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"Ring My Bell"... not!
One look at the MP3 Alarm Clock from Thanko's Rare Mono Shop is enough to make one cringe - just imagine the sound of those oversized alarm belles clanging away early one morning! Luckily, the retro look is just for show. On the inside, this clever clock features modern computer hardware that lets it play sweet sounds, your fave tunes or anything else you'd care to wake up to.


Plug, program & play!
The battery powered MP3 Alarm Clock hooks up to your comp via its USB port and, using software that can be downloaded from the Thanko website, you can program it with your choice of MP3 and WAV files. Then just unplug, unwind and enjoy a restful night's sleep. When morning comes, so will those pre-selected sounds, waking you up without shaking you up.

Time for a song!
Although the Thanko product page is in Japanese, it seems that you can program your MP3 Alarm Clock with Karaoke soundtracks and then sing along with it - perfect for "shower stars" and those not yet ready for prime time. The cost is around $27.00 plus shipping, really not too, er, alarming for a good looking clock with so many useful functions! (via Thanko Rare Mono Shop)

Steve Levenstein     
Japanese Innovations Writer
InventorSpot.com