Are You Analog or Digital?
October 19th, 2009 by Rodney LeeI'm talking about clocks. Do you prefer an analog clock - the kind with the numbers 1 to 12 and an hour and minute hand, or a digital clock - the kind with the numbers 1 through 12 and 00 though 59?
I prefer analog clocks - and here's my reasoning. When I look at an analog clock, I'm not particularly looking at the exact hour and minutes, but rather I'm looking at the position of the hands to gauge the time.
When I see the minute hand between 12 and 6, I'm thinking it's that much past the current hour. When I see the minute hand between the 6 and 12, I'm thinking it's that much more until the next hour.
When look at a digital clock, what my mind does is convert the digits into an analog clock and I use that image to determine the time.
See, if I glance at a digital clock and see 10:51 or 10:15 - it doesn't register as quickly as if I was to glace at an analog clock and see either 10 minutes until 11 or 15 minutes past 10 o'clock.
I guess the bottom line is, when I look at a digital clock, I just see numbers. When I look at an analog clock, I see the portion of the hour that's past or the portion of the hour that's left.
Have you ever thought about it - digital versus analog? Think it has something to do with us growing up with just only analog clocks? Have you ever tried to find an analog clock/radio? I've looked far and wide for a nice analog clock radio. I finally found one on-line, and it cost me a pretty penny.
Not only does this clock radio have an analog clock, but a digital clock too (though I don't look at the digital part). It set me back almost $100, but it's loaded with features. One of the best feature is that I set the alarm time separately for each day of the week. So Monday through Friday is set and Saturday and Sunday it's not. And I never have to remember to set it on or off every night. The radio and/or buzzer ramps up so it doesn't jolt me awake. And the light has a dimmer so I can adjust it. Of course there is a snooze bar (a must have). And the main reason that it cost so much is because it's an Atomic clock. It sets the time using the U.S. Atomic clock based in Fort Collins outside of Boulder, Colorado. Unfortunately, the radio signal barely (if at all) reaches Hawaii. So I use the manual setting.
But getting back to the topic on hand.
Are you a analog or digital clock type of person? Have you ever given any thought to the concept I've explained above? If not, now that you've read it, does it make any sense? Is your watch analog or digital? Is your alarm clock analog or digital? Do I have too much time on my hands?
Tags: alarm clock, Analog, Analog versus Digital, Atomic Clock, Boulder Colorado, clock radio, daily settings, Digital, digits, dimmer switch, Fort Collins, hawaii, Hour hand, midlife crisis blog, minute hand, radio signal, ramp up, Rodney Lee, Sangean, Sangean Atomic clock radio, second hand, snooze button
October 19th, 2009 at 4:57 am
Analogie! Don't care for the green glare coming off the cable box reflecting the time at three in the morning. Eigoo!
October 19th, 2009 at 5:17 am
We have analog clocks throughout our house. I have an analog watch so I guess you could say I'm old school. I just like the classic look of analog.
October 19th, 2009 at 5:39 am
Good Morning Everyone!
Analog!... for the same reason you mentioned Rod. I'm a visual type person and it's easier to see how much time has past or is left by analog.
Analog is esp helpful at work, when I have to validate patients' parking, I "see" the 1/2 hr increments.
October 19th, 2009 at 5:41 am
Your preference for analog clocks makes perfect sense. I haven't thought about it much but I rather have a digital clock...not sure why, maybe my brain prefers the numbers rather then having to interpret the hand position.
I have a battery powered travel digital alarm clock on my dresser and use it to get up at 4:26 am every work day. I take it with me whenever I travel. It is small, accurate, fairly simple and battery last a long time.
October 19th, 2009 at 5:53 am
I have a digital wristwatch cause I need the timer and stuff for work but when I look at it, my mind still tries to decipher what time it is in Analog. iykwim.
I work with all digital stuff in my line of work so I have to toggle between vitual and reality. Get my drift?
October 19th, 2009 at 6:16 am
I prefer analog also but have a few digital around. Mostly on electronic equipment. DVD player, answering machine, Washer/dryer etc. If it has the option the digital clocks are set to the 24:00hr clock mode. My wristwatch is both. Large analog display and small digital window. This displays day/date,
stopwatch, timer, world time and other features that I don't use.
