Scroll down for all the key info you need to know about the Lenovo Smart Display. Follow Trusted Reviews via RSS I'm a fan of the physical camera shutter and sharp design, but the speaker could sound a lot better. Make a to-do list, add events to your agenda, and display your Google Photos—without lifting a finger. We continually check thousands of prices to show you the best deals. It can also make and receive video calls through Google Duo—an easy-to use app available on Android and iOS. Now, more than a year later, Google has finally caught up, partnering with third-party manufacturers to build its own Echo Show rivals powered by Google Assistant, in addition to its own Google Home Hub.Ultimately, the irritations here are mostly on Google’s side, and mostly software - so we hope they might improve over time anyway. While I’m not completely sold on the idea that smart speakers need to have physical screens, there’s no doubt that Google has built a UI that feels at home on such a device. It just feels odd to have a fully functional touchscreen device that could include all of these settings and controls, but doesn’t. The Lenovo Smart Display brings you the best of the Google Assistant with an enhanced visual experience. The only question we had about the device was when we’d finally get the chance to properly try out the future-tech. Of course, having a touch interface at all gives you more options than a mere smart speaker, but having that touchscreen there simultaneously makes you more aware of everything Google and Lenovo aren’t letting you do with it.Listening to music remains one of the main things people use smart assistants for, and despite the screen the Lenovo Smart Display is really no different.You need to install the app on a phone or tablet in order to set up the Display in the first place, and it’s also what you use to connect the display up to your other smart home devices so that you can use it to control them.That’s all fine, but what’s occasionally odd is how many controls are buried within the Home app when they could just as easily be built into the device itself.The smaller model measures 263x142x111mm, while the 10in is larger in every respect, at 311x174x136mm.
Tell us what you think - send your emails to Third-party apps will be supported too, and I saw a demo of a Nest app showing a live feed from one of its cameras. Lenovo’s Smart Display is basically Amazon’s quirky If you prefer Alexa, the
The answer to feeling less busy. It’s an unnecessary level of irritation when you’re trying to change a couple of settings, and we can only hope Google is going to expand the Assistant’s own controls with future updates.Duo is also the only app that makes use of a criminally under-utilised feature of the Lenovo device: the wedge. The sleek style instantly pushes it above the Echo Show and the wide support Assistant already has means you won’t be short of things to do. LENOVO 7" Smart Display with Google Assistant - Grey, Grey
It multitasks well, responds … Trusted Reviews may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase through links on our site. The latter is particularly noteworthy - the button physically blocks