The Daily Ping

FROM: jk
DATE: Friday December 10, 2004 -- 10:26:59 am

It would need to work with a Clapper so I can see it by squinting when I get out of the shower, when I am too far away to tap the mirror.

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday December 10, 2004 -- 11:02:32 am

Would the numbers on the mirror be backwards?

FROM: Joseph
DATE: Friday December 10, 2004 -- 12:13:53 pm

Sounds good to me. I don't see why it would have to be invisible until you press a button. You could just mount a clock in the mirror. It would just have to be well sealed to keep moisture out.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Friday December 10, 2004 -- 4:22:16 pm

Well, I was thinking of the clock display being a part of the mirror in lieu of a full clock integrated in the mirror.

The numbers would be sideways, Ryan.

FROM: ken
DATE: Friday December 10, 2004 -- 9:57:52 pm

why does it have to be in mirror? wouldnt that make it like hella expoensive? Like why dont u just buy a good clock, i donno, they work better and would there be an alarm in the mirror because that is the only point of my clock

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday December 10, 2004 -- 10:46:05 pm

Ken -- Remember what I said in my e-mail? Write like a normal human being so we can understand why you're trying to say.

FROM: Merle [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday December 11, 2004 -- 3:28:09 pm

I think it would be technically infeasible.

A mirror is generally clear glass or plastic on the surface for 1/8-1/2" or so, then a reflective layer. LCDs on the other hand are usually the entire crystal -- meaning the rectangular area where the clock would be would be completely non-reflective.

And nobody would want a tiny, watch-sized clock. They would want letters six inches high, because it's hard to see in the shower.

Besides -- do you really want to have to replace the battery in your *mirror* every year or so?

What's wrong with just buying a cheapo wall clock and hanging it in there? The shower steam will eventually kill it, but hey, it's a disposable society.

FROM: Joseph
DATE: Tuesday December 14, 2004 -- 12:50:34 pm

so we can understand why you're trying to say

Huh?

FROM: Joseph
DATE: Tuesday December 14, 2004 -- 1:27:34 pm

Oh yeah, my comment about the mirror/clock.

Bathroom mirror/cabinets are usually wired for electricity anyway. They often have a light and a socket in them. Adding a simple step-down transformer to power a small electronic clock mechanism would be mere child's play.

As for what the clock should look like, these are later developmental ideas. As for the pure idea of a mirror with a clock in it, I like it. Would I use it? I'd probably get into the habit of glancing into it while I shave. Would I replace my existing mirror/cabinet in order to get a mirror clock cabinet? Probably not.

On the other hand, there are plenty of people who must have the latest of the latest. If the thing was very high tech looking, with large bright LED numbers that disappeared until you touched the mirror, or were well integrated, I could see a place like The Sharper Image buying a gazillion of them. In fact, the idea sort of goes with the name. For The Sharper Image, I would assume that the mirror would also have to be anti glare, anti fog and ultra flat and the reflected image would have to be ultra sharp. The selling price would be rather expensive.

But again, these are developmental ideas. As for the original idea of a bathroom mirror with a clock in it, I like it.