If you are in search of a Windows Phone alarm app that goes beyond what the native app has to offer, take a gander at Realarm.
If your alarm is set to the same time every day, the native alarm will likely serve you well. However, if you are looking for a little more meat on the bone or pep in your step as alarms go then Realarm is a Windows Phone app you need to try. It is a free app and is also one of this month's AdDuplex HERO Apps.
The HERO Apps program is a promotional campaign for Windows Phone and Windows developers on the AdDuplex Network and partners AdDuplex with myAppFree, AppDeals, PluralSight and Windows Central to deliver a host of benefits to the top apps and games each month. Our role in the HERO App campaign is to offer a little exposure to these titles by sharing them with you, our readers.
Today, we shine the spotlight on ReAlarm from Windows Phone developer Viktor Szekeress.
Realarm has a clean, simple and effective design. Your opening page greets you with a list of all upcoming alarms for that date with control buttons lining the bottom of the screen to create and view alarms. Up under the three-dot menu you will find another collection of menu items that include:
- Muting all alarms
- Access to Realarm's settings
- Live Tile settings
- A listing of voice commands
- An option to backup or restore your alarms to your OneDrive account
- An option to remove ad-support ($1.99)
You will also find options to rate the app in the Windows Phone Store and view the About Screen for Realarm. App settings for Realarm cover theme options, defining pre-select sounds and several display/layout options.
Realarm does have support for voice commands that include creating a quick alarm, skipping alarms, muting alarms and a few more options.
The process for setting an alarm is fairly straightforward. The control buttons at the bottom of the main screen include options to create an alarm, create a quick alarm, view your agenda and preview all your alarms in calendar fashion.
For a regular alarm, tap the "+" key to enter the set-up screen where you can add a title for the alarm, set the time, the date and the reoccurrence. You can also set a specific sound for each alarm. The reoccurrence can be set to once on a specific date, minutely, hourly, daily, by days of the week, monthly or a custom frequency. Sounds include not only your system sounds but also a collection of Realarm sounds. Unfortunately, due to OS restrictions, you cannot use songs as an alarm sound.
A quick alarm is designed for impromptu needs that come up during the day, such as taking a nap or to let you know when the cake is ready to come out of the oven. In a practical sense, a quick alarm is more akin to a countdown timer. Setting up a quick alarm takes fewer steps and by default, these alarms are deleted automatically one day after they expire.
Overall, Realarm comes across as an impressive alarm app alternative for your Windows Phone. You have the benefit of setting quick alarms with voice commands while on the go and even setting up a regular alarm is easy enough to set on the fly by touch. The backup feature is also a nice touch should you find yourself switching devices or having to hard reset your current Windows Phone.
Bottom line, the native alarm app on our Windows Phone does a nice job of covering the basics but if you want more Realarm is one option worth checking out. The Windows Phone app is free and ad-supported. You can opt out of the ad-support with a $1.99 in-app purchase. If you give Realarm a try, let us know what you think of the app in the comments below and remember to rate the app in the Windows Phone Store. It is an easy way to give the developer a little feedback.
Download Realarm for Windows Phone (Free)
AdDuplex HERO Promotion
AdDuplex is a fantastic resource for the cross-promotion of Windows Phone and Windows apps. AdDuplex has launched a new program designed to help developers promote their apps even further with free access to various tools and resources from AdDuplex.
The HERO Apps promotion partners AdDuplex with Windows Central, myAppFree, AppDeals and PluralSight to provide additional benefits to the top apps every month that include:
- Vouchers to advertise on AdDuplex
- One month subscription to Pluralsight Plus
- A featured campaign with myAppFree
- A featured campaign with AppDeals
- A review here on Windows Central
If you are a Windows or Windows Phone developer, you can sign up for the HERO Apps program here at AdDuplex's website. To participate in the program, you will need to apply within thirty days after your app or game has launched on the AdDuplex network.
Windows Central is already partnered with the myAppFree campaign and is proud to be partnering up with AdDuplex with the HERO Apps program. It is another excellent opportunity to help promote both the Windows Phone and Windows platform.
