Alarm clocks are generally hated, but the vast majority of people could not live their lives without them. They are necessary for people to structure their lives, and thus for the world we live in to function properly.

Alarm clocks have not always been a part of the human experience. Not so long ago, most people did not have access to clocks, never mind alarm clocks. The first mechanical clocks, very large devices too big for homes, appeared in the 14th century, and it was not until the 1600s that the first household clocks, sometimes with alarms, came into use.

They were still relatively rare though, and it took until the 1870s before bedside alarms really started to become popular. Those early mechanical alarm clocks have since evolved into the electronic devices of today. For example, the first electronic snooze alarms hit the market in 1959. Other less successful ideas, such an alarm that woke people by pulling on their big toes, were also tried.

People can now choose from a wide array of alarms that offer a lot more styles and features. Popular features seen on alarm clocks today include the following:

- The ability to set and save multiple alarm times.

- Remote controls so that the alarm can be turned off from a distance.

- Go to sleep alarms to supplement wake up ones.

One significant change in recent years has been option of attaching MP3 players to alarm clocks. With so many things that can be downloaded online and put into a MP3 player, it is now possible to wake up to most any sound one wants to. In spite of all their new functions and features though, the traditional alarm clock has actually been on the decline in recent years.

The reason reason is that people find it more convenient to use the alarm clock function on their cell phone rather than use a traditional alarm clock, however many features that they offer. Surveys show an increasing number of people ditching their alarm clocks and using their cell phones to wake them up.

However, there is no reason to expect the alarm clock to go the way of the dinosaur any time soon. Manufacturers of alarm clocks have recognized the problems they face and are coming up with more and more innovative designs. For example, there is now an alarm clock that records body motions and selects the optimal time to wake the sleeper.
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