review – I’ll be honest. I gave up using my alarm clock a few years ago in favor of my phone. However, I ended up missing seeing the time in the middle of the night, so I asked for an easy Christmas. Fast forward a few months and I now have the Sandman Doppler smart alarm clock on my nightstand. Not only did I have an alarm clock for the first time in years, but Alexa finally came into my home.
What is it?
Sandman Doppler is a customizable smart alarm bell Comes with app control and built-in Alexa.
Hardware Specifications
- Dimensions: 11.6″W x 4.7″L x 4″H
- Six 2.1 Amp USB charging ports (optional 3 USB-C + 3 USB-A)
- Built-in wireless network
- Dual 50x90mm drivers and bass ports
- Dual microphone
- Amazon Alexa built-in
- Large auto-dimming display (1.8″ digital)
- Internal rechargeable backup battery
Design and Features
The first thing I do is set up the Sandman Clocks app on my iPhone, then pair it with the clock to connect it to my Wi-Fi network. This went smoothly and I was able to set the numbers on the clock face to a lovely pink. Next, I add it to the Alexa app. This is done by connecting it through the Sandman Clocks app. Again, this is easy to do. When I was done, I asked Alexa to play some songs through Amazon Music to test. Since the Doppler has a built-in rechargeable battery, there is no need for a backup battery.
The quick start guide is also built into the app itself, so if you have any questions, lost instructions or simply don’t want to get up and get them, you can just click through the user manual for a step-by-step setup process and diagrams explaining what each button is on top of the clock effect.
Now that I mentioned them, let’s take a look at the buttons at the top of the Sandman Doppler Smart Alarm Clock. Starting from the first row, we have the 1 and 2 buttons for manual brightness control. These will also be available in future software updates. Next, we have the mute button, the Alexa button, the clock button (for setting the clock and the 12/24 hour format), the bluetooth button, and the alarm button. Wow! That’s several buttons! The second row of buttons is self-explanatory; volume down, back, play/pause, forward, and volume up. There is also a button reference guide on the bottom of the clock.
Setting an alarm on the Sandman Doppler Smart Alarm Clock from the Sandman app is very similar to setting an alarm on the default iPhone app. The only difference is that you can’t set the music to wake up to, instead you have to choose one of the preset sounds. You can also set an alarm by asking Alexa, or by pressing and holding the alarm button on the top of the clock and setting it manually.
Speaking of Alexa, the dual microphones on the alarm clock do a great job of picking up your voice. Well, in fact, it wobbles from side to side when I talk while playing video games. Thankfully, if I don’t want the mic listening all the time, I can turn it off if I want with the push of a button. It would also be nice to be able to do this in the app, but hopefully this will come in a future update. I would say that when I do ask Alexa to do anything, I rarely need to repeat myself, so the mic picks up what I have to say pretty well.
The Sandman Doppler Smart Alarm Clock has six USB-A ports on the back to plug all your devices into. They’re not fast charging ports, but they do the job well. I have an Apple Watch charger, a charging cradle, and other stuff plugged in randomly, and I haven’t noticed a hit on charging speed with multiple items connected.
Unfortunately, playing Spotify via Alexa is not supported at this time, but I got around this by saying “Alexa, connect my phone” to connect my phone to the Doppler alarm via Bluetooth. Once connected, I can play any music I want from my phone. I can disconnect it again by saying “Alexa, disconnect my phone”. Amazon Music works fine via Alexa, but I’m glad I learned that Spotify is working on a future update.
One of the things I found I really appreciated was waking up and seeing what the heat would be like that day, or if it was going to be windy outside (ponytail weather). Of course, I can always ask Alexa for the weather, but it’s quieter and more convenient to just look at the numbers on the screen.
When the room gets dark, the display automatically dims and the sensor works just fine. It stays dim until I open the windows or turn on the lights in the morning, but it’s also easy to read if I need to check the time.
Since it also has dual speakers and some bass, I’m happy to use it to play music in my room. I was not disappointed. As an alarm clock, the sound quality is quite good. Mids and highs sound smooth and the quality is clear. Honestly, there is some bass, more than expected, but the bass is not heavy. Doppler is great for playing music in the background while doing other tasks.
Finally, I will check the application. The main screen displays your alarm and volume level. The settings button is in the upper right corner, and this is probably the area you use the most in the app. Here you can update Wi-Fi, change brightness, choose some preset audio settings, set weather location, and more. Oh, and best of all, you can customize the color of the buttons and clock face here. In the upper left is a section I call “Help” where you can get support, view manuals, and learn about the device. This is a simple app that is very user friendly and easy to use.
what do I like
- Auto-dimming display is easy to read at night, but not blinding
- like color customization
- App is clean and easy to use
- Alarm clock sound is good
- So many USB ports!
Areas for improvement
- Spotify support is required (they say it’s in development)
- Wish I could use music as an alarm sound
- A bit expensive
final thoughts
Overall, I really like an alarm clock with a large display, weather data, and built-in Alexa. Even though I can’t connect to Spotify yet, I can connect my phone and listen to music that way. The only thing that annoys me is the constant thumping as if I’m saying something to Alexa, but that’s not the main complaint. If the Sandman Doppler Smart Alarm Clock is in your price range, it could be a good option, as long as Spotify comes out in the near future.
price: $199.99 – $224.99
where to buy: Sandman website and Amazon
source: This product sample is provided by Sandman Clock.
