daver@hp-pcd.UUCP (06/19/84)
I use an HP 41CX calculator for this function. I can set an alarm for a specific time years in advance, if I want, and can have it repeat at regular intervals after that. I presently have 17 alarms set in my calculator, which I carry in my trousers pocket, some of which repeat daily, some weekly (to remind me of regular meetings, etc.) and some for a single event. Each alarm has an alphabetic message of up to 24 characters, or can run a program to do almost anything. For a single event, I usually set the alarm for 15 minutes before the time and have it repeat every 5 minutes. When it beeps I can acknowledge the alarm by pressing the ON key without removing the unit from my pocket, and when I do the thing it is reminding me of I hit 2 keys to permanently cancel the alarm. In addition to the time functions, I use the calculator for general computation, as a "talking" clock when I'm in bed (hitting the ON key causes it to beep the hour and nearest 10-minutes in two different tones so I can find out what time it is without turning on a light or even turning around; an alarm automatically runs the program which sets this up at midnight and another cancels it at 8am), and for playing games when I'm bored. The HP 75 and new HP110 Portable computers have similar, but more powerful, capabilities, but they don't fit in my pocket. Dave Rabinowitz hplabs!hp-pcd!daver
wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (06/22/84)
I seem to be in desperate need of some sort of device that will remind me to do things. (I've got a wife, which helps some, already...) Anyway, I am continually forgetting to do simple repetitive things, like "tape this radio program every Thursday at 6:30 PM", or the like. I have tried using alarm clocks, but what I have to do with them is set them so they go off every day at 6:25 PM (for the above example), and, when it goes off, think about what day it is, and what I should do at this time depending on the day of the week. Unfortunately, I get used to shutting off the alarm when it sounds, and then, on the day when it counts, I shut it off like I did on the preceeding 6 days, and forget to perform the action I wanted to do. So I put up with the alarm's annoyance all week and then get nothing out of having done it at all. Growl, swear! Alarm clocks also have the defect of being settable to only one alarm time per day (except for those which have two time-settings, of course). I need something that will: a. Know what day of the week it is. b. Alarm or announce multiple times per day, if desired. c. Ideally, interact with a tape or digital speech device to emit some different mnemonic code or phrase to identify the action required at this particular time. This phrase would differ for each alarm. If I have to buy a computer to do this, and I think I might have to to get "c.", above, I guess I will. But I would think "a" and "b" could be built into a simple consumer-level device, like a clock radio or the like. If it could be set for some number (say, 20) of specific day/time combinations -- Thursday at 6:30PM, Thursday at 8:45 PM, Wednesday at 7:25PM, Saturday at 4:25PM, etc., and just set off a siren, explosion, or something to get my attention, it would suffice. Does anybody know if such a machine exists, and any details about such a device? I'd be grateful if you could post or mail any info. Will Martin uucp: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1
pigrp@ihuxq.UUCP (Peter Fales) (06/25/84)
>I need something that will: > a. Know what day of the week it is. > b. Alarm or announce multiple times per day, if desired. > c. Ideally, interact with a tape or digital speech device > to emit some different mnemonic code or phrase to > identify the action required at this particular > time. This phrase would differ for each alarm. It is a moderately expensive solution, but a Hewlett Packard HP-41C calculator with a Time Module will handle everything you need (if an alphanumeric display is an acceptable substitute for speech.) The Time Module provides a full real-time clock/calendar with an arbitrary number of alarms (limited only by memory space) that can can be set for any year/month/day/time. When the alarm goes off, it can (in addition to beeping) simply display the time, display a pre-programmed message, or run a custom program. Any alarm can be programmed to repeat at a preset interval (such as a day, or week). The calculat requires each alarm to be acknowledged and keeps track of unacknowledged "past due" alarms. My latest Elek-Tek catalog lists the 41C at $209.00 and the time module at $60.00 -- Peter Fales UUCP: ...ihnp4!iwlc7!psfales Work: Bell Labs IW-1Z243 W: (312) 979-7784 H: (312) 355-4254 [ Send lawyers, guns, and money; Dad, get me out of this. ]
sdo@u1100a.UUCP (Scott Orshan) (06/25/84)
I've been seeing ads lately for a Seiko "watch" which can
store information entered on a small, detachable keyboard.
