Beep … beep … beeeeepppp … beeeeeeepppppp … BEEEEEEEPPPPPP!
Every weekday morning - and sometimes on the weekend, too - men and women are jarred awake by alarm clocks.
Waking up this way - whether it’s to a caustic beep or tunes blaring on the radio - is a way of life.
For most, it is an unwelcome necessity, but some new clocks offer features that may make waking up less alarming.
High-tech is in, and that includes high-tech alarm clocks.
Today, sleepers can wake up to the soothing sounds of ocean waves, their favorite ’80s hits or just a gentle buzz. There are alarm clocks that will charge your cellphone, others that will shake sleepers out of a sound slumber and even one that simulates daybreak to wake sleepers “naturally.”
Here are some alarm clocks that do more than just beep and buzz.
IHOME IDL45 AND IPL10
Looking for an alarm that doubles as an iPhone dock and music speaker? The iHome iDL45 and iPL10 clock radios feature an Apple-friendly dock compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod products.
The clock radio lets the synced device set the time, and allows sleepers to wake to their playlist, random songs from their Apple device or to any local FM station. These alarms even feature gradual wake and sleep modes that increase or decrease volume incrementally so that sleepers aren’t jarred awake. The iDL45 is designed to double as a home stereo, with larger speakers and a wider base. The iPL10 has a smaller footprint and looks more like a traditional alarm clock. Both work with new Apple products as well as legacy devices.
Suggested retail price: $99 for the iDL45 and $69 for the iPL10.
ILUV TIMESHAKER DUAL
ALARM CLOCK SPEAKER
For the worker bee who really likes to sleep in, the folks at iLuv have developed the TimeShaker Dual Alarm Clock Speaker. This alarm clock not only buzzes and plays music, it shakes the user awake using a patented, round bed shaker that attaches to the speaker set. Just dock your Apple device, set the alarm and place the shaker on the bed under a pillow. The shaker was developed to emulate the sensation of being shaken awake, says Jason Park, marketing manager at iLuv. “As the bed shaker vibrates, it shakes the sleeping person as another person would shake them to wake them up,” he says. “It’s a great device for the hearing impaired or for use in a dorm environment where more than one person shares a room.” It’s also ideal for couples who don’t wake at the same time every morning.
Suggested retail price: $99.99.
ILUV VIBRO II & ILUV VIBROBLUE
Much like the TimeShaker, the Vibro series from iLuv features a device that vibrates to wake heavy sleepers each morning - along with two big speakers so that the clock doubles as a radio and speaker set for a smartphone or iPod. The Vibro II features a docking station for iPhones and iPods, again for sleepers with Apple devices. The VibroBlue offers help for Android users. This wireless speaker/alarm clock has all the same features as the Vibro II except it allows users to connect via Bluetooth or using a USB charging port compatible with Android devices and non-Apple tablets. Stream music from anywhere in the room or plug in a smartphone to charge for the night. Both Vibro models allow sleepers to wake using music from a device, an FM radio station or the dreaded alarm clock buzzer.
Suggested retail price: $69.99.
VERILUX RISE & SHINE SERENITY SERIES
If the thought of being shaken awake isn’t appealing, there are gentler alarms on the market. Take, for example, the Verilux Rise & Shine Serenity Series. This alarm clock/light combo tries to re-create a natural sleep pattern, even in the pre-dawn hours, by waking its user slowly using either natural white light or a system of 250 colors. Here’s how it works: Set the wake program to begin to illuminate the room 15 to 30 minutes before the alarm is set to go off. The light on the clock gets progressively brighter over those 15-30 minutes and reaches its brightest at the time the alarm is set. “When the light hits your eyelids, it triggers your body to start increasing energy levels and cues your body to start waking up,” says Elizabeth Pavlica with Evans Larson Communications, the marketing firm for Verilux. “I find it so much easier to wake up and be productive when I wake to a lit room, especially on overcast mornings or during the winter when the sun rises later.” Users can also set sounds - such as ocean waves or rainfall - to go with the growing light. The sleep system can also be used to help trigger sleep using the same features, only with the light progressively dimming.
