Clock Lord

When purchasing a new clock the design and visual appeal are important, but the most crucial element of any timepiece is keeping good time. Analog and digital clocks do an adequate job, but atomic clocks keep the most accurate time known to man. These clocks are so accurate that they are the measure used to set standard times around the world. Atomic clocks use the signals that electrons in atoms emit to maintain the most precise time measurements imaginable.

Because of their accuracy, atomic clocks are used in a variety of ways including the control of TV signals and coordination of satellites. This amazing technology is now available in home clock models, which have built in receivers that calibrate themselves with an atomic clock. Although many of these models are advertised as “atomic clocks,” it really just indicates the way in which they are calibrated.

It’s easy to become a little disoriented when you travel through multiple time zones. Not to mention the jetlag you’ll be experiencing, trying to keep track of the correct time can be close to impossible. When you de-board your plane upon arriving in your vacation destination, the last thing you want to make your first priority is to ask a local what time it is. Life would be much simpler if you had a clock to take with you that automatically updated with every new time zone you crossed over.

Fortunately, this notion can be made a reality when you purchase a travel alarm clock. Tiny and lightweight, this travel companion is easy to pack into any suitcase. In fact, when I’m not traveling I always leave mine in my suitcase to make sure I never travel without it. Stow it on your nightstand wherever in the world you may be and it will always keep you up with the times.

My roommate in college was a heavy sleeper, and when I say heavy I don’t just mean a sound sleeper – she slept as often as possible. Every time I returned from class she was out like a light and even on the weekends she’d sleep in until four in the afternoon. Nothing seemed to be more important than the nearly 16 hours of sleep she accumulated every day. So one day after having grown tired of tip-toeing around in the dark I decided to play a little prank on Mrs. Sleeping Beauty.

It was a Tuesday afternoon and I had just been released from my evolution of religion class, but before heading back to our pad I stopped at the convenience store to pick up a few supplies. Shaving cream, feathers and a bullhorn were at the top of my list. When I walked through the door of our house, I made it my first mission to reset all of our digital alarm clocks to 1 pm; I also put away all the mirrors. Then I covered her as thoroughly as possible, head to toe, in shaving cream and feathers. Then I placed the bullhorn right next to her ear and squeezed. She leapt out of bed, looked at the clocks, assumed she was late for class and ran out the front door. She figured out she was being duped before she made it all the way across campus, but her appearance was responsible for many laughs that day.

Nowadays, many people might say they depend solely on their cell phone, PDA or iPhone to keep track of time. After all, they use their phone for everything from listening to music to checking their e-mail, so why not use it to refer to the time? But old clock habits die hard, it seems. When the wall clock in my office ran out of batteries recently, my officemates went into a tizzy. They were so used to being able to simply glance at the wall clock to see when it was time for lunch and when it was time to leave that they felt lost without it.

I remember spending hours staring at the wall clock back in my school days, waiting for class to be over. It didn’t really matter what the time was on your cell phone – it only mattered what the clock said and what time the bell rang. Including college, I spent 16 years of my life being a slave to the classroom wall clock. And one thing’s for sure – anytime that clock was frozen, it was a downright catastrophe!

While I get ready for work each morning, I usually check my e-mail and get all the latest news from my favorite websites. I also keep an eye on the time on my laptop. However, I know the clock on my computer is four minutes fast, so I have to subtract that amount of time from the time it reads to get the actual time. Of course, I could manually change the clock, but I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. Plus, temporarily thinking that I’m running a bit late helps me get ready faster.

Many people like to set their alarm clocks ahead, as well. Thinking that they’re really late helps them wake up faster. I used to do that several years ago, but then I got sick of waking up in a panic every day. If you don’t like to play those kinds of mind games with yourself, you might want to get an atomic alarm clock. Atomic alarm clocks always have the accurate time from picking up a government broadcast signal, so you always know exactly what time it is… and how many more minutes you can afford to sleep in.

When it comes to waking up, most of us would like to be able to manipulate time. But mumbling, “Just five more minutes…” while shutting off your alarm clock doesn’t mean time slows down to give you a few extra moments of shuteye. There is another way you can control the time, though – by projecting it onto a wall or ceiling, right in front of your sleepy eyes.

An atomic projection alarm clock can do this for you, and more. Atomic clocks have built-in receivers that automatically pick up the accurate time and date from a government broadcast signal, so you never have to worry about accidentally setting your alarm clock ahead or behind. And having the time digitally projected onto your ceiling means you could check the time just by opening your eyes, without fumbling to find a dimly lit alarm clock. Accurate time and a function that can help you read time without moving anything but your eyelids? Sleepyheads, rejoice!

One type of clock combines the convenience of a large digital display, indoor and outdoor temperature readings, a weather forecast, and the most accurate time in the world: an atomic digital wall clock. This one timepiece provides a variety of information and can be mounted on any wall in your home or office, allowing you to check the time or weather with one glance. Not only does the atomic technology ensure the most accurate time, it makes for an optimal wall-mounted clock.

That’s because the accurate time display even survives power failures. While you may need to reset other clocks after an outage – a time-consuming hassle that could leave various clocks in your home or office out of sync – an atomic digital wall clock automatically acquires a time signal that’s broadcasted by the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) in Colorado. The atomic clock synchronizes to the standardized time signal, making it extremely accurate and convenient through power outages. Just pop a few AA alkaline batteries into the clock and its sensor, and you can rest assured that your atomic digital wall clock will give you accurate results.

There are a lot of alarm clocks out there, but the best models often incorporate several features, reducing the need for other household appliances. For example, we all want an alarm clock that is simple to see in the dark, so it’s important to have a bright display that is visible even at a distance. It’s also a good idea to have a clock radio because it’s always more pleasant to wake up to music than it is to a blaring “beep, beep, beep!”. It’s also a good idea to have an alarm clock that can operate on batteries, after all, if the power goes out and it’s still important to wake up on time, you might be out of luck. Thus the best kind of alarm clock is a projection alarm clock radio, which incorporates all of the above features. The projection display is quite bright and visible at a distance, in addition, the clock has a radio, and also offers battery powered and time set to the atomic signal, making it accurate.

The  projection alarm clock radio is the ideal alarm clock for anyone who has to wake up on time for work in the morning. It’s also quite affordable despite incorporating so many features!

Let’s face it, most if not all dads love to have their cool gizmos and gadgets on Father’s Day. Whether it’s a Swiss army knife, a multi-tool, or a fun USB device for their computer, dads love their gadgetry. When choosing a gift this Father’s Day, consider these fun gadgets that dad is sure to love:

_Atomic Clocks – some of the more accurate timepieces in the world, atomic clocks make a great Father’s Day gift because they never stop working, and set their own time at least once per day for superior accuracy.
_Leatherman – whether in use at the workbench, out fishing, or in the garage, a Leatherman multi-tool is always a fun option for dad on his special day, and an ideal gift that all fathers can appreciate.
_Portable Media Devices – even dad likes to listen to music, though it might be hard now and then to tell what kind of music he likes! Instead of fretting over what kind of music to give dad for Father’s Day, buy a portable media device that he can use to store all his favorite music.

There’s nothing worse than having an alarm clock with a low lit display making it difficult to see in the morning.  It’s all too common to glance over one moment and see 5:45, then wake up an hour later and realize it said 6:45!  These alarm clocks with low lit displays often contribute to lateness at work, and can also be a real pain during the nighttime hours.  There are two main different varieties in bright alarm clocks, those with a backlit display, and those with an LED display.  Backlit alarm clocks can be a little more difficult to see because the background doesn’t remain lit up all the time (in most cases), LED alarm clocks are easier because the numbers themselves are the lights.  There are also projection alarm clocks, which are kind of like LED alarm clocks but the time is projected on a flat surface (like a wall). 

Having either of these alarm clock models will ensure less confusion over the actual time, and allow the owner to fall asleep and wake up at the right time.  It’s also a good idea to have an alarm clock that makes a pleasant noise wakes with music, otherwise it might be more hated than appreciated!