A solid nights rest is just as important as the food you eat.  But unlike the food you consciously consume, we unfortunately can’t monitor ourselves when we sleep.  Unless of course you invest in a sleep monitoring apparatus, such as the Lark.

It’s a fabric soft wristband that monitors your sleep activity and gently vibrates to wake you from you slumber.  The latter feature not only wakes you in a more gradual state, but insures that your companion won’t be disturbed, unlike an audible alarm clock.  The iPhone, like all trendy and cool products, serves as the administration hub to the alarm clock (connects over Bluetooth), and even if your phone dies over night the Lark will still vibrate at the defined time.   Fold into the mix that the Lark can monitor your sleep quality – it tracks how fast you fell asleep, for how long and if you woke up – and you’ve got the whole kit and kaboodle of sleep doctors stuffed into a $189 apparatus.

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For many the smartphone has replaced the standard bedside alarm clock.  But for those of you that still want the old world charm of a classic, wood finished flip clock, look no further than the Jonas Damon’s Alarm Dock.

Okay, so it’s effectively a piece of Beech Wood designed to hold your iPhone in landscape mode, but it sort of brings sexy back to the bedside.  We’d be a bit more down with the $35 price tag if we knew that you could snake the standard iPhone charger through a slot so you could charge it while it’s docked overnight.

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Vanns is offering some big savings on this iLuv INT170 Internet Clock Radio which is only $199.88 – $130 Instant Discount + Free Shipping = $69.88!

If you thought that radio was dying down then you definitely need to check out this device, the iLuv INT170 which connects to your network (Either with Wireless or Ethernet connection) and allows you to experience a whole new world more than 15,000 stations online. With this many stations you will never run out of music to choose from and you can instantly switch over types of stations including talk radio and sports broadcasts quickly and easily. Don’t forget, you can still connect to your local airwaves, so rather than taking over your experience the iLuv simply builds upon it. It even includes an alarm system which allows you to wake up to your favorite tunes or alarm of your choice.

Putting aside the fact that the product page reads like an April fools joke, the Arnova by Archos looks like a product that should have hit a few years ago, not in 2011.

In a nutshell, it’s a bedside alarm clock that provides access to the web’s endless array of podcasts, radio stations and video.  Who are we kidding -it’s near impossible to wax poetic about the device, so we’re just gonna lay down the specs and move forward.

Specs:

• 3.5-inch 320×240 touchscreen
• Photo, video and audio playback
• 2GB of built-in storage and an SD card slot
• Alarm clock funtions with multiple alarms
• 3.5mm input and output
• Mini USB port
• Power via wall adapter or 4 AA batteries
• Compatible with Windows, Mac or Linux
• Remote control
• 199 x 84 x 84 mm

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Deal expires 2/7

4 out of 5 stars

Pros:

• Easy to setup and use
• Vast array of apps that fulfills almost any bedside need
• Bright screen, loud alarm and USB input and headphone jack

Cons:

• Pandora sometimes stutters during playback
• Touchscreen is not capacitive
• Video plays at an unwatchable frame rate

At first glance the Chumby can probably best be described as an alarm clock.  But turn on the device, setup the time and think of something that you might just need to know at a moment’s notice while laying in bed and I’d wager a bet that the Chumby is willing to facilitate.  No, it won’t perform nefarious activities like make an appointment with a call girl or send your ex-wife harassing emails, but thanks to the vast community of apps it can do everything from display the weather forecast, to showing the latest earthquake readings to viewing the hottest movie trailers.

To be frank the Chumby has been around for sometime now.  The company started with the Chumby Classic, which was an adorable padded device that sported the same 3.5-inch touch screen found in the device of today, the Chumby one.  What’s changed, or more importantly been added is a volume knob, FM radio tuner, a battery slot for a user provided battery and a faster 454 MHz ARM processor.  However, removed in this iteration is the stereo speakers and one of the two USB ports.

In terms of physical features the Chumby is sparse, and rightfully so since the meat of the product is found in the endless array of apps.  There is a volume knob, snooze/menu button, USB port (for charging 5V products as well as reading the contents of an MP3 player), rope radio antenna, 2 watt mono speaker and a headphone jack.  Also included, is WiFi b/g connectivity complemented by a setup process even my mom could accomplish.

