Sunday, July 3, 2005

An occasional look at products the travel industry insists we need.

WHAT: Vibrating alarm clock

AIMED AT: Travelers sleeping in close quarters with alarmaphobics.

HOW MUCH: $24.95.

BUT DOES IT WORK? For travelers sharing a hotel room or cruise cabin with light sleepers, there's no quicker way to ruin the peace than to have an alarm clock with a Faye Wray scream. To keep nerves calm, you need a clock that whispers "Wake up, sunshine" . . . or one that vibrates. The Shake Awake travel clock does have a "beep, beep, beep" function, but its vibration option works best when trying to stay quiet when rousing. When we slipped the compact-yet-clunky clock under our pillow, we experienced a heavy buzzing/pulsating sensation that felt like a small robot disco dancing. It was disconcerting enough to wake us, but not lulling enough to send us back to dreamland. And minus the humming and a little clinking from a metal clip, the clock was no louder than the soft snore of a sleeping companion. -- Andrea Sachs

Shake Awake's Vibrating Alarm Clock is available at 800-599-5321,http://www.shakeawake.com.