Still, this silvery, futuristic unit would look at home on a bedside table in a sci-fi film.

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She puts it on her bedside table alongside a daylight simulation lamp and sets them both to come on in the morning to help her gradually wake up and then feel like getting out of bed.

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"A couple of pictures on the bedside table fell over, " he said.

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"On the bedside table" is a must, he notes.

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Soon Carla Devade and Marc Devade will be together, and she will shout, and he will shout, and she will go to the bedroom and pick up a novel, any one of the many that are lying on her bedside table, and he will sit at his desk and try to write but fail.

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