Skip to main content

Bonjour is an alarm clock that factors in traffic before letting you snooze

bonjour smart alarm clock smartclock agency20
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Anyone whose internal clock doesn’t run like a Swiss timepiece needs an alarm to wake them up. Digital home assistants like Google Home and Alexa are also becoming important for every other part of the day, so it was only a matter of time before the two came together in one device. Bonjour is just such a device and is set to launch next week.

The Bonjour smart alarm clock features everything a good alarm clock should: the ability to coax you out of a deep sleep, a nice design, and a clock face that you can read even in the darkest time of night. But it takes that age-old functionality and adds some smart features, like substantial speakers capable of cranking your favorite Spotify playlist, the ability to integrate with your calendar for automatic alarm setting, and an integrated artificial intelligence assistant that can make some smart choices in your favor.

Other cool alarm clocks: Cooler than the other side of the pillow: 7 awesome alarm clocks

Anyone that relies on public or personal transportation for work has probably experienced it: waking up at the normal time just to find that traffic has piled up along your route, or that the bus is delayed just long enough to make you miss that first meeting. If you have Bonjour, such a problem would be a thing of the past, according to the company. Every morning, Bonjour takes a look at the traffic conditions shortly before your alarm goes off. If the roads are looking a little backed up, then Bonjour will push your alarm ahead of the scheduled time to build in a little extra buffer in your routine. With voice recognition, you can talk to Bonjour and ask it to let you sleep in a little longer, at which point she’ll let you know whether the conditions allow for such luxuries. Or, if you plan for a run in the morning and Bonjour notices that it’s raining, it will push the alarm back and let you sleep in.

The Bonjour clock can also tie into your existing smart home devices, allowing it to turn your lights on when the alarm goes off, raise or lower temperature on your Nest thermostat, or turn on your coffee maker through a WeMo switch. It will also talk with your existing Alexa device, so you can expand your Alexa’s capabilities. Loved ones can even send video messages to your Bonjour, so you can wake up to or fall asleep to a message from someone special.

There are some very nice design touches, as well, like a USB charging port on the back of the clock, so you can plug your phone right into Bonjour without taking up an additional outlet space.

No pricing has been announced yet but the clock launches next week.

Editors' Recommendations

Tom Cassady
Growing up, Tom’s favorite section of the Sunday newspaper was the Best Buy and Circuit City advertisements. Originally…
7 ways to prep your smart home before you go on vacation
Smart home app use.

You no doubt know the basics of home maintenance when you’re headed out for a vacation: Arm the security system, leave a light on so it looks like people are home, arrange for pet and plant care, and turn the thermostat down. But there’s an easier way to do it all automatically.

Today’s smart home systems are packed with features, and many of them can help you prepare for a vacation, and take care of some important details while you’re gone. Here’s everything you can do with smart products and why it helps!
Set the vacation mode on your thermostat

Read more
Peloton Guide lets you monitor your form while strength training
A Peloton guide placed underneath a TV wit a remote beside it.

When thinking about high-end home fitness, Peloton is likely a brand that comes to mind. It has unveiled its newest product: The Peloton Guide. Peloton Guide is the company's new way to help with strength training by analyzing your movement through the new accessory.

Peloton Guide resembles a standard webcam, but you place it in front of your TV. Its lens is used to watch over your movement to help make sure you work out correctly and maintain proper form. It's Peloton's first official strength training device, built with the same focus as the Peloton Bike and Treadmill. It features new programs such as Self Mode and Body Activity that help you analyze your training, as well as new strength-focused classes.

Read more
NordicTrack iSelect dumbbells let you customize your workout with Alexa
A person using the NordicTrack iSelect Adjustable Dumbbells.

Ever been cramming through an at-home strength training routine, only to realize you'll again need to drop whatever weights you're using, amble over to the dumbbell rack, drop the first set back in, then pick out a new size? Yes, it's small potatoes when looking at the scope of your regime as a whole, but a minor annoyance nonetheless. Leave it to the smart fitness innovators to cast aside even the smallest of qualms.

At CES 2022, NordicTrack, a leader in residential, cutting-edge fitness, announced the all-new iSelect Adjustable Dumbbells, the first Alexa-powered strength training weights. That's right, you'll be able to adjust the weight distribution of your bells without having to physically select a new pair.

Read more