Alarm clocks have not always been a part of the human experience. Not so long ago, most people did not have access to clocks, let alone alarm clocks. The first mechanical clocks in Europe only appeared in the 14th century. It was not until the 1600s that the first household clocks, sometimes with alarms, came into use.

Even then they were still relatively rare, and it took until the 1870s before bedside alarms became commonplace. Those early mechanical versions of alarm clocks have evolved into the electronic devices that we use today. For example, the first electronic snooze alarms hit the market in 1959. Other less successful ideas, such an alarm that woke people by pulling on their big toes, were also tried.

One major change in recent years has been option of attaching MP3 players to alarm clocks. With so many things that can be downloaded online and put into a MP3 player, it is now possible to wake up to most any sound one wants to. Still, even with the addition of cool functions such as this, the traditional alarm clock has seen a slump in sales.

The reason lies primarily in the proliferation of cell phones in recent years. People find it more convenient to use the alarm clock function on their cell phone rather than use a traditional alarm clock, however many features that they offer. Surveys show an increasing number of people ditching their alarm clocks and using their cell phones to wake them up.

However, there is no reason to expect the alarm clock to go the way of the dinosaur any time soon. Manufacturers of alarm clocks have recognized the problems they face and are coming up with more and more innovative designs. For example, people can now buy an alarm clock which records body motions throughout the night and selects the optimal time to wake the sleeper (waking in the right sleep phase is much easier).

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For information on modern alarm clocks that make waking up as pleasant as possible, visit ‘Bose Alarm Clock‘, where you can learn about Bose alarm clocks and alarm clock features.

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