Sharp Atomic Digital Alarm Clock, Battery Operated Self-Setting…

BATTERY-powered with COLORFUL screen & ALWAYS-ON backlight that, IF selected, shortens battery life.
PROS: Affordability. Five-inches-high compactness. Desktop-and-wall compatibility. Atomic-clock accuracy. Selectable daylight-saving-time mode. Very accurate thermometer. Legibility of the time-and-calendar LCD. In room locations whose AMBIENT lighting already shines fully effectively BRIGHTLY and DIRECTLY upon this clock’s screen, the LCD — featuring an appealingly multicolored background — looks just fine with neither of its two available backlighting modes activated. The conventional, fully bright “on-demand (5-seconds)” backlighting works all right, just as expected.CONS: There’s also a (user-selectable) always-on, “moderately-bright” backlight mode, which, to my knowledge, is significantly unique for a strictly BATTERY-powered clock. Unfortunately (but unsurprisingly), that special (user-selectable) backlight mode does significantly diminish battery life; for, after having happily kept that “moderate” backlighting mode “always on” for slightly longer than 30 days, its appealing brightness suddenly started to fade quite quickly and drastically until the screen finally went blank by around the 50th day. My trusty battery-checker device verified that all three of the AAA batteries had become essentially totally depleted. [Note: I use affordable-yet-excellent “Amazon Basics 10-Year Shelf Life alkaline” batteries in all of my various clocks. Thus the problem wasn’t with the quality of the batteries per se.] Consequently, I suggest that you only opt to keep that “always on” backlighting mode continuously switched on IF you’re contentedly prepared to replace the three AAA batteries about every 35 to 60 days. ALSO: The LCD information looks semi-illegible or invisible IF clock is placed any higher than eye-level (albeit “sensibly lower” than eye-level — as on a desktop/countertop — is perfectly fine). In order to discern LCD’s upper-row of LARGE (time) characters clearly, any distance within 10 feet is fine; HOWEVER, in order to fully clearly discern the LCD’s BOTTOM-ROW (calendar and temperature) characters, it’s necessary to be within about FOUR feet. At BEDTIME the user-selectable “moderate” level of backlighting is still much too bright for use in a fully darkened bedroom.***PREFATORY NOTE: I myself don’t use this product as an ALARM clock, and so I’ll abstain from opining about the sonic effectiveness of the alarm per se. But with that said, if you’re seriously contemplating using the “moderately bright” backlighting mode AND the alarm feature, keep in mind that you’d need to use a pertinent “BACKLIGHT ON/OFF” sliding switch (flattish and located on the REAR of the clock) to shut that backlight totally off at bedtime and then on again in the morning. Thus you’d be unlikely to end up delighted by REGULARLY using this model as an alarm clock.***I judiciously recommend this special model (SPC5028) by Sharp strictly for installation locations that are appropriately compatible with its particular limitations and strengths that are further explained below. (Read on!)For my rather large multilevel house, I’ve merrily collected many different electronic clocks having multifaceted screens that display not only time-and-calendar information but also room temperature, etc.Now, many of my clocks are primarily AC-powered (generally via included external AC-power adapters) and thus can implement fully brightly colorful displays.But many other of my clocks are strictly battery-powered and implement conventional monochrome displays. Most such clocks are chosen for certain room locations where, alas, no electrical outlets are conveniently within a distance of around six feet.Many, albeit not all, such monochrome clocks include some minimal capacity for either whitish or color-tinted backlighting which (to conserve battery life) is strictly “on-demand,” i.e., you must press a button to activate the backlighting for just five or ten seconds. And — most noteworthily — none of those battery-powered models include an alternative, user-selectable feature allowing the backlighting to be set to an “always-on” mode.In that regard Sharp’s designers took — arguably — a more creatively sophisticated approach by designing this unusually “versatile” Model SPC5028 to include a selectable “special compromise” (i.e., MODERATELY bright, CONTINUOUSLY illuminated backlighting), which makes this model encompass the best of all possible “battery-powered-monochrome” worlds. And to beautify the display, they included a captivatingly MULTICOLOR-tinted background against which the dark alphanumeric characters are sharply shown.TWO BACKLIGHT LEVELS/MODES ARE AVAILABLE:[Remember: In room locations whose AMBIENT lighting already shines fully effectively BRIGHTLY and DIRECTLY upon this clock’s screen, the LCD — featuring an appealingly multicolored background — looks just fine with neither of its two available backlighting modes activated.](1) To view this clock in its optimal, FULLY bright, backlight-illumination mode, press the conventional “BACKLIGHT” button (atop the clock’s upper edge). To help conserve battery life, this optimally bright illumination mode lasts just five seconds (after each such button press).