Wake N Shake for iPhone -- the evil alarm clock that's guaranteed to get you out of bed each morning

By Leanna Lofte
last updated

Wake N Shake for iPhone is the alarm clock for people like me -- those who hit snooze about 5 times before actually getting out of bed. We are so addicted to our precious snooze button, that we set our alarm early in anticipation of the fact that we'll be hitting snooze for at least a half hour. With Wake N Shake for iPhone, those days are over. This alarm clock requires you to rigorously shake your iPhone to turn it off. By the time you've shaken your iPhone enough to turn off the alarm, you'll be more than ready to get out of bed (and in need of a shower!).

The way we make it so evil is, first, there's no snooze button. No escape. Second, the volume can't be turned down. Once it goes off, it'll continue to blast until you shut it off. Third, hitting the home button to close the app doesn't save you either. Your only way out is to shake the hell out of the iPhone. Pure evil.

And because I know you're thinking it -- force-quitting Wake N Shake doesn't help you either, because it'll get back at you by sending a notification every few seconds until you open the app to turn off the alarm. So. Evil.

Even the icon is evil -- a red and black smiley face. It creeps me out.

Wake N Shake comes with a good selection of annoying sounds and a slider that adjusts the shake intensity needed to turn off the alarm. The lowest level is "hard" and the most difficult is "merciless" with "painful" in the middle. I've tried out the painful intensity, and it took me at least 30 seconds of constant shaking to turn it off. You can also set the alarm to repeat on any custom set of days of the week.

The good

  • Red on black color scheme is easy on the eyes when using your iPhone in a dark room
  • There is no such thing as an easy intensity level
  • Create multiple alarms
  • Includes a built-in "flashlight" that turns on the camera flash
  • Includes a sleep-timer
  • Presets for quick naps (10, 15, 20, 30, 45, and 60 minutes, or custom)

The bad

  • The button for the "online manual" takes you to an invalid website

The bottom line

I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit scared to try this one out. I've grown to love my snooze button and slow wake-up process, but I'm going to suck it up and set my alarm with Wake N Shake tonight. To get an idea of what type of experience I'll have in the morning, check out the video below!

How many times do you typically hit snooze in the morning?

$1.99 - Download Now (opens in new tab)

Leanna Lofte
Leanna Lofte

Former app and photography editor at iMore, Leanna has since moved on to other endeavors. Mother, wife, mathamagician, even though she no longer writes for iMore you can still follow her on Twitter @llofte.

21 Comments
  • This is just hilarious! I'm pretty good about waking up - but I might have to get it for the heck of it. Maybe use it as a sound bomb at work and watch the idiots try to figure it out.
  • I would get annoyed, double-press the home button and tap the minus button. Great concept but unless they've bypassed Apple's built in app kill, I know my lazy butt would take the easy way out.
  • Then again I would be screwed on waking up.... Hmmm wake n shake I suppose you win...
  • Just tried it. If you do that, the app will keep sending you a notification every few seconds until you open it and shake to turn it off. bahahahaha, this thing truly is evil. (adding to post)
  • it says right in the article that you cannot bypass that way. the app ends up sending you a notification every few seconds until you shake it to stop it.
  • The settings all depend on the user if you truly want to bypass it you can but then why did the person purchase it in the first place? The notifications can be simple to defeat just take it out of the notification list. In any case you'd have to get up and force kill the app if you're not awake after that damn you deserve to sleep lol
  • As we wait for the first person to send their phone flying through the air trying to shut it up...
  • I'll have a broken iPhone if I use this app. I think I'll pass on this one.
  • Setting it up for tomorrow morning!
  • Please film yourself waking up to this so i can see videos of you accidentally throwing it against a wall like Wii controllers.
  • I find a good tool for waking up is taking the alarm clock and putting in in a different room forcing you to get out of bed to turn it off. my alarm is loud as hell too so i can stick it like in the bathroom or something.
  • That's actually really clever to put it in the bathroom, that way you can go straight into the shower haha. Change of plan: I'm trying this instead of Wake N Shake :) too bad I already spent 2 bucks, oh well..
  • Good thing I have my iPhone in a Ballistic case. I'd probably launch it across my room with this alarm clock. I like the stock alarm clock because it forces me to wake up, due to having to put in my pass code unlock the iPhone and turn the alarm off.
  • the video was hilarious and although an enactment, Im sure very accurate. That wake tone was truely evill!!!!
  • My alarm is the sound of water running, when you hear a waterfall at 6am you end up getting up if you want to or not lol
  • I like this, but I think the regular alarm from the apple is fine and its for FREE! lol, but nice app! http://phoneguru.com
  • That's even more evil than I thought. (The comments made me go watch the video I'd missed.) But, did anyone else notice that she looked more like she needed a cigarette (and maybe a nap) after she finished performing that suggestive motion, then... mm. Nevermind.
  • exactly what I thought, no wonder they didn't use a guy for the video lol
  • This is opposed to smart alarm clock. For instance smart alarm clock Easywakeup https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IwaB82AORMBzqgYhHw1NmzIaSf4L9iIn... analyzes during your sleep by choosing the most comfortable time for awakening. Wake N Shake this is not what a person exactly needs using this app every morning, each day you'll get the stress, firstly due to of such calls and secondly it may end up that you break your iPhone against a wall.
  • what if i put it on silent? does that silence it
  • best alarm promo ever! However, it should come with a warning that your bedmate might unload their 30-round 2nd Amendment Uzi on you due to this alarm!