Bang & Olufsen new 'BeoTime' - Review

 I have had a Beotime on test (thanks to Bang & Olufsen & BeoWorld!) for a few days now and as promised here are my thoughts and findings..

Firstly, as everyone knows, it is reminiscent of a flute in appearance but infact is more piccolo or recorder sized. It is 40.5 cm in length which is approximately 50% longer than a Beo4, so it is quite a long item, you may need to make room for it if it is going to be on a bedside table.
 
The Beotime really is a thing of simplistic beauty. B&O owners will recognise the finishes to the metal. The main body is very similar to Beolab 6000 or 8000 and the button / screens have a brushed finish like some of the more modern TV’s. The back sections of the screens are black plastic but it is all finished to a very high standard. It comes with a wall bracket which can be screwed to the wall and then this will hold the Beotime magnetically. The wall holder will only hold the Beotime at the battery end (the end without the screens) so it will have an “off centre” appearance. Alternatively it can be sat on its little rubber feet which will keep it at a nice and easily viewable angle.
 
Inserting the batteries for the first time is tricky. There is a piece of the wall bracket which must be used to undo the end plug of the Beotime and then I recommend a pair of tweezers are used to ease the battery compartment out . Once batteries are installed it is a lot easier as the compartment is then spring loaded so comes out on removing the end plug. Thankfully I was pre-warned about this or it could have been quite frustrating!

The three 1.5cm LCD screens are clear, easily readable and are backlit if you are using the Beotime or when the alarm is going off. They are not really visible from one side of the room to another but that’s not what the Beotime is designed for, its definitely a bedside clock.
 
The basic functions of the Beotime are very easy and intuitive. The large square is a four way button with an additional button in the centre. The LCD screen nearest to that acts as the main menu with arrows indicating weather additional options are available. These can then be reached by using the large button which will either scroll up or down the options in the closest screen or move to next screen for the sub menus. This continues with on to the third screen if needed depending on what you want to do.

All this is very simple use and understand. The Beotime is sensitive to which way up it is so the displays on the LCD’s and the controls change so they remain correct which ever way round you have the Beotime. It does not work vertically which is a shame as that is the easiest way to hold it and make use of it a remote control.
 
The alarm is turned on by pressing the end of the Beotime and out pops what I would describe as a trumpet key. This has to be pressed in to turn the alarm off. You will need two hands on the Beotime to do this, if you try to do it with one you will find that you push it off the bedside table an on to the floor! The Beotime has only one internal chime (quite nice but no other internal sounds are available) or it can be programmed to wake you with any of 22 different sources. You can also specify which track or TV channel you want it to wake you up with. It can also control your lights if you have light controllers. It worked fine with the LC1 in my bedroom.
 
The Beotime can also be used as a stand alone remote which is able to control the basic functions from any off the 22 sources. For example you can change the volume and track of a CD but can not change the treble or bass. One very annoying thing that I discovered was that although the control interface for setting the Beotime and its menu system changes to match the orientation in which it is placed, the controls when using it as a remote do not.

This means that if it is placed with the LCD screens to the right (as is more natural to a left handed person, which I am) then pressing up on the control button moves you down the tracks and vice versa. Why this is, I couldn’t tell you as all the other controls swap over if you turn the Beotime round. This could surely be sorted quite easily. It is not so much of an issue if you pick the Beotime up but if you are using it in a horizontal position it can be quite frustrating.
 
One test I did not submit the Beotime to was the “Hung over swipe to snooze” test. Most alarm clocks tend to get the occasional bash when rousing a rather tired and emotional owner and as well made as the Beotime is, I am not sure if it would stand up to too many falls from a bedroom table on to the floor. I’m sure it is very strongly built but it looks so delicate and as it was not my own I thought that it was best not to submit it to that test. The magnetic wall holder does hold it quite securely but whether it would be strong enough to resist an alcohol induced swipe I am not sure. 
 
Summing up, I would say that the Beotime should not be thought of as just an alarm clock but more of a remote control for the bedroom. It is a great looking object that will undoubtedly sell well. I’m very tempted to buy one myself.

It is definitely of more use to people with linked systems but is just as nice if you only have a TV or a stereo in your bedroom. If Bang and Olufsen could make it able to be displayed vertically, then I am sure it would be even more appealing and if they could make it so that left handed people didn’t have to think backwards when trying to change TV channels, that would be great too.

Thanks for the review.

Do you confirm you can set the the timer to turn the lights on?

PhilLondon:

Thanks for the review.

Do you confirm you can set the the timer to turn the lights on?

 

Yes, thank your for the review and I have the  same question:

Can it switch the lights at alarm time?


And please: WE WANT PHOTOS!!!!! :)

 

 

Lights are not an option in the alarm menu though you can control lights in remote mode. I did a few pictures in the Beoworld product article and the user manual is on site as well.

beaker:

If Bang and Olufsen could make it able to be displayed vertically, then I am sure it would be even more appealing and if they could make it so that left handed people didn’t have to think backwards when trying to change TV channels, that would be great too.

