Talk-o-Clock app helps you wake up with a stranger

When I was in high school my mom always woke my brother and me up on the weekend with housecleaning noises. In other words, she didn't directly come into our rooms to get us out of bed, but instead she vacuumed nearby or unloaded the dishwasher loudly (bang, crash, clank, kind of thing). Today, mothers can breathe a sigh of relief; after all, there are so many simple high-tech alarm clocks to get kids to rise and shine. However, Talk-o-Clock isn't one of them.

The creators of this app call it a "social alarm clock." Since it's unwise to recommend that the under-18 crowd talks to strangers on the web, I have to put this new piece of technology into an adults-only category. The concept behind the software is that random individuals are responsible for waking you up.

Once you sign up (connecting with your Facebook account is one option) and set an alarm, you can expect that someone will call you at that time. Who is that special someone? Well, the person on the other end will also be using the service and will be able to choose to fulfill your alarm clock request (in short, he or she - and you can choose which gender - will call you on the phone number you've used in your profile).

The big question that comes to mind when signing up for Talk-o-Clock is privacy. According to the company's website, you don't have to worry, "We won't disclose your phone number to any third party. Only you and CallO'Bot can see your number. As for your Facebook profile, we only show your first name to other users so that they'll know what to call you." Hmm. I don't recommend sharing your phone number online with anyone, but I can sort of understand how this service might be tempting for people looking to put some mystery into their mornings.

If you just want to wake someone up, you can do that too. Simply select a time when someone is waiting for a call and you're set to go. Oh, and don't worry, if you on the receiving end and no one has chosen to wake you up, the system will automatically generate a call so you don't miss the day ahead.

When I first heard about Talk-o-Clock I immediately thought of last year's scary sensation Chatroulette, the online tool that randomly connected people via web cams. However, I suppose that this new service at least serves a purpose, especially for anyone who is sick of waking up lonely first thing in the AM.

Talk-o-Clock is now available as a web app and iPhone/Android downloads are waiting approval from their respective marketplaces.