October 19th, 2009 at 6:24 am
Digital timers have that repeating beep beep beep beep that drives me insane! We use it at work and I can hear it in the front office and the assistant cannot always get to it right away to hit the button. It's really a test to my patience to push that beeping out of my mind.
There are worse annoyances but since we're talking digital vs analog...
October 19th, 2009 at 6:43 am
Good morning Rodney!
All my wall clocks are analog, my alarm clocks are digital, I have a digital wristwatch and a analog wristwatch.
October 19th, 2009 at 6:51 am
I've got both.
Near/in my entertainment center -
1) Hands only Corvette clock above the TV
2) digital alarm clock/am/fm radio in the equipment rack
3) DVR/sat receiver has a digital clock
4) VCR has a digital clock
5) DVD player has a digital clock
6) Blu-ray player doesn't have a clock at all
7) A digital wall clock with temp gauge
No wonder I'm never LATE or LAST
My watches are analog.
I prefer digital clocks....try figuring out what time it is at 02:17 AM on an analog clock, when the room is pitch black and your eyes aren't focused yet
October 19th, 2009 at 7:35 am
A few years ago I bought a analog wall clock in Japan at the 100 yen store and it's the most accurate wall clock that I have in the house. I went to look for it again everytime we went back to Japan but I could not find the same clock. I should have bought more at the time but I didn't know how good the clock was going to be for a 100 yen.
October 19th, 2009 at 7:39 am
Oh, I also built a digital clock from Heathkit...remember that company
You can purchase electronic kits for DIYers....
October 19th, 2009 at 8:19 am
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
At this point in my life, have evolved beyond concerns about time. The wife handles all time-based issues..
ha ha ha.. if only..
am only bad with three things, money, paper, and time..
forcing me to work really hard to get enough of the first that the other two don't matter as much..
But as far as clocks go, which type i mis-manage really doesn't matter.. analog and digital are equally ineffective with me..
October 19th, 2009 at 8:40 am
For my alarm clock I like digital because it easier to read. For the living room I like analog because it looks nicer on the wall or shelf.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:53 am
LOL. You prolly have too much time on your hands! But my watches are all analog. My alarm is digital.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:15 am
I think our minds act very similarly. I'm a visual learner. I prefer the analog clock because I can see how early (or sometimes - how late) I am. When I see a digital clock, I convert the numbers into an image of an analog clock in my mind. The clock on my cell phone displays as an analog.
That also reminds me. I don't use a fancy $100 analog/digital alarm clock. I set the alarm on my cell phone. It has a handy alarm setting for Monday through Friday.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Just give me one that works and gives the correct time. And rings when it's supposed to. Even when I set the wrong alarm time. HAh!
October 19th, 2009 at 11:01 am
oh I got my husband to tell me what time ...anyway my house has t.v clock I don't even care about time since I sit home relax... when I was little my filipino father would tell me ..okay you stand under the sun if you don't see your shadow it means time to come home and eat lunch....or you get swat!
I get my youngest clock that has number so he doesn't have to think and bother me.
I tolerate both Analog or Digital.
October 19th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Most (maybe all) of my clocks are digital; my watch is digital (I buy cheap Casios and replace watch when battery runs down). I remember once seeing a digital watch that also had an analog face on an LCD screen -- a fake analog face. I've never thought about whether I picture an analog face when I see a digital time. But for those of you that do, I guess it's similar to people learning a foreign language and translating it into their first language. I hear it's difficult to think in a foreign language.
October 19th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
A HUNDRED BUCKS FOR THAT?!! *insert rolling-eye emoticon, but i forgot how*
Geez, a clock is a clock...
October 19th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Busted...
October 19th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
October 19th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
I prefer analog. When I buy wristwatches I usually go analog, and sometimes the combination analog with a small digital display for the date, stopwatch, alarm, etc.
Wall clocks -- analog.
Alarm clock -- digital.
When I buy digital, I like for it to display the 24-hour clock. I dunno why, just the geek in me, I guess.
aigoo Largo, BUSTED!
October 19th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Halunka Rodney. Aunty Paula going get you when you get home. You should know that Atomic Clock no work in Hawaii.
