Technabob » clock

Mario Clock with Goomba Pendulum: How’s Your Goomba Hangin?

Conner Flynn — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:00:25 +0000

There never seems to be enough time. Whether you are passing the day away working in an office, sweating in a factory, or in Mario’s case: saving the Princess. No, time is not on our side. Especially for Mario. The clock is even running down as he rushes to complete his levels. And now he has a heavy Goomba swinging from his mushroom kingdom to slow him down even more.

This 8-bit inspired clock is awesomely retro. I know that Mario is supposed to be jumping over a Goomba, but all I see is a Goomba swinging from his junk. Since that’s stuck in my head, I guess this clock isn’t for me, even though I still find it awesome.

It comes from Etsy seller ClockworkOregon and it can be yours for just $60(USD). As for me, I’ll just admire it from a distance.

[via Nerd Approved]

Napper Clock: Because We Really Are This Lazy

Lambert Varias — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:00:15 +0000

Aside from the usual functions of an alarm clock – telling the time, making you irritated first thing in the morning – the Napper has a one-press nap alarm mode. Just press any of the three nap buttons to set an alarm – the number on top indicates the duration of the countdown in minutes. Alarms set this way will not replace any alarm previously made on the regular setting.

The Napper lets you easily take short naps 15, 30 or 60 minutes in length. I actually nodded off in approval when I saw this product. Then I realized how easy it already is to set up an alarm on my phone. Then I looked at the Napper again and resumed nodding off once more.

Set an alarm so you’ll remember to order the Napper on Amazon for $15 (USD).

[via Craziest Gadgets]

Manifold Clock Makes Art out of Time

Hazel Chua — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:30:36 +0000

The only thing that’s constant in this world is change. Thus, it makes sense that even something that’s used to tell the time isn’t constant in itself. In this case, it’s the Manifold Clock.

These quirky timepieces will display the time as an constantly evolving artwork on your wall. The fact that it does so with bright, lively, and vibrant displays is just one of the major features of its design.

Both hands of the clock are connected with a flexible surface made from Tyvek. The movements of the clock are based on the mathematical notion of Riemann surfaces, including the log(z) function.

The Manifold Clock is a Product Design project from Studio Ve, that’s based in Tel Aviv, Israel. The project is currently up on Kickstarter, where almost half of the $15,000 has been reached by interested contributors, with about 1 month to go. If you’re interested in getting one of these gorgeous clocks for yourself, then a minimum pledge of $45 is needed.

It’s a Clock, It’s a Calendar – No, It’s the CalenClock!

Hazel Chua — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:00:27 +0000

Highly-organized (or OC) people usually have two staples on their office tables/bedside tables/mantles: a clock and a calendar. You usually need both in order to tell the time and determine what date and day today is; it can’t be one or the other because that’s just plain incomplete. (Again, OC.)

I have some obsessive-compulsive tendencies myself, and if you can combine the two to save space, then why not? Thus comes Ken Lo’s CalenClock concept – not a very creative name as it’s just the two objects put together, but a creative concept that’s been a long time coming.

It’s pretty obvious what the CalenClock is, from the name itself. It’s also pretty self-explanatory once you see images of it.

The hour and minute hands of the clock are positioned over split-page days of the calendar, which you’re supposed to tear off with each passing day. It’s a neat idea and I’d definitely run out and buy one (or two) if it does go into production.

[via Yanko Design]

Chirp Alarm Clock Is The Clock That Wakes You – and Only You – Up

Hazel Chua — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:00:38 +0000

I shared a room with my two sisters when we were growing up, so it’s a given that we spent a lot of time together – either getting along or fighting. And one thing that always made us fight were alarm clocks.

Nothing is more annoying than waking up to the sound of someone else’s alarm, especially if that someone else is still sleeping and drooling all over their pillow. I’ve thrown the occasional pillow or two at the said someone before going back to sleep in a grumpier mood.

If you find yourself in a similar dilemma, then you might want to consider gifting them with the Chirp Alarm Clock. Not only is it a pretty simplistic and attractive alarm clock, but it also makes sure to wake only the person who set the alarm, and not anyone else.

How? Well, the Chirp Alarm Clock comes with a vibrating clip that you can clip onto your pillow, shirt, hair, or wherever you want it to. It vibrates at the set alarm time for a certain period of time, so once you’re up, just insert the clip back onto the base to make it stop vibrating. If you don’t do so though, then an audible alarm (the annoying one) will ring out to make sure that you get out of bed, pronto.

