20110516: WakeMate Review

Quite some time ago, I read an article on one of the many tech sites I read daily about this new gadget that would help folks sleep better. I thought to myself, hey, I would like to sleep better, so I read on. It turns out this company had created this wrist strap like thing that in conjunction with your Smartphone, would monitor your sleep patterns and determine the best time to wake you up so that you felt as refreshed as possible.

 Hmm, you say. Could this be possible? Something that works without medication, or an army of doctors? I fired off an email asking to review the product, to which I received a prompt reply. The response said that the device was not in production yet, but one it was they would be very happy to send out a unit for review. I logged he response in the steel trap that is my mind, and forgot about it. Until a month ago...

 Out of the blue, I receive an email from Arun stating that they have the device in production and if I am still interested they would send one my way. I was like heck yeah, I would love to! Arun asks for a few details, like what type of phone/tablet I am using (iPad) so he can make sure I get the right device. I email back with the pertinent info, and wait for the device to show up.

This only took a few days, and I had the device in my grubby little hands! Now, I know many of you are asking; what is this device called?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

The device in question is called a WakeMate, and by cracky, it actually seems to work! Read on for my review below...

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I received the WakeMate in a simple white pouch. Inside the pouch were the WakeMate, a short micro USB cable, and a minimal set of instructions. I was a bit concerned about the, what I incorrectly felt, were a lack of comprehensive instructions. I am a guy that likes details, and given that this was kind of a new idea, I thought more details were in order. I was wrong. I’ll get back to that…

When I pulled the WakeMate from the package and turned it on, it was partially charged and ready to go. All I needed to do was pair it with my iPad. Pairing was a breeze. Simply turn on the Bluetooth on the iPad, turn on the WakeMate, and wait for the magic to happen. Pairing took about 90 seconds. Once it was paired, I had to get the WakeMate app for the iPad to take advantage of the devices full potential. I went to the app store, installed the app, and then setup my WakeMate account online. This whole process took less than 15 minutes (and I had interruptions!).

OK, back to the lack of instructions. I found that once I installed the WakeMate app on my iPad, it handled all the interaction with the device! Thus, less is more, and I felt comfortable with the details I was being provided.

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OK, Sure, But Does This Thing Really Work????!!!!

I am a bit of a skeptic, and when I heard about the WakeMate, then received it, I must admit my skepticism kicked into high gear. Being the lover of gadgets however, I felt it only proper that I run the WakeMate through its paces. I found that once I learned how to properly use the device, it actually did wake me up at a time that proved more refreshing. I wish I could articulate some fancy words, or espouse some high fallutin’ terminology, but frankly… the damn thing works!

The first night was a bust. I find I am uncomfortable with jewelry such as bracelets, watches, or wristbands around my wrist. If I am wearing a watch, I take it off when I get to my desk at work, or when I am out to dinner with the family. Since the WakeMate uses an elastic type wristband to house and hold the device on your wrist, I thought I would be most unhappy. Again, I was wrong…

By the end of the second night, I forgot the WakeMate was even on my wrist! By the third night, WakeMate and I had our relationship worked out and it was helping me get a better night’s sleep! I think what is happening is that I am somehow becoming more aware of what disrupts my sleep and sub-consciously working to reduce the impact of said disruptions. There are also a plethora of analytic and diagnostic tools that the WakeMate provides both through the iPad app, and the online interface. You can see where your peaks and valleys are taking place. You can see how many times you woke up, how long you were in deep sleep, and how long it took to fall asleep! It is really kind of amazing how something we take for granted can be analyzed, dissected, and pieced back together in a digestible format that even I can understand.

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So, the final word is this. The WakeMate actually delivers on the claim that it can help you sleep better by monitoring your sleep activity and waking you at the optimum time. By doing so, you wake feeling more refreshed, and able to do more with your day! Initially the $60.00 cost might seem a bit steep, but compared to all the pills, sprays, nose strips, tennis balls and whatever you might have used to improve your sleep, THIS IS WORTH IT! It has not side effects like pills, does not leave adhesive on your nose like a nose strip, and does not require you to contort your body to use. Heck, you will spend $60.00 on a couple fast food meals for your family these days! Further, because you are sleeping smarter, you might enjoy your life more, and get more stuff done!

Go to the site, buy a WakeMate, you won’t regret it!

All the best…

Craig L Sheppard
A Sleepy Gadget Lover

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