Now being MLC, I too am like JM808, I convert the digital time into analog in my mind.
Oh and another reason I have a digital wristwatch. It tells me what day it is. How many time I bolt out of bed on my day off
October 19th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
I use sun dial (real old school!) nah , I use analog during da day and digital at night (no can see!).
October 19th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Hey Aunty Paula, You meant this?
October 19th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
No that's oops. Here
October 19th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Type ":roll:" without the quotes
October 19th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Oh, a couple months ago, my 10 year old niece asked me what time it was, so I flashed my wristwatch at her, and she stared at it for a while, then remarked: "Why don't you get a watch that just tells you what time it is?"
So I retorted, "What do you mean? It DOES tell you the time."
She replied "No, I mean with NUMBERS!"
"Do you mean DIGITAL? Ha come, you don't know how to read the hands?"
"No, I do, but it's just easier to read the numbers!"
Kids nowdays, I tell you.
October 19th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
@Ynaku: Thanks, that's the one!
October 19th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
@Ynaku: Yeah, thanks.
October 19th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
I think Aunty Paula is going to buy herself a new pair of sh0es to make up for the $100 alarm clock.
October 19th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
I used to look for watches with an analog face and a digital readout. So when I want to know what time it is, I look at the analog clock.
But when someone asks me what time is it, I look at the digital section and just read the numbers. It's a lot faster than converting the position of the hour and minute hands into numbers.
I think it was for this reasoning that I came up with the analog preference over digital.
October 19th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
yeah....i prefer analog too. i used to have a digital wrist watch and when somebody asks me what time it is......felt kinda weird telling them da EXACT time like "oh....it's 3:17"
now i just get all analog faces.
but with analog......it's easier to just scan da face.....and say...."1/4 after 3" or 20 past 5 till 3"
October 19th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
October 19th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
my favorite watch is dollar store that has multiplication since my husband often bother me okay you better figure out how much pound of brocolli I buy as if I care to count how much POUND ...oh I just ask the worker..hey you sir how much is this....? I WANT ONLY TWO DOLLARS WORTH so I don't jave to think. .the guy does the work do I look like I know how to use that pound thingy omg...yup....I DONT EVEN WEAR WATCH ..I just ask everybody around me. !
October 19th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
hey do you want to know 2+2 I got a watch to do that....omg funny huh!
October 19th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
yes I wont be late my husband hassle me >>>SO DO I NEED A WATCH.
October 19th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
jusT wait until I ask my husbaNd for timE he say 0700....I SAY WHaT THE HELL what TIME a simple time THEN HE SAYs 1500..SO AM LIKE WHATEVER!
October 19th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
I prefer analog. My wrist watch is analog. Our wall clocks are analog, but the alarm clocks in our house are all those digital alarm types.
October 19th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
@Ynaku - Nah, I'm just kidding. I always appreciate your help here. You're part of the MLC support staff.
October 19th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
October 19th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
I used to have digital watches from when I was in high school through my first (real) job. That business used to pass out inexpensive analog watches with the business' name on it - it was kinda of a joke, but everyone in the firm used to wear those watches, so I grew out of wearing digital watches. Now I own 5 everyday-kine watches and 3 nice ones, and none of them are digital.
Sweetie, who is a gadget geek, has a diagonally-oriented digital Casio. He likes to quote Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy":
"Orbiting this at a distance of roughly ninety-two million miles is an utterly insignificant little blue green planet whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea."
The clocks in the house are about evenly split between digital and analog. My favorite is the digital one on the bedroom wall with digits SO BIG I can tell the time without having to wear my glasses. (Still gotta squint, though.)
October 19th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Unlike Rodney when someone asks me what time it is I look at the analog. If not I would have to convert anytime after 1:00p.m. to what most people are used to.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
I don't care whether the watch is analog, digital, or a combo of both. The only time I'd prefer a digital clock over an analog style clock, is when the analog has a 24hr face, rather than the traditional 12hr face. I have a harder time reading that style of clock.
Almost all of my electronic stuff (with the exception of the ipod) is digital only. The ipod has both.