The Chirp Alarm Clock is in pre-production, and garnering pricing feedback over at Quirky, so if you’re interested in one be sure to drop by and provide your thoughts. Currently, the estimated market price for the Chirp is about $18 (USD).

[via Oh Gizmo!]

Bell & Ross Twelve O’Clock Watches Say to Hell with 23 Hours, 59 Minutes and 58 Seconds of the Day

Technabob — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 23:58:09 +0000

Sometimes a watch looks so cool that it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t really serve its originally intended purpose. I’d have to say this is one of those times. The guys at high-end French watchmaker Bell & Ross have created a watch that barely tells time, but looks amazing doing it.

Each BR Twelve O’Clock watch face uses a set of three rotating disks to gradually shift between a numbers representing a single hour. When it’s not exactly that time, the watch reveals abstract geometric patterns, again revealing the time when that hour approaches again. That’s right, each Twelve O’Clock watch tells the proper time exactly twice a day. All other times, it’s just a cryptic pattern. In fact, you need to own a set of 12 of these watches in order to tell the time properly. Huh, wha?

Given that limitation, the Twelve O’Clock clearly works better as a clock than as a wristwatch, since it’s being sold in a set with a dozen watches, each placed into its own battery-powered winder. Here’s a sped-up video showing off the Twelve O’Clock in action:

And a little more footage of the concept from this year’s earlier Baselworld show where it was first revealed:

Sure, completely impractical, but its still a cool design. Bell & Ross fully admits the Twelve O’Clock is an art piece, and not really intended to be worn as a practical timepiece. With that in mind, they’re only making a dozen of these limited-edition watch sets. And if you have to ask how much it costs, you most certainly won’t be able to afford one. That said, a set is said to cost about $88,000 (USD). See? Told you that you can’t afford it.

Spiral Clock Twirls Time Into View

Technabob — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:00:27 +0000

Looking for truly unusual clock? This one tells time in a pretty unconventional way, with its dial set up in a spiral trajectory instead of the conventional hour and minute hands around a circle.

The Spiral Clock was designed by Will Aspinall and Neil Lambeth. The unusual face of the clock has a red ball which indicates the current time. The ball starts by dropping into the outer part of the spiral, and then the spiral rotates slowly over the course of 12 hours, gradually moving the ball closer and closer to the center. Eventually, when 12 hours have passed, the ball drops through the hole in the center, and the whole process starts again. While it sounds kind of weird, time-telling is actually quite intuitive – if not the most precise of exercises.

It’s a pretty ingenious design if I do say so, and definitely not like any other clock I’ve seen. Each Spiral Clock is made from an aluminum body, and the spiral itself is made from cast resin. The image you see above is from the first-generation Spiral Clock, but the guys who designed it are working on a new version called the “Equitime”, expected out in early 2012. The reason for the upgrade is that it was very difficult to read the time during the 11th hour. The new version fixes this problem by changing the number spacing, and also is quieter than the original model an it’s “frog-like croaking sounds.”

Now the only other problem is that the Equitime will cost £499 (~$782 USD), so most of us won’t be buying one any time soon. If you are interested in securing one, head on over to The Spiral Clock website for more info.

[via Reddit via SuperPunch]

Study of Time Clock: LEDs and Shadows Tell Time

Range — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Did you ever think that a modern clock would use shadows to tell the time? This timepiece reminds me of sundials, but it’s definitely the high-tech version, using a plethora of LED lights to showcase the time. rAndom International‘s Study of Time #1 is based on some scenography that they did for a contemporary dance piece for Wayne McGregor and Random Dance.

I can see this setup working as a giant clock and lighting system in any modern pad. The effect is quite hypnotic when you watch it. The piece is vividly illuminated by many LED sticks that are programmed using an algorithm to reveal the time of the day. It’s a re-imagining of how sundials were used, using shadows to tell time.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

This clock premiered at Design Miami 2011, but it’s currently on display at the Carpenter’s Workshop Gallery in London.

[Vimeo via TrendsNow]

Portal Companion Cube Clock Doesn’t Run On Potato Batteries

Jack Kieffer — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:00:45 +0000

The following post is from Technabob guest writer Jack Kieffer of Cool Gizmo Toys, a site written by geeks, for geeks. Thanks, Jack!

