My Obsessive Search For An iPad Clock App Is Over
July 11, 2010
I’m neurotic about iPad clock apps. I’ve purchased quite a few of them (in the short time iPads have been around) trying to find the one that suits me best. Recent purchases have included: "Definitive Alarm Clocks for iPad", "My Frame" and "click.clock HD". Unfortunately, none of these made me happy for one reason or another.
My criteria in selecting a clock app is as follows: the app needs to show the current time (duh), integrate with my iPod music and include a weather forecast. Plus, and this is most important, it should have a night mode. An alarm clock app that is so bright, that it discourages sleep, is a flawed app. The Definitive Alarm Clocks for iPad app is anything but definitive. Created by Definitive Apps, LLC, the app looks cool but its functionality is limited. Alarms can be set using app-specific songs, tones or with your iPod music. Three different clock formats come standard, an in-app store allows you to purchase up to three additional clock formats. None of these proved dazzling. The best way to describe this app is that I found it clumsy and industrial, with tiresome sound effects (that can be turned off). In some respects, the creativity of Apple products, that sets them apart from the competition, isn’t present here. In a sense, you get the feeling that Microsoft created this app, and that is not a complement. My Frame by Groundhog Software is a great all-in-one clock app. In fact, its so good, Apple almost took it out of the App Store because it did too much. Once the developers removed a Notes feature (and the ability to view Twitter messages), it appears the app’s place in the App Store is now secure. My Frame integrates nicely with weather forecasts and iPod music, plus includes an alarm clock. Most impressive: you can add you own photos that can be randomly changed. One issue: the app doesn’t dim and depending on how bright your photos are, it can keep you up at night. click.clock HD by coffeecoding is cool for listening to music and perfect for sitting on your desk to impress your friends. Its design is breathtaking, but it contains no alarm clock or weather function. You can dim the app at night, however. The app that suits me best is Lifelike Alarm Clock and Weather HD by Lifelike Apps, a joint venture between designer Dotan Saguy and Postindustria. Built around what looks like an actual everyday alarm clock, the app includes a calendar, analog clock, and integration with iPod music. The app even has a volume control knob that you'd swear was real and not virtual. Its weather station capabilities are subtle, but effective. At night, the clock goes to sleep showing only its hands and number positions in a nice neon green glow. According to the developers, an update to the app is coming that will include five different clock formats (both digital and analog) and a "pull-down" shade to use at night! That should prove interesting! If I have one criticism of the app it would be this: it isn't very intuitive when it comes to how a user turns off the alarm when in night mode. Rather than giving a large "Snooze" or "Off" button (like it does in normal mode), the app requires you to first disable the night mode and then turn the alarm off. Hopefully, this will be fixed soon. At last count, there are nearly 250 iPad apps available with some sort of clock function. Even for the most picky of buyers, there is an app or two out there that will suit your needs. I’m not saying Lifelike Alarm Clock and Weather HD is necessarily the best, but for me it does the trick. It's all about what you want in an iPad clock, so shop accordingly. I'd like to hear your opinions on which clock apps you find best in the App Store for the iPad. Please leave your comments below.