Chumby Dashboard for organizing, customizing and removing apps

James talked a bit about the Chumby community when he reviewed Sony’s Dash.  It’s a vast array of apps that can be added to the device allowing you to view a variety of content.  So vast in fact that it feels like it’s almost impossible to think of something that hasn’t yet been created.  Given the nature of the Chumby, which is intended largely as a bedside companion, there are a variety of clocks which goes beyond the standard digital or analog presentation.  Games are also available, though they’re limited to the relatively rudimentary since the form factor of the Chumby, a rather boxy device (3.5″ wide x 4″ tall x 3.5″ deep), negates the possibility of aggressive and long term gaming.  My favorite apps include the ability to manage my Netflix queue, Pandora (built-in), Accuweather, Facebook news feed and many others that are far from necessary, but fun to have in the invent that boredom sets in while laying bed.  All of the apps are free, but before you get too excited there is a caveat to that statement.  From time to time Chumby will add promotional apps to your device that are sponsor supported.  Chumby assuages it’s users by explaining this is how the app store has remained free.

As mentioned earlier, this iteration of the Chumby includes a digital FM radio.  Reception comes by way of one of those rope like antennas.  And believe me, unless you’ve got a near by window or lamp that you don’t mind desecrating with its slightly unsightly presence, the FM radio will be filled with static.  Sufring the air waves is simple enough, though I would have preferred that the volume knob, at least in this instance, worked as a tuning knob.  Up to 4 presets can be set and the station of your choosing is displayed in a very rudimentary, yet effective fashion.

Fortunately, FM radio is far from your only option.  Shoutcast, Pandora and many others can be tapped into simply by logging in.  If you own an iPod you can plug it directly into Chumby’s USB port and view the content directly on the screen, though it is not compatible with Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, or with 6th generation iPods and newer.

Snooze/menu button

As with any touchscreen device there should be some concern as to whether it actually adds value, let alone works.  The Chumby Touchscreen measures 3.5-inches from corner-to-corner.  It’s definitely not capacitive, but nonetheless reactive enough to serve those laying in bed, setting the alarm or tinkering with the occasional app.  It should work directly out of the box, which was my experience, but in the event that it does not, there is a calibration option that has you touching a few points on the screen.  While the screen size is suitable for displaying clocks, Facebook news feed, and so forth, it’s annoyingly small for viewing trailers, which is made worse by the slow processor which cuts the frame rate to an almost unwatchable experience.

Virtual Chumby

And speaking of processing power, at times the Chumby would stutter when playing back Pandora.  This issue seemed to vary from time to time, and the best resolve I found was to switch the station.  Apparently, the Chumby sometimes performs some background operations, which might explain this slight hiccup.  It’s a massively annoying bug that we’ll hopefully see fixed in a future software iteration.

Adding new apps to the Chumby requires you to register and then log in to their website.  The process is relatively simple, but means you can’t add new content directly from the device itself.  Which also begs the question as to why Chumby doesn’t provide a remote access feature that allows you to control the Chumby using your computer or smartphone.  While the need is few and far between it would be a nice feature for administering music during a party.

Back of the Chumby; USB input for an iPod, headphone jack and power port

I would be remiss if I didn’t detail the alarm functionality of the Chumby.  There are two options: quick alarm and custom alarm.  The quick alarm, as implied by the name, let’s you setup a one off alarm that is limited to a few audio alerts.  The custom alarm however, can be setup to go off daily, one time, weekdays, weekends, or specific days of the week.  An unlimited amount of custom alarms can be created, each with their own audio profile that includes FM radio, Pandora and other music sources.  Fortunately, someone at Chumby wasn’t asleep at the wheel when they created this feature and realized that network connectivity may not be present at all times, so they’ve provided you with the option to setup a back up alarm that uses one of the rudimentary tones in the event that music can’t be played.  It’s worth noting that the alarm is very, very loud for such a small box.

