How to make an easy iphone alarm clock stand

This is a one piece flat stand to use with your iphone when it is charging from the cable. For me it means I can use it as an alarm clock by my bed whilst being able to see it. Its also a one piece design so its very easy to make. I got the idea from a kensington stand that I had seen on the internet, obviously this is less technical, uses less materials, does exactly the same.

Step 1: List of things you will need

For this you will need the / a charging cable like the one that came with the iphone.
Some graph paper
pencil
accurate way of cutting acrylic, saw
Glue stick
scissors
sandpaper
Some scrap acrylic or wood or anything similar. I used acrylic that was 2mm thick.

Comments

[Djdavies83]

Nice, I'll be making one of these. thanks.
could you add something like a PDF of the template so it could be printed out at the correct size?
Would save others having to try and draw it out when you have made it perfect.

[Flyinseamnky]

sorry I did not see this message sooner. The jpg was created from the PDF I had already made, so I could have posted this a lot sooner. Hope it helps.

[miniature_guitar]

that the most expensive alarm clock, but nice advice

[planatator]

very useful thnx

[Gergohogbeido]

nice

[fazgard]

This is a great idea on the surface, but I have to caution that it's very dangerous.

That connector (both  the cable end and the internal iphone female) is not designed to withstand any torque.

You could do the math and see how much torque would be applied to that connector by that little arm if someone was to accidentally push on the top edge of the iphone while being held by the connector.
(Like people are used to pushing on the top of thier alram clocks)

Great initial concept, but if anyone is going to manufacture these, they had better be ready to replace/repair Iphones for thier customers.

[jlu2]

if you want use from car can look this
http://www.elecsz.com/car-kit-mount-holder-for-phone-black-p-7810.html

[jonpoate]

 Hi, yes you might be right but I have based it on a stand that I had seen.

the-gadgeteer.com/2009/08/25/kensington-nightstand-iphone-charging-dock-review/

They don't seem too worried about using this approach but If you are an absolute lemon and you smack the crap out of stuff in the morning then your temperament will obviously dictate what technology toys you have to play with. I certainly see where your coming from but possibly choose a mellow song to wake up too if you want to use this stand but you cant help but destroy things.

[gizmology]

:)

[mastermakoko]

how do you even set it to clock like that?my iphone 3g using 3.1.2 doesent have a clock like that when plugged to AC sourece?

[deviljames4]

its an app, its called Alarm Clock, i would get pro as you can choose different colours that dont hurt your eyes if your screen is set to bright and you can see the weather and have background alarms so you can close the app (possibly by accident) but it will still set off the alarm

[gizmology]

Jonpoate, you are one extremely nice guy! I don't thinkI could be so gracious if someone looked at my instructible andtold me, "Hey, not only am I going to take YOUR idea and sellit to make money off YOUR invention, I didn't even make the thing myself-- I had some guys in my shop make it FOR me! So basically,I'm the world's biggest freeloader trying to make a buck off a productI had someone else make me from a design I stole."

Your zen is awe-inspiring! :)

[Flyinseamnky]

I don't think you mean Zen. Perhaps Karma?

Zen 
n.  A school of Mahayana Buddhism that asserts thatenlightenment can be attained through meditation, self-contemplation,and intuition rather than through faith and devotion and that ispracticed mainly in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Also called Zen Buddhism.

[Japanese zen, from Chinese (Mandarin) chán, meditation, from Pali jhānaṃ, from Sanskrit dhyānam, from dhyāti, he meditates.]

kar⋅ma 

–noun

1.	Hinduism, Buddhism. action, seen as bringing upon oneself inevitable results, good or bad, either in this life or in a reincarnation: in Hinduism one of the means of reaching Brahman. Compare bhakti (def. 1), jnana.

2.	Theosophy. the cosmic principle according to which each person is rewarded or punished in one incarnation according to that person's deeds in the previous incarnation.

3.	fate; destiny.

4.	the good or bad emanations felt to be generated by someone or something.

 

[gizmology]

Flyinseamnky -- actually, I did mean zen. If I meant karma, I would have been opining that jonpoate had somehow *earned*-- or deserved -- your appropriation of his instructible by or because of some past action of his own. That isn't what I meant at all. I don't know his history, so I couldn't make such an assumption. I meant "zen" in the sense of "the discipline and practice of ["Ch'an", the sect of the Chinese Mahayana movement of Buddhism]", i.e. jonpoate was excercising the principles of zen practice, exhibiting equilibrium and balance -- a calm and accepting state of mind. Thanks for trying to correct me -- I always appreciate a little instruction (as evidenced by where this discussion takes place ;), but in this case, I think you just misunderstood or misread my comment. (Funny -- this conversation started almost a year ago, but I never saw the followup comments until just today! Sorry for such a belated response! :)

