Hasta La Ideas

A startup called Nanu Electrics has designed something radical by today’s standards: An analog alarm clock designed for longevity and repair.

The Arc Alarm Clock features easy-to-read numbers on a non-fussy dial, a manual knob to set the alarm time, and just the right amount of tech features—which is to say, only one: The alarm time appears on a digital display on the clock’s lower face.

An unseen feature is the throwback chime bar and striking pin inside the clock; no electronic buzzing or beeping here. The carefully-calibrated chime starts soft and gradually ramps up, to provide a non-shocking awakening. “We engineered [it to] wake you at an optimal tempo and frequency of 494 Hertz,” Nanu writes. “Science has shown this is best for alerting you without inducing anxiety before the day has begun.”

One of Nanu’s priorities with the Arc was to ensure repairability. It’s held together with standard fasteners, not adhesives, and can be disassembled with common tools. The wires inside are joined by connectors, not soldered joints. The backup battery inside is replaceable.

While I think the mission of the clock is great, and its overall look is okay, I’m actually not crazy about the design. I think the company logo in the center is tacky and undesirable, and the gradated array of dots on the right side of the face look very of-the-moment (i.e. I think in 20 years you’d say “Wow that looks so 2020s”). I like the knob to set the alarm time, but I’m undecided on whether placing it on the front for ease of use is worth essentially doubling the width of the clock’s footprint, for those of us with small nightstands.

That being said, the Arc is a success on Kickstarter; at press time they’d landed $83K in pledges on a $50K goal, with 45 days left to pledge. The clock runs $180 (while it might look like plastic, the body is made from aluminum and zinc, neither of which are cheap).