As much as we wish it did, the Portal Companion Cube Clock does not get its energy from a GLaDOS potato. Created by Amanda Stuart, a.k.a Minniethemink, this geeky clock is great for any Portal lover’s home. The Companion Cube clock is wall mountable, and comes with a stand if you decide to opt out of the “nailing pixel clocks to your wall” mantra. Additionally, if you decide to opt out of the TSA scanning at an airport, you get a free package of loud “opt out!” screaming and a bonus awkward pat-down from a 55 year old man.

Amanda handmade each of these Companion Cube clocks with Perler beads, and might have even sprinkled a little love on top just for you. (But probably not, since the price of love has really skyrocketed these past few years. *Silent weeping* ) Keep in mind that by “each of these,” I mean one, since there’s only one clock left on her Etsy page. You can buy it for $23 (USD), or you can try to make your own and end up with a mess of melted plastic and a clock with a bunch of hot glue on it. *Discretely shoves a heap of failed attempts into the trash*

Portal has been a huge hit among geeks like me, and fans have created thousands of tributes to the series. If you thought the Companion Cube clock was appealing, you might want to head on over to the Portal Bookends or the Portal Earrings for more Portal fun. Alternately, you could lock yourself in your basement and play the games until your eyes fall out, but I don’t think your eyes would appreciate that set of actions very much. But, if your eyes ever did fall out after an extreme Portal 2 session, don’t worry! The eye massager would make them feel like a pair of newborn ocular balls of jelly.

Time Twister LEGO Clock Spends Most of its Time Telling the Time

Lambert Varias — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:00:32 +0000

Programmer/Dad/Casual Mindstormer Hans Andersson has earned a reputation on the mean and geeky streets of the Internets as a LEGO Mindstorms master. His first two Mindstorms creations were machines capable of solving a Rubik’s Cube and Sudoku. His latest LEGO contraption has a much simpler task, but it goes about it in a manner that is hypnotizing in its complexity.

Mr. Andersson (you will now re-read that and all succeeding instances of Mr. Andersson in Agent Smith’s voice) calls his clock the Time Twister. It’s powered by two LEGO Mindstorms NXT micro-computers chatting over Bluetooth. The master NXT keeps track of the time, handles the minute digits and never pays the slave NXT, despite it’s important task of changing the hour digits as well as flashing the separator to indicate the second.

Speaking of the digits, as you can see in the pictures they’re each made of five layers of black and white tiles. Each layer is arranged in fixed patterns. Mr. Andersson describes the Time Twister’s mysterious ways as such: “By twisting the top layer back and forth in a specific pattern, you can arrange the layers so that the desired digit is displayed.”

This purposeful movement is what makes the clock fascinating, but you’ll also have to keep your eye on it because the whole thing happens quite slowly, it takes about half a minute to update the display. Thank god it doesn’t display the seconds.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Squeaky separator is squeaky. If Mr. Andersson’s past behavior is any indication, he will soon post the parts list, NXT files and the building instructions on his website so fellow Mindstormers can make their own Time Twister and come closer to defeating the machines. Also, Mr. Andersson.

[via Mr. Andersson's website via Make: via Gizmodo]

Datamatrix QR Code Clock Helps Robots Tell Time

Range — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:49:26 +0000

This clock wasn’t just designed for people to scan with their cellphones, it was actually made for robots, who could easily scan the time with their computer vision. Robots or not, it’s an interesting concept to integrate QR codes into a clock.

The creators call this their “Clock for Robots” and the idea is that the QR code would change dynamically depending on the current time. The Datamatrix Code Clock is quite visible, and allows robots (and humans) to read the time.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

You never know when your robot will need to tell the time. Of course, the whole idea seems somewhat odd, because you’d expect robots to know the time thanks to their own computronic brains.

For now, the clock is just a concept, but I wouldn’t mind having one of those around. (TokyoFlash, are you listening?)

[via Make:]

Mr. Jones Accurate Watch Constantly Reminds You of Your Fate

Range — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:30:34 +0000

This watch is definitely for those who like things a bit darker than the norm. The Accurate Watch reminds you of your mortality every time you look at your wrist to check the time.