[Flyinseamnky]

Wow I just said I thought about selling a few. What even happened to "Please be positive and constructive with your comments or risk being banned from our site" I never said I was actually going to sell any, I just thought it was a good idea, so if someone did not want to take the time to make their own. Last I checked this is an open source forum. Materials, time, shipping, and machine maintained/bits do cost me money. If I did make or have someone make some for me I would have to pay for all that out of my own pocket. I am not going to just give them out to anyone other than Jonpoate himself, friends and family if I did. So far there has only been one of these made, and I am proud to say that I am the owner of it.  I am not a major manufacturer here, I just have access to more professional software via my job, and access to people with the machincal know-how to make a nice looking finished product.

I do know how to run the equipment myself to make this, but that is not my job, and since the guys who's job it is had some down time as well they made it for me. I am a drafter/designer.
 
Further more I have done 3 different redesigns/revisions to it, including all angles and slot sizes as well as including a sound redirector such as this http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/cellphone/b8e5/ Technically it is not a horizontal video viewing desk stand now, and not an alarm clock stand. I am including finalized drawings of this design as well as a full size template to make your own on here. So I would hardly call that free loading or stealing. Esp. Since as Jonpoate pointed out, I did discuss the option of making many to sell with him, and he though it would be a neat idea. And that was just after my own (and only) prototype was made. Furthermore, I never said that I would not cut him in on a share of any profits that might be made from the manufacturing and selling of them. Which I doubt there would be any considering it took my guy about an hour from raw material to finished/polished product to make, and his going rate per hour is probably more than anyone would spend on one (outside of the cost of everything else involved in making it). 
 
If you think you can do better, by all means improve the design and post it. Other wise if you don't have anything nice to say... Although the concept is the same I could technically write my own instructable on how to do it at this point. since I have changed the design so much. After all is some kid can write one on how he acquired a free 1994 IBM keyboard by asking the IT support at his school for one since his keyboard broke and he did not make enough allowance to buy a new one *sarcasm* then I can write one on taking a good idea, and improving it.  As I am sure he has done in this posting, seeing as I have also seen many other similar concepts on here, such as making a stand out of cardboard, legos, paper clips, and even paper. So the idea is hardly original as good as it might be. Not to discredit this posting any because it was infact well written. Thanks again Jonpoate.

PS. as promissed I have attached the drawing of the final design. I had to shrink the file down in order to upload it here, but as long as you hit print to fit with no margin it should print out 1:1. Otherwise go by the dimensions as marked.

[jonpoate]

 Hi Gizmology, Cheers for the comment. I put this instructable upbecause I have wanted to post one for ages, and this seemed perfect asIt used up scrap material and allowed me to do what I wanted with myIphone. I was sure other people might want to make one too, and Flyinseamnky has adapted it, got someone to make it, and he maysell it. I think he has a lot of enthusiasm for this instructable and itis good to see what he is doing to further the design. We both havedifferent reasons, possibly, for liking the design but he has told mewhat he is doing where other people may not. He said he will post scalepictures here so they can be made by anyone which is in the same vein asthis instructable was meant. To me I'm glad I have done something toinspire another. Take it easy.

[Flyinseamnky]

BTW congradulations of your posting being featured in the email newsletter!

[Flyinseamnky]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Innovative-iPhone-Stands/

[boneymaloney]

Thanks to jonpoate for the idea and flyinseamnky for the printabletemplate. Team up already!

Jonpoate, what kind of iPhone cover is that you're using? I have a verysimilar one by Cygnett which is beginning to crack after repeated impacts.

[jonpoate]

 Hi,
I agree that this instructable is now a joint one between me and Flyinseamnky. I'm pretty amazed by the amount of views I have had on here. The case on my iphone can be found on ebay by searching for "iphone case feather" and its a case by INCIPIO. I think its a great case that is very thin and unobtrusive however strong enough to protect my phone when I dropped it once. That was the day I nearly had a heart attack. Luckily all was fine.
Cheers

[Flyinseamnky]

This is a great idea! I redrew it in inches, and made somemodification to it in Solidworks. Including changingthe viewing angle for my desk to watch videos, and adding thecable key hole as described in previous comments. We mightalso be adding a channel to redirect the sound from the speakerforward, below the cable slot. I had a guy in ourmachine shop build it for me. I have included arendering, as well as the final product pictures. Right now it ismade of a clear plactic, but I am thinking we will buildat three more out of a blackplastic, aluminum, and gray pvc.

I am talking to my shop guy about possibly making many, and sellingthem online. If you are interested leave me a comment. Prices havenot yet been set and will very depending on the material it ismade from. Engraving might also be an opion, with text,or a company logo for an additional fee. It would be nice tohave an idea of the demand for them before proceeding.
Thanks,
    James 

[jonpoate]

 Hi James, 
I'm glad you liked the idea. I personally like how you have taken theidea further to produce a finished product pretty much ready to sell. Itlooks clean and contemporary. Possibly not in the spirit ofinstructables but hey, if someone wants to make their own they will andif they want to buy it then likewise. Let me know if you start sellingthem and I may get one from you.

[Ninzerbean]

 You are very generous in spirit. 

[Flyinseamnky]

So far the plan is just to have a few made for some friends. Ithink I am going to owe my buddy in the shop a bottle ofJack. ;) The great thing is that it was made from scrapmaterial we already had in the shop.
 
Yes selling it is not in the spirit on instructables, but I amplanning on posting my final drawings on here with dimensions oncethe design is finished. Technically this is still an instructablefor me because I used your posting to make it, I just happen to haveaccess to fancier tools. LOL.
Here is the newest version renered with Aluminum, and a soundreflector channel or the speaker. TheGlossy black version is thinner at .1" andthe slot is wider to fit the iPhone in it's self. Theidea being that you would have two of these (one for either end) and youcould use it with or without the charging cable. I might designa slot in them to fit a support bar between the two, but I will seehow this works out first.

Also, just for fun I made a render in Ocean Glass, and Cork wich at thethicker .25" width actually should work. Once the drawings areposted you can print them on 8.5x11 paper at 1:1 scale, and use it as anactual size template for cutting..

James.

[Flyinseamnky]

TheGlossy black version has already been done better so scratch that idea:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/cellphone/b6f5/
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/cellphone/bb12/

Check out more iphone accessories here:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/brain/whereisit.cgi?t=iphone

[Flyinseamnky]

also doubles as a cable wrap.

[Fieldownage]

 Sweet! But there's still one issue in it's design, speaker. As theUSB - Dock-connector is attached to iPhone and the stand holds it fromit, there should be tiny holes next to speaker but I guess it doesn'treally matter if it is a bit covered. Of course there's also that forthe healthiness of the battery of iPhone you should use all of thebattery (not really a problem in my case) before putting it to charge orjust unplug the cord from wall.

[Fieldownage]

 Oh dear me, didn't read your entire post. :)
Planning to make mine with the same concept for stand but with speakersas well.

[Flyinseamnky]

in my design if you lay the iphone on the down with the charging cable to the left the speaker is clear of the stand. If you lay it to the right on the volume buttons then the mic is clear, but not the speaker. actually with out the channel the sound bounces off the plastic pretty good, but I am sure it will be even better if I even get one made with the grove. Speakers would be awesome, but they would be pointed the wrong way if mounted to the stand. Anything speaker stronger than what is already on the iphone would probably have to have an external power source. I guess if you had the know how you could make a cable that both charged the phone, and powered the speaker. I am sure the final product would be a bit bigger than this is though, and you would probably want shielded speakers as well, so they don't click, crackle, or buzz due to the phone interferance . It sounds like a neat idea! I am still waiting for an affordable iphone speaker docking station that allows you to connect the phone in either the horizontal or vertical positions. So far I am not holding my breath. This is the closest I have seen yet. http://www.amazon.com/LiveSpeakr-Portable-Speaker-System-iPhone/dp/B001PUQ7PG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1255639684&sr=8-2

[Fieldownage]

 Yes, this is shat I'm after. And probably the best thing is that you actually find use for cover flow if the phone is horisontally.

[ranmawolf]

SWEET!!! ;) 

[Scammah]

Might do this for my wife's Iphone and change it up a little for my Android phone.

[barista]

Superb!  This is what instructables is all about.  Good idea, well presented.  It'll be good for watching video podcasts on my iPhone in Starbucks.  I'm going to incorporate a keyhole-shaped slot in the trailing edge to capture the cable and keep the two parts together.

[jonpoate]

 This is a great idea and i might modify mine to incorporate something like this. Good job!!!

[craig0246]

what was the name of the app you used to make your iphone look like an alarm clock?

[jonpoate]

 Its called alarmtunes. You can play music from your iphone to wake you up. 

[bparman]

I believe it is the night stand app.

[amakerguy]

Hey congrats on being featured on Geeky Gadgets!!! www.geeky-gadgets.com/diy-iphone-alarm-clock-stand-12-10-2009/

[jonpoate]

 Amazing. pretty good to see other people liking something I have made. Cheers

[JustXtreme]

 You should add a notch so you can wrap the charging wire around it while not in use and for transport.