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Alarm clocks are among the real world gadgets a mobile device can easily put to shame. Do an app search for "alarm clock" for any device you have, and the list will seem nearly endless, with a variety of different functions, sounds and looks.

LifeLike Alarm Clock And Weather HD

A relatively basic choice in the genre, "LifeLike Alarm Clock And Weather HD," is one of the slickest out there for the iPad. Users easily customize how the alarm clock screen will look like and what time it goes off. It also provides weather info, and the app looks like a virtual window to whatever weather the forecast calls for -- sunny, soggy, snowy and so forth. The alarm also has a night mode which, unlike most actual alarm clocks, is just bright enough to see but not so bright as to keep one awake at night.

There are lots and lots of virtual clocks out there with these types of functions for the iPad and all smartphones, but "LifeLike Alarm Clock And Weather HD" is available only for the iPad for $3.99.

Alarmed

"Alarmed," an app only for Android phones, has some features not seen in normal alarm clocks. There is no standard snooze button, and the only way to turn the alarm off is to answer of series of math problems and word jumbles. The user can set the difficulty level, to decide how rude the awakening will be.

A lite version of "Alarmed" is free and the full version costs 1 pound (as it was developed in the United Kingdom), or roughly $1.50.

Smooth Alarm/Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock

The "Smooth Alarm" or "Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock" for the iPhone represent the group of clocks that claim to be able to wake up users at the optimal time during the sleep cycle.

Users set their alarm time and then stick their phone under the mattress. Then, anywhere from a half-hour to an hour before it is time to rise, the app uses the phone's motion-sensing technology to determine when the user is rolling over and moving. The phone determines the user is waking up and sounds the alarm.

These kind of apps also often help track users' sleep patterns. "Smooth Alarm" for the iPhone has a lite version that is free and a full version for $4.99. The "Sleep Cycle Alarm" costs $0.99.