The hour hand reads “remember” and the minute hand reads “you will die”. The dial and rim of the glass are mirrored, so that the wearer’s face is reflected in the watch face. It’s supposed to be a memento mori, an object designed to remind us that life is brief and that we should seize the moment. But for some reason, the whole setup reminds me of Dexter, which just started again on Showtime last night.

The watch comes in a MJW presentation box with an illustration commissioned by Nadine Faye-James. The Accurate Watch will cost you £115 (~$157 USD), and you can purchase it at the Mr. Jones Watches website. There’s also a version for the ladies.

[via MoCo Loco]

Jumping Alarm Clock Wakes You by Annoying the Crap Out of You

Technabob — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:11:31 +0000

While it’s unlikely to be quite as jarring as this alarm clock, this little bedside alarm clock also is less likely to cause head trauma. But that doesn’t mean it’s not just as annoying.

Looking sort of like one of those little rollermines that bounces around in Half-Life 2, this alarm clock isn’t going to detonate when it goes off. Instead, it just bounces around while it lights up and plays some stupid music. Here, see what I mean:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Well, that’s annoying enough that I’d have to throw it across the room if I had to wake up to that every day. And no, you don’t get to pick the music. That’s the only tune it plays. Still, if you want an alarm clock that will get you out of bed, this is definitely one to check out. The Jumping Alarm Clock sells for about $16 (USD) over at Overstock.com, where it likely has landed because nobody really wants to buy them. I wonder why?

QLOCKTWO Touch Verbal Alarm Clock: Wake Up With the Words

Range — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:00:04 +0000

A while ago, we reported about the QLOCKTWO, a stylish wall clock that used words instead of numbers to show the time. It was somewhat of a big clock, and it was also quite expensive (~$1,100), which is why I kind of like this new, smaller desktop version. This model is is the QLOCKTWO Touch and it’s touch-sensitive and comes packed with LEDs.

The sharp text outlines are easily visible thanks to the bright LEDs inside. You can engage the snooze function by simply touching the clock. The clock is machined from a single block aluminum. It comes in seven different colors, and the front panel is held in place by magnets, so you can switch colors if you get bored. It’s also available in English, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Danish, Russian and Spanish.

It also offers an alarm clock mode, which can be snoozed by simply touching the face of the clock. The reading light mode illuminates the entire clock face, switching on all 114 LEDs inside. Get ready to pay for all of this style, because the QLOCKTWO Touch sells for $599 to $650 (USD) at the Biegert & Funk store.

[via core77]

Countdown Clock Keeps Track of Important Dates, or Just How Long You’ve Owned it

Range — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 12:30:32 +0000

With all of the modern ways (apps, iPhones, and your watch) to let you know of elapsed time, it’s kind of cool to get a desk clock that does the same. Unlike other timepieces, this thing is right in your face. The Countdown Clock reminds me of the Events Countdown Clock, but in a nicer package.

The Countdown Clock allows you to count days, hours, minutes and seconds until important dates, such as birthdays, weddings, lunch, or your next vacation.You easily can load the clock up with your own important dates. There are control buttons that allow you to go through them quickly and select the ones you want to obsess about. You can even program it to display custom messages. It will also count upwards – so you can know how long it’s been since you started that diet, or how old your cat is.

The clock measures about 3.3″(W) x 3.7″(H) x 3.3″(D) so you can put it just about anywhere you’d like. You can find the Countdown Clock at Firebox for £19.99 (~$31 USD).

[via GeekAlerts]

Giant Digital Atomic Wall Clock and Thermometer: You Won’t Have Any Trouble Reading This

Range — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:30:45 +0000

Wall clocks are a dime a dozen, but there’s something quite appealing about this one. It’s the Giant Digital Atomic Wall Clock and Thermometer, and it’s basically one of the smaller ones that has been made a lot bigger so that you can read it from clear across your room.

The 4.5″ tall LCD numbers are visible from about 30 feet away. In addition to time in either 12 or 24 hour modes, it also displays the current day and date. Plus, you’ll get all of the benefits of knowing the exact (indoor) temperature, if you care about that. It’s made by a company that supplies these clocks for Canadian hospitals and government buildings. The clock will refresh the time each night so it’s completely accurate. It uses 3 “C” batteries to power it’s large display, and can easily be wall-mounted.

You can buy it on Amazon from American Science & Surplus for $79.95 (USD).

[via GeekAlerts]

Defusable Clock: It’s Gonna Alarm!!!

