By Oo Gin Lee

IT IS both a clock and a dock.

The iHome iP99 looks and works like a high-end radio clock, decked out in a smooth black finish, with big buttons and two huge wheels which you can turn in either direction to change the volume and to tune into the radio channels.

It is also an iPod and iPhone sound dock, so I plugged in my wife's iPod Touch to listen to the dulcet tones of the late Teresa Teng and to Abba's let's-dance-to-the-beat tunes.

When you combine the two functions, you can set the alarm such that it will belt out your favourite tunes in your iPod. No more waking up to the incessant chattering of your most-hated morning radio DJs.

If you are the type who takes 30 minutes to fully return to the waking world, set an alarm playlist so you can line up your favourite hits non-stop while your mind struggles to order those lazy limbs to get out of the bed.

The iP99 also charges your iPod while it plays. If your device is an iPhone, your calls will still ring even when it is docked.

The sound quality from this machine is good but not extraordinary. It is clear and loud enough to be heard around the house and it is better than most iPod docks in the market.

However, it cannot match the crisp sounds of the Bose SoundDock nor the deep bass and blast-loud volume of the Altec Lansing T612.

White illuminated numbers on a black background makes for easy viewing. The time display of the digital clock is huge, such that even myopic me could see it without having to put on my glasses.

At night, the display panel emits a sleepy white light when dimmed. You can brighten it by simply tapping on the easy-to-reach, spacebar-like dimmer bar. This bar also doubles as the snooze button. You can smack it to silence the alarm temporarily until it rings again at the next pre-set interval, which ranges from one to 29 minutes.

If you prefer, you can set up a second alarm to ring with a second song or playlist. How about alternating between hip-hop and heavy metal and setting the snooze intervals at every two minutes?

Final say

A lovely combination of a solid radio clock and a decent iPod dock. Plus, you have a choice of music to rock to.

This story was first published in The Straits Times, Digital Life on 24 December 2008.

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