King Jim provides a useful buzz in the ear
Dozing off on trains is a common phenomenon in Japan, but you can't really set a noisy alarm to wake you up before your stop. Stationery and electronic goods company King Jim has taken on that problem with a pair of earbuds designed to discreetly nudge you awake with vibrations in the ear.
The NMR10 is equipped with a timer that can be set up to 99 minutes, and a regular alarm mode, should you also need extra help getting out of bed in the morning. There are three kinds of vibrations to choose from and, of course, the earphones can also be used to listen to music on smartphones, tablets and other audio players. You'll need a AAA battery to use this, but that should last around six months.