Surprisingly (especially to me), most of my wristwatches are analog. From the cheapie Swatch, to the mechanicals, most of my watches are analog. The watch I wear most often is an analog. I especially like it because it has a rotating bezel (being a diver's watch), so I can use the bezel to track time.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
KAN said
Hey KAN, if you squint any more, how you going see?
Just kidding 
October 19th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Rodney, I forgot to ask in my previous post...is there a way to set your clock to pick up the signal from Hawai`i? If I'm not mistaken, there should (still) be the transmitter on Kaua`i. WWVB is located in Ft. Collins; however, WWVH broadcasts from Kaua`i.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Finally home from another night at Krazy's. My clock says it's time to bocha. I'm surely gonna regret going out again tonight but I couldn't resist... after all it was karaoke. Never turn down karaoke.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
sally:
over your post. For some reason, I had this image in my head of a real clock telling time with descriptions, as opposed to numbers. It would actually have descriptions like "Bocha" on the clock's face.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
@KAN - Don't squint. It's going to make wrinkles between your eyes. Like I have.
@David in Oregon - I'm not sure if my atomic clock is configured to pick up the Kauai signal. The instruction book says that it won't work in Hawaii. But Wikipedia says that the signal can be read in Hawaii and Alaska during the evening.
Doesn't really do much for us here since we don't have to adjust our time for Daylight saving, but I could see how it would be real handy in places with Daylight saving - as it adjusts automatically.
@sally - you party animal.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Speaking of party - we're thinking party this Sunday at Ryan's for HNL2LAS going-away
party. Maybe we start around, say 4:00?
October 19th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
I want what meds David in Oregon is taking.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Rodney: what I am more concerned with, is the unexpected power failure. I've got a few old clocks that supposedly have a battery backup feature, in case of power failures. While you won't be able to see anything on the LED display, the battery is supposed to keep the clock running until the electrical power is restored. The problem with those is that I've not had any real luck in the watch keeping accurate time. There have been instances where power was restored, yet the clock's time was completely wrong. Because of that, I now use a plain old battery operated travel alarm clock.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
@Rod: I am not a party animal, I just love being with my friends. We just happen to do it often LOL. And we did, after all, come home early since my clock only said "bocha" and not "nene".
Besides, I'm already caught up on my Hulu shows, what am I gonna do at home alone? That's why I'm here so darn often. Oh, that and the captivting subject matter I need to keep up with. (whew, good save)
Sally>>> wondering if D in O is visualizing a clock w/ "nene" on it too. hahaha
October 19th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
sally:
can't you just imagine a funny clock like that though? It would have listings like: Wake Up, Work, Pau Hana, Party, and Bocha, all on the face of the clock. 
October 19th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
sally: I forgot that one
Wake Up
Work
Pau Hana
Party (or Karaoke)
Bocha
Nene
anything else this clock needs to show??
October 19th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
Never really thought about the topic, lol! I have analog clocks throughout my house except the bedroom (digital). Like that I can see what time it is when its dark. I also prefer face watches- guess I am just used to it from small kid time.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
@D in O: eat? If you want more, you gotta go on the blog next door, this one is G rated. bhahaha. (sorry Rod)
Sally>>> gee D in O got really good meds.
Dang! what time is it really? OMG
Good night everyone, I still gotta bocha, see y'all in the morning when my battery operated analog alarm clock goes off.
October 19th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Japan has some of the coolest alarm clocks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6KE7sxm8GY
October 20th, 2009 at 5:49 am
Good Morning Everyone!
Can't believe it's morning already.
Rod, a few yrs ago I bought this really cute Disney alarm clock from Longs. The only thing was you couldn't test it in the store. It looked like a round, neon framed clock face and I wondered where the "Disney" part of it was. I found out the next morning. (why I didn't sound test it, I don't know).
The alarm was a BLARING digitized sound of various Disney tunes, from the Mickey Mouse Club Theme Song to When You Wish Upon A Star. I think it rotated between 5 songs. It was NOT cute. I durn near had a heart attack when I woke up. The clock now sits on my bathroom shelf only for me to keep track of my time when getting ready to go to work.
October 20th, 2009 at 6:53 am
Rod, it was not too far off from that alarm clock from Japan... would you not just throw it against the wall?
O
M
G
!!!!
Have a wonderful day everyone! Shigoto calls and I have to drag my sorry self in. ~groan~
October 20th, 2009 at 8:22 am
@ sally - you needed the clock they had at "Studebakers" the entire face in place of numbers had "Party". Imagine Sally with a folding digital clock,
Get up
Go Work
Watch video/Lunch
Go Gym
Bocha
Eat
Party/Pahtee
Bocha
Nene
I was going to insert party after every item, but I don't think it's reached that point yet.
@ Rod - almost got that clock at the Casio store in Vegas, but said the Atomic Clock couldn't reach and at $100.00 that's not bad.
Neva been to Ryan's, let me know if that's a go, I'm in, the other coach can handle the practice on Sunday.
October 20th, 2009 at 8:24 am
Rod,
Sorry for late post, but as you know I have no life on the weekend other than attending and coaching tennis matches, so had to get my share of surf yesterday, still had overhead waves, woot.
October 20th, 2009 at 9:48 am
are you a $5,000 or a dollar store watch?
October 20th, 2009 at 9:50 am
yes you go buy this watch for a buck works for me...yes if anybody needs to use my watch with calculator I am ready for MATH..omg
October 20th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Here sally - this one's for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYjxUfxIbEE
October 20th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Hello Rodney!
Ryan's at 4 this Sunday will work for masako and I...
October 20th, 2009 at 11:22 am
@Rod/Paula - Too funny those "ah ha" moments that you share with all of us. I remember long time ago my brother and I had these clocks with hands and numbers that glowed green in the dark. I think they were painted with Radium. YIKES!! :O
@Ynaku - I think Aunty will find that rolling eyes emoticon very handy.
Also re converting digital to analog in your head - great minds think alike huh? Or maybe not-so-great-minds. 
@KAN - Way off topic Deja Vu moment... That quote about the planet orbiting reminded me of the last line from, Beneath The Planet Of The Apes.
"In one of the countless billions of galaxies in the universe, lies a medium-sized star, and one of its satellites, a green and insignificant planet, is now dead."
(That's one helluva spoiler, huh?)
October 20th, 2009 at 11:32 am
@JM808: you just saved me hours of having to watch Charleton Heston battle primates - thanks!
@Rodney & Ynaku: reminds me of that old Frank DeLima routine about Japanee eyes - "good fo' lookin' at telephone lines; good at lookin' chru Venetian blinds. . . "
October 20th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
@KAN - and the Japanee girls with the big round eyes had "menpachi eyes".
October 20th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
oh yes the first time I saw a watch that ligth up was when I was around age 5...the geen thingy would light up in the dark so my uncle showed me his new cool watch I hide under the banket talk abotu spooky I never seen anything that light up green so never again I told him I don't want to see your glowing watch!
October 20th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
@RBB: Gee, that was pretty spot on. Scareee.
@Rod: #65: That pink one! That's the tone! Now imagine that tone BLARING out Disney tunes... so not cute! I like to wake up nice and slow, not bolt out of bed.
And I need big analog numbers. And light up face. All the basic necessities for MLCers.
October 20th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
I remember when digital watches were all the rage. They'd beep at the top of each hour. When I'd be in a room with about 30 people, I'd hear all kinds of beeping at the top of each hour. Some 5 minutes fast, some 3 minutes slow. LOL
October 21st, 2009 at 5:40 am
My alarm clocks have all been cheap digital clock radios; those are not something I care a lot about. The clocks and watches I actually spent money on or like the best are all analog. The clock in our living room is an antique schoolhouse clock that belonged to my husband's parents. For my 30th birthday, I decided life was too short to wear cheap crappy watches, and I bought myself one of the less expensive Rolex Oysters. If you do the math I have now had it 21 years so I guess on a year-by-year cost it isn't that bad. As you all probably know, Rolex has remained all analog all these years (with one exception, the Wimbledon center court scoreboard timepiece).
October 21st, 2009 at 8:44 am
@kathi - I thought you were going to say you bought a Movado, but a Rolex! Way to go! And since you've had it for more than 21 years, I'd say it more than paid for itself.