Daily Giz Wiz 453: Emerson 3088 SmartSet Clock
Episode 453 of the podcast
| Subject: | Review of Emerson 3088 SmartSet Clock |
| Released: | Wednesday 28 November 2007 |
| Length: | about 16 minutes |
| Download file: | dgw0453.mp3 (7.2 MB) |
Listen to the episode
Short info
The Emerson 3088 SmartSet Clock remembers what time it is, even when unplugged.
(source: twit.tv/dgw453)
Detailed information
Link: Emerson Radio
The Emerson Radio Model CKS 3088 is a dual-alarm clock radio (AM/FM) with a few handy functions. You can set 2 different wake-up times, and each can be set to one of 3 modes, every day, weekdays or weekends. You have a choice of waking to buzzer, or waking to the radio. If it's set to Wake to Buzzer, after the alarm has gone off, you can catch a few more minutes of sleep by pressing the Snooze Alarm button, or you can wave your hand in front of the wave sensor on the front panel to go into Snooze Alarm mode.The LED time display is big enough to see easily, 1.3" tall. It has 3 brightness levels (high, low, off) which can be adjusted by pressing the dimmer switch. At the off position, a wave of the hand in front of the wave sensor will re-activate the display into full brightness for 10 seconds.
You can also use this Emerson Clock Radio to control your bedside lamp. Plug the lamp into the socket at the back of the radio, turn on the lamp, and lightly touch the Lamp Control Pad to dim the lamp by 25% each time (or increase the brightness again).
The clock uses AC power, with a 3V lithium battery inside. It has a so-called SmartSet technology to set the correct time, date, day of the week, and year, which remembers the time setting (including Daylight Saving Time and Leap Years), even after an AC power interruption. The technology doesn't actually synchronise with any external clock or signal, but merely uses a chip inside the clock (essentially an internal clock), powered by the lithium battery, to remember the time. It comes preset at the Eastern Time Zone, and you can change it to the appropriate time zone in the US (and change the time manually if you like it, say, 5 minutes faster). If there is a power outage and the lithium battery (which can last up to 5 years) has also run out, you need to replace the battery and reset the time manually.
Dick and Leo on TV
Leo has just turned down Regis for their technology section for December, but Dick is doing an all-clock series on ABC.
Microbursts of Pleasure
Dennis Valyo from Phoenix, Arizona, rides to work for 5 miles on his bike while listening to DGW. He writes to thank Dick and Leo for the microbursts of pleasure and guffaws which DGW gives him and which amuses the other drivers on the road.
Leo's Birthday ...
... is coming up tomorrow.
(source: insidedgw.vox.com)