(2) Alternatively, a relatively subtle (moderately bright) degree of backlight illumination (available via a pertinent “BACKLIGHT ON/OFF” sliding switch on the rear of the clock) — looks quite nice and is satisfactorily visible for locations that are fairly/somewhat dimly lit (as well as rooms that are quite dark but NOT used for nighttime sleeping). [BUT SEE MY ABOVE “CONS” SECTION AND MY BELOW “CONCLUSION” SECTION REGARDING HOW BATTERY LIFE IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED BY KEEPING THAT “BACKLIGHT ON/OFF” SWITCH IN ITS “ON” POSITION!]NOTE: During OVERNIGHT (sleeping!) hours, this clock’s rear-sliding-switch-available backlight-illumination mode is still much too bright for the normally light-sensitive person in an otherwise fully dark bedroom. (Personally, I found it almost laughable when I read that this clock’s moderate backlight mode can function as a veritable “nightlight”!) Anyway, unless the (drowsy?) user is happily willing to find and manipulate the flattish, sliding, “BACKLIGHT ON/OFF” switch (on the REAR of the clock) to switch off that “moderate” backlight mode, this particular Sharp clock model is almost certainly not the ideal BEDTIME clock.FINAL REVIEW REGARDING VIEWING THE DISPLAY VIA CERTAIN LEVELS OF AMBIENT LIGHTING:(1) For installation locations whose AMBIENT lighting already shines fully effectively (i.e., VERY brightly and DIRECTLY) upon this clock’s screen, you’ll likely be able to very satisfyingly view this clock with its rear-sliding-switch-controlled, “moderately bright” backlighting mode switched OFF.(2) For installation locations whose AMBIENT lighting doesn’t shine fully effectively BRIGHTLY and DIRECTLY upon this clock’s screen, unless you’re willing to rely SOLELY on tapping the clock’s upper-edge “BACKLIGHT” button (to activate the backlight in its fully bright mode for five seconds), you’ll almost certainly opt to use a pertinent sliding-switch on the REAR of the clock to turn the “moderately bright” backlighting mode “ON”.I installed my specimen of this Sharp model upon a shelf in an oversized (10 feet long by 6 feet wide) walk-in closet whose sole ambient lighting source is a centrally located, slightly tinted ceiling fixture enclosing a 60-watt-type bulb. Since there are no electrical outlets in that closet, I keep this battery-powered clock’s rear-switch-available “moderate” backlight mode always switched on. [UPDATE: In the interest of conserving battery life, I very recently began switching OFF that “always-on” backlighting mode at or before bedtime, and then switching it back on during the subsequent morning.]This particular model (SPC5028) by Sharp is truly the only strictly battery-powered model I’ve found whose [multicolored!] display can be so sufficiently brightly visible at all times of day or night — regardless of whether the room’s AMBIENT lighting is switched on or off.(IMPORTANT): ACCEPTABLE VIEWING ANGLES & DISTANCES:(1) VIEWING ANGLES: You can only view the display’s information with the clock positioned AT or BELOW eye-level. (If you place this clock any degree higher than eye level, the alphanumeric characters instantly look semi-illegible or virtually invisible!) However, “sensibly lower” than eye-level — as on a desktop/countertop — is perfectly fine.(2) VIEWING DISTANCES: In order to discern the LCD’s upper-row of LARGE (time) characters clearly, I find that basically any distance within 10 feet is good. However, in order to fully clearly discern the LCD’s bottom-row (calendar and temperature) characters, I find it necessary to be no farther away than about FOUR feet.HIGHLY SATISFYING ATOMIC-CLOCK FUNCTIONALITY:The “atomic-clock” (aka radio-controlled) functionality of my specimen of this multicolored-screen model SPC5028 is generally excellent; HOWEVER, this clock’s built-in receiver works optimally effectively with either the clock’s REAR or FRONT pointing toward Colorado!This model appears to implement the same atomic-clock components as are used for Sharp’s model SPC932 (which is sort of a non-multicolored-screen sibling of this model SPC5028). [Feel free to also read my Amazon customer review of the model SPC932 for complete details regarding what you can likewise expect with this model SPC5028’s own atomic-clock functionality.] Above all, do note that the pertinent radio-broadcast source is in Colorado; hence this clock’s built-in receiver works optimally effectively with either the clock’s REAR or FRONT pointing toward Colorado!CONCLUSION:This clock is highly likeable in many respects, and, on balance, I remain quite satisfied with my specimen. HOWEVER, I most emphatically suggest that you only opt to keep the special (user-selectable) “ALWAYS-illuminated” backlighting mode switched to the “ON” position IF you’ll be contentedly prepared to replace the three AAA batteries about every 35 to 60 days (and this is assuming you’re not foolish enough to try using cheap “Dollar Store” batteries)!Otherwise, especially for installation locations that already have VERY bright ambient lighting that will shine DIRECTLY upon this Sharp model’s colorfully tinted screen and that are appropriately compatible with this model’s various other aforementioned limitations and strengths, I can still happily recommend it.* * *P.S.: Under the subheading “Words to the Wise,” I’ll leave you with two vital points:(1) Do not initially neglect to MANUALLY select your location’s TIME ZONE. Essentially every atomic-clock retail product absolutely requires that particular bit of manual user input, in order to display the correct HOURLY time.(2) To REALLY conserve the life of the three AAA batteries (by limiting usage of this clock’s own backlighting), if you happen to keep a (preferably USB-rechargeable-LED) handheld FLASHLIGHT within easy reach, just point your flashlight at this clock to make its multicolor-tinted display come alive in absolutely splendorous color and clarity!

You don’t have to set it.
When I got my package I unwrapped it put in some AAA batteries,Set the Day light saving time to yes, and that was it. Easy even a monkey could do that.Whe the clock got a signal it set the time date and even the inside temperature. Nothing more to do, no manual operation is needed. Set it and forget it.I liked it so much I just bought another one.The display is Large easy to read, and it has a back light you can turn off and on.I would give it a thumbs up.It has a build in stand convient for table use, or fold it away and hand it on the wall

Nice clock but…
The atomic clock feature didn’t work. Never found a signal.

Very useful
Its a useful clock and the alarm doesn’t stop till you get up to stop it. You definitely can’t go back to bed. LOL.

Not as bright in an open room but good enough.

Function as advertised , but time display is difficult to view from any angle except directly from the front