My $240 alarm clock!

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Verizon completely turned off their 3G network a few days ago. The reason I know this is because the old Verizon phone I was using as an alarm clock quit showing the date and time, and it is now constantly “looking for service”. Since I can’t manually set the time and date, it is no longer useful as an alarm clock.

What to do? I can’t use my new Sonim XP3 Plus flip phone (T-Mobile) as an alarm clock — so far, I haven’t figured out how to completely silence it, so I just turn it off while I sleep.

I then remembered that I have my Kyocera DuraXV Extreme phone from when I was with Verizon. It is 4G, and it lets you set the date and time manually; so it doesn’t matter whether it has any service or not. Most importantly, it will never make any noise from an incoming call or text message, because I no longer have service with Verizon.

I tried selling the Kyocera on E-Bay, but the buyer returned it – he never could get it to work. So now I use my $240 Kyocera as an alarm clock! It’s really easy – I set it up so that the PTT button goes to “alarm” and the other button turns on the flashlight. So now I can easily get to the alarm (and stops it from ringing), or turn on the flashlight in the middle of the night. All for just $240! Well, at least I’m getting some good use out of it.

My new Sonim phone is rugged, fast, and works very well with the Bluetooth in my car. But it is extremely complicated. This is the problem with modern flip phones – if they have very much functionality, they will be complicated to set up and operate. And there is no standard way of doing things among flip phones, like there is with Android and iPhones.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 8.1 running in a VM

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Good for you!  A $240 device as an alarm clock is better than a $240 device in the junk drawer.

I am blessed to be using a vintage Realistic brand (remember Radio Shack?) clock radio, stereo no less.  It looks its age but remains a reliable time-to-get-up device.  It stays tuned to a classic rock station.  What could be better than being woken up by classic rock?

If you want one, there are some on e-bay.  Search “Realistic Chronomatic 251”.  🙂

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Something to consider is using a disposable “burner” Android smartphone from Samsung or Motorola, etc., such as a Tracfone, without activating it with the locked carrier phone service. They can be easily had on sale for $39-$99. Or use a hand-me-down smartphone from a friend or relative.

I believe they will also allow 911 emergency calls without activation.

It will function just fine like an Android tablet using Wi-Fi only, availing you to alarm clocks and any other Android apps that you wish to download from the Google store. The only catch is that you will need to create (or provide) a Google account to use it.

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This is what I use. Works great and no batteries or power needed  🙂

Never Say Never

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Rick Corbett, AlphaCharlie, JohnW

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This is exactly what I was going to buy – totally dependable, works every time. You just have to wind it up and make sure the time is right before going to bed.

I then remembered my no-longer-used Verizon flip phone. It’s excellent as an alarm clock, and I can play one of the built-in alarms or music I copy to it. As long as it is charged up, it will work for a long time between charges when I use it only as an alarm clock.

A standard electric alarm clock will stop running if the electricity goes off; and the battery backup will fail just when you need it to work. I’ve never been fully satisfied with a standard electric alarm clock for this very reason.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 8.1 running in a VM

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madhatter

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I’m old… so, whilst I still use this, I can’t silence it from a distance away. No Bluetooth, just flying slipper. ROFL

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cyberSAR wrote:

no batteries or power needed

Congrats on discovering a new source of power! Are you mega rich yet?

cheers, Paul

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I’m going to throw a curve ball (as usual..). Required components may well be in your junk cupboard if you haven’t cleared it recently.

I really found being jolted from my slumber by something screeching / bleeping / whirring / ringing more than a bit of a bind. Having a lithium cell in or near bedding also strikes me as a bad idea.  Literally everything I have bar the fridge and house “automata” is devoid of mains power overnight. If something does screech, it would be the fire alarm and I’d be  leaving.

Perhaps as an alternative consider wiring / plugging in a digital timer to switch on the bedside lamp. You wake up, but without the auditory trauma. If you use  digital timer they have extra functions like deciding the day if the weeks it operates and daylight saving by a button, and a local on / off toggle button. They are generally use less power and more reliable then mechanical timers. My waking lamp is on the cupboard on the other side of the room though – I found I needed to physically rise to reliably exit the sleep state!

Once up its a small matter to remember to switch the light off to save juice but as most timers give 15 minute increments…

 

 

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Did you try setting for wifi data and turn off cell data? Maybe not applicable to your flip. My GF has one and it is a PITA

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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The Sonim XP3 Plus flip phone require that you make all desired setting changes, then save the setup as a profile. Then, when you want to silence the phone, set it to vibrate mode, etc., you simply load the desired profile (the one you saved with those settings).

Problem is, I haven’t been able to find how to turn off vibrate and turn on alarm. And quite frankly, I just can’t motivate myself to dig and dig for these settings. I’m tired of having to figure everything out – this phone is different than any other phone I have ever had.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 8.1 running in a VM

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T-Mobile has another rugged flip phone – the CAT S22. I would have considered that one, except that it has a touch screen. In fact, it is like a junior Android smartphone, because you can download and run apps from the Google store.

I don’t want a smartphone, I want an old-school flip phone. And my Sonim works very well (it works fantastically well when streaming internet radio or making phone calls with my Kenwood car stereo). So I’m good for now with the Sonim.

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with Windows 8.1 running in a VM

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