Lambert Varias — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:50:29 +0000

I’ve found my favorite alarm clock! Created by software engineer/hardware designer/part-time MacGyver Michael Krumpus, the defusable clock works just like the bombs in movies. You can stop it’s alarm within 10 seconds… if you cut the right wire. Quick, Pete! Hand me that swiss knife, WordPress and a picture of the Defusable Clock!

As you can see, the clock has four wires. Only one of them stops the countdown when cut. The other two are decoys and do nothing while one wire will immediately “detonate” the alarm. Obviously the thrill will wear off if the wires had fixed purposes, which is why Krumpus made it so the the role of each wire is randomized each time the sequence is activated.

By the way the countdown sequence isn’t just for the alarm. It can also be activated at any time by pressing the big red button, perfect for Counter-Strike LARPing. Here’s the clock in action:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Yes, you’ll have to replace any wires you cut, but Krumpus says that replacing them will be easy because they’re attached with screw terminals. Krumpus also made a mock C4 version of the clock, just for kicks:

The “bomb” is powered by an ATMega328 microcontroller with an Arduino bootloader. If you didn’t understand a word from that previous sentence either, fret not! Krumpus will be selling a kit this fall so you can have your own Defusable Clock. The kit will only include the electronics, but I’m sure you can cobble together a bomb-looking device. The kit will also be “fully hackable” so Arduino nuts and tinkerers will get more than their money’s worth with this thing.

[Project Lab via Laughing Squid]

Sonic Bomb Alarm Clock: Wake Up or Go Deaf

Lambert Varias — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 16:00:50 +0000

We feature quirky alarm clocks on almost a weekly basis. On the other hand, the creators of the Sonic Bomb alarm clock didn’t bother to think of unique ways of waking people up. They just went with pure power. The maximum loudness of this alarm clock is 113dB – that’s as loud as, if not louder than a jackhammer or chain saw. It may even be enough to cause hearing loss. If this doesn’t wake you up, your neighbors tearing your flesh to shreds will.

The Sonic Bomb also has three red LEDs that can be made to flash and comes with a vibrating pad you can place under your pillow to shake you awake.

Again, not terribly creative, and also unnecessary in the face of its ear-splitting sonic blast. If you think you need something this strong, hit up Hammacher Schlemmer and pay $35 (USD). Or go see a specialist.

[via Gear Patrol]

Shoot This Alarm Clock Every Morning to Shut It Up

Hazel Chua — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:30:31 +0000

Back when I was still in college and definitely way more temperamental than I am today, I would bang my alarm clock silent (or throw it all across the dorm room) in order to shut it up and catch a few more minutes of sleep.

On some days, the wail of the alarm was enough to set me off. Overdue reports, a thesis to work on, examinations to study for – and the list goes on. If you’re knee-deep in a lot of stuff (be it for school or for work or just personal stuff) and want to somehow relieve yourself of all that early morning stress (albeit in a pretty silly-slash-serious way), then you can do so by shooting up your alarm clock early in the morning in order to keep it quiet.

No bullets involved here, but you do have to point the gun towards the face of the clock to silence the alarm. You don’t need to pull any triggers either, though I wish the manufacturers required you to pull the trigger to shut the alarm off, to make a stronger point, you know.

Nonetheless, this alarm clock with the remote control that’s shaped like a gun is still a pretty neat idea. If you want one of these, you can head on over to I Want One Of These (seriously, I love this store’s name) to get one for £22.95 (~$38 USD.)

[via Coolest Gadgets]

SnūzNLūz Wi-Fi Donation Alarm Clock: Time Literally is Money

Lambert Varias — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:00:00 +0000

We’ve featured an alarm clock that forces you to save money and an alarm clock that destroys money. The SnūzNLūz alarm clock is a nice compromise between those two. It won’t shred your cash, but it won’t store it either. Instead, every time you hit the snooze button, the clock will donate some of your funds to a charity.

But of course this clock can’t set up the financial side of things on its own. For its threat to actually motivate you to wake up early, you’ll have to connect it to the Internet and use its software to tie your bank account to a charity or non-proft organization, as well as specify the amount per snooze that you’ll lose.

The SnūzNLūz alarm clock sells is listed for $40 (USD) at ThinkGeek, who by the way has a nightmarish suggestion: set up the clock to donate to a cause that you hate. (And yes, I know this was an April Fools joke, but it’s still a great idea.)