Thread: Alarm Clock Idea?

This is an easy project to do. A few years ago I designed my own alarm clock because I wanted all kinds of cool features.
But if I wasn't an engineer, I'd take one of the following approach.

A.
Hire a product development firm. If you have the money this is probably the easiest option.




B.
1. Create some sketches of what I want. Or hire an art student to create some sketches.
2. Define the requirements. Map out exactly what the alarm clock does, how the buttons work, what settings it has, etc...
3. Hire an EE to create the electronics based off the specifications and drawing.
4. Hopefully the EE can also design or outsource the design of the housing. If not, also hire an ME to design the housing.
5. Send design to be manufactured.


If you want to give me details, I'll let you know how much I'd charge to make it so you can get an idea of development cost. Just off the top of my head, I'd say I'd probably charge 80 hours of work at $100 per hour for the electronics, and $40 per hour for the housing (I think I'd need 40-100 hours for the housing, but an ME could probably do it in half that time).

Put a letter up on the internet explaining every last feature and benefit of the clock. Could hire a freelance artist to draw up what it would look like to put up on the site. Have a sign-up box at the bottom for an 'early bird' list to be informed when the product is ready. If you're getting targeted traffic and no one signs up you've just saved yourself $X and a ton of time. If you start getting a lot of emails and signups you MAY have something but the real test is if they pay for it.

Or do like most people do, get a bunch of NDAs signed, go through a lengthy prototype process, go through a few engineers, finally get a prototype made, build a website, trademark the brand, get a bunch mass produced, and THEN see if there is a market for it.

Market research first!

Homeless people use alarm clocks?


I am curious why you think you have the alarm clock idea that will solve a need - can you talk a little bit more about what makes it special? There is clocky - rolls away so you have to get up, there is the the idea of paying for a snooze button press, there is a code locked one you have to solve math to unlock, etc.

Is yours really going to be IN DEMAND - meaning people buy it with REAL MONEY OVER OTHER ALARMS, which can be cheaper/have different features you don't have?

Originally Posted by Rawr

I am curious why you think you have the alarm clock idea that will solve a need - can you talk a little bit more about what makes it special?

Agreed. What makes the clock so special? I can see why college students would need it but homeless people? Please expand.

Also, though this is anecdotal, I use the alarm on my phone as I think most people do.

Originally Posted by TheBigPill

Also, though this is anecdotal, I use the alarm on my phone as I think most people do.

I use my phone alarm exclusively. Could your alarm clock work as an Andriod/iOS app?