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This pillow supposedly reproduces sunlight but really just looks cheesy as hell

This pillow supposedly reproduces sunlight but really just looks cheesy as hell

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I don’t want a light-up pillow

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Mode Modern

The Sunrise Smart Pillow launched on Kickstarter this week and is supposed to help wake you up by reproducing sunlight. It’s got a strip of lights on both ends that change colors depending on your programmed sleep schedule. So you can use them to wake you up at a certain time, similarly to those light-activating alarm clocks, or you can turn them on after a nap to expose yourself to blue light, which can reportedly help you feel more awake. The company also suggests turning the lights on manually and using them for reading before bed. There are so many alarm clocks that rely on lights to get you up, but this one seems over the top. It reminds me of those light-up gym shoes kids wear because they don’t yet have refined taste.

The pillow is only shown on its campaign page without a pillowcase, too. I understand this shows off the product, but how well will Sunrise work with a pillowcase? Who would sleep on a pillow bare? That’s a crazy thing to do.

The Sunrise Smart Pillow looks and acts a lot like the Zeeq, which is another connected pillow that shipped last year. Both pillows provide a “sleep score” that evaluates your sleep and they also both have embedded Bluetooth speakers for playing either music or relaxing sounds. Zeeq actually made it to market, whereas we have no idea if the Sunrise will ever show up at your door. Still, if you’re into the idea of a light-up pillow, it starts at $199.