An iPhone Alarm Clock

IPod docks come in all shapes, sizes-- and prices. So finding the right one can be a bit of a challenge.

For the past few weeks I've been testing out the iLuv App Station, a portable iPhone dock that sells for $89.99 and comes with a free app that converts your phone into an old school alarm clock—with a techie twist.

Looking for a dock that plays music and acts as an alarm - without losing the snooze button? WSJ's Jonnelle Marte reviews the iLuv App Station, an iPhone dock that allows your phone to double as an alarm clock, to determine if it's worth the $80.

The app lets you wake up to any song on your iPod, and displays the time in the style of a vintage flip down clock.

The dock, officially named the iMM 190, is a small rounded black cube with three buttons: power, volume, and snooze. It also comes with a battery compartment for six AA batteries, and an auxiliary input port.

Setting up the dock was pretty easy. I just downloaded the free application from iTunes, plugged in the speakers, and docked the phone.

I liked the large digital time display and found the dock a natural fit for my night stand. And I loved having a real snooze button to hit in the mornings.

But I was frustrated that I needed to leave the app running all night long if I wanted the alarm to go off in the morning. That meant I needed to remember to re-launch the app before going to sleep. I worried that I would be late for work if I got a late night call or text message. (I always set a back-up alarm.)

Leaving the app running also meant I couldn't turn off the phone screen at night. I found that my phone was really bright, even at its dimmest setting. The first few nights I was awakened by what felt like a glowing orb of light at my bed stand. My solution was to set the app to its dimmest setting and turn the dock so it was facing away from my bed.

A spokesman for iLuv, Howard Kim, said the company plans to release an upgrade for the app by the end of this year that includes dimmer settings and more multi-tasking abilities so that settings like the sleep timer aren't reset every time you exit the app.

One thing I liked was that the speakers worked easily with any iPhone app, so I could use them to amplify the sound of YouTube videos or to stream Pandora or other radio apps.

I also liked the speakers' small size and portability. I found myself using them in the to the bathroom if I wanted to hear some music in the shower or to the kitchen if I needed some background noise while I was cooking.

But the speakers didn't perform as well in large spaces. I wouldn't have wanted to use them for a party or as my main entertainment system.

So is the iLuv worth it? I enjoyed the alarm clock and portable speakers, but I didn't love the price. By spending a little more than $90, I could get better speakers with a sharper sound. For now, I'm going to stick to my cellphone alarm clock and hold out for a system with features and a price that I can really fall in love with.

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