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This is one of those big red bus occasions when two products with similar functionality turn up in close proximity.  The functionality concerns a bed-shaking alarm facility.  Following the arrival of Doro’s vibrating amplified alarm clock, it is the turn of the bed shaker alarm clock from iLuv.  For those unfamiliar with this company, I should explain that iLuv is part of Harvard International plc, the UK’s leading supplier of digital set top boxes for the retailer consumer market plus digital media and other consumer products in the UK and Australia.

See also: Alarm/Radios

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This product, which consists of the main alarm clock radio unit and the bed shaker device, has been designed to specifically work with the iPod and iPhone.  Taking up a central position on top of the elongated, circular clock radio is a standard docking and recharging station.  As well as supplying the musical content, the docked iPod can be used to provide a Time Sync function for setting up the main unit’s built-in clock feature.  There is also an option to manually set the unit’s date and time plus two separate alarms which can be set to run everyday, weekdays or just the weekend (definitely not for me).

Predominately black in colour with silver trim, the clock radio dimensions are 295 x 132 x 80mm (W x D x H).  Either side of the iPod dock is a circular button for adjusting and selecting various features, modes and the volume level.  The front of the clock radio features a 10 x 4cm LCD display sandwiched between two jAura speakers.  Located at the rear are sockets for mains power and the bed shaker unit plus a slider switch for selecting the speaker from a choice of the main unit with or without the bed shaker or just the bed shaker.  There is also a wire-style FM aerial.  A battery compartment on the base of the clock radio, taking three AAA batteries, adds a portability aspect to the product.

According to the product’s packaging there is supposed to be “Instruction manuals”.  Yet the review sample contained just a single folded sheet of paper acting as the Quick Start Guide and a second piece of paper with the telephone number (premium rate) for customer support.  This does not qualify for “Instruction manuals” to my mind.  Checking with the company’s PR representative revealed that there should have been a separate instruction manual in the box.  Unfortunately, as I have not seen this item, I can not comment as to its suitability,

As mentioned earlier, you can set the two alarms to occur from the choice of frequencies.  At the chosen time, the alarm should awaken you with the radio, iPod or choice of sound effects.  Some thought has gone into the choice of sound effects and you can choose from a buzzer, telephone ring, train horn, rooster, cuckoo clock, xylophone or horse race fanfare.  A snooze bar will give you an extra seven minutes of rest each time it is pressed.

The bed shaker element of the product is actually a small speaker.  A permanently attached lead, measuring 200cm, should provide you with plenty of options for positioning the radio in relation to the bed.  Positioned on the side of this speaker is a slider switch allowing you to adjust the volume level to low, mid or high.  As well as waking you up this speaker can be used, with the appropriate settings, to help you drift off to sleep with your favourite music playing away under your pillow.

Hopefully with the necessary instructions, it should be relatively easy to set up the eight FM preset stations available with this product.  Of course you might prefer to be awakened by music from your Apple device or one of the sound effects mentioned earlier.  The iLuv Bed Shaker Alarm Clock is priced at £59.99 and should be available from your local Argos store.

http://www.i-luv.com/product_detail.asp?idx=1463