR-01's "luxurious" wood finish and quasi-analog hark-back design -- after all, the product page screams "MODERN & LUXURY" in huge all-caps letters. This gigantor unit supports third, fourth, and fifth gen iPods, minis, first and second gen nanos, is powered by an AC adapter or 2 AAA batteries, and they've included a remote in case you need to control functions while admiring all that luxury from afar. There's no mention of cost, but for some reason, we're banking on a heavy price tag. [Via Akihabara News]
Citizen's VIRT W700 gets a facelift, remains ugly as sin
We applaud the effort, we truly do, but the masterminds behind Citizen's VIRT W700 Bluetooth watch should seriously consider a sabbatical to think about just how ugly their creations really are. Sure, we've seen worse in terms of brutal fashion miscues, but for a watch that sports such an elegant feature list, the unsightliness is almost unforgivable. Nevertheless, for those who aren't out to garner new friends with their wrist attire, the revamped W700 does smooth a few of the awkward lines found in the original rendition, and aside from syncing with your Bluetooth handset, it offers up on-screen caller ID, an OLED display, a vibration feature to alert you of an incoming call, lockable contact list, and a privacy feature to set your outgoing information to unavailable. The backlit display also flips out if you wander too far from your mobile, essentially doubling as a nifty cellphone finder after a long night of partying, and considering that a full charge will last you around five days, you can survive a week off without your AC adapter. Slated to hit the Japanese market next month for a currently undisclosed price, Citizen's latest VIRTs will be landing in blue, black, and the female favorite, pink.[Via MinistryOfTech]
Shenzhen Adragon Digitek's MP4 watch gets reviewed
Shenzhen Adragon Digitek's MP4 watch was met with quite a bit of fanfare from folks who fell suddenly in love with the idea of having movies on their wrist to pass the time during class or on subways trips, and considering that Thanko brought this intriguing piece of kit to market, it's only right that we show you a hands-on review to help you with your potential purchasing decision. The folks at GearDiary landed a black rendition of the video-playing timepiece, and noted that although video files have to be converted from their current format to .NVX, software (in English, too) was included to "remove the guesswork" and make the process painless. Judging by the photos, it looks like the rubberized band provided for a comfortable fit, and although the 1.5- x 1.5-inch face doesn't look nearly as gaudy as some watch faces we've seen, it still screams geek whilst resting on your arm. Sadly, a proprietary USB cable coupled with an always-discouraging 2.5-millimeter headphone jack do warrant a few understandable digs, but the "all day" battery life, intuitive menu system, and respectable display all go in the watch's favor. On the musical front, it was said that playback was "on par" with other DAPs they tested, and while watching a movie back on such a diminutive screen wasn't apt to replace his PVP anytime soon, it was deemed a nifty feature that will "definitely garner geek points among those that are impressed by such things." So if you're interested in seeing just how long your retinas can stand to watch (ahem) a major motion picture on a 128 x 128 display, be sure and hit the read link for up close snapshots before coughing up the required dough.
EleeNo's Art 8 Elite watch boasts resin inlays
Although it may be perceived that folks purchase watches in order to simply tell the time, we've learned that this misconception is often proved wrong by the watchmaker itself. The Art 8 Elite by EleeNo follows the company's tradition of busting out slick looking timepieces that aren't exactly user-friendly when it comes to quickly portraying the current time, and while we certainly appreciate the handsfree approach and futuristic appeal, telling time based on resin inlays could take some getting used to. Regardless, this stainless steel wristwatch boasts a butterfly clasp, Super 2035 movement from Citizen Japan, four years of battery life, water resistance, and is available with "coffee" or "marble" colored faces. So if you've always desired a moving dartboard on your wrist, and just weren't satisfied with all the other options unveiled this week, you can snag this piece right now for $138.84.[Via Uber-Review]
Art Lebedev intros Verbarius electronic clock
Art Lebedev may be best known these days for its various display-ridden peripherals, and the delays and uncertainty surrounding each, but the prolific design firm's got plenty more on its plate, to which it's now added the Verbarius electronic clock. As you can see above, the clock does away with the usual time-telling tools in favor of spelling things out, in five different languages no less. What's more, it changes up its verbiage each time you ask it the time, displaying variations like "forty-five minutes past four," "fifteen minutes to five," "four forty-five", and "a quarter to five." This being Lebedev, of course, they're also taking their time to build up anticipation in the device, with the clock supposedly set to only begin shipping in November. You can get your pre-orders in now, however, with a discount price of $158.25 available to those who order before September 1st, after which it'll set you back about $180.
The DangerBomb alarm clock: wake or go boom!
