Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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94 of 98 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
One amazing feature, but still one average clock, November 4, 2005
I bought this clock because of it's fantastic ability to have a separate alarm for each day of the week, something that just makes a lot of sense and should be standard on every alarm clock. This one feature works exactly as advertised, and is very easy and intuitive to use and configure. The clock has a unique style to it, with a sort of retro look going on, and it doesn't take up a lot of space. It is higher than most clocks but compensates with a smaller footprint. The standard features like nap and snooze all work well and are easy to configure.
The problem with this clock comes down to the fact that several corners were cut to make it as cheap as possible to produce. The radio has an old style analog tuner (albeit a slightly better one than most clock radios out there). This is 2005, and one would think that digital tuners would be a standard by now. Unless you enjoy listening to one and only one radio station, you will find the analog tuner a pain.
The sound quality of the radio is also very average. It's not bad by any means, and the reception is very good, but like many clock radios it has zero lower end sound (ie bass). The radio also makes an annoying 'pop' when you turn it on or the alarm kicks in. It is a very minor sound, but I expect better. My 15 year old $10 clock radio makes the exact same noise when the radio kicks in.
Another problem I have with it is the lighting of the LCD screen. In my opinion it is just bright enough to make nobody happy. It is slightly too dim to see well during the day, and it is slightly too bright to be comfortable at night. I have lived with old school clock radios my entire life, with the glowing red numbers. These clocks produce almost no light, which is what I like. If you are used to the new style clocks that choose to backlight the entire display instead of just the numbers, then this will be no problem for you, but if you are like me and like a clock that puts out a minimal amount of light, you won't like this clock. Would an adjustable brightness really cost that much more? Or how about a light sensor that would adjust automatically?
I really wanted to like this clock, but the lack of a digital tuner and the annoying brightness / lack thereof make this clock all but useless to me. Still, I do recommend the clock over most other clocks out there. If you can get past the analog tuner and poor display, you will be happy with this product.
PROS:
- 7 day alarm feature
- very easy to configure
- unique design and good button layout
CONS:
- very average sound
- no digital tuner
- hard to see the display during the day
- display too bright at night
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Retro style meets modern technology, January 1, 2006
This clock replaces our last alarm which fell victim to an overly angry pressing of the snooze button. My wife has been using it for a week now with no complaints. The initial setup is incredibly easy. After holding SETUP, you use the dial to input your settings. A fast turn of the dial increases the time in 10 or 30 minute increments; a slow one nudges the minutes along. I never realized how handy it is to have a 7-day alarm schedule - especially where I like to sleep in on weekends and have to be up early on Mondays. It is worth noting, however, that if on a certain Wednesday you take a day off (and change the wake-up time) you'd have an entire week to forget that you'd done so. Finally, it would useful if the manufacturers would better secure the holder for the [backup] batteries. Still, I am as enthusiastic as one could be about an alarm clock.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Most practical alarm clock I've ever owned, December 28, 2006
I have yet to find another alarm clock with the ability for separate alarms for all seven days. It blows my mind that only one exists because it seems like such a no-brainer feature to offer. Not everyone works 9-5 each day and has a constant schedule. College students, the self employed (like myself) and many others would find this alarm to be the perfect choice.
The clock has a programmable nap function that's independent from the seven alarms. Want to sleep for 20 minutes? Set the nap function for 20 and the alarm will go off at the end of the countdown. The clock will remember your 20 minute preference for the next time you want to take a nap.
Another great feature that I've never seen on any other alarm clock is the programmable snooze button. Not only can you determine the length of the snooze, but when your alarm goes off the number of times you press the button will multiply the length of time before the alarm goes off again. Say you have snooze set for 10 minutes. Alarm goes off, you don't want to get up and you know you can squeeze in 20 more minutes, so you hit the button twice. Instead of 10 minutes the alarm will go off in 20.
Despite these features, the clock is extremely easy to configure. This is a surprise given that one would expect a 7 day alarm to be even more complicated than other clocks. It's the exact opposite. I found it to be the most intuitive alarm clock I've ever used. Whereas other alarms have slide bars and buttons, this clock is primarily controlled by two dials on the center top. It's amazing that no other company thought of this.
On the bad side, there's no way to control the LCD brightness and the analog control of the radio is too dated for a clock of this price. The sound is average at best. On the positive side, the overall design takes up little space and has a nice retro look.
Contrary to what others have argued, I didn't find the LCD that bright at all at night. Only an extremely sensitive sleeper is going to have a problem. I found this model to be one of the least bright I've ever seen or used.
As someone who's self employed, I can't recommend this alarm enough to anyone with an erratic schedule.
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