"Graduwaking" to class on time

When the kids come back home from college for Christmas break--yeah, I know, the calendar says it's already time for them to head back to campus--they inevitably hit their parents up for what they maintain is must-have electronic equipment to make their lives as university students more pleasant. Heck, you're already footing those tuition and housing costs, you might as well kick in a little extra to make them happy.

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Of course, what surely will make you happy is knowing that your offspring actually are attending class and not sleeping in at hundreds of dollars a credit. With the RCA RP5500i Clock Radio ($79) with Universal Dock for iPod, getting to class on time is a breeze ... well, at least it's not as painful. Students can set it to wake up to their favorite iPod music or use the built-in alarm. The Graduwake setting gradually increases the volume of the alarm for a more pleasant wake-up, as opposed to getting jolted out of bed--and just in case it's one of those mornings, the Programmable Snooze can be set for anywhere between 10-30 minutes to help ensure a little extra (and, no doubt, much needed) shut-eye. Moreover, there's a built-in Time Control that automatically sets the correct time.

Of course, after a long day of classes (and perhaps a subsequent nap in which they are not woken up by an alarm clock), college students like to relax to music. The RCA RS2130i Bookshelf Audio System ($169.99) with Universal Dock for iPod charges an iPod player while it's connected. The unit also plays CDs, and even has the ability to rip music from CDs and the radio to most MP3 players. The RS2 incorporates a slim, five-disc CD changer so listeners can play one CD while loading another--and finding favorite songs is a cinch since the audio system's LCD display uses the iPod's navigation screen.

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COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning