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Alarms "hidden" in System Settings with 10.4

  • 10 September 2019
  • 144 replies
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Userlevel 4
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Ah come on Sonos, alarms used to be so easy. It used to be click ‘More’, click alarms. Now in 10.4 it’s click ‘Settings’, click ‘System’, scroll around a bit, click ‘Alarms’. Why? Sometimes it feels like Sonos is constantly changing stuff for the sake of change, not to improve the functionality.
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Best answer by Ryan S 11 December 2019, 17:05

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144 replies

Userlevel 7
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Not sure as to the why but yep that is where it is now. Looks like they wanted the first page of settings to be smaller.
Userlevel 7
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Hi @brymills, I'll make sure to let the team know you were looking for it.
Userlevel 4
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Click ‘Browse’, click ‘Music Library’, click ‘Artists’, click ‘U’, click ‘U2’, click ‘The Joshua Tree’, click track 2....

Thanks for the responses. I still love Sonos kit even though over the years of ownership sometimes it has frustrated me.
Userlevel 2
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Hi @brymills, I'll make sure to let the team know you were looking for it.
Ryan, Appreciate the non-specific non-solution answer. Perhaps I could rephrase the question as I bet there are other people who are going to be shocked by this unecessary burying of one of the few useful features Sonos has left. Explain why, from a UX/UI point of viewm putting something used often so many levels deep makes sense and conversely, why elevating the spam-box, excuse me, I mean inbox, to such a prominent position as My Sonos is something that will benefit the customer? Are you going to tell me/us that people were clamoring to have the Inbox more readily accessible. I mean the only reason I can think of wanting the Inbox to be elevated is for quicker deletion of the spam, I mean new products, you team annoys us with when we are trying to enjoy our music. So your feedback on those exact questions would be helpful. If you'd prefer to just add it to a list nobody will ever look at or take the quick route with a deletion of this post, that's fine too.
Userlevel 7
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Use the Desktop controller (for PC or Mac). One of the advantages to being a near-frozen version of the codebase is that UI changes like this will never happen.There isn't even a 10.4 for PC (and Mac I assume).
Userlevel 7
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Hi mikeap, Alarms are a system setting which are usually set and then not changed frequently, and in many cases, not used at all. I can't say if that's the specific logic used here, but it's certainly one of the factors, and something that makes sense. There are always some settings people want higher up than others, equalization, easier access to remove and re-add surrounds or Subs, surround volume controls, and more that I can't think of right now. Ultimately, the team makes decisions based on data, requests, and what makes sense. But they also are happy to continue fine tuning things. So when there is something you miss, or want to see changed, feel free to speak up, constructively.

In the case of the Inbox, the way they constructed the menus it seemed to fit best where it wound up, as opposed to other fields. Regarding the so called "spam," you can turn off in app notifications on your system by going here and unchecking the field for notifications in the Sonos app.
Userlevel 2
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Use the Desktop controller (for PC or Mac). One of the advantages to being a near-frozen version of the codebase is that UI changes like this will never happen.There isn't even a 10.4 for PC (and Mac I assume).
Wish you were right ControlAV. Sadly you aren't. There's a nice 10.4 abortion, ooops, software update ready for my system right now. Good check the website and you'll see it listed. And of course the alert that a Software Update is ready has positioned itself right in the #1 position so I have to retrain my muscle memory to avoid it.
Hey Ryan, got any ideas on how to NOT have the Software Update show up in my desktop controller. No you don't b/c I remember when that used to be an option and now it is definitely not. So they drop the update notification right where you click for My Favorites in hopes it will annoy/wear you down so you just end up updating. The good old Facebook model.
Userlevel 2
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Hi mikeap, Alarms are a system setting which are usually set and then not changed frequently, and in many cases, not used at all. I can't say if that's the specific logic used here, but it's certainly one of the factors, and something that makes sense. There are always some settings people want higher up than others, equalization, easier access to remove and re-add surrounds or Subs, surround volume controls, and more that I can't think of right now. Ultimately, the team makes decisions based on data, requests, and what makes sense. But they also are happy to continue fine tuning things. So when there is something you miss, or want to see changed, feel free to speak up, constructively.