Apart from these issues it sounds like it's really a great product. I have no real use for it but from what I've seen and heard so far I really would like to have one... What's it weight by the way and does it feel well balanced if you pick it up?

Its nicely weighted with the batteries in it, it feels quite light when you first take it out of the box though. It feels slightly lighter than a Beo4. Its also very well balanced when you are using it.

beaker:

Its nicely weighted with the batteries in it, it feels quite light when you first take it out of the box though. It feels slightly lighter than a Beo4. Its also very well balanced when you are using it.

Thanks, Beaker.

When are these going to be available to buy & how much are they gonna cost please?

Regards,

Bentleyman:

When are these going to be available to buy & how much are they gonna cost please?

The price at the Liverpool store is £300. They are already taking deposits and expect stock to start arriving early October. If you want one, better get an order in soon as stock will not be freely available at launch.

Opman

  

Opman:

The price at the Liverpool store is £300. 

Opman

 

That would put it at $495.00 in the US?  

Opman:

Bentleyman:

When are these going to be available to buy & how much are they gonna cost please?

The price at the Liverpool store is £300. They are already taking deposits and expect stock to start arriving early October. If you want one, better get an order in soon as stock will not be freely available at launch.

Opman

 

"They.... "    hmmmm - grammatical error or tactical ommission ??

 

I think my old English teacher called it 'third person plural' or something...

However, when referring to both King Street and Liverpool stores, i can myself say they are taking deposits..

At £300, you'd question yourself if you hadn't seen one.  However, i have one next to me - and it's a 'must-have'...  Honestly, you look at it and think 'how can a flute alarm clock seduce me so?!!!'

"B&O - an expensive addiction".  They should use that as a marketing campaign, showing a man with his empty pockets hanging out of his trousers and a big silly grin on his face.

Lee

The time is only displayed when touched, is that correct?  Or is there a way to have the time displayed at all times?

It is displayed all the time but the backlight only comes on for a short time when touched.

A well balanced review Beaker - you certainly have me drolling at the mouth for one. Thanks

9 LEE:

They should use that as a marketing campaign, showing a man with his empty pockets hanging out of his trousers and a big silly grin on his face.

Lee

Surely you're not suggesting B&O advertise using the "White eared Elephant" as a logo! Hardly seems their "thing"!

 

Puncher - wash your keyboard out with soap!

Anyway - back to the review, what are our thoughts and opinions?  Keep them coming!

Lee

I haven't seen the new beotime in person yet, but already I am very smitten by it's design.
No idea when it will actually be available in Canada though

I don't have any B&O in the bedroom to command , but would make it a point to install some, if I had one of these....

Finally something that looks like it's B&O worthy to me. I love the design and, by the sound of the review, it seems to perform flawless. I am very tempted to actually step into the B&O store to buy one when it makes it to Canada ...

A big thanks to Bang&Olufsen, Beoworld, Lee and Beaker for the review.

 

Peter :

It is displayed all the time but the backlight only comes on for a short time when touched.

So if the room is dark, can the time be read just by looking at it or must the backlight be activated on it in order to read the time?

 

As the display illumantion becomes active after touching the remote/alarm clock, you will not be able to read it in the dark room - as far as I understood correctly.

by the way:

Where is the Beotime manufactured? In Denmark or in another country?

 

TWG:

As the display illumantion becomes active after touching the remote/alarm clock, you will not be able to read it in the dark room - as far as I understood correctly.

by the way:

Where is the Beotime manufactured? In Denmark or in another country?

 

Surely that can't be right? Is it unreadable in the dark? If so count me out & I'll stick to my cheap projection clock. Hope I've got the wrong end of the beostick!

 

You can't have a bedside clock you can't see in the dark! Fumbling around to touch it would wake you up even more than you want to if it's not time to get up.

Stonk:

Surely that can't be right? Is it unreadable in the dark? If so count me out

I agree 100% -that would truly be absurd!

Personally, I was trying to place the unit in my bedroom, and was thinking I'd wall mount it upside down above the headboard, so I could just open my eyes and read it!

This may kill it for me. Surely there must be some small reserve (5% ?) backlighting on all the time... or is that a battery killer?

I'm sure a constant backlight is a no-no for any battery operated device - especially since it is not regchargeable, and apparently replacing the batteries is a chore due to the form factor.

I personally would hate just about anything glowing about at night (I have covered a number of status and power LEDs in other devices...). I've had no problem hitting the power button on my mobile phone to find out the time... and used it as the alarm as well.

I need to go and play with this thing, I still think it might be my first new B&O purchase ever

Oh don't get me wrong. I too hate bright leds at night and prefer the softest of glow from a readout. The ceiling projection suits me as the figures are massive (about 14cm in height) but very gentle and do not reflect a glow in the room.

I was hoping that the Beotime would as Jaff says run on a very low backlight - just enough to see it in the dark.

If I can't see the time on it in the dark, there isn't much point of having it as an alarm clock.

In the daylight I have, watch, clock, phone and other electrical items that show the time.

An alarm clock needs to be visible in the dark, even if faintly (the preferred option!)

:-(

Otherwise just another remote control to use.