No matter most do, time is a hard thing to really get a grasp on. Getting enough sleep, making sure meetings are attended and errands are done in a timely fashion — people routinely mess these things up. The team behind the CuCu wants to make it a lot easier — and more stylish — to keep your day in check.
The CuCu clock is a smart alarm clock that attaches to the wall and tells you the time by reviving the age-old idea of a cuckoo clock for the modern age. Obviously, CuCu works in tandem with its companion mobile app owners can use to do simple things like set alarms, integrate with iCal, check battery or change up the device’s customizable LED lighting.
In the case one feels even more creative, CuCu’s physical bars — and even the little pop-out birdie within — can be changed out as well for a visually engaging conversation piece. Each CuCu starts at about $217 and is slated to ship July 2017. The CuCu Kickstarter campaign is looking for ~$325,000 by November 7th, 2016 to see success.
While the CuCu is well designed, that’s pretty much its only redeeming quality. It lacks an inordinate amount of features that could qualify it as a smart clock, something that’s disappointing given its wireless capabilities and incredibly charming aesthetic. While that in and of itself isn’t a criticism, nothing in its campaign gives off the impression that CuCu is supposed to be a step away from a more connected solution. Instead, it seems halfway done, especially when interesting products like the SensorWake, Smart O’ Clock and The Coolest Clock all exist.