Suggested retail price: $99.95.
SLEEPTRACKER ALARM CLOCK/WATCH
It may not be an alarm clock, per se, but the SleepTracker watch may do the trick if you’re trying to wake up more naturally. The watch/alarm clock is the brain child of Lee Loree of Atlanta, who noticed that his wife was much less grumpy and woke up much more easily when awakened from a light sleep instead of a deep sleep. Here’s how it works: The user sets the alarm and gives the watch a window of anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes in which he can be awakened. The watch detects motion in much the same way a pedometer would and wakes the sleeper at a time when it senses motion, which is associated with lighter sleep, according to Loree. The watch will even record how many episodes of movement a user has per night, and he can plug it into a computer using a USB cable to find out about his sleep cycle and get tips on how to improve sleep patterns. The idea is for each individual to get the best sleep possible, says Loree. “It doesn’t matter that your sleep is different than mine,” he says. “What’s important is that you’re maximizing yours.”
Suggested retail price: $150. BEDOL WATER CLOCKS
For the environment-conscious, there’s the Bedol Water Clock series which includes four clocks that run on water. No batteries or electricity needed - just ordinary tap water. Simply unscrew the base, fill it with water, close it and set it. The clock draws power from ions in the water. The water in the original Water Clock must be changed every 12 weeks, while the Squirt model runs for six months between refreshes. A memory chip remembers the time so the clock doesn’t have to be reset every time the water is changed.
The alarm on each clock is decidedly low-tech, with a simple on-off switch and one setting.
Suggested retail price: $25-$39.
TIMEX SOLAR-POWERED, RADIO-CONTROLLED, ATOMIC ALARM CLOCK
Speaking of environment-friendly, Timex makes a solar-powered “atomic” alarm clock for those who like their alarm clocks maintenance-free. A solar cell powers it using sunlight or ambient, indoor light. A special antenna picks up a signal from the U.S. Alarm Clock in Fort Collins, Colo .,and synchronizes the Timex with it. The clock has a 24-hour set-and-forget alarm with auto repeat and shutoff. The buzzer on this alarm clock slowly wakes up sleepers by progressively getting louder, and the clock also displays the temperature of the room.
Suggested retail price: $19.99.
TIMESMART SELF-SETTING ALARM CLOCKS
Users who like their alarms to be self-sufficient may like the TimeSmart Self-Setting Alarm Clock Radio and the TimeSmart Self-Setting Projection Clock from Brookstone. Just plug in either clock, set your time zone and alarm time and the clock does the rest. With a five-year battery life, the clocks reset themselves after a power outage. Each clock automatically remembers alarm settings and adjusts for daylight saving time. Dual crescendo alarms wake users gradually. The clock radio has an added auxiliary port for plugging in headphones, an MP3 player or a CD player and a “sleep to” setting that allows users to fall asleep to their favorite music. The projection clock projects the time on the wall or ceiling so that users don’t have to turn over to look at the clock. They are among Brookstone’s best-selling alarm clocks says Pauline Collins, company public relations manager.
Suggested retail price: $49.99 for the projection clock and $59.99 for the clock radio.
TIMEX EXTRA LOUD ALARM CLOCK
Bells and whistles are all well and good, but what about the people who need to be jarred out of their cozy, comfortable beds each morning? Enter the Timex Extra Loud Alarm Clock. This clock offers users a choice of soft or loud alarm buzzers - and an extra large, “easy-to-find” snooze button for those people who just have to have that extra 10 minutes of sleep. The clock also features a one touch, automatic reset button for making sure it’s set for the following day. Like all Timex alarm clocks, it has a 24-hour set-and-forget alarm with auto repeat and auto shutoff. “There is a significant market for easy-to-use alarm clocks and clock radios,” says Evan Stein, vice president of marketing for iHome, which shares Timex’s parent company, SDI Technologies. “In fact, many prefer a classic, simple product.”
Suggested retail price: $11.99.
HomeStyle, Pages 31 on 07/27/2013