Nintendo fans have been eagerly snapping up any tidbit of news about Switch’s successor. So far, gaming industry pundits believe the company is about to officially reveal it before the holidays. However, it seems something unexpected launched ahead of the highly anticipated game system. To the delight of diehard brand loyalists and the dismay of everyone else, this is the Alarmo.
Leveraging its longstanding reputation for high-quality first-party products, many are saying this is another shameless cash grab. Given traditional mechanical and digital alarm clocks are practically optional items these days, this SKU is an odd one indeed.
Even if the manufacturer calls it a “sound clock” most of its functionalities are already in your smartphone. We don’t mean to rain on anyone’s parade, but $99.99 is a steep asking price for a novelty piece of hardware. From a design standpoint, the Alarmo resembles a cartoon depiction of a traditional alarm clock.
It touts a cylindrical form factor with two black rubber feet to keep the thing upright. Given its shape, one would expect a round display, but it touts a rectangular 2.8″ LCD screen instead. The top holds the back button, notification button, and a comically large confirm button/adjustment dial. The body houses a speaker and is powered via a USB-C cable.
Nintendo is taking cues from other consumer electronics companies by not including an AC adapter. Nevertheless, the inclusion of special themes from Super Mario Odyssey, The Legen of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Splatoon, Pikmin, and more. Future updates via Wi-Fi will add more features and scenes. The Alarmo may not be our cup of tea, but we believe others will enjoy everything it has to offer.
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Images courtesy of Nintendo
