Cool Clocks

I’m sure anyone reading this blog has played Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). I’m sure that anyone who has played this game has discovered that it is not as easy as it looks, and moving feet to the beat can wear you out. No wonder why the arcade version of the game has guardrails!

I’ve seen a finger-sized version of DDR before, and generally designed as a USB-powered excuse for fidgeting. This would be the first time I have ever seen a finger-sized DDR attached to an alarm clock.

This is the type of alarm clock that gets your mind in “wake” mode by letting your fingers do the dancing. Yes, that alarm clock will simply not shut up unless your fingers touch the right lights.

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We have covered a lot of clocks in the past. Some of them are solar powered, some run on water, but this is the first time that I have ever seen bug power.

That’s right, someone has actually invented a carnivorous alarm clock that works like a Venus Fly Trap. It works with a conveyor belt of flypaper that takes a captured fly and drops them into a microbial fuel cell. This dead bug is digested by bacteria, then there is a chemical change that can somehow power the clock.

I’m surprised that I haven’t heard about bug power before, as roach motels could be turned into batteries and hanging flypaper could be turned into chandeliers. Right now, I am living in a place that is full of flies, and I could use a device like this.

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Sports fans will know how it feels like as they plan their social schedule around their favorite teams’ game times, which makes the following range of Game Time Schedule Watches an absolute must have. These watches already come programmed with the schedule of your team of choice, alongside the schedule of other teams for the particular sport so that you can watch other can’t-miss matchups even if they’re from a rival team. Apart from showing off today’s game time and opponent on the main screen, you can also opt to scroll through to view upcoming games, games from the past and other team’s schedules. Available for all major sports including NFL football, NHL hockey, MLB baseball, NBA basketball or NASCAR racing, these watches retail for more than $80 a pop.

Craziest Gadgets

Yes, we have covered a lot of alarm clocks here at Coolest Gadgets. Alarm clock technology has changed very little since its first incarnation, as it is just a loud sound programmed to get you up at a time that you would prefer to be sleeping. Most “improvements” are usually a louder sound, or some kind of activity to make the user alert, like the Dynamite Alarm Clock. I’ve seen one that uses scents to aid the early riser, but this was just a concept for now.

Zeo has come out with the first alarm clock device that I have seen that actually wants to help you sleep. In fact, this product is billed as a Personal Sleep Coach. Sleep coach? I’ve heard of a life coach, but this is not ridiculous. Check out more after the jump.

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How many of you turn on your TV the moment you wake up (never mind about seeing the light of day), just to get a gist of what’s going on around the world at that moment in time? Don’t think too many would do that just to check out what the weather for today would be like, but here’s a bedside device that caters for that particular niche - the Wake To Weather Alarm Clock.

This is the alarm clock that informs you of the weather the moment you awaken. The unit receives a radio signal with AccuWeather data for 152 U.S. locations over the same network used by medical pagers, with no internet connection, computer, or subscription fee required. At a glance its large, adjustable backlit display shows the time, dual alarm settings, current weather conditions icons, and the forecast for the next two days, including high and low temperatures. The clock’s intuitive controls are simple to use and its time is synchronized over the network so it never needs adjusting. You can wake to its alarm or to its radio, which features digital tuning and RDS for station and song information. It features a large snooze button and unique pop-up buttons that show each alarm’s status. With five presets. Plugs into AC with included adapter. Requires one AA battery for memory backup.

Well, most importantly, this comes with the snooze button that works great to help you catch that extra few minutes of shuteye. We’re not too sure whether the $179.95 price point is worth it since most of our cellphones these days can connect to the internet and pull off the day’s weather forecast for free.

Sure, you can have the MP3 Clock DX if you want a cool alarm clock, but I will have to say that the iTalk from Neutrano is one of the most interesting alarm clocks that I have seen in a while.

After all, how many alarm clocks do you know that allow the user to set the time or alarm with your own voice? Yeah, no more of those stupid buttons that you have to hit simultaneously, and then keep pushing until the right time shows up.

At least, that is what the Press Release tells me. Apparently, the user just says “Hello iTalk”, and tell the digital alarm clock the time. It will understand any voice in English, and you can also ask: “what day is it”? I’m guessing you set that by voice too. The iTalk clock will also understand other commands such as “snooze”.

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I still strongly prefer the classic look of this type of clock over the fancy new clocks packed full of LED lights.  However, my alarm has far too many benefits to give it up for a clock that doesn’t even do half of what it can.  Well although this clock features a very classic look, it at least has a little bit of a modern twist.  It won’t work as a dock or double as a radio, but it at the very least can utilize MP3s to wake you up first thing in the morning.

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Hammacher carries some delectable devices from time to time, and this time round they’re offering what they dubbed the first Worldwide Atomic Solar Watch. We don’t suppose they’re wrong on that, so let’s see what this timepiece offers.

This is the first solar watch that can receive signals from six atomic clock radio broadcasts worldwide, providing unerring timekeeping while eliminating the need to set the time or replace a battery. It updates itself up to six times per day from time signals broadcast by radio clocks located in the U.S., UK, Germany, Japan (two clocks), and China. The watch will attempt to receive a signal from the nearest radio clock trasmitter (based upon the home city you select). Photovoltaic cells in the watchface capture sunlight and convert it into power for the built-in battery, lasting up to seven months without further exposure to light once fully charged. It automatically adjusts for Daylight Saving Time and provides the time in 48 cities worldwide. It has a 1/100th second stopwatch, countdown timer, and four alarms. It has a durable resin exterior that resists shocks and a double sealed case back and sealed buttons; water-resistant down to 600′.

It would be a shame if you had a more accurate way of telling time and yet still can’t make it on time for your appointments! If only this $159.95 watch came with some sort of anti-late mechanism.