Digital Trends

 

Those of you hoping for an easy-to-use interface and eye-catching screen will be disappointed. The menu and interface for setting up the JBL isn’t the best and is far from perfect. Not only that, it’s also ugly and boring. A clean monochrome display would have worked beautifully, but instead you’ll feel like you’re reading a BBS from 1988. Block characters, lengthy menus, and too many buttons are what plague the setup process of the On Time, but eventually you’ll figure it out for yourself.

 

If you’re too lazy to manually input the time properly, the On Time will gladly do it for you. It can automatically retrieve the correct time via your local radio stations that transmit the time in their broadcast. This is a great feature that is a godsend when power outages occur. JBL also includes a backup battery so you won’t lose your setting should the unit become unplugged or powered off.

 

When it comes to listening to music, as always, the sound is exceptional. JBL is known for quality sound and products, and the On Time is no exception. Listeners of every genre of music will enjoy crisp highs and pounding lows. Only very bass-oriented music (such as Rap and Techno) doesn’t quite sound as great as it could, but keep in mind, this is an alarm-clock first and foremost, not a subwoofer.

 

Lastly, how does it hold up as an alarm clock? The answer is: quite well! I was worried at first about totally replacing my no-frills alarm clock with the JBL On Time, but now I sleep content knowing it will wake me up when I tell it to. You can choose to wake up to a general buzz, FM/AM radio, or—of course—your iPod. Choosing which method you want just requires a few button presses and isn’t complicated at all.

Image Courtesy of JBL