Hands on with the Flying Alarm Clock

Product Review

Mark Rollins
It seems like there is no vaccine for getting up in the morning on time. Even those who own alarm clocks can still turn them off and just go back to sleep again. I know I've done that one way too much. They key not in the alarm sound but making certain the sleeper is doing something active in the next few seconds or else he or she will inevitably go to sleep once again.

Therefore, you might be interested in the Flying Alarm Clock from Tech Tools. It is a very simple concept of an alarm clock with a propeller on top that spins at the alarm preset time. The spinning propeller then jumps off of the alarm clock unit itself and flies around the room by gyro forces. The user get up, chase the thing around and catch it, then put it back on. Why would the user want to do that? Because the alarm blares with one of the loudest alarms I have ever heard. You have to put the propeller on or else it just will not stop.

I got a chance to try it out, and I suppose this would be a decent idea except for a few things.

First of all, the propeller does spin, but it does not launch in the air very high. It did launch itself off the unit, which could, I suppose, go off the edge of the table. In other words, the propeller does not go far, which wouldn't really create a great sense of urgency to go look for it that this product advertises.

Second, I found that when I put the propeller back on the unit, the LED clock reset to twelve. This makes the Snooze feature impossible. Therefore, you will need to reset after every use.

However, you should not discount this product altogether. It is very easy to use, and only requires four AA batteries to make it work. However, I will have to say that even if this product worked to efficiency, I'm not certain whether it would work.

Allow me to explain myself. I know people who can sleep through their alarm clock, or, as previously mentioned, turn them off and go back to sleep again, not even remembering it later. Even if a user got the propeller, put it back on, what is to keep the user from just falling back to sleep again?

Well, if you are interested in it, you can get it at the Baron Bob website for just $24.95.

Published by Mark Rollins

I have always wanted to be a writer. In the last few years, I quit my day job and became a full-time freelance writer. I like writing about the latest in Science and Technology, and I also like writing sci...  View profile

4 Comments

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  • Greased up Deaf Guy1/10/2008

    This is just what i need I am a snooze button addict!!! This sounds like it would stop my addiction pretty fast!

  • Will Wright12/16/2007

    I saw this thing in a catalogue and thought it would be perfect for my wife. Now I have second thoughts. Thanks for the review -- you just saved me from making a bad purchase!

  • Carol Bengle Gilbert12/10/2007

    This is hysterical! I imagine it does not do much to improve the user's vocabulary or the peace of the neighbors if the user happens to live in an apt. building.

  • Kassidy Emmerson12/9/2007

    Hmm, doesn't sound very good. Very nice review, though!

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