A simple twist on the age-old clap lights. You know, the lights that turn on or off when you clap your hands. For this clock, the clap controls the LCD display and snooze function. Those things can be bright, even on the dimmest setting, and can make falling asleep a difficult endeavor. So this clock is dark at night (ambient light sensors make this an easy task) and the backlight only comes on if you clap your hands. When the alarm sounds, the backlight comes on automatically at its brightest setting. To snooze, clap twice. To reset the alarm, you still have to push a button, which is located on the back of the clock to prevent accidental reset.
-- 21 Quest, Oct 07 2009

You beat me to my annotation with your summary.
-- kaz, Oct 07 2009


why not just have an alarm clock that can tell when you are still asleep and just not attempt to wake you?

Why not just have an alarm clock that you set to not wake you?
-- vfrackis, Oct 07 2009


Yeah, yeah, I get it, Frack. But boy, those are some crappy comebacks. I mean, what would be the point?
-- 21 Quest, Oct 07 2009


// why not just have an alarm clock that can tell when you are still asleep and just not attempt to wake you? //

That is brilliant, please post this.
-- tatterdemalion, Oct 07 2009


//Why not just have an alarm clock that you set to not wake you?//

So, a brick then?
-- kaz, Oct 07 2009


Or a regular clock?
-- 21 Quest, Oct 07 2009


Yeah, but my brick clock has no sleep disturbing properties. No stupid mechanical insides to drive hands, no tiny rustling flow of electricity to power an LCD.
-- kaz, Oct 07 2009


Oh, that's right... the brick is by far a more convenient timepiece.
-- 21 Quest, Oct 07 2009


If I want to know the time, I simply take my brick into the garden and place it upon it's end, and let the sun take over.

(I'd just like you to know, by the way, that one of those plus votes is mine, tis a good idea).
-- kaz, Oct 07 2009


In that case, I thank you. Do I get an HB discount if I order 2 of those brick clocks?
-- 21 Quest, Oct 07 2009


Does a brick clock fall through time accurately ?
-- bigsleep, Oct 07 2009


What if you have two clocks, and they get out of sync and you can't turn them both off with clapping at the same time? You'd need some kind of clapping protocol.
-- sninctown, Oct 07 2009


I dunno... I wonder how those lamps dealt with that problem. Maybe it takes a single clap to turn it on, and a doubleclap to turn it off. Don't worry, my engineers will work it out in the testing stages.
-- 21 Quest, Oct 07 2009


The more clapping controlled devices there are around the less able one will be to get anything done in morning's drowsy hours. Snooze function should be engaged by a grunting sound.
-- loonquawl, Oct 08 2009


This would only be clap-activated when the lights are out. Remember the ambient light sensor I mentioned in the post? But you might not want to have any other clap-activated appliances in the room. Those lamps are annoying, anyway.
-- 21 Quest, Oct 08 2009


//I simply take my brick into the garden and place it upon it's end, and let the sun take over.//
in the sundial paradigm one simply needs a lens, mounted or integral to, the post, that provides the victi^W user with a burning bed when the sun hits the... okay I'm stretching a bit.
-- FlyingToaster, Oct 08 2009


A bit?
-- 21 Quest, Oct 08 2009


//clocks... bricks...//
Some-one's been reading far too much Dr. Seuss.
-- neutrinos_shadow, Oct 08 2009


I agree with the observation about overly bright clock LEDs, and applaud attempts to resolve that issue. But I wonder if clapping in the dead of night is the right approach. It's bound to annoy sleeping spouses and other such bed mates. Just for checking time, perhaps that's not the best option for non-solo sleepers. I do like the clap-snooze, however.
-- tatterdemalion, Oct 08 2009


Don't most single guys sleep with their watches on? I always did. Most modern watches have lights, yes?
-- 21 Quest, Oct 08 2009


To whom is that response directed, [21 Quest]? I confess I don't really have any idea what most single men wear to bed, that's not been my area of expertise. Were we talking about watches? I thought this was an idea for a clock.
-- tatterdemalion, Oct 08 2009


Most people I know, male or female, wear a watch. So if you don't want to disturb your partner, check your watch. Or, you could simply snap your fingers close to the mic on the clock. The best way around that issue, however, would be a toggle switch on the clock itself to adjust the sensitivity of the audio pickup so a soft clap will do the trick. It needn't be an insurmountable issue.
-- 21 Quest, Oct 08 2009


I propose the alarm be programmed with a ringtone by The Cure. "Close to me" should do it.
-- bigsleep, Oct 08 2009


My alarm clock has a simple light sensor which dims the display at night.
-- RayfordSteele, Oct 09 2009


Rather than applause, the clock should respond to forceful slapping of a bare belly or other exposed body part. This would help for those with only one functional palm. Also, it is bad to snooze and a required forceful slapping of the belly might be a disinclincation to loll about in bed.
-- bungston, Oct 09 2009



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