This clock has bothered me for years, but I’ve yet to replace it.
A Giant Digital Display
I bought my current clock many years ago because of the large digital readout. I wanted something I could easily read at night without my glasses.
Like most clocks, it doesn’t set itself.
This wouldn’t be so bad if setting it weren’t so terrible.
Control Problems
The snooze button is on top, which is about the only control that makes sense on the clock.
In order to set the time there is a switch in the back that must be moved. This switch is right next to the dimmer switch. They feel exactly the same, so can’t be distinguished by touch, so you have to turn the clock around.
But now you can’t see the time, so you have to awkwardly find the switches and buttons then have your hands behind the clock while you’re setting it to see what you’re doing, as opposed to controls on the side or top.
There are two buttons used to set the time or alarm, one for minutes and one for hours. These both only advance time, so if you go too far, or want to set an alarm or time earlier, you have to cycle all the way around again.
Which happens all the time.
One button for forward and another for reverse, or better a dial or knob, would be better.
There is a facility to record a message instead of using the buzzer to wake up. I have owned this clock for more than a decade and I have never figured out how to do it, or why I would want to.
Feedback
There is a switch on the side to cycle the alarm between off, buzzer, and “message” but the feedback as to whether the alarm is on or off is a dot to the left of the time.
This might be ok, except that there is another dot the left of the time to indicate PM.
To look at the clock and know if the alarm is on one has to realize: no dots means no alarm. Two dots means the alarm is on. One dot means the alarm is on, but only if it’s morning. If it’s evening, one dot means the alarm is not on.
Too much to think about.
To see what time the alarm is set for, you have to find the tiny switch in the back and switch it to set alarm, then switch it back, all without hitting any other buttons which would change the time. Common in clocks, but annoying — a second display that just shows the alarm time would solve lots of the problems.
Aesthetics
Beyond the lack of pleasing aesthetics, I really don’t need to be reminded every morning I bought a clock from Timex a decade ago.
And it’s just not a pleasing object.
Alarm!
The standard electronic alarm buzz we all know is present.
Why don’t I wake up to something more pleasant sounding?
Why is it we’ve decided the best way to wake up in the morning is with an awful noise?
You Probably Hate Your Clock Too
Complaining about products probably doesn’t do much to calm myself
While this may not have seemed constructive, it is helpful to think of these things to inform how we choose better things.
I’ll continue with analysis of potentially better clocks, an idealized design for the clock I want, and (perhaps) about trying to get it built.
If you have an alarm clock you love, or hate, or think we should look at, contact us via email or twitter.