An Alarmingly good gadget! (Projection Clock)

Member Name: lordpercy

Product:	Projection Clock
Date:	02/02/01 (410 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sexy yet functional (a bit like me!)

Disadvantages: keeps waking me up :(

I've got an alarm clock I hear you say!
So why would I even be remotely interested in a new more gadgety one?

Now many of you know I'm renowned for my gadgets and you could be forgiven for thinking this is one of my more frivolous purchases. Far from it, my old clock kept dying and I slowly gathered a collection of them to ensure I get out of bed on time. In fact some mornings I swear there's an extra one on the other side of the room wailing at me!

So the search was on for a clock that could fulfil my gadget fantasies (sad I know).
Firstly I wanted it to lock to Rugby, now that doesn't mean waking up late to find it perched on the window ledge watching Sky Sports!

Rugby is the location for MSF clock operated by the National Physical laboratory (NPL). It transmits time and date information on the 60khz radio frequency, the time is generated by the NPL atomic clock in Teddington (London).
This enables my alarm clock and the many thousands of devices ranging from wristwatches to whole radio stations to know the correct time and date.
The signal covers all of the UK and a vast slice of Europe, although reception can be affected by large steel structures the same as other radio based devices such as mobile phones.

During my research for this piece I discovered a truly worrying group of people, you've heard of train spotters? Well how about MSF Enthusiasts??
I'm saying no more on the subject apart from if you really want to see just how sad some people can be check out www.npl.co.uk/npl/ctm/msf_enthusiasts.html and weep!

Anyhow I digress (sorry) back to the clock, so now that I can rely on its accuracy it enables me to have 5 mins extra sleep!
The design of the Oregon scientific range is very "space age" clad in its silver shell with a large easily readable display. The main button on the top of the unit can be used to switch the backlight on, this provides a gentl
e green glow, which enables you to see it in the pitch black.

The information displayed gives you time and date, average and peak temperature as well as always showing you the alarm time. It can also be tilted to get the best viewing angle from your bed (a nice touch).
The alarm is sufficient to wake a sleeping Rhino (another of my nicknames) and starts low rising to a crescendo! Then once it's sounding you have the usual snooze features and the ability to set the alarm further into the distance!
All in all a nice clock!

But wait the best has been left till last as this model of Oregon clock is a prolight!
Yep it can project the time onto a wall or even the roof, the red text is large, clear and relatively bright. In fact you can see it even in daylight, but its really designed for the night time. You can rotate the display through 360 degrees and also adjust focus to get the optimum position.

Now yes I admit it this is the gadgety bit of me speaking but as I have used this clock the projection is definitely its best feature. It allows me to see what the time is even at 4am without requiring me to do anything except open my eyelid.
The unit uses mains to drive the projection (adaptor included) and 2 AA 1.5V batteries to power the clock itself, I've been using it for 2 months and the batteries have plenty of juice left!

So it's a gadget that looks well dare I say it "sexy" and at the same time is very functional, perfect for me to justify yet another techie product. But seriously if your alarm clock is on its last legs or you fancy being able to see the time without crawling over the mound in the bed that's your other half the Oregon Prolight is the one for you!

Details;

Oregon Scientific Prolight £ 37.99
Available from most high street electrical retailers or visit
www.oregonscientific.co.uk/ (an excellent website)

And for those of you that really have t
o
www.npl.co.uk
www.npl.co.uk/npl/ctm/msf_enthusiasts.html


Lordpercy ©2001

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