For many of us, cuckoo clocks are something quaint that we remember from our grandparents' homes. Nonetheless, Amazon is now looking at giving the device a 21st Century makeover with its Smart Cuckoo Clock.
The product is currently one of Amazon's Day 1 Editions concepts. This means the company will only manufacture the device if a sufficient number of people preorder it – no buyers will be charged until the clock is shipped, assuming it reaches production.
The Smart Cuckoo Clock will have to be paired with a compatible Echo device, located no farther than 30 feet away (9 m). Users can then communicate with the Echo system's Alexa virtual assistant via voice commands made to the clock. Among other things, they can set alarms and timers, the latter of which will be visible as a countdown of the LED minute markings on the analog clock face.
Alarms will be sounded using an integrated 1-watt speaker, which can be set to a variety of tones. And yes, the mechanical cuckoo will also come out of its hole. The time display is kept in sync with the time of day on the Echo system, and will automatically adjust for daylight savings.
Plans call for the 26.7-oz (758-g) clock's plastic body to measure 11.2 by 7.3 by 3.5 inches (285 by 185 by 90 mm), not including a removable swinging mechanical pendulum – which is presumably is just there for aesthetics. Power will be provided by four C batteries, or from an adjacent outlet via a USB cable.
The Smart Cuckoo Clock can be preordered now for US$80, via the link below.
Source: Amazon
