What replaces a bedroom am/fm alarm clock, but better?

amother

Pumpkin

Thu, Mar 07 2019, 10:55 pm

These days there are probably loads of electronics that do more than just tell time, play am/fm radio and are alarms.

What d people buiy for a night table that works as a replacement for clock/alarm/radio, but does more?

amother

Pumpkin

Thu, Mar 07 2019, 11:01 pm

amother wrote:

A smartphone LOL

I have that but Smarphones are user friendly for making calls, sending messages and taking pics.

I need to see the time all the time, and easily get to the radio, and alarm, etc. and my Smartphone is not in my bedroom.

amother

Blonde

Thu, Mar 07 2019, 11:04 pm

amother wrote:

I hear... My smartphone has been more user friendly and customizable than any other alarm or radio I've ever used. And I keep it on my nightstand. But it sounds like you're looking for something else. Have you looked at smart clocks?

amother

Pumpkin

Thu, Mar 07 2019, 11:24 pm

amother wrote:

Have you looked at smart clocks?

Do they do everything a radio/alarm clock does and more?

If something isnt outrageously expensive and is easy to use, and does more than what I have now, Id try it.

DrMom

Fri, Mar 08 2019, 2:02 am

amother wrote:

What else do you want it to do?

There are clock radios that are also "sunlight simulators (lamps that turn brighter as they near your wake-up time). Does that sound like something you'd like?

headabovewater

Fri, Mar 08 2019, 8:38 am

I use an Echo dot (Amazon Alexa) smart speaker. It's great. Many times I used to forget to set my alarm clock. With the Alexa , you can tell it from bed "set alarm for...". You can tell it to play radio stations, pod casts, ask for the weather report and more. I highly recommend.

amother

Pumpkin

Fri, Mar 08 2019, 1:01 pm

headabovewater wrote:

Thanks! I see it here. and besides not seeing the time when I want to, in middle of the night, it looks great.

1- How do you know the time without asking it, which makes noise)?

2- If I want this in addition to a clock radio, what enables the connection? Just an internet connection? Amazon Prime or something, that I happen to have, but what if I terminate the Amazon Prime, does it have anything to do with a monthly charge, or once you buy this, it works on an internet connection?

headabovewater

Fri, Mar 08 2019, 3:19 pm

You don't need to pay a mothy fee, or Amazon Prime - just an Internet connection. Here's a link for connecting an Echo dot
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help.....01770
It is true that it doesn't display the time. It will tell you the time if you ask. Maybe the newest model (the echo show) displays the time. I have them all over the house. I use it to set multiple timers for cooking, ask it to make measurement conversions for cooking, etc. You can synch it with your phone to make phone calls, tell you what's on your calendar for the day, use it like an intercom (even from outside your home), use it as a white noise machine for going to sleep, play music, listen to regular and Israeli radio stations, etc. I'm constantly finding new uses for it. I highly recommend it.

penguin

Fri, Mar 08 2019, 3:24 pm

None of these eitzos will work for Shabbos, though, no? For that I believe you need to stick to the old-fashioned type, just as you'll always needs physical books to read, even if you love your kindle.

headabovewater

Fri, Mar 08 2019, 3:46 pm

The alarm on the echo dot will work on shabbos (just like a regular alarm clock). I believe it turns the alarm off after an hour. You don't have to enable the alarm for shabbos. The nice thing is you can also set recurring alarms to repeat on different days. PSA On shabbos I'd recommend muting the microphone (by pushing a physical button).

amother

Pumpkin

Fri, Mar 08 2019, 5:00 pm

headabovewater wrote:

It is true that it doesn't display the time.

Thanks, sounds interesting. But

1- I assume you need to have another clock on your bedside if you want to know the time on Shabbos?

2- If you want to know the time in the middle of the night during the week and ask it, doesnt that wake up your DH?

headabovewater

Sat, Mar 09 2019, 7:25 pm

FYI you can enable whisper mode on the echo, so that if you whisper to Alexa to tell you the time, weather, etc it will whisper back the answer to you. My husband does this to avoid waking me up. It's a very cool feature.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/w.....3famp

amother

Pumpkin

Sat, Mar 09 2019, 8:33 pm

headabovewater wrote:

FYI you can enable whisper mode on the echo, so that if you whisper to Alexa to tell you the time, weather, etc it will whisper back the answer to you.

If its sensitive to whispers, how do you not activate it by talking in the room on Shabbos?

amother

Blonde

Sat, Mar 09 2019, 8:37 pm

amother wrote:

If its sensitive to whispers, how do you not activate it by talking in the room on Shabbos?

I turn off the microphone on my echo before shabbos.

I would not use an echo as a replacement for a clock, only in addition to one. It gets tiresome to constantly be talking to something and waiting for an answer instead of just glancing at it. The way I can glance at my phone and see the date, time and temperature.

imasoftov

Sun, Mar 10 2019, 8:51 am

headabovewater wrote:

... With the Alexa , you can tell it from bed "set alarm for...".

What if someone talks to Alexa in their sleep?

srbmom

Sun, Mar 10 2019, 9:08 am

You can buy a dock for the echo dot. It will display the time so you don't need to ask it. Type in "Echo Dot Dock" on amazon

amother

Pumpkin

Sun, Mar 10 2019, 11:46 am

teachkids wrote:

If you have an iPhone see if you can still find an ihome type device.

I have an Iphone, whats out there thats simple to use?

What happens if my net phone isnt an Iphone? The item I buy wont work?