A Proper Alarm Clock
I’ve been on a long hunt for an alarm clock.
I bought a Twemco flip alarm clock about a year back. Saw one in Master of None, and had to have it. It looks great, but doesn’t feel great (feels pretty cheap actually) and I am not keen on the sound of the alarm. Better for just a desk clock or moved to the guest bedroom.
So I’m back to waking up to my phone which of course segues into flipping through my phone in bed longer than I should.
I’ve looked at ‘em all:
The high-tech ones (Loftie, Hatch, Phillips, OneClock, etc.) don’t have the styling I’m looking for. I’m not sure they have the staying power either. I want one that I’ll be pleased with 10 years from now and won’t feel dated, if it’s even still working.
The standard ones just didn’t seem to nail things aesthetically.
I need something pleasing to look at, an easy UX, nice to touch (the Twemco feels like a toy), and a sound that isn’t terrible to wake up to.
I was intrigued by Tivoli’s alarm clock but it just has so much going on and I read it’s a so-so alarm clock.
I pulled the trigger on the Braun:
What sold me was how the UX informed the design. It’s almost breathtakingly intuitive. So smart.
It has a warm backlight that turns on when the room reaches a certain darkness (you can disable this). The light itself has a beautiful gradient.
The alarm tone progressively increases, instead of blasting you out of the gate.
It was also one of the most affordable of the alarm clocks I was looking at.
So far, so good.
Important note: It’s smaller than I was expecting at about half the width of my Twemco clock, so keep that in mind when considering.
Edit: Stay tuned for next week’s newsletter, because I found another one and it’s super elevated. I’m deep down this rabbit hole, friends.
A Moveable (ear)Feast
I got one.
You guys know I’m a fan of Sonos for a full home system; I made a video on it. I’ve got Sonos Ones sprinkled throughout my home which is a really wonderful experience, coating my home in music.
There was a gap though - I had a couple rooms where I didn’t need one all the time (bathroom/sunroom), but there were plenty of times when it’d be nice to have one..
And then the biggie - I love taking a speaker with me when I hang with friends outside. They always appreciate it too.
I love hitting Loose Park in KC in the Spring and Summertime, and my best friend has a farm, so I’m often out there hanging out or working on something. I gotta bring the tunes.
For years I’ve used a Bang & Olufsen P2, which is a wonderful speaker. Its sound is really impressive for its size, but the battery life is not great anymore. I’ll eventually replace the battery in that, but I used that as the final straw to push me over the edge on getting the Move.
The Move was the perfect fit for both of these situations. I’ve enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
It’s a large speaker, a LOT larger than the Sonos One. Whereas the B&O P2 can fit in my pocket, the Move weighs nearly 7 lbs. This is not an issue for 95% of my use cases, in fact, the larger size is welcomed, because this puppy can get loud and has a fuller sound because of its shear size.
And get this - 24 hours of battery life. Bonkers. It’s also drop-resistant and water-resistant and all that good stuff.
Going forward, if I’m traveling, I’ll just bring the tiny but impressive P2 with me, but in town things or camping or pretty much anything else, the Move is the one. I got mine in the Olive color, which I’m a big fan of. Also, the UX is fantastic and the speaker itself feels premium.
I should note: I’d probably only recommend the Move IF you already have a Sonos setup or plan on growing one. It’s good no doubt, but Sonos only really makes sense if you are doing a full home system, not a one-off speaker or just a room setup.
Auto Company I’m Following
Rivian is my favorite EV truck out right now, but these things look FUN!
I am always pumped when companies introduce something that is unlike anything out right now. It takes a lot of courage but it’s what pushes industries forward. Not all of Canoo’s designs are home runs, but this truck shown above looks rad.
Running up to 600hp too.
Quote I’m Pondering
“Not until you go in to do something difficult do you understand the strength you have.” - Renzo Gracie
Song I’m listening to
p.s. Are you subscribed to my YouTube Channel where I go in depth on all of this kind of stuff??? You should be.
p.p.s. Some of these links toss me a commission without costing you any extra. This goes to buying more things so I can talk about them. and g wagons.
Cheers!
Dominic
On alarm clocks, check out the Punkt AC-02 at punkt.ch (you may like their general design vibe). Sure it costs 7x the price of the Braun, but it's exquisite.
I apologize if all of my comments are about the damn G-Shock 5000U, but it's a fantastic alarm clock. I use the snooze alarm daily and love it. Sure, it doesn't look as nice as the Braun clock. Great list as always!