In the case of the Inbox, the way they constructed the menus it seemed to fit best where it wound up, as opposed to other fields. Regarding the so called "spam," you can turn off in app notifications on your system by going here and unchecking the field for notifications in the Sonos app.

Good lord, you were right, but dear god, I have to login to the Sonos Profile (the one I didn't want until Sonos started forcing people to create user accounts) to disable an alert on my App. Well I will hand it to you, less than .00001% of users will figure that out. I think you may be the first company in history where you have to login into your web-based profile to control an alert on an app. Gotta hand it to your team though, that makes Mark Zuckerberg look honest and straight forward. Do I get back the 20hours I wasted over the last 9 months looking everywhere on the app to control app settings. Silly me for even thinking you'd control app spam from the app. It's so devilish I semi admire it's underhandedness.
Unable to access/view existing alarms since updated software to 10.4. Not under Alarms in Settings section. Only see ability to add an alarm, but when I try that I receive a message that I already have an alarm set for that time. How do I view my existing alarms?
Alarms are a system setting which are usually set and then not changed frequently,

I've always (had Sonos for well over a decade) seen Alarms as a function of the system, "wake up to your favourite music/radio" and one of its original selling points.

In terms of frequency of changing alarm setting, I probably change them between 2 and 3 times per week to suit my work pattern, either to adjust the time or to enable/disable.

Straight after 10.4 update, I went to enable my wake up alarm for the next day to find its now further down a sub menu and page.

Completely agree with the OP that moving the Alarm option is not a good thing.
Userlevel 5
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Alarms are a system setting which are usually set and then not changed frequently,I've always (had Sonos for well over a decade) seen Alarms as a function of the system, "wake up to your favourite music/radio" and one of its original selling points.

In terms of frequency of changing alarm setting, I probably change them between 2 and 3 times per week to suit my work pattern, either to adjust the time or to enable/disable.

Straight after 10.4 update, I went to enable my wake up alarm for the next day to find its now further down a sub menu and page.

Completely agree with the OP that moving the Alarm option is not a good thing.


I just checked and I reckon it took an extra half a second (if that) to get to alarms. Even on your unusually high usage of say 3 times per week, I reckon that's only about 75 seconds per year (at worst) it would take for the extra navigation. I guess if there's enough feedback to suggest that people do use it more frequently then I'd like to think it will change in a future update.

Personally, I quite like the new menus as it makes finding things easier but obviously each to their own.

Cheers
Userlevel 7
Badge +23

Use the Desktop controller (for PC or Mac). One of the advantages to being a near-frozen version of the codebase is that UI changes like this will never happen.There isn't even a 10.4 for PC (and Mac I assume).Wish you were right ControlAV. Sadly you aren't. There's a nice 10.4 software update ready for my system right now.


Ah, i see the 10.4 update for PC this morning. Fortunately no UX changes like messing with Alarms though.
I just checked and I reckon it took an extra half a second (if that) to get to alarms.

Good for you, but it doesn't remove the fact that the update to the UI has made this option more cumbersome to get too. The whole idea or a UI is to make it as simple as possible and within the least amount of steps to achieve a specific function. Adding steps is a backwards move,
Userlevel 7
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I find it bizarre that the #1 item on the new Settings item (on iOS) is "Account", and yet Alarms are buried under "System" (and the more players you have, the more painful it is to get to Alarms). How many times do people use Account vs Alarms? I'm hoping app telemetry shows this priority is backwards and will be corrected in 10.5.
Userlevel 3
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I'm hoping app telemetry shows this priority is backwards and will be corrected in 10.5.

The post by the employee above seems to imply they used the data they collect to inform this change.
So... WHERE can i find my existing alarms? Settings/System/Alarms takes to me "AddAlarm". I Still have alarms that are going off this morning. As DB88 said, it won't let you re-create the same alarm because it "already exists".

Could someone please answer this question?
Userlevel 7
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I'm hoping app telemetry shows this priority is backwards and will be corrected in 10.5.The post by the employee above seems to imply they used the data they collect to inform this change.


It looks like they had the sort order backwards when looking at their telemetry. No-one needs to use Account (except maybe Sonos Support), and yet it is at the top of the Settings list.
So... WHERE can i find my existing alarms? Settings/System/Alarms takes to me "AddAlarm". I Still have alarms that are going off this morning. As DB88 said, it won't let you re-create the same alarm because it "already exists".

Could someone please answer this question?


I see my existing alarm under Settings/System/Alarms. So either you've setup an alarm with some other smart control tool or there's a bug that isn't effecting all users.

So... WHERE can i find my existing alarms? Settings/System/Alarms takes to me "AddAlarm". I Still have alarms that are going off this morning. As DB88 said, it won't let you re-create the same alarm because it "already exists".

Could someone please answer this question?
I see my existing alarm under Settings/System/Alarms. So either you've setup an alarm with some other smart control tool or there's a bug that isn't effecting all users.


They have appeared.
I closed out the app again (on iPhone), re-opened, went to the alarm setting and there they are.
Guess it was a false alarm ; )
Userlevel 5
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I just checked and I reckon it took an extra half a second (if that) to get to alarms.Good for you, but it doesn't remove the fact that the update to the UI has made this option more cumbersome to get too. The whole idea or a UI is to make it as simple as possible and within the least amount of steps to achieve a specific function. Adding steps is a backwards move,


I guess one function always comes at the expense of another somewhere down the line. So yes, I agree with you and like I mentioned, if it's deemed that the feature is used by a lot of people on a regular basis then hopefully they'll make change.
Userlevel 3
Hi mikeap, Alarms are a system setting which are usually set and then not changed frequently, and in many cases, not used at all. I can't say if that's the specific logic used here, but it's certainly one of the factors, and something that makes sense. There are always some settings people want higher up than others, equalization, easier access to remove and re-add surrounds or Subs, surround volume controls, and more that I can't think of right now. Ultimately, the team makes decisions based on data, requests, and what makes sense. But they also are happy to continue fine tuning things. So when there is something you miss, or want to see changed, feel free to speak up, constructively.

Hi Ryan S,

I set my alarm daily because I don't have a regular routine. For me, I think I have once used the add services function from the settings menu and never any of the others - my system is set up and doesn't change or need to change. So I don't understand the need to bury the alarms function (it's a function not a setting for me).

Some suggested solutions:
1. Put the alarms back on the settings page at the top level. Put it at the bottom if you feel it's not used very much. There's empty space on the setting page on my screen so it will work perfectly for me!
2. Presumably more work programmatically, but would make more people more happy: give me the ability to flag to favourites to appear at the top of the settings page. Then if I use alarms a lot it's there for me. Or if I like some other settings I can put those there instead.

Ed
Userlevel 1
Agree with you Ed!
Userlevel 3
I use the Sonos-alarm on a daily basis, but the time varies from day to day. Therefore, before I go to bed I check that the alarm is set and set at the correct time.

For that exact reason, I do not consider the alarm a system setting and as it seems I am not the only one.

Complaining is easy about new functionality, but what could be a potential solution?

From my point of view it would be nice to have the alarm setting directly linked from the "My Sonos" part of the app (bottom left). As we can edit this page anyway, it could be hidden for everyone by default and if you need it, you add it through the edit of the My Sonos (top right).
Userlevel 7
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Thanks for all the feedback everyone! I'll make sure to share it with the team for the future. I don't have any news to share at the moment on if there will be a change here, but if I hear anything, I'll let you know.

Moderation note: I just renamed this thread so people new to the discussion can find it so we don't wind up with a bunch of scattered threads all over.
Userlevel 3
not happy with this "update"

i have used the alarms feature daily ever since i have had my system

Yes, daily.

My job means i have to get up anywhere between 0700 and 0855 depending on where i am going that day

So i set my alarm every night. I have had sonos now for many years and the alarms feature has been great

It's now not.

Can i revert back to the previous controller?