I'm not sure if it does reminder services, but it can
store your address list, calendar, etc.
The price I saw advertised in New York was around $150.
--
Scott Orshan
Bell Communications Research
201-981-3064
{ihnp4,allegra,pyuxww}!u1100a!sdofaunt@saturn.UUCP (06/25/84)
If you want to use a HP41C, you could also get the HPIL interface, and the HPIL to RS232 or parallel I/F, and hook up a voice synthesizer fairly easily. ...!hplabs!faunt
graham@convex.UUCP (06/25/84)
#R:brl-tgr:-306000:convex:57100005:000:224
convex!graham Jun 25 13:36:00 1984
Is there an AM/FM/cassette-recorder available that can be used to tape
radio broadcasts automatically like many video tape recorders do for TV?
Marv Graham; ConVex Computer Corp. {allegra,ihnp4,uiucdcs,ctvax}!convex!grahammark@cbosgd.UUCP (Mark Horton) (06/27/84)
I looked at the Seiko watch. It costs $200 here in Columbus at JC Penneys, persumably discounts are available. Basically it's a watch with a 4 line x 10 character (5x7 dot) display - huge for a watch. It has a reasonable alarm and very nice stopwatch, plus two scratch pads. You have to use the keyboard to enter things into the scratch pads, each pad holds about 1K of text (100 lines of 10 chars each). What it could NOT do (and why I didn't buy it) was keep my calendar. It cannot, for example, remember more than one time to wake up, nor can it do anything more intelligent than beep when it does. (The font has characters for phone calls, meetings, dinners, and airplanes, but they are just regular characters.) Such a waste. Also, in the store, the display was almost impossible to read. All the dots were dark, not just the ones that were "on". As a result, I had to twist it under the light until I could barely make out the display. Perhaps the battery was low, but this was a serious botch, and the clerk had no idea why. Mark
ijg@ihuxi.UUCP (Irwin J. Gordon) (07/02/84)
I don't remember the exact requirements for the *smart* alarm clock but I just purchased a digital watch that may fit the bill. It has three separate alarms, AL1, AL2, and AL3, which are individually settable. In addition, associated with AL2 and AL3, you may program separate 12-character messages which are scrolled on a dot-matrix "Times Square" display at the top of the watch. All this + a stopwatch and day/date or month/date display and hourly chime. For < $30!!. If you need further info please email: I. J. Gordon ihuxi!ijg 312-510-7992
adm@cbneb.UUCP (07/11/84)
#R:brl-tgr:-306000:cbneb:27600001:000:515 cbneb!ibh Jul 11 14:32:00 1984 To: brl-tgr!wmartin Subject: RE: Need a *smart* alarm clock The Northern Telcom Displayphone is a terminal with a built in (speaker) phone. It also contains a reminder service that you enables you to set an alarm for any date, hour, minute, and a message. It emits a buzzing sound once the alarm goes off and displays a message on the screen. It is a nifty little terminal as well evan though I have not been able to find a termcap for it to run something like vi or rouge yet. cbneb!ibh Alex Hakim
dave@utcsrgv.UUCP (Dave Sherman) (07/16/84)
In article <997@cbneb.UUCP> ibh@cbneb.UUCP (Alex Hakim) writes:
~| The Northern Telcom Displayphone is a terminal with a built in (speaker)
~| phone. It also contains a reminder service that you enables you to set an
~| alarm for any date, hour, minute, and a message. It emits a buzzing sound
~| once the alarm goes off and displays a message on the screen. It is a nifty
~| little terminal as well evan though I have not been able to find a termcap
~| for it to run something like vi or rogue yet.
The Displayphone is a cute little beast which could even go on an
executive's desk without being too intrusive. BUT, it only runs 300
baud, not 1200, even thought it has a direct (built-in) modem
connection to the phone line.
Dave Sherman
Toronto
--
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or
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