The Chumby, at its core is an alarm clock.  It’s not a device that should be considered to resolve a technological conflict in your life, such as the need for a gaming device, or a means to viewing online video content.  However, the more I looked through the Chumby apps the more I realized that diminutive box had abilities well beyond any other bedside alarm clock, thus making it the cheapest $130 alarm clock money can buy.

You can buy the Chumby from Amazon for $129.95.

Today, The Telegraph posted an article stating that they had discovered the world’s loudest alarm clock – it rings in at 90dB.  Truth be told this is complete poppycock.  In 2007 there was an alarm clock, which ThinkGeek still sells to this day, that claims a 113dB output.  It’s called the Sonicboom.  But none of these alarm clocks have anything on Kipkay’s modified alarm clock, which features two 140dB electric horns.

The the video after the ‘leap’ to see it in action.

Farmville has grown to an astronomical level.  So, if you’ve got that someone special in your life that is obsessed with the Facebook game, you might wanna get them the Farmland Alarm Clock this holiday season.

It has no connection with the game, with the exception that it uses farm animal noises to wake you, or your obsessed loved one from a slumber.  It moos, baas and clucks to wake you and in order to shut it down you gotta insert the corresponding animal into the slot.

If you’re not one to fancy a challenge in the morning – fumbling around for the right animal could be mind splittingly annoying – you can switch to random mode, which allows any animal to be used.

You can get it for about $20.

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Meet Clocky‘s brother, Tocky.  And just like it’s sibling it will leap from your nightstand and roll around on your bedroom floor until you chase it down and turn off the audible alarm.   You can program it with your favorite MP3 tune or record any voice or noise using the built-in microphone.   Programming Tocky is as simple as swiping your finger across the touchscreen.

Tocky is available in Kiwi, Aqua, Black, Orange and White for about $73.

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Amazon users reviews are pretty solid with mostly 4 and 5 stars.

Rebate can be found here.

Waking up to a lap dance would surely get your day off to fantastically fun start.  But if for some reason you can’t afford that daily service the Pole Dancer Alarm Clock should run a healthy second.  Just set the time and alarm on the digital display and you’ll be woken up when she starts to gyrate around the pole.

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This is a concept that, while initially odd-sounding, could prove really beneficial. The Buddy Radio is an alarm clock for seniors that, while styled like a million old-fashioned clocks before it, updates family members about the person’s well-being via social networks like Facebook and Twitter. The UK’s Sidekick Studios came up with the idea, where a simple turn of a knob could tell medial care attendants or even just that ungrateful grandson Billy that grandma needs some help. Its a sad state of affairs that we expect most communication to be from a screen, but hey, it doesn’t look like that’s changing anytime soon. Ideas like the Buddy Radio could be commonplace in a decade.

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Moshi has just announced their newest iteration of their Voice Activated Alarm Clock, which now offers a more streamlined bedside digital clock radio.  With all the features of the original including setting time and asking for the time, it now includes a radio that can be activated just by speaking to the device. The only thing missing is a WiFi connection for weather updates and Internet radio. Based on looks alone this version should appeal to a larger audience. Check out my review of the original Moshi Voice Controlled Clock.

It’s on sale now for $70.

Woodland Hills, CA – May 19, 2010 – Moshi, known for their unique and innovative consumer electronics featuring voice recognition technology, is thrilled to announce the availability of their new Voice Control Digital Clock Radio.  By simply saying “Hello Moshi”, the Digital Clock Radio allows users to activate eleven voice control commands including playing the radio, setting the time, setting alarm, and even snooze.

Similar to the original Moshi Alarm Clock, the Moshi Digital Clock Radio is easy to use and set up.  It is equipped with Technology That Listens™ which means the alarm clock recognizes your voice command without any setup required.  However, the new Moshi Digital Clock Radio allows users to also easily listen to the radio in the morning without having to find buttons while half asleep or away from the clock.

“The Moshi Voice Control Digital Clock Radio provides comfort and convenience to its users,” said Michael Nostrant, President and CEO of Moshi parent company SnS International.  “There is no easier way to wake up or play music other than by saying “Hello Moshi” and having the device submit to your command.”

The Moshi Digital Clock Radio is available now for $69.99 MSRP

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