alarm clock docks for iphone?

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
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I'm just curious if anybody has any suggestions on decent iphone compatible alarm docks. There was a really slick Sony one I saw at Best Buy with a full LCD display that functions for video playback and photo viewer, but it got terrible reviews. So now that I can't get something that fancy, I'll settle for something more basic. Does anybody use one and/or have an opinion on the matter?
 

pm

Elite Member Mobile Devices
Jan 25, 2000
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I bought a cheap "Clok" at Target. It's a standard clock radio with an iPod port. Cost around $20 (ish). Works fine, but I get an iPhone incompatibility message. While some might fine this really annoying, I like to put my phone in airplane mode at night (because sometimes my co-workers in other parts of the world miscalculate the time difference), so I think the "this device isn't designed to work with the iPhone" message is a feature since my device gives me a prompt to put it in the mode that I'd put it in anyway without having to dig through menus.

The one that I use is this:
http://milo.com/clok-smooth-ipod-docking-clock-radio-tcr368

It has one more "feature" which is that it fits pretty much everything that Apple makes with an Apple connector using these plastic inserts that it comes with, but with my iPhone case it wouldn't fit with any of them, but you can remove all the inserts and just use it without them and it works great with my case (although it's a bit flimsy that way). So that's nice too that you can use it with pretty much any case out there by adjusting the plastic insert pieces that it comes with.
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
454
126
I bought a cheap "Clok" at Target. It's a standard clock radio with an iPod port. Cost around $20 (ish). Works fine, but I get an iPhone incompatibility message. While some might fine this really annoying, I like to put my phone in airplane mode at night (because sometimes my co-workers in other parts of the world miscalculate the time difference), so I think the "this device isn't designed to work with the iPhone" message is a feature since my device gives me a prompt to put it in the mode that I'd put it in anyway without having to dig through menus.

The one that I use is this:
http://milo.com/clok-smooth-ipod-docking-clock-radio-tcr368

It has one more "feature" which is that it fits pretty much everything that Apple makes with an Apple connector using these plastic inserts that it comes with, but with my iPhone case it wouldn't fit with any of them, but you can remove all the inserts and just use it without them and it works great with my case (although it's a bit flimsy that way). So that's nice too that you can use it with pretty much any case out there by adjusting the plastic insert pieces that it comes with.

I looked at that, but yeah... the non-iphone compatibility thing is a dealbreaker for me which is actually a problem I'm seeing with a lot of docks. If it's not specifically labeled for the iphone, then it seems to be 50/50 shot that it works.

Another thing I didn't mention that I do need is 2 separate alarms. My schedule gives me different times to wake up depending on the day, and I'd rather not have to set the alarm every day when there are other options out there.
 

pm

Elite Member Mobile Devices
Jan 25, 2000
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Yeah, I actually use the alarm clock on my iPhone rather the real alarm clock - you might think "dude, save yourself $20 and just get a cheap dock" - but I like the fact that I had a display for the time that glows in the dark... I wake up a lot at night.

As far as the "non-iPhone incompatibility", when I dock it, it gives me a prompt to put it in airplane mode and if I ignore it, it doesn't do anything. And then when I pick up the phone in the morning, if I put it in airplane mode, then it kicks me out of that mode automagically when I pick up the phone. I think it's a feature... but if you don't want your phone off at night, it's still not a huge problem.
 
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gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
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That's cool. Do you use the ipod as an alarm or do you just use the buzzer?
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
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Hah, I actually meant that for pm. I left my reply open too long :)

I currently just use the phone as my alarm too. But I only have 1 AC adapter and cable, so it'd be nice to have a charging dock that acts as an alarm too so I can have my USB cable near my PC where it belongs.
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
454
126
Here's what I'm looking at:
http://www.amazon.com/Memorex-Alarm-...6856083&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Speaker-C...856443&sr=1-15
http://www.amazon.com/iHome-Speaker-...pr_product_top

They seem to all have what I'm looking for:
-iphone compatibility
-2 alarms

Cons:
-All seem quite large for the table it needs to sit on... but I can't seem to find a smaller iphone dock that offers 2 alarms

Bonus:
-Remote for use as a music player is nice as I do have music on my iphone, but I doubt I'll use it often enough for me to really WANT it.