Review: The Stephen Fry Clock: Bravo March 28, 2007

For the past two weeks I have being waking up to the cheerful sound of birds chirping, followed by Stephen Fry intoning perfect vowels and ego-boosting messages. And it’s been great fun. No, he’s not a house guest but his voice has been staying for a fortnight now, and it’s a welcome thing, indeed. Housed in the Voco Clock, Stephen Fry doing his amusing Jeeves the Butler routine has been my alarm call each day. So much more civilised and, less traumatic, than BEEP-BEEP-BEEP….

The clock arrived well packaged and once the battery was in, there really was nothing else to do but to set the alarm, which required the simplest flicking of a switch. Of course, I spent the next 5 minutes cheating, setting and re-setting the alarm hand to hear the next message. There are 50 messages in all that rotate automatically and there’s even a relaxing 90-second countdown to help you nod off in the evenings.

The audio quality is surprisingly good, with each perfectly enunciated message from Jeeves preceded by some cute birds singing a dawn chorus and a little, polite ‘ahem’. The messages are amusing and nearly always leave me with a little smile, as much to do with Fry’s tone and delivery, as with the messages themselves.

For instance we have:

“I am delighted you have survived another night. May I add my own congratulations to the roar of the world’s approval? Thank you, sir.”

OR

“I’m afraid the staff has absconded sir. And it is my day off. I trust it will not be onerous for you to make your own exquisitely sliced toast and perfectly made breakfast.”

The clock costs just under £30 including P&P and it’s worth every penny. For yourself, or as a gift, everyone who's been around has been impressed by this novelty.

The Voco Clock is possibly the only clock I don’t hate. In fact, I’m rather smitten with the blighter. Find out more here. -Martin Lynch

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