CMU School of Drama


Saturday, September 27, 2008

Sonic Bomb Alarm Clock Lightning Review: It Explodes Your Dreams

Gizmodo: "I can sleep through anything. I do, notoriously. It's why I already have three alarms: My current super clock has two built-in, and I set my phone. But it's still not enough. So Brian told me I had to review the only thing left to try: the Sonic Bomb, which has a 113dB extra loud alarm—louder than a jackhammer or chainsaw—and a bed shaker."

16 comments:

AllisonWeston said...

Louder than a jackhammer? This is some alarm clock! Wouldn't an alarm clock with that kind of decibel level hurt someone's ears over time? I sleep through my alarm clock sometimes but that seems a little excessive. Has anyone tried it?

Anonymous said...

I've actually experienced the power of one of these things before, and honestly, this falls in the same category of "ideas that should never have existed." This thing is loud, painfully loud. You literally fear this thing rather then hate if because its an alarm clock.
The experience I had was that one of my friends had one, and forgot to turn it off. We were downstairs from his room and could still hear this thing through the ceiling.

Aaron S said...

113dB is pretty damn loud. That can damage your hearing with extended exposure. If it is that loud you're just going to turn it off, roll over and go back to sleep. I guess it makes sense if you sleep with earplugs for some reason. If your alarm clock has to be that loud to overpower your snoring you should consult a doctor.

Anonymous said...

Good luck ever getting laid with this by your bed...

Anonymous said...

If you're really having this much of a hard time waking up in the morning, you should go see a doctor. Or sleep more, either way. And I agree with one of the commenters on the site that your neighbors will not be your friends after that.

Anonymous said...

Ive been wanting one for a year now. Only reason i don't have one yet is i was threatened by roommate then with bodily harm.
You can change the volume... Plus the bed shaker is a pretty cool too for the additional scare factor in the morning.
This one is even more evil in that you have to go chasing around the dam key to turn it off.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/9171/

Or this one that you have to literally chase around.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/91f2/

I need 10 alarms in the morning myself =/

AShotInTheArm said...

What an unpleasant way to wake up in the morning. I've seen alarm clocks that gradually increase in dB as the time approaches to easily wake the sleeper in a relaxing and rejuvenating way. However, this just seems like you're waking up to a 300 pound sumo wrestler sitting on your face. I'm glad I can get up in the morning and don't have to be put through this torture.

MBerger said...

I just cannot understand why anyone in their right mind would put themselves through something like this every morning...voluntarily. I have enough problems with my roommate's alarm clock which makes this pleasant beeping sound that, In my opinion could probably wake the dead. However, I am sure it is no where as loud as this one. I much prefer my alarm clock which has a gentle increase in volume on my ipod over about 30 seconds. it still gets me up in the morning because the final volume is loud, but it's a little more subtle than let's say, a jackhammer.

Anonymous said...

I'm a little bit appalled by how loud this alarm clock is. Being louder than a jack hammer and a chain saw is ridiculous and not to mention horrible for your hearing. Maybe it would take a lot of this to destroy your hair cells because of exposure but 113 dB is way up there. 120 dB, the loudness of a jet engine, will pretty much make your ears bleed. I don't think this is something I'd like to wake up to or spend money on to be honest.

David Beller said...

Even though I am known to be able to sleep through multiple regular alarm clocks, and have missed events because of it, I would never use this device. If your body won’t let you wake up to a normal alarm clock, your body is telling you that you should stay in bed. If you need 113 db to wake up… DON’T. Not to mention the horrible effect this level of noise can have on your hearing after repeated exposure.

Anonymous said...

When I read that this thing was 113 db my first reaction is what would provoke someone to want to loose their hearing every morning as their bed is shaken into alertness. The truth is that if you need an ear bleeding rock concert to wake you up in the morning there is probably a bigger problem than the volume of your clock, try getting more than 3 hours of sleep a night and then you save $30 and can hear past the age of 30.

Jacob Jimenez said...

It's neat to see them have to use levels of 113 db -- with a bed shaker... I think that this sure would do the trick; however, for those who have no other alternative but to use it, this may be detrimental to their health. Being woken up abruptly can be very obnoxious.

Anonymous said...

Does it ever occur to people that perhaps our sleeping through an alarm is our body telling us that it needs more rest? I understand that we all have obligations to be to, but I don’t think that starting the day off with a 113 decible sound is going to make you the happiest, or even, the most functional person. This seems like the wrong approach to the solution.

BWard said...

i want an alarm clock with a motion sensor that keeps going off until you're out of bed

and yeah, your neighbors and/or roommates will hate you for having this...

Unknown said...

I never have a problem hearing the alarm clock. My problem is my brain is a master of working that sound into my dreams. I imagine that if I got the vibrating alarm clock my dreams would be suddenly populated with earth quakes and bomb explosions. When I wake up after my alarm has already shut off I can look back at my dreams and tell when I slept through it. I need and alarm clock that shocks you awake or a bed that tips vertical at a given time.

MichaelSimmons said...

Turns out, not only is it an effective alarm clock, it's also a form of torture as defined by the geneva conventions. what a terrible way to wake up in the morning.

The best alarm clock in the world is this-
http://www.hammacher.com/publish/70460.asp
Wake up every morning to a simulated sunrise, the smell of bacon or coffee, and nature sounds. I would be in a good mood all the time!