It’s probably been a really long time since any of us have used an actual alarm clock. Ever since mobile phones – the simple, “dumb” phones – first came out, they had a crucial feature of an alarm clock.
It made life easier in a certain way. We no longer had to use complex systems to set up our morning alarm, all it took was to press a few buttons and we could be woken up by any sound we’d like.
From then on, the alarm clock function on our phones only advanced. But with that, so did many other features. We got cameras on our phones, games, and apps as well as so many other features, which you can read more about in this article, that drain our phone batteries.
While our old “dumb” phones used to last for days without charging, smartphones we use today can’t go a day without a charge. If used more, they need a charge every few hours.
And so, most of us have to charge our phones overnight, near our bed because we need our alarm clocks to wake us up.
And, as you know, this can be really inconvenient. First of all, having a charger near your head while you sleep isn’t healthy at all. Your phone could also easily fall and break, your charger can break and so on. Definitely not an ideal situation.
So, what do you do in that situation? Well, you get an iPhone alarm clock dock of course.
What Is an iPhone Alarm Clock Dock?
If you own an iPhone, an iPad or iPod, you probably want to ensure that your device is always charged up so that you can use it and also that it’s always safe from all of the breaks and falls.
Of course, since this is always risky when you’re charging your Apple devices, and they are quite fragile, you might consider getting an alarm clock with a docking feature for your Apple devices.
This is an alarm clock that, at a first sight, looks just like any old alarm clock. It has a big clock on the front and a lot of buttons. However, these new and modern alarm clocks usually have a docking element where you can actually charge your phone on them if your phone has a Lightning connector. They also have a radio feature, which is a nice addition for when you need some music.
As a bonus, these alarm clocks are a lot harder to silence than those you have on your iPhone.
You can stream music from your phone to the alarm clock if that’s what you like when you wake up. A good one will be able to connect with any Apple device you have. It would also have great speakers so you can enjoy your music, without looking at the screen. We all know that this is bad for your sleep, and Business Insider wrote an entire article about it: https://www.businessinsider.com/dont-check-your-smartphone-before-bed-2016-3
You might also get one with Bluetooth connectivity, a remote control, USB ports and so on.
Types of iPhone Alarm Clock Docks
Of course, there are many different types of iPhone alarm clock docks. This will likely depend on their features. For example, there are those with radio and those without a radio.
But the most important type of alarm clock to you is likely the type that is MFi certified. You may not pay attention to this, but it’s crucial to find a good device that will work well and last. MFi stands for Made for iPhone which means that this device has a Lightning connector which is necessary for all Apple devices. Of course, it also has AirPlay support.
So, when you’re looking for an iPhone alarm clock with a docking option, look for the type that is MFi certified and avoid ones that are not.
Reasons To Use iPhone Alarm Clock Dock
You also might be wondering why to use an iPhone alarm clock dock. People who don’t have any particular problems with their nightly charging experience are especially questioning the purpose of this product.
However, even if you aren’t facing any problems, you can still find a lot of use in this product and it can help you have a more productive life, as ryansbestreviews.com says. It saves up space, offers multiple functionalities and it also looks good. You can listen to music on it or even charge multiple devices.
Here are more great features of this product:
- You can save up space – You get two devices in one. At the same time, you can charge the phone and have a radio alarm clock. Your phone is in a safe space where it’s being charged and you still have an alarm clock, all in one device, plugged to one outlet. In some alarm clocks, you can charge several devices at once.
- You can stream music – When you connect your phone to the alarm clock dock, you can stream music through the speakers and it’s usually a superb sound, something that would come in handy at parties or when you want to have fun on your own.
- Interesting alarm clock – With a slightly retro design, these alarm clocks are an amazing way to wake yourself up in the morning. Turning them off isn’t as easy as turning off your phone and they tend to be louder. You can also play the music through the alarm clock as a wake-up sound.
- There’s a Bluetooth feature and remote control – All of this makes alarm clock dock devices very useful and fun to use. It’s not just another gadget to have, but rather a device that will help you with various needs.
Problems You Can Encounter
With these devices, you should be careful when removing your phone from the lightning connector as it can break when pulled off too roughly. The device will still work properly as an alarm clock, but the charging function won’t work and it’s probably one of the reasons why you want to get it in the first place.
Of course, not all of the devices have this problem, and you should focus on finding one that allows for a bit of pivot to your iPhone so that it can prevent strain and allow for your alarm clock docking device to last longer.