Already loosed in Japan, the DangerBomb alarm clock from Banpresto is yet another oddball way of coaxing you into the morning grind. To disable the alarm, you must reconnect the red, yellow, and blue cables in the correct order. Fail your mission and suffer the annoyance -- and possible death -- of a mocked audible explosion. Genius. Just ?2,366 in Japan or $19... if you can get it back through customs. Warning: not for use in the Boston Area.[Via Akihabara News]
Lupus Sabene adds style, fabric to alarm clock
There's a plethora of techno-inspired alarm clocks available to wake you up with your own tunes, and there's even renditions that force you to play games with it in order to shut its yap, but Lupus Sabene has designed an alarm clocks that breaks the mold of existing models by adding a dash of pizazz to the bedroom mainstay. The aptly-named Fabric Clock is simply an average desktop alarm clock encased in designer walnut wood veneer and stainless steel, but taking the artsy approach one step further, Lupus has designed fabric-based covers to clip onto the front panel, adding a simplistic, modern touch to what would've been an eyesore. Ideally, users would have numerous Burberry-inspired covers to change with your mood, and although we've no idea how pricey this thing will be, those comfortable with basic DIY hardware shouldn't have too much difficultly creating one of their very own.[Via SciFiTech]
MagiCal: Menubar Calendar
MagiCal is a cool little calendar application from Charcoal Design. As you can see it just puts a drop-down calendar in your menubar for easy access. In addition, you can actually "tear off" a month and leave it on your desktop (handy for making reservations, I find). MagiCal can also add the date and time in a customized format to your menubar, if you want to use it instead of OS X's built-in clock.While my favorite menubar calendar remains the more full-featured MenuCalendarClock, it is $20 and MagiCal is a free download (donations requested). One last cool thing about MagiCal is that the developer offers three versions for download: Universal Binary, PPC, and Intel. The single platform ones are indeed about half the size of the UB. Personally, I wish more developers would consider doing this.
Buzzing, copter-inspired Blowfly alarm clock goes on sale
We see far too many fabulous ideas that simply never make it to market for one reason or another, but after a lengthy stint in proverbial purgatory, the Blowfly alarm clock has hit production. The design looks a bit more mainstreamed that previous conceptions, but the functionality remains in tact and looks to be the perfect annoyance to force you to rise in the early AM. Sporting a shiny black base, blue backlit LCD, large-format numbers, and the obligatory mini-copter launcher, this alarm clocks purportedly blasts the chopper into the air whenever you're supposed to awake, and unless you get up, catch the flying object, and place it back into the clock, that awful screeching nose simply will not cease. So if you're the world's worse snooze abuser, and you don't mind stumbling around your room with eyes half closed, you can cure that late arrival syndrome for just DKK299 ($53).[Via GadgetReview]
Timex intros diminutive Ti700 iPod alarm clock
It's no secret that quite a few companies are jumping in the iPod speaker system / alarm clock game, but you know the market's saturated when Timex dives in. Sporting a slim, travel-friendly silver and black enclosure, the Ti700 rocks a blue-backlit LCD, twin alarms, AM / FM tuners, nine station presets, and even a nine-button wireless remote to control the action from afar. Of course, Timex isn't exactly the king of audio, so you'll be relying on a single (likely subpar) driver to belt out the jams, but you can plug in other audio devices via the aux in jack if you leave your 'Pod behind. No word just yet on pricing and availability, nor if it'll be setup beside the bargain watch display at your favorite retailer.
iHome unveils bevy of colorful iPod alarm clocks / speaker systems
No sooner than iLuv hit us with two new iHome competitors, iHome has struck back with the unveiling of no fewer than seven new iPod alarm clocks and speaker systems. Going for that classic look, the iH14 is a tabletop iPod speaker system with a wood or black leather finish, AM / FM radio, and rotary knobs. The iH10 rocks the same overall design, but sports the more typical, trendy white or black finish. The ultra-compact iH4 provides an iHome for folks on the go, offering an alarm clock / docking iPod solution in a tiny enclosure that also features an aux input, adjustable LCD accent lights, and a white or black paintjob. Next up is the colorized versions of the now-famous iH5, and while the iH5 colortunes will come in white with blue, green, or pink grills, the iH3 adds silver to the mix and will be sold exclusively in Target. The iHM1 also gets a colortunes makeover to match those 2G nanos, and comes in blue, green, and pink as well. Lastly, the iH19 sport case rocks a water-resistant design, stereo speakers, and external control pad, and should be available in your choice of blue, green, pink, or silver. No pricing or release information was readily available, but we're pretty sure these colorized units will make it out just in time for Spring.
DIY wristwatch touts OLED display, plays Pong
There's not a whole lot of things we'd consider more worthy of technolust than a Pong clock, but a Pong clock that fits on your wrist is most certainly one of them. Although the build process looks far from easy, this beautiful piece of retro nirvana sports an all black motif, 96 x 64 resolution OLED display, 33-hours of battery life, and the ability to mesmerize even the boldest of the bold. By utilizing a good bit of handyman skills, a great bit of circuitry knowledge, and an awful lot of patience, John has created a surefire "hit at his office," and while no one has paid him a compliment just yet out on the streets, we know some hearts have been filled with envy nonetheless. Although the amount of detail required to craft such a device far exceeds what we can describe here, be sure to hit the read link for an elaborate build log complimented with snapshots, and click on through for the live action video.[Via MAKE]
iLuv kicks out Bluetooth-enabled i277BLK / i199BLK iPod stereo clocks
It may not be iHome, but iLuv's done a thing or two with DAP-docking alarm clocks that other firms just have to respect, and the company's latest duo even includes Bluetooth for that cordless approach we so adore. The i277BLK (pictured after the break) features an LCD display, docking cradle for your dock-connecting iPod, built-in track / volume controls, AM / FM tuners, digital clock with dual-function alarms, wireless remote, AV output, dock adapters, twin three-watt jAura speakers, and an A2DP-compliant BluePin audio transmitter / receiver to receive tunes from any BT-enabled device or listen in with your Bluetooth headphones. The i199BLK ups the ante by including a CD / MP3 disc player, USB port for thumb drive input, ID3 tag support, and a larger, more descriptive LCD panel. Both options should be available this March, and while the i277BLK will set you back $149.99, the more featured i199BLK will demand a cool $229.99.Read - iLuv i277BLKRead - iLuv i199BLK
