Here at Online Clock, we’re big fans of clocks and radios.
The fact that I’m an American living abroad and can’t get U.S. Television probably has something to do with the fact that I just don’t watch TV. If you’re living overseas, most of the American TV channels that publish shows online restrict viewing to persons with an IP Address located within the U.S.A.
This results in me listening to lots and lots of radio, which isn’t a bad thing…radio rules…especially Talk Radio, which I always seem to have running in the background. (Right now, as I write this, I’m listening to the Best of Art Bell, which you can frequently find in our list of Talk Radio Stations at the link above.)
If you ever move away from home, it’s incredibly reassuring to know that, these days with Internet Radio, you can listen to the same stations you used to listen to when you were living in Chicago, or NYC or San Francisco. It makes it so cozy, it’s as if you never moved away!
So that explains why we’re so excited about the subject of Internet Alarm Clock Radios here at OnlineClock.net.
Because of this interest in the subject, I’ve tried out some different Internet Radio devices (the hardware variety).
Here’s a short overview of what I’ve tried so far…I still actually own both of these.
Noxon Internet Radio
The first Internet Radio I tried was the Noxon from TerraTec. What you see above is actually their second version, the Noxon 2. The device I still have (and which still works) is the predecessor to what you see above. (It looks somewhat similar but is a bit uglier. )
The device worked fine…it’s just that it seemed to lack something important: it didn’t have an Alarm Clock. Even worse, they stopped releasing firmware updates which makes my older Noxon 1 device non-updatable…I called their customer support and they told me it will never be updated again and suggested that I go out and buy their newest model.
That pissed me off, so I instead went out and bought this:
MusicPal Internet Radio
The MusicPal Internet Radio from Freecom is a good device. Freecom releases frequent firmware updates which improve the device’s functionality. It has, importantly, an integrated Alarm Clock which works OK.
So, in comparison with the Noxon, this one is truly an Internet Alarm Clock Radio. Like the Noxon device, you can hook this Internet Radio up to your stereo or to any other external speakers you might have, which is highly recommended, since the internal speaker is a bit tinny and certainly not appropriate for listening to music at louder volumes. The only other drawback of this device is that it lacks a remote control, which the Noxon device has. Still, since this Internet Radio was always directly near my bed, I didn’t need a remote.
So there we have two examples. The first one (at least in the older model I had) contains no Alarm Clock, and the second one does.
The reason why I’m mentioning these devices is that I’m convinced that none of these can compare with the convenience and functionality you have at your disposal if you simply use our Clock Radio on a Netbook as your Internet Alarm Clock Radio.
Why is the combination of our browser-based Clock Radio running on a Netbook a better solution?
Here are the reasons:
- Netbooks are 1000% more powerful than any kind of Internet Radio hardware device
- Netbooks are versatile: they may be used as an Internet Radio, as an Alarm Clock, or you can check your Emails or play games on them, etc…
- The firmware on Netbooks can always be updated
- It’s easier to log onto different Wireless Hot Spots with a Netbook than it is with an Internet Alarm Clock Radio device, making them more mobile.
- Using a Netbook as your Alarm Clock Radio you’re never “locked in” to using one kind of software for your Alarm Clock (we hope you’ll use ours, of course…but it’s a free world, and you’re free to do as you wish. Viva La Anarchy!)
Despite how cute Chumbys look, for example, I would always prefer saving up my money and buying a Netbook instead, for all of the same reasons that I’ve listed above.
Let’s say it’s the middle of the night. You can’t sleep. You decide to flick on the light and write a quick email. You think you can try that with a conventional internet alarm clock radio or a Chumby, pal? Think again.
So, that’s Online Clock’s take on the subject of Internet Alarm Clock Radios.
Have you used any similar devices?
If so, we’d love to hear your comments.
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