On the iPhone Alarm Clock

I hate alarm clocks. An annoying cacophony of buzzing and ringing that rips me from my blissful, relaxing, refreshing, wonderful sleep doesn't sit well with me. I've actually thrown an alarm clock across the room to shut it up. In addition to the annoying noise, setting the alarm is annoying. I have to contort my hand to hit about 3 different buttons at once, and the buttons tend to be so small that they don't register when I jam my finger on it. Joy.

The iPhone alarm is different, though. I wouldn't dare throw her across a room!Setting the alarm is something I absolutely love: A repeat for each day of the week, the option to turn off snoozing, different names for the different alarms, a choice of Apple-esque noises to wake me up. My favorite part is the little dial that sets it! I don't have to contort my hand like I'm trying to play a Kreutzer etude. (Note the choice of word: try.)

Hitting the snooze is a bit of a pain, though. I usually don't lift my head and I randomly stab at the screen. I usually hit it within the first few tries, though. I really wish I could set the snooze for something other than 9 minutes. On my last phone, I had it set for five minutes. I could hit the snooze 3 times and not be late for work! On this phone, I hit the snooze twice, and I have to run to my car while pulling on my pants. (I'm a class act all the way!)

I really like the fact that to turn off the alarm, I have to pick up the phone, look at its bright, shining screen, and do something. Even better would be a little puzzleI'm starting to recognize where the slider bar is, and there's a dangerous chance that I'll slide it, rest my eyes for a bit, and have to drive 90+mph to get to work in 3 minutes. Not that I've ever sped. I always do the speed limit! Always! (Hi, mom.) If the iPhone ever opens up to independent developers and apps, I can see this being a reality. In the mean time, I may have to invest in one of these bad boys: Clocky or The Sonic Bomb. I'm not good at waking up, it's a genetic thing; the only one in my family that can wake up with little-to-no problem is my mom. She'll bolt awake if you open the door of the microwave, even though it's on the opposite side of the house. Kind of a bummer for 3 AM snacks.

I largely suspect my infatuation with the alarm is my iPhone being viewed through rose-colored glasses. I haven't been late to work due to over-sleep since I got her, though!