Hasta La Gadget!

What helps you get out from bed in the mornings? Does it have anything to do with that pet dog of you who slobbers all over your face, signalling that it is time to roll out of bed and be ready to meet a brand new day? Well, most folks would prefer the use of an alarm clock, even better yet is if the alarm clock itself comes with a built-in Snooze function. For video game fans who have a strong love for Tetris, then you can wake up feeling like a kid all over again to the $29.99 Tetris Animated Alarm Clock.

The alarm sound will not be that of an incessant cockerel exercising its throat, and neither will it be the irritating ring of the classic bell alarm clock, but rather, it will play back the classic Tetris theme song. Individual minutes are formed from water falling Tetriminos, and you can literally spend watching your minutes ticking by. Sporting 12/24 hour clock options, it will be updated with modern functions like snooze and a backlit display, carrying a trio of AA batteries with Tetriminos-shaped buttons up front.

[ Tetris Animated Alarm Clock copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Vintage vinyl records are fun to listen to, but what do you do with all of that old stuff that you don’t want to listen to? Well, you can always make some Zombie record clocks like Etsy seller MoralMustache.

This is the perfect use for all of those warped old vinyl records that you’ve been storing and not listening to. Don’t toss them out with the garbage, get into the Zombie groove and turn them into clocks that remind you of the impending Zombie Apocalypse.

This one has zombies rising from their graves and ready to kill as one a guy with a chainsaw gets ready to collect some heads. It’s perfect for Halloween. It will cost you $42.50(USD).

[via Nerd Approved]

Last month, the Swiss Federal Railway service (SBB) accused Apple of copying their iconic clock design by using it in the iOS 6 Clock application. However, a few days later, we were told that the two companies would be meeting with each other to discuss ways to remedy the issue. Today, Apple has agreed to pay the SBB for use of the clock design.

The two companies have agreed upon a fair price and signed a licensing agreement. However, neither company has disclosed how much the agreement was for, but we’ll probably hear about it soon, either through an official announcement, or from an insider analyst. But we think it probably wasn’t as much as what Samsung forked over.

The iconic Swiss clock was designed in 1944 by Hans Hilfiker, who was a SBB employee himself. The clock looks practically identical to Apple‘s version in iOS 6; it has the same black dashes with the thick hour and minute hands, and the big red dot at the end of the second hand. The design also happens to be licensed to Mondaine, a Swiss watch maker. So essentially, Apple was definitely infringing and they could’ve easily went to court and lost.

However, the two companies decided to sit down with each other and fight it out like gentlemen while coming to an agreement without whining to a judge. We can’t really blame them, though. I’m sure Apple is sick of being in court (probably not, though), and the SBB most likely didn’t want to deal with a court in the first place.

[via The Verge]

Apple and the SBB agree on licensing terms for iconic clock design is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

In this world of Star Wars inspired gadgets, sometimes the same device gets rehashed. Yes, we’ve seen an R2-D2 alarm clock before, but that model simply projected the time on the ceiling. This new one actually has movements and sounds like the little droid when it wakes you.

A recent import from Japan, this R2-D2 Action Alarm clock is a precisely-detailed model of R2 (other than the part where there’s an LCD clock hiding out in his chest.) What’s cool about this droid is that you can set him on the floor, and he’ll drive around when the alarm goes off. His head even lights up, and the alarm sounds are based on samples from the films. Just be sure not to step on the 6.5 inch-tall droid on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

You can choose wake-up sounds from Princess Leia’s “Help me Obi Wan Kenobi” message, several R2-D2 beeps and bleeps, as well as the main title music from Star Wars and Cantina Band if you feel like dancing first thing in the morning. Sorry, no Yub Nub, though.

So scoot on over to Strapya World now, where you can grab the R2-D2 Action Alarm Clock for about $100(USD).

A few days ago, the Swiss Federal Railway service (SBB) accused Apple of copying one of its iconic clock designs that shows up in the Clock app in iOS 6. Today, the two companies announced that they will be meeting with one another to settle the dispute, and apparently there’s no intention of suing for money.

The iconic Swiss clock, which was designed in 1944 by former SBB employee Hans Hilfiker, looks almost identical to Apple‘s version with the same black dashes and the big red dot at the end of the second hand. The design happens to be licensed to a Swiss watch company called Mondaine. So essentially, Apple could be easily found guilty of infringement.

However, Apple and the SBB have decided to settle this one like gentlemen. Representatives from both sides are expected to meet sometime within the next couple of weeks (or even months) to talk about the situation and hopefully come to a conclusion that both sides agree on. Plus, the SBB has stated that its proud that its clock had been chosen for iOS 6.

This comes right after Apple accused Samsung of copyright infringement and won in court to the tune of $1.05 billion. Apple saw themselves as the good guys, while Samsung (the bad guys) was wrongfully copying the designs of the iPhone and iPad. Now, Apple is the one being accused of copying something. Oh how the tables have turned.

[via CNET]

Apple to meet with Swiss railway over clock design dispute is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.