I'm thinking about making an alarm clock as none of models I see in stores have all the features I want. I was thinking some of the features could be upgrades that you connect while the clock is off. Here are some features I've thought of so far in no particular order. Auto-snooze (If you don't hit the snooze button in x seconds it will assume you want it to snooze.) Color selection for display. (Could also include fine level brightness controls. RGB LEDs or LCD screen. I have a friend that wants his alarm clock to have a purple display.) Multiple alarm sounds (Also allow custom alarm sounds.) Battery powered (Some features might need to be disabled on battery power.) Auto time set (Either through the Internet or at least in the lower 48 states use the Colorado nuclear time clock.) Web interface to program alarms, & upload alarm sounds & make changes to device settings. (Password protected) Version for hotels when guest requests a wake-up call to have a recording play to wake them up. (The alarm clock could call the worker to remind them that the room X wanted a wake-up call.) For hotels in the lower 48 a device that will pickup the time from the Denver Colorado Nuclear time clock to broadcast over hotels network. (Some buildings construction could block the signal from the individual alarm clocks.) Line in for speakers to play from any audio device. Multiple USB ports for charging devices with a 5 volt & 2 Amps per port & configured to work with devices like the iPhone. HD radio. Internet radio apps, Pandora, Last.fm, etc… Day of the week & date on display. (Could be just a button to display it.) Can tell the temperature. (With a local & a remote sensor.) Ability to tell time verbally. Option to have display dot matrix or the more traditional digital display format. Ability to have a custom enclosure made. When powered on upgrade door(s) are auto closed until power is lost. Some questions about options to do a feature. For time zone should it be set by a switch or stored on SD card & also if DST is used. Which way should it be done? Would you want a solar panel on a battery only version? Should the web interface WordPress with a plugin be used for the interface or something else? Are there any ideas you want to add? I'm also thinking about making the hardware open source & using as much open source hardware as possible, unless a closed source chip is cheaper I might use that instead. I did post this over at my blog the post is Ultimate alarm clock.

Ultimate alarm clock

I'm thinking about making an alarm clock as none of models I see in stores have all the features I want. I was thinking some of the features could be upgrades that you connect while the clock is off.

Here are some features I've thought of so far in no particular order.

Auto-snooze (If you don't hit the snooze button in x seconds it will assume you want it to snooze.)
Color selection for display. (Could also include fine level brightness controls. RGB LEDs or LCD screen. I have a friend that wants his alarm clock to have a purple display.)
Multiple alarm sounds (Also allow custom alarm sounds.)
Battery powered (Some features might need to be disabled on battery power.)
Auto time set (Either through the Internet or at least in the lower 48 states use the Colorado nuclear time clock.)
Web interface to program alarms, & upload alarm sounds & make changes to device settings. (Password protected)
Version for hotels when guest requests a wake-up call to have a recording play to wake them up. (The alarm clock could call the worker to remind them that the room X wanted a wake-up call.)
For hotels in the lower 48 a device that will pickup the time from the Denver Colorado Nuclear time clock to broadcast over hotels network. (Some buildings construction could block the signal from the individual alarm clocks.)
Line in for speakers to play from any audio device.
Multiple USB ports for charging devices with a 5 volt & 2 Amps per port & configured to work with devices like the iPhone.
HD radio.
Internet radio apps, Pandora, Last.fm, etc…
Day of the week & date on display. (Could be just a button to display it.)
Can tell the temperature. (With a local & a remote sensor.)
Ability to tell time verbally.
Option to have display dot matrix or the more traditional digital display format.
Ability to have a custom enclosure made.
When powered on upgrade door(s) are auto closed until power is lost.

Some questions about options to do a feature.

For time zone should it be set by a switch or stored on SD card & also if DST is used. Which way should it be done?
Would you want a solar panel on a battery only version?
Should the web interface WordPress with a plugin be used for the interface or something else?

Are there any ideas you want to add?

I'm also thinking about making the hardware open source & using as much open source hardware as possible, unless a closed source chip is cheaper I might use that instead.

I did post this over at my blog the post is Ultimate alarm clock.