Topic: Chumby alarm clock features

Chumby is going on my nightstand and will be replacing my atomic clock synced buzzing alarm that I have now

Question:   Is there a weekend mode and dual alarm settings (I'm an alarm clock tweaker...)?

Thanks,
GTM

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

There are currently two alarms, with a choice of three sounds - however, there's an easter egg that allows you to put a file called "alarm.mp3" on a USB flash drive and it will play that instead, so it can be anything you want.

In the production chumbys, the Control Panel downloads on boot, so we don't need to do a full firmware update to add new functionality.  We hope to add many more options for alarms over time.

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

I would like to see a variable snooze time so you can set the snooze for 10min or 5 or 15... whatever you want.

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

It supports different variable snooze times on each alarm.

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

Fantastic, I'll take one!

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

Me too!  Duane, I'm not sure if the two alarms that you mentioned both have the capability of being set to not go off on the weekends.  Is that the case?

7 (edited by RhythmGuru 2007-08-07 09:47:17)

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

Will the production Chumbys eventually be able to play music from an attached IPOD as alarm music?

"We will find a way, or we will make one."

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

Well, I don't see any outright reason it shouldn't be able to: according to the Wiki on the subject, anything that's mounted right now with a file that's named "alarm.mp3" on the root level will set the alarm sound to that MP3.

Will it play a file from the iPod's database? That's really up to the developers; it's technically possible, but there's always issues like what happens if it's unplugged/unmounted and such to worry about.

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

The production chumbys support the playing of MP3 and M4A files from an iPod attached to one of the external USB ports.  There is explicit support for the iPod in the firmware of the device.

At the moment, music on the iPod cannot be played as an alarm, however, the attachment of music source to the alarms is a high-priority feature to be added.  In the meantime, you can use the 'alarm.mp3' easter egg as described on the Wiki.

As awalton said, there are numerous issues with using a USB-connected device such as the iPod as an alarm.  In the particular case of the iPod, it actually goes into hibernation and disconnects itself from the chumby after some period of inactivity, which makes it tough to use as an alarm audio source.

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

As a college student, I kinda have a crazy schedule, will it be possible to like set a different alarm for different days? (ie I have a 9 am class on monday and wednesday, but I don't have class until 1pm on tuesday and thursday; I really don't want the same wakeup time on both days.) If possible it would be cool if you could just preset an alarm schedule in every week so you don't have to reset the alarm every night (like what I do now).

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

I'm forwarding this to the product manager.

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

I have never though of this, I would use this, a lot! With school and all...

mmm....chumby...

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

I received my Chumby today and I was surprised at how limited the Alarm functionality is.

Its a very cool gadget and I think has a lot of potential but I am hoping for a better Alarm functionality. I don't just set my Alarm clock and leave it. I tend to set it for a different time every day. Right now it 'feels' like there are too many steps involved in setting the alarm.

Plus the touch screen, its probably because of my large fingers, isn't that accurate to me so I find I am having to press several times to get it to register.

I think if the touch screen was working better for me I wouldn't mind but I have to keep tapping, tapping, tapping just to get it to respond to my finger. I did calibrate the display so I don't think thats it. The touch screen, at least on my unit, seems less accurate near the edges.

I've also noticed that I have to keep pressing the 'hide control panel' button because the screen flips away and then back to the control panel on its own. Sometimes it just keeps doing this over and over and over until I press the button on the top a couple of times.

--Chris

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

Try using the side of your fingernail.  The less finger area touching the screen, the better in my experience.
My squeeze sensor/switch at the top of the unit stuck once, and it would cycle back and forth from the control panel.  Make sure that this switch has no pressure on it that may push it down or not allow it to snap back into position.

"We will find a way, or we will make one."

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

Don't forget the "Weekend Mode" which is what started this post!

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

Enhanced alarm functionality is a high priority item for us.

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

Duane wrote:

Enhanced alarm functionality is a high priority item for us.

Thats great news. I can't wait to see what comes. I am hoping to write a few of my own widgets.

On thing that I would like is some way to have the screen indicate if an alarm is set and what time the alarm is set for. Maybe it could be something that optionally shows up on the clock widget. Maybe it does this already and I just missed it.

Also having a way of saying "At night just stick to the clock widget, don't rotate through the widgets" would be nice.

--Chris

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

krafter wrote:

[Also having a way of saying "At night just stick to the clock widget, don't rotate through the widgets" would be nice.

That's kinda what "Night Mode" is all about - it dims the screen backlight and shows a very dim digital clock (it's hard to see in the light).  The widget player is suspended in that mode. At this point, you can't choose the clock widget, put that's on the list of features being considered.

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

Duane wrote:
krafter wrote:

[Also having a way of saying "At night just stick to the clock widget, don't rotate through the widgets" would be nice.

That's kinda what "Night Mode" is all about - it dims the screen backlight and shows a very dim digital clock (it's hard to see in the light).  The widget player is suspended in that mode. At this point, you can't choose the clock widget, put that's on the list of features being considered.

"Night Mode" works great. Um, this might be a crazy idea, but what about having the Chumby set so that if you push the button on the top and keep holding it down for several seconds, 10 for example, the Chumby automatically switches into "Night Mode."

I was going to look into changing it myself but I assume that type of functionality is at the firmware level.

Just an idea.

--Chris

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

What about a feature that makes it really annoying to turn the alarm off? (go with me on this one)

I find it incredibly hard to get up in the morning and incredibly easy to just turn all my conventional alarms off.
One solution that I'm thinking of would be the option of adding a task to turn the alarm off, something that couldn't just be memorized.
I'm thinking like having the cuhmby generate a string of maybe 6 numbers that you'd have to enter in to turn the alarm off.
Another idea was to have to solve a simple puzzle with like 8 pieces or something. Just something that isn't just hitting a switch.

Meh, just a thought, tell me what ya think!

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

keichan, I think that's a great idea!  A widget would probably be the best way to handle that.. something that won't let the functions of the chumby resume till the puzzle is complete etc.

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

I am WAITING for a device like this that allows customization of the alarm functions. If you can do all of these things I'll buy one right now just for the alarm clock.

1) Calendar of alarms: every day has a unique alarm(s), which can be easily set from a calendar-style interface on a computer.

2) Synchronizing from outside the LAN. Allow some kind of messaging from a website where I could set the alarm from work. Or sync to exchange or Google calendar with some kind of event naming convention so I can do it right from my desk.

3) I too am a tough nut to wake up in the morning. I 2nd the idea of some kind of 'task' to silence the alarm. How about this:

*I hear there's an accelerometer- how about requiring X seconds of motion (shaking) to turn the alarm off

4) Control over the snooze function:
*limit the number of allowed snoozes (including zero), after which the alarm resumes until disabled. If syncing from a Google calendar or Exchange, the duration of the alarm event could be the duration of allowed snoozes.

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

We're enhancing the alarm functionality significantly.  I don't think we'll get you all the things on your list, but love the ideas and we're listening...

24 (edited by ncoop23 2007-11-09 19:34:40)

Re: Chumby alarm clock features

If I plug my jump drive in with music on it will the Chumby be able to play it?  Or my Mass Storage MP3 player?  On the alarm or just in general without sshing the Chumby?