Field test: travel alarm clocks
The newest travel alarm clocks fit easily into any suitcase and inspire confidence with features like automatic synchronization to foreign time zones, ...

(Business 2.0 Magazine) -- Shove aside the standard-issue hotel clock radio, with its stuck-in-the-'70s fake-wood finish and cryptic I-sure-hope-I-set-this-thing-right controls.

The newest travel alarm clocks fit easily into any suitcase and inspire confidence with features like automatic synchronization to foreign time zones, easy-to-read displays that can be projected onto walls, and bed-shaking alarm technology.
Here are three top models designed to allow us to rest easy.

La Crosse Technology WS-5360 6.3 oz.; $20 www.lacrossetechnology.com (3 stars)

Pros

Eyesight ain't what it used to be? Anyone can read the time on this baby: With the push of the snooze button, it projects an adjustable digital display that's about 10 inches across when cast on a ceiling or wall 6 feet away. The clock runs on AC at home and backup batteries in the field.

Cons

The four control buttons employ iconography that resembles hieroglyphics, so don't forget to pack the instruction manual until you get the hang of it. The chunky support arm and swiveling laser projector are also a problem - together, they make this clock feel as bulky as a fat paperback.

Buy this one if ...

Waking up is a two-step process - first you paw for the bifocals, then you look at the time.

Sonic Alert Sonic Shaker SBP100 5.7 oz.; $30 www.sonicalert.com (3ฝ stars)

Pros

The pick for those who can sleep through regular alarms, wake-up calls, hurricanes, and in-room air-raid sirens. Set the alarm and stick the clock, which resembles a streamlined fire detector, under a corner of your mattress. Then awaken to Sonic Alert's rock 'n' roll: hideous beeping, accompanied by a powerful, rumbling vibration designed to shake you awake. The alarm's volume, while nowhere near the 90 decibels advertised, is still painfully loud if the unit is left on the nightstand.

Cons

It's impossible to see the time when your clock is stuffed under a mattress. And above the covers, the display is rather plain.

Buy this one if ...