We’ve seen a steady stream of Alexa-enabled devices from Amazon and other manufacturers throughout 2017, but the response has been hit or miss. Ecobee installed the voice-assistant on its latest smart thermostat. And just about every smart home accessory offers some kind of compatibility.
All of that aside, I think we’ve found the product category that makes the most sense to offer Alexa-integration. Our alarm clock. The new Sandman Doppler just hit Kickstarter with a unique design that not only sports Amazon’s voice assistant, but is also packed with USB-A/C ports and a bright, cheery display. Through less than 24 hours, it has already flown past its initial $25,000 goal. Head below to learn more.
This isn’t the first alarm clock from Sandman. The original, sans Alexa control, has been available for some time on Amazon but never really took off. Features such as USB ports offer convenience but don’t really stand out from the competition.
Doppler aims to change all of that. The latest from Sandman stands out in a number of ways, including a bright and colorful display that relays important information in addition to Alexa compatibility.
Called “the world’s best alarm clock” notable features include notifications, weather tracking and quick access buttons that call up frequently used tasks with just a push.
Thanks to Alexa, Doppler has compatibility with popular smart home accessories like Nest and Philips Hue, as well as Spotify for streaming media. All of this adds up to one-press access to your favorite service. Two examples that Sandman gives is the ability to call up a favorite playlist or closing your garage door.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp0aRRLARs8
Smart features aside, Doppler also helps to manage your nightly charging needs. There are six total USB ports on the back that can be swapped out for USB-C or A as needed (kit sold separately at launch).
As you’d guess, the entire setup is controlled by a free iOS and Android app. This includes customizable lighting, alarm clock settings and the ability to upgrade features over time as they roll out to users.
If you’re interested in snagging a Sandman Doppler Alarm Clock for your nightstand you’ll need to put up $119 with expected delivery come July 2018. Yeah, that date is a bit painful but Doppler has developed an intriguing alarm clock solution that certainly stands out from the competition.
[9to5-press-release]
The World’s Greatest Alarm Clock Launches on Kickstarter
SANTA CLARA, CA (PRWEB) JULY 18, 2017
The bedside alarm clock has made an exponential evolutionary leap with the Sandman Doppler, transforming from timepiece to complete information hub. Developed by Palo Alto Innovation (PAI), the company has just launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring the product to market.
The Sandman Doppler is designed to fit perfectly into the 21st Century digital life with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and integrated Amazon Alexa to respond to almost unlimited voice commands. It features six high speed USB charging ports so all your devices can get powered up, while also centrally organizing the cables underneath the clock (three standard USB ports can also be switched out to USB-C). The dual speaker audio system has been carefully engineered to deliver outstanding sound from a compact package. There’s a RGB LED clock face, with huge 1.8” tall digits as well as dashboard indicators like the date, weather and temperature, all of which can be customized to any desired color. The readout is light-sensitive to automatically adjust brightness.
Just in case you get tired of talking to a machine, the clock also features two programmable buttons which can be linked to multiple functions. For example a push of Button One can dim the lights and play your favorite jazz station… Button Two can close the garage door, lock the front door and activate your home security system…. The clock integrates seamlessly with the iPhone and Android app, which can be used to program the unit. In fact, flexibility is the foundation of the Sandman Doppler, inside and out – if the default options aren’t enough, the clock runs on open-source code powered by the Next Thing Co.’s C.H.I.P. Pro, which is also open source, so owners can add their own features not even dreamed up yet.
It should be noted that Palo Alto Innovation is an experienced company which brought its first product, the original Sandman USB charging clock, to market in 2016. The original Sandman is available from Amazon and the PAI website. PAI has set a Kickstarter goal of $25,458 to pay for the necessary upfront manufacturing costs, with a range of pledge levels. The Early Bird price to receive a Sandman Doppler is $99, after that they will be available for the special Kickstarter price of $119. target date for shipping is July 2018.
“In 2015 we wanted to make our own products and founded Palo Alto Innovation, then created the original Sandman clock,” said Palo Alto Innovation co-founder and CEO Alex Tramiel. “We learned a lot about how to run a business, run a Kickstarter campaign, and we gathered a ton of real-life feedback on the Sandman. In general, people loved it, but they really wanted it to do more. And they especially wanted speakers! We immediately got back to development and created the incredible Sandman Doppler prototype. All that remains is to start manufacturing.”
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