No one has ever applauded me for getting out of bed before. But for the last week and a half a tiny, cheery red machine has been rewarding me with a fanfare when I decide to rise. Its digital screen explodes with animations of parade-like confetti, and my first stretch of the morning is greeted with my own personal cheering section.
This is life with Nintendo’s Alarmo, a new alarm clock that’s part nostalgic love letter to the worlds of “Super Mario Bros.” and “The Legend of Zelda,” and part modern sleep-tracking device. As someone who has long suffered from insomnia and who feels energized when there are bits of whimsy in my day, I wondered: Has Nintendo just discovered a better way to wake up? I’ve found that the idea of greeting the morning with an ovation is just the right amount of silly for my work-from-home and often monotonous single life.
But Alarmo knows a few other tricks. Although it lacks some of the accouterments of fancier sleep devices — Alarmo isn’t promising, for instance, to track sleep cycles to wake you up at the opportune time — it manages to take a broad yet colorful approach to crafting stronger sleep habits. Alarmo, despite its toy-like demeanor and images of Mario sleeping or “Zelda’s” Link relaxing at a campfire, is ultimately a luxury item.
Surprise-released by Nintendo earlier this fall for $100, its aim is arguably to resurrect a device of yesteryear. In an era of smartphones, fitness tracking watches and always-listenin.
