First a little disclaimer: I do not own this clock also known as the Sony Smart Clock.  However, it is "mine" because it is in my room at my best friend's house.  You always hear me speaking of Debbie and how I'm always going to her house.  Since she and her husband now have an empty nest I am the little chick that comes "back home" for regular visits.
 
Second disclaimer: I am not a professional critic so I don’t always know the ins and outs of electronics.  I’m an average Jane Doe writing my personal opinion about my experience with a product.
  
Debbie is technologically/electronically challenged so when it came time for her to replace the alarm clock in the guest bedroom that I sleep in she bought a nice Timex but she didn't know how to set it.  So, she leaves it on the nightstand unplugged and waits for me to come out and tells me to set it.  Done! 

But the first time the power goes out she cannot figure out how to reset it.  This goes on for about a year and then one day she is out and about and she sees this alarm clock radio called the Smart Clock.  She then remembers me telling her about her sister having one and how it will set itself when you plug it in.  So, she buys it but doesn't take it out of the box because she's just not believing it can work that easy. 

I come out to her house and she gives me the box.  I know she isn't going to believe it unless she sees it so I take her into my room and plug the clock in and lo and behold, it “almost” has the right time!  Her eyes lit up like they were going to fall out.  You've seen that look in cartoons when the eyes pop out of the head.  She was totally amazed.

To the best of my knowledge the Smart Clock works because it has a higher frequency in it that allows it to get reception with satellites.  About five years ago the Smart Clock was a little too big for his britches or rather confused.  Remember, when President Bush changed our daylight savings time dates?  Well, the smart clocks were already manufactured to add or lose an hour based on the traditional daylight savings time so that first year when we had to wait about two weeks before daylight savings time ended the smart clock at Debbie's sister's house was already changing itself.  We would manually correct the time but within 60 seconds the smart clock would reset itself believing we had the wrong time.  Carla finally got frustrated and had to unplug the clock.  A year later the companies began manufacturing them to comply with the new daylight savings time dates so the one Debbie got is better but not yet perfected.

Some features of the Sony Smart Clock:
AM/FM digital tuner
Digital clock with green neon numbers
Sleep function that you can adjust in 30 minute increments
Time/Alarm set
hour and minute buttons
Radio on/off button on top of the clock

I love the sleep function because I have to go to sleep with music but I cannot wake up to music.  So, I can set the sleep function and listen to music for up to 90 minutes and then the radio will turn itself off. 

My only complaint about this alarm clock radio is that Sony put the radio turn dial in front of the volume dial on the side.  So, when I think I am going to adjust the volume I grab for the dial at the front and end up changing stations.  This may not sound like a big deal but when I am trying to do this it is at night after I have gone to bed and realize the music is just a little too loud for me to fall asleep so I am trying to turn it down in the dark!

Speaking of the dark: Some may find the brightness of the numbers too dark in the middle of the night and there is no control mechanism for adjusting the brightness.  It is what is is.

I have never used the alarm clock feature so I’m not sure about the ease of setting it or how effective it would be to wake someone up.  However, it has the standard buttons that allows you to choose alarm/time set and hour and minutes so it seems that it would be a rather easy task.  Hold the Alarm set and then adjust hour...hold alarm set and adjust minutes.

Speaking of “time set” I believe that is a misnomer as I have stated this clock sets itself to the satellites.  Maybe not all Sony Smart Clocks but the specific one at Debbie’s will not allow you to change the time. That’s why I said it’s “almost” right but being 20 minutes off is a big deal.  No matter how many times you unplug and plug it in you are going to get a time display that is 20 minutes faster than the actual time.  I have reset it to the accurate time and within 30 seconds it flips back to what it "believes" the correct time is.

So I have gotten accustomed to going to bed at night and making a mental note of what time the clock needs to say when I get up.  For example: If I need to be up by 7:30 I know the clock can say 7:50.  If this were in my home I would have to take it back for one that kept the proper time but for all practical purposes….I am the only person that sleeps in Debbie’s guest room and I just want the clock for the radio to go to sleep at night. 

I have seen the Sony Smart Clock in various stores that sell electronics.  I priced it at Walmart during the holidays and it is only $9.99.  I priced it online at amazon.com and they are selling it for about $11.88 plus shipping.  At this time the Sony Smart Clock only comes in black.

The Smart Clock is a really good idea; especially when the power trips or goes out.  I hate having to turn my cell phone or tv on to find out what time it is so I can reset the clocks.  I have thought about getting myself one but I have more expensive alarm clock radios in every bedroom and study so I do not want to just get rid of one of them to replace it with a Smart Clock.  I even considered buying one to take on trips but Debbie loves me so much that she always let's me take hers because if I'm on a vacation or a business trip then I'm not at her house anyway!

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 10-12