Chances are, you've probably wondered why your iPad lacks even the most basic alarm clock application, similar to the one on the iPhone. This small omission by Apple has created a lucrative market for developers looking to capitalize on this opportunity by producing alarm clock apps ranging from the simple to the complex. The core function of these apps, regardless of their complexity and style, is that they wake you up when it's time or that they serve as reliable reminder and notification sources. Below, I've covered the features of some of the most noteworthy native iPad alarm-clock apps out there. Many come in free and paid editions, and all are stable and functional from my experience. If you have any suggestions to add, please do not hesitate to post them in a comment below.
Just spend a few minutes navigating its intuitive interface and you'll understand why Nightstand Central is one of the most popular iPad alarm applications around. The beautiful app comes in two flavors -- free and paid, both of which boast powerful features. Of course, the paid edition contains all of the features included in the free app but its $2.99 price tag unlocks several more features that may be desirable for your needs.
To start off, I'll explain the main features of the ad-supported, free version. The app contains portrait and landscape modes with the landscape mode being absolutely beautiful from a visual perspective because of the large format of the clock (as depicted above). In addition to the time, the main view shows your location (which can be manually input or retrieved through the device's location features), along with the current weather, daily highs/lows and conditions.
A quick tap on the small "i" button at the bottom right corner of the screen launches the settings which enable you to tweak the weather info (changing the update interval, Fahrenheit or Celsius, and more), change the background, change the time format, set an auto-lock interval, set multiple alarms, adjust the snooze interval, choose to fade in the sound or make the alarms repeating, and take advantage of cool gestures (shake to snooze an alarm, or slide your finger up / down to adjust screen brightness). If these features won't suffice, you'll appreciate that the paid version allows for music alarms (or podcasts), sleep timers, the ability to use your own photos as wallpaper, no annoying ads, and a flashlight feature that can be activated by shaking the device. I think that the podcast feature of this app is ideal for anyone looking to wake up to their favorite morning news source such as NPR. Also, with the many features included in the free version, you may not even need to shell out the $2.99 for the paid version.
There's Nightstand Central and then there's Night Stand for iPad, another well designed, straight-forward alarm clock app. Like Nightstand Central, Night Stand comes in paid and free versions, depending on your needs and willingness to tolerate ads. It also incorporates weather information and has a pleasant and intuitive interface. Night Stand differs because it contains unique features not typical in an alarm clock app, such as Twitter and Facebook integration available for paid users. Users of the free edition are able to take advantage of RSS feeds and weather information. These blurbs of information appear on the bottom of the screen when their respective tabs have been tapped. The tabs expand and collapse appropriately while the clock varies in size to accommodate the amount of data you've selected.
The free version can be a bit annoying because it contains an ad that's placed along the bottom of your screen, as well as reminders to purchase the paid version (which, in this case will grant you access to a seven-day forecast). In addition to offering various wallpaper options, this app enables you to play a series of "movies" which dance in the background and offer a more satisfying visual experience. Unfortunately, much of this functionality is limited to paid users, who get to choose from a series of entrancing animations. Additionally, the app enables you to set music alarms or use some of its built-in sounds. The sleep timer feature is wonderful because it enables you to set a "soundtrack" of tunes from your iPod library to play for a period of time. These songs will eventually fade, sending you off to a blissful slumber.
All in all, Night Stand is fully-featured and quite useful, especially if you'd like to take advantage of its social media integration, but I recommend it mostly for those willing to pay $1.99 for the full version. With the free version, you may find yourself frustrated with your inability to set custom wallpaper and utilize the app's social media features. Also, for those of you who have 16 GB devices, you may want to consider the app's 150 MB size.
If you appreciate a Matrix-esque futuristic style and desperately need an alarm app to get you out of bed because you're notorious for spending late nights by the neon glow of the computer screen, then check out Alarm Clock HD. The app has a fluorescent green (but customizable) and smoky grey interface that displays the time along with battery information, the weather and date, RSS feeds, and more. Like the other alarm apps I've reviewed, this app comes with basic functionality in a free version and a paid version that enables the you to take advantage of enhanced functionality for a price tag of $1.99.
The app can be viewed in portrait and landscape modes and be tweaked to display time in 12 or 24 hour formats. More importantly, the app enables you to set alarms, each of which can play one of the nine built-in sounds ranging from birds to school bells. If you need unlimited alarms, the paid version may be more appropriate for you. You have the option of setting sleep timers or choosing whether you want a pleasant or truly rude awakening (depending on the sound you choose and whether or not you want the alarm to fade in or not). Even if you keep your screen locked or use your iPad in silent mode, you'll be pleased that it won't prevent you from missing your upcoming alarm since alarms work regardless of these settings.
Once you awake, you're able to quickly access data from your favorite RSS feeds (via Google Reader) or get up to date on your social media by taking advantage of the app's Facebook and Twitter integration. Like the other apps I've mentioned, a paid version enables you to avoid those sneaky little ads that appear along the edges of your screen and also take advantage of the ability to set multiple alarms.
Being the sucker that I am for gorgeous aesthetics, I was instantly lured into getting Clock' HD because of its striking visuals and elegant-yet-simple interface. Although not too complex in its functionality, the app is impressive because of its user friendliness, mesmerizing images that cycle throughout the background, the ability to set an unlimited number of alarms, override the iPad's auto-lock mode, a unique choice of sounds, and giant snooze buttons for those days when you just have zero desire to leave your toasty bed. The app integrates with Facebook and Twitter by enabling you to share your mood and wake-up music selection with your friends. If one song isn't quite enough, you can set the app to shuffle through your music library until you hear that one annoyingly catchy song that compels you to start your day.
The app will also alert you about weather conditions which can be set to Celsius and Fahrenheit, and you can easily set the wallpapers to cycle through those relevant to your location and its weather conditions. I did this and was quite amused with the images -- I highly recommend you at least try this setting. If not, you'll enjoy the high quality images that are provided by the developer. Furthermore, the app allows you to set an unlimited number of alarms to ensure that you will never miss an important date. You're able to repeat these alarms on specific days of the week and even choose to wake up to podcasts and audiobooks. Overall, this app is well-designed, incredibly enjoyable to use and truly provides a pleasant awakening so I highly recommend it, despite its $2.99 price.
Alarm Clock for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad
Don't let the app's mediocre name fool you into thinking this alarm clock app is not worthy of your time. This app is universal, inexpensive ($0.99), and quite elegant. At under a buck, there's no reason to hesitate to purchase it if its features meet your needs. The app is accurate, stylish and truly stable. It enables you to set numerous alarms; each with their own sound. These alarms play in the background, so there's no risk of missing an important alarm. You're able to incorporate content from your music library or even create your own playlist that'll soothe you into your awakening. In addition to setting the time format and auto-lock time, you will appreciate the app's support for repeat alarms, fade in support, and customizable snooze times. Like other apps, the app provides a sleep timer that will enable you to play songs of your choosing, sleep to white noise or shuffle songs from your library. The app also includes weather options so that you can check weather conditions before you decide to leave your bed.
Personally, I was impressed with the app's use of gestures such as swiping to switch between different clock interfaces, or to adjust screen brightness (as I've seen in other apps of this type), and most importantly -- the ability to shake the clock to snooze it. Like Clock' HD, Alarm Clock for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPod (wow, that's quite a mouthful!) is a simple app that's brilliantly-designed, pleasant and reliable.
