We are working on a senior engineering design project where we will be creating a prototype for a new clock; most likely, it will actually be produced. Clock radios are becoming obsolete, so we need to know what consumers are actually looking for...some technologically complex features that can be achieved with a reasonable budget. Some ideas we are considering include voice commands, weather/traffic alerts, and a projection of the outside sky on the ceiling. Thanks for any creative ideas you can offer!

Does a clock radio consume more electricity with the radio on than when the radio is off ? Also, does it consume more electricity when the radio is turned up louder volume?

Hi everybody! I have a few years of electronics experience, and took a job to improve WGBH's signal (89.7 MHz) for a clock radio's antenna. The problem is that WUMD (89.3 MHz) is so powerful, that it is swamping out GBH. My most recent attempt to fix this was to use an OP-AMP bandpass filter (which worked on the client's boombox), but the only modification was an FM trap (in series with the "antenna in" to my "active OP-AMP antenna"), and an adjustable gain feature (from 1-6) for one of the OP-AMPs. Does anyone know of an easier way to pick up GBH clearly? Not only is UMD swamping it out, but I am working with a clock radio, whose antenna is simply a piece of wire. I thought maybe going inside of the radio and de-soldering the wire antenna, and soldering in a small piece of wire (which would connect to the output of my "active antenna") would work...does anyone have any idea if this would work? Or any other simpler, or more effective, ideas? I would really appreciate any help!

I'm tired of looking for the little dot that says whether it is AM or PM on my alarm clock. I would love to find a clock radio that operates in military time to avoid mistakes, and oversleeping.