iHome iH5

One look at iHome’s iH5 iPod alarm clock prompts an immediate question, “why didn’t somebody come out with this thing sooner?” The device features an input jack for a number of audio devices, but it’s primarily designed to fit iPods, featuring special inserts that plug into a top-mounted dock. The idea is that you can wake up to your pick of thousands of songs while charging your favorite player.

The clock’s white-and-gray color scheme should appeal to most iPod owners, but the device is a bit bulky and awkwardly shaped. The easy-to-read LCD presents the time in pitch black when the unit is plugged in, and its blue glow provides almost enough light to help you navigate your way to a midnight snack. Don’t worry, the LCD brightness is adjustable.

The majority of the iH5’s buttons are located atop the clock, directly in front of the iPod slot. Click the Alarm Set button and use the scrollwheel above the right speaker hump to set your wake-up time. Volume controls are located above the left speaker, and in traditional iPod fashion, they double as a scrollwheel.

We would have liked a slightly larger Snooze button for those groggy early mornings, but at least the clock’s girth prevented it from being knocked off of our nightstand, Be careful not to knock the iPod out of its cradle, as it stands directly upright a few inches behind the Snooze button.

The iH5 offers several options for helping you get to sleep, featuring shut down times of 120, 90, 60, 30, or 15 minutes, after which it will turn itself off. The enhanced volume settings allow you to set different volumes to fall asleep and wake up to. A Gentle Sleep function slowly turns the music volume down as your drift off.

Once plugged into the dock, you can control your iPod with the iH5’s optional remote ($19.99). This accessory, combined with the fairly good sound quality, give the unit the dual role of alarm clock and a decent replacement for a mini stereo. In fact, the two speakers deliver clear-enough highs, deep-enough bass, and a rich-enough midrange to be the only audio device you need in your bedroom.

It’s a little expensive when compared to your run-of-the-mill alarm clock, but the iH5 is a sound investment for iPod owners who would rather not wake up to a loudmouth DJ or an annoying buzzer.