Where to Find a 24-Hour Wall Clock for Easy Timekeeping Across Timezones

[Borek]

As someone who spent several years doing usability R&D

That makes me even more surprised that you think 24h face will be easy to use when it works against life time reflexes.

Could be you know something about your wife I don't know

 

[DaveC426913]

Revolutionary idea:

Buy regular 12-hour clock.
If it is AM where you are, it is PM where new zealand is.

Yessir. That's certainly revolutionary. It hasn't been thought of since https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=2520215&postcount=36"...

or do the 24 hour clock, make each half have 1-12 on it, and have one side red for AM, black for PM.

Yes.

That makes me even more surprised that you think 24h face will be easy to use when it works against life time reflexes.

Yes, that is the problem as defined : i.e. that intuitively knowing what time it is in a different part of the world is not a normal circumstance.

I can't do anything about having the problem, all I can do is find the best solution. Right?

I am certainly open to more intuitive solutions. Got any?

 

[rootX]

One example: The OPEN button should be MUCH larger than the close button, like the size of your palm. Almost zero brain cycles to turn need into action. (Not to mention that a bigger button utilizes large muscle groups and no coordination, rather than fine motor control and delicate finger-pointing aim.)

It should be opposite :). I would love where there is no open button at all. The elevator should be able to detect if some object is at its door hence not close the door. With big open button, I would never be able to reach my destination floor.

 

[rootX]

Again, you are making assumptions about usage. And your assumptions presume a more ideal situation (i.e learnability through repetition) than reality.

What if she only gets or makes phone call once a week? Too rare to get used to anything.

If it is used too often, you agree that any thing will work. If it is too rare, why wouldn't the person go to the computer and just find the time.

 

[berkeman]

I went to google images to see if I could find a pic of the wall map clock (that scrolls light/dark across a world map). The 2nd image in the first page is what I was thinking about, but boy, some of those other "world clocks" will make your head spin!

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=world+clock&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g3g-m2

.

 

[Moonbear]

It should be opposite :). I would love where there is no open button at all. The elevator should be able to detect if some object is at its door hence not close the door. With big open button, I would never be able to reach my destination floor.

They do that already, in two ways. If someone is already trying to get into the door, there is a sensor that stops it from closing and squashing the person. If they haven't gotten their hand into the door yet, if they just smack the up or down button before the doors finish closing, or even as they JUST close, most elevators will open the doors again. This actually gets very annoying at work on the elevator near the cafeteria at lunch time, because people will decide to wait for the next "less crowded" elevator, but keep pressing the button before the crowded elevator leaves, so the door keeps opening again.

 

[Moonbear]

No. It should be automatic. It should require no brain cycles to interpret.

I think that's the point people are trying to make though. Completely changing a clock face from what you are used to reading requires a lot of thought to interpret. Do you really LOOK at numbers on a clock? I have watches that don't even have numbers. I don't read the numbers, I just know intuitively where the hands point. If suddenly a hand pointing in the same place means a completely different time, you're very likely to misread it, or need more time to read it.

Digital clocks avoid that problem, but an analog does not.

 

[Borek]

Do you really LOOK at numbers on a clock? I have watches that don't even have numbers. I don't read the numbers, I just know intuitively where the hands point.

I have found it goes even further than that for me. When I want to estimate how much time I have left I prefer to look at standard face clock, not at digital one. Digital one requires subtraction, face with hands gives instant intuitive answer

 

[DaveC426913]

I think that's the point people are trying to make though. Completely changing a clock face from what you are used to reading requires a lot of thought to interpret.

The trouble is: it is unavoidable. The task at-hand is not simply a matter of "what time is it right now?", which is what most people are comparing it to when proposing their flawed solutions.

Digital clocks avoid that problem, but an analog does not.

Actually, this is true. I had not thought of it that way.

 

[rolerbe]

Open and close buttons on elevators are the same size and look very similar. If I showed you both buttons and asked you to open the doors, you would easily identify the right button and press it. Easy-peasy.

But in real-life, you're not expecting to have to act, you're busy reading your paper, and suddenly an old lady gets her arm caught in the door.

Hear, Hear! I NEVER get them right. Can't tell you how many times I have either closed an elevator door on someone when trying to 'help', or just could not choose in the required time. As far a elevators are concerned I don't even try any more.

 

[rolerbe]

If one were to design a completely new analog clock to avoid misinterpretation due to conflict with the existing 12 hour pattern, how about a linear (rectangular) display of numbers that are rotating orthogonal to the display directions. Also forget AM/PM and go with Day/Night. Day would be black numbers on white (daytime) background, night would be white numbers on black background. Horizontal red line across the middle of the rectangle = "now". Numbers move up. (should probably draw a picture).

This could be fairly easily constructed as a paper (e.g. tyvek) loop on rollers top and bottom. Then just a standard clock drive (i.e. correct gearing) to get it to run at the right speed.

I think that would be instantly intuitive.

I might add that to my construction project list just for the heck of it.

 

[rootX]

This actually gets very annoying at work on the elevator near the cafeteria at lunch time, because people will decide to wait for the next "less crowded" elevator, but keep pressing the button before the crowded elevator leaves, so the door keeps opening again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js7Nz6n6h6Y

 

[DaveC426913]

If one were to design a completely new analog clock to avoid misinterpretation due to conflict with the existing 12 hour pattern, how about a linear (rectangular) display of numbers...

It was Moonie who pointed out that digital clocks defeat the visual pneumonic of hand-angle = time. Once you break that, your brain is forced to actually read the time.

So, back to your idea: is it any better than simply using a standard digital clock? OK, well, I like the black/white aspect - that's very intuitive.

 

[berkeman]

It was Moonie who pointed out that digital clocks defeat the visual pneumonic of hand-angle = time. Once you break that, your brain is forced to actually read the time.

So, back to your idea: is it any better than simply using a standard digital clock? OK, well, I like the black/white aspect - that's very intuitive.

Oh, so now you're showimg favoritism for Moonie over me, eh. Well, this isn't the first time that this has happened. Hah. Like I care...

 

[berkeman]

Oops, forgot this

 

[sobrique]

Signing up, because I've been looking for a 'proper' 24 hour clock, as I fundamentally think it's just more natural - as you say, working across timezones, having a 'it's 5 hours later' on a 24 hour dial, is considerably more intuitive.
On my phone, I've got this app loaded:
http://terratime.net/clock.html

It does a 24 hour clock, with markings for daylight times, moonrise and moon set (and will let you do things like invert the clock, with either noon or midnight on top, and mark time in 'standard' or '24 hour' notation, depending on preference).
I'd love to find a wall clock that did essentially that.

However the best wall clock I've found - with this notion in mind - is from Seldec Maritime:
http://www.seldecpublishing.co.uk/clocks/
Specifically, the: "DAY & NIGHT 24 HOUR CLOCK".
The problem I have with military time, is I am still firmly fixed that noon is 'on top', because that's when the sun is highest in the sky. And most military clocks are thus 'upside down' to my way of thinking.

Yes Watches are also similarly - 24 hour, analogue and show times of sunlight, making it very clear with timezone offsets where 'in the day' they are. But they're a bit pricey, and not available as a 'wall clock'.

Edit: And somewhat foolishly, have now realized that '10' is last year, not this year, meaning this discussion is about a whole year out of date.
My apologies for the threat necromancy.