As a fan of immediate satisfaction, living in New York City has its perks. This morning, Nintendo unveiled its new $99 Alarmo clock, and just a few hours later, as the doors to its Rockefeller Center store swung open, I strolled in and snagged one for myself. Did I hesitate at the thought of shelling out $108.91 after tax for a plastic timepiece? Absolutely. Thankfully, my profession allows this to be classified as a work expense. (For the record, the official title of the product is Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo, but let’s be honest—everyone will simply call it Alarmo.)
Andrew Webster, The Verge’s senior entertainment editor, will provide an in-depth review of Alarmo soon, but I was eager to experience it firsthand. My main curiosity centered around the audio quality. If the speaker in this compact clock turned out to be tinny or shrill, it would seriously detract from its appeal.
Fortunately, there’s no need for concern on that front. While I haven’t sampled all of Alarmo’s sound options yet, even the Super Mario Bros. theme that plays during setup dispelled my fears of subpar audio. The setup process itself is quite extensive, which might be overwhelming for a child. You begin by selecting the date and time, but then you’re guided through configuring the clock’s motion-detection features, which takes a bit of time, and I didn’t find any option to skip this step. Alarmo’s millimeter-wave presence sensor accommodates bed sizes from twin to king, with the display intended to face the center of your bed.
It’s worth noting that the display isn’t a touchscreen, nor is it round—Nintendo’s promotional video might exaggerate its dimensions slightly. The brightness adjusts automatically based on surrounding light levels. A charming detail is that the clock’s screen and typeface alter depending on the alarm you select. When the standard clock is displayed, a character onscreen shifts left to right in response to your movements if you’re within the sensor’s range.
Control of Alarmo is managed through buttons on the top. A large dial allows you to navigate menus, and you can press it to make selections. There’s also a back button to the left and a notifications button to the right. I’ve only begun to explore the clock, but this area presumably provides insights into your sleep metrics. (Don’t expect any serious health monitoring; there’s no functionality for Mario to alert you about snoring or potential sleep apnea.)
The top dial illuminates in a spectrum of colors, and you’ll witness quite a variety within your first few minutes of using Alarmo. Beyond its primary alarm features, Alarmo offers sleep sounds to help you drift off. Nintendo intends to provide new sounds for download once you’ve linked a Nintendo account. A prompt in this menu suggests that younger users consult a parent or guardian for assistance.
Is this gadget extravagantly priced for what it offers? Undoubtedly. However, for its intended audience, it’s undeniably adorable, showcasing numerous delightful Nintendo touches throughout the experience—and I’ve only scratched the surface.
