Sugar and caffeine can’t hold a candle to a shot of adrenaline when it comes to waking you up. Which is why we feel this bomb-shaped alarm clock, which looks like it was ordered directly from the ACME catalog, would be far more effective than the countless number of alarm clocks we’ve brought you in the past. Designed and built by Mike Krumpus from Nootropic Design, when the countdown for the alarm starts you have to snip one of 3 wires to ‘diffuse’ the situation. And every time the countdown begins it’s a different randomly selected wire that does the trick.

Now granted, having to replace the wires every single night before going to bed is probably kind of annoying. And knowing the bomb is actually made from paper towel tubes takes away some of the adrenaline producing fear that would help wake you up in the morning. (Even though the clay version pictured below is certainly convincing.) But if it’s fear and adrenaline you’re after I’d suggest packing one of these in your luggage and convincing airport security it’s just a travel alarm.

[ Nootropic Design - Defusable Alarm Clock ] VIA [ Make ]

Forget about alarm clocks that try to drive off and escape, shake your bed or even test your shooting accuracy in the morning. We’ve found what is certainly the most effective way to get someone to leap out of bed and kill their alarm. Instead of music or buzzing sounds, the My Wake Up Call alarm clock plays motivational messages from a wide range of overly-energetic type-A personality ‘gurus’ who I’m sure have all appeared on Oprah at one time or another.

You can order the alarm clock pictured above that plays something called ‘compact discs’ for $59.95, or an iPod-compatible version for $69.95 that both include a month’s worth of motivational wake up messages. You can also just order or download a month of messages by themselves, if you’ve already got the hardware, for $19.95. Including such titles as ‘My Wake Up Call to Love’, ‘My Powerthoughts Wake Up Call’ and ‘My Emotional Freedom Wake Up Call’… Uh-huh…

[ My Wake Up Call Alarm Clock ] VIA [ Gizmag ]

Physically abusing an alarm clock just to get a few more minutes of sleep in the morning isn’t a new idea. But you might feel a little less put off by the idea when the alarm clock looks like one of the lovable characters from Roger Hargreaves’ Mr. Men/Little Miss series. And while Mr. Bump might look too adorable to throw, just remember that pain and injury are his raison d’être. His modus operandi. Without a reason for wearing those bandages he’d just be ‘Mr. Creepy Mummy Fetish’ or something. ~$21 (£12.99) from Truffle Shuffle.

[ Mr. Bump Off The Wall Alarm Clock ] VIA [ Geeky Gadgets ]

Having trouble seeing the time from afar when using your smartphone as an alarm clock? For the most part, iPhone alarm clock apps use a digital time display that’s larger and brighter than your traditional alarm clock hardware. But you know how people can be. You give ‘em an inch, and they take a mile. So if the iPhone’s display still isn’t big enough for you to read in the middle of the night, iLive’s Clock Radio Dock certainly will be.

Instead of a digital display, the iLive uses your iPhone as the hands, and the number 12, for a traditional analog clock face. Admittedly the hour, minute and second hands generated by the free accompanying app are a little on the small side, kind of negating the size advantage of the larger clock face. But I’ll still give them points for originality. As alarm clocks go it’s as functional as one would need, with dual alarms that can wake you to music, the radio or a beeping sounds. It’s also got a sleep timer and snooze function, a full function remote and can be yours for just $49.99.

[ iLive Clock Radio Dock ] VIA [ 7Gadgets ]

Product design is a battle between form and function, and ideally you always want it to end in a draw so there’s a balance between the two. But sometimes one side is the clear winner, and in this case it’s form that takes all the glory. Jonas Damon’s beech wood Alarm Dock is as featureless and functionless as it gets. It’s basically just a faux wooden alarm clock designed to hold your iPhone at an ideal angle so you can use it as a bedside alarm clock.

An opening on the back allows you to run the iPhone’s charging cable through so it charges over night, while a downloadable flip clock app adds to the retro charm. And I’m completely surprised that you can actually order one from AREAWARE for just $39.50. Sure it’s kind of expensive given it does nothing, but the rule of thumb is that designery things usually cost an arm and a leg right?

[ Beech Wood Alarm Dock ] VIA [ Freshome ]

I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that most people with even a moderately capable smartphone already use it as a replacement for their alarm clock. And I’d love to count myself among those who do, but unfortunately I usually require a decibel level on par with a passing commercial airliner to wake me up in the morning. So unfortuntely the speaker on my iPhone doesn’t quite cut it.

Thankfully alarm clock dock accessories for the iPhone are just about as plentiful as cases these days, and I recently had the chance to try out the compact 3 in 1 Microdock from XtremeMac. Its small footprint not only makes it ideal for home use since it won’t take up a lot of space on your nightstand, but it’s easy to travel with as well. That compact form factor does come with a few trade-offs though, which I’ll go into detail about in my full review found after the jump.

As far as its form factor goes, the 3 in 1 Microdock reminds me of the monoliths from 2001 toppled flat on the ground. It’s a bit larger than the iPhone 4, and most definitely a bit thicker, but it’s still got a few curves on the front and back so it doesn’t just look like a non-descript brick sitting next to your bed. It strikes a good balance though between being compact so that it doesn’t take up a lot of space wherever you’re using it, while at the same time outperforming the iPhone’s built-in speaker. They certainly could have made it smaller and thinner, but that would’ve definitely affected the sound quality, which is what most consumers will be buying it for.

At the top you’ll find the all important dock where you plug in your iPhone or iPod using its dock connector. Given the connector is slightly sunk you won’t be able to connect either of the iPads, but because the 3 in 1 Microdock is so small it would probably just topple over with one connected anyways.

Using a set of included adapters (pictured below) you can connect various models of the iPhone or iPod to the Microdock, but it only comes with 3 seemingly limiting which models you can use. But when removed there’s enough space around the dock connector to pretty much connect any of the iPods, there’s just slightly less support when doing it this way. And since it doesn’t have its own display, in order to use the 3 in 1 Microdock as an alarm you have to download an accompanying free app to provide that functionality. So if you’re using it with a non-iOS device, it basically just serves as a charging station/portable speaker.

And the 3 aforementioned adapters that can be swapped in or out as needed. Oddly enough, the version of the 3 in 1 Microdock I was sent didn’t come with an adapter for the iPhone 4, nor is it referenced on the packaging as even existing. But like I said, with the adapters completely removed you’re still able to connect it and use it with no problems.

On the back of the Microdock you’ll find 2 ports. One’s for the included power adapter and the other’s a line-in port for connecting a device that’s not compatible with the dock on top. It’s nice to have, don’t get me wrong, but I suspect it’s one feature that most manufacturers of accessories like these can leave out at this point. Consumers will be buying the Microdock to use with their iPhone and iPod exclusively. In fact I’m pretty sure most of them won’t even have the necessary cable to use this port anyways. But I guess you can still look at it as ‘added value’.

I find the wall wart that comes with the 3 in 1 Microdock to be a little big and annoying. At least it has a thin horizontal layout so that it will play somewhat nice with other electronics plugged into a power bar, but it’s hard not to look at the compact power adapters that ship with Apple products these days and wonder why they all can’t be so small.

On the bottom half of the 3 in 1 Microdock is where you’ll find the speaker and the minimal set of playback controls. Because it’s primarily designed to be used as alarm clock type accessory the Microdock has a single large wide button that can be used for kicking in a few extra minutes of snooze time. But when playing music it also lets you adjust the volume by pressing on the left or right side of the button, or playing and pausing the current track by pressing in the center. You can’t skip tracks with it, but I guess the mentality is that if you’re close enough to press the button you’re close enough to use the iPhone/iPod’s on-screen or hardware button controls to do this. And just below the center of the button you’ll notice a small LED. This comes on as a visual indicator that an alarm has been set.

The speaker on the 3 in 1 Microdock uses “dual neodymium drivers” and while it obviously can’t compete with a bookshelf-type stereo system or even larger docks, I’m still pretty impressed by how loud it can go. It’s lacking a dedicated woofer, but my random sampling of various tracks sounded full and not tinny at all which is common with smaller speakers. Distortion wasn’t a big issue at full volume either. It obviously performs a little better when you don’t max it out, but as compact speakers go it sounds quite good. Most importantly, it’s more than capable of waking me up in the morning.

As I’ve mentioned already, in order to keep it compact the 3 in 1 Microdock doesn’t have a display of its own or dedicated buttons for setting a clock or alarms. If you’d like to use it for that purpose, which is why most people would buy it I’m sure, you’ll need to download the free XtremeMac alarm clock app from the iTunes App Store. As iOS-based alarm clocks go it’s pretty basic, but there’s definitely more functionality than with your traditional red-LED based alarms.

By default the app loads with a black and orange theme that matches the color scheme of the 3 in 1 Microdock quite well. But you can also choose from other themes if the default isn’t ringing your bells. There are 7 to choose from, but I think the default theme is certainly the most pleasing.

As for alarms, you only get 2 which is probably the most limited part of the XtremeMac Alarm Clock app. Anyone who already uses the iPhone’s built-in alarm is used to being able to add as many as they want, so limiting users to just 2 is quite frankly a little bizarre to me.

The alarms can be pretty thoroughly customized however. The app lets you choose what kind of sounds you want to wake up to. A random song from your music library, pre-selected songs or even a playlist. You can also settle with a plain old chime sound effect, or opt for something more relaxing and soothing like rain or waves crashing on the beach. The alarm can be set to repeat on only specific days throughout the week, or never at all, and you can even specify how much longer the snooze button will let you sleep for. Pretty standard stuff, but also more than enough customizability for most users I think.

BUT, as I mentioned at the beginning of my review there is something you have to learn to live with when using the 3 in 1 Microdock as an alarm clock. Given it foregoes a display and settings buttons of its own to remain small and compact, it ends up being completely dependent on the XtremeMac app to function as an alarm clock. To the point where the app has to be actively running for any of the alarms to actually sound. Even if the app is still running in the background and you’ve jumped back to the homescreen, the alarms will not go off as scheduled. You are able to lock the device and have the alarms still go off, I specifically tested this, but the XtremeMac app has to be running before it’s locked. Otherwise, no go.

So you’re encouraged to just leave the display on all night, but since the iPhone’s screen is so bright, that can be distracting. Thankfully if you don’t choose to lock your device there’s a special Night mode you can activate which darkens the display while the app is running, making it less distracting when you’re trying to sleep.

So, is it a deal breaker? I don’t think so. More of an annoying trade-off. Thankfully I’ve been using the 3 in 1 Microdock with my iPhone 3GS which basically only does music duty these days, so leaving it in the dock with the XtremeMac Alarm Clock app always running isn’t a big inconvenience. And that small LED located under the snooze button does work quite well at letting you know at a glance if your alarms will actually go off in the morning.

But if I was using it with my iPhone 4 which is my primary phone, I think the risk of forgetting to open the alarm clock app before I fell asleep would worry me a bit. Even in the middle of the night I have a tendency to check txt messages, and if I were to forget to switch back to the alarm clock app before going back to sleep, I would NOT be waking up on time in the morning. However, through some additional testing, I’ve found that because the Microdock also works as a speaker, you can actually use other non-XtremeMac alarm clock apps with it that don’t need to be left running. Even the iPhone’s built-in alarm clock app gets a much needed boost in sound I’ve found.

So if the XtremeMac Alarm Clock app sounds like it might be a little restrictive for your needs, and you’re willing to do a little testing with other alternatives, I think the 3 in 1 Microdock is one of the better choices when it comes to this type of iPhone accessory. I really like how compact it is, and it even comes with a microfiber travel bag if you end up in a hotel lacking modern iPhone-friendly amenities. As a portable speaker it certainly scores high points in both sound and form factor, though if size isn’t your biggest concern you can probably find a larger, better sounding alternative for the same amount of money. Otherwise, it’s just an app update away from being highly recommended.

Pros:
+ A very compact alarm clock accessory with a small footprint that also makes it easy to travel with.
+ Reasonably priced.
+ Dedicated hardware snooze button that doubles as basic playback and volume controls.
+ Surprisingly loud speaker should be more then adequate to wake even the deepest of sleepers.
+ Can be used with iPods as well, though without the alarm clock functionality.
+ Accompanying XtremeMac Alarm Clock app is available for free.
+ Works with other alarm clock apps too. (Though you’ll want to do some testing first.)

Cons:
- Another bedside accessory that needs to be plugged in all the time.
- The XtremeMac Alarm Clock app needs to be actively running for the alarms to sound.

Links:
XtremeMac 3 In 1 Microdock – $59.99

If you have any questions about the XtremeMac 3 In 1 Microdock you’d like answered, please feel free to leave them in the comments, and I’ll try to respond to them as best I can.

I’ve often thought about trying one of these sleep phase alarm clocks, like the aXbo, that promises to only wake you up when your body is ready by tracking your sleep phases. But I just don’t think I’ll ever be ready to immediately get out of bed when the alarm goes off, which is what you’re supposed to do with these. In fact until recently the aXbo didn’t even have a snooze button, but thanks to a recent firmware upgrade it now comes with what they call the iSnooze feature (sigh…) which will let you catch a few more Z’s waking you again at the next optimal point in your sleep cycle.

And if you’re not already familiar with the aXbo, it looks like one of the better solutions if you’re into the whole sleep phase tracking thing. Of course while that technique supposedly makes it easier to get up in the morning, the downside is that you have to wear a special wrist band all night which allows the alarm clock to track your movements and tossing and turning so it can accurately predict when the optimal time in the morning is to wake you. I’m also awarding extra points for the mouse-like scroll wheel it uses for navigating menus or adjusting the time and alarms. Much better than repeatedly hitting an up or down button and having it overshoot the mark when holding it down for too long. I just wish it wasn’t ~$275 (€199) which is pretty steep.

[ aXbo Sleep Phase Alarm Clock ] VIA [ The Gadgeteer ]

A host of various Star Wars characters have already gotten the minifigure alarm clock treatment, but now that LEGO makes Toy Story themed sets, a couple of Pixar’s flagship characters are getting in on the action too. Available for pre-order from Firebox.com for ~$40, these Buzz Lightyear and Woody alarm clocks are fully posable, and like their Star Wars counterparts, feature a large, easy to read LCD display on their chests. With Woody the buttons for setting the alarm and time are located on his back, but with Buzz they’re cleverly integrated into his chest plate. And to snooze the alarm all you have to do is either press on Woody’s hat, or Buzz’s helmet.

[ Buzz Lightyear & Woody LEGO Minifigure Alarm Clock ] VIA [ 7Gadgets ]

Hey look! It’s another bird-themed alarm clock! From one side it looks like a grade school shop class project that taught you how to safely use the band saw without losing a finger. And on the other you’ve got everything you’d expect to find on a regular alarm clock like buttons, switches and a monochrome LCD display. Created by &Design in collaboration with IDEA International, it also lets you wake up to the sound of birds chirping in lieu of the traditional electronic beeping. $40 from the A+R Store available in blue, pink and tan.

[ Chirping Bird Alarm Clock ]

Since an alarm clock shaped like the iconic ‘ball’ from Pong doesn’t sound particularly exciting, it’s not surprising that someone has licensed Pac Man instead, bringing the famous dot-eating, ghost-hunting yellow protagonist to your nightstand. Powered by a couple of AAA batteries it’s your pretty basic alarm clock actually, but the buttons feature cherry, bell and ghost decals, and it plays several authentic Pac Man sound effects including the highly recognizable start-up ditty and the ominous wakka-wakka-wakka. ~$24 available from Firebox.com.

[ Pac Man Alarm Clock ] VIA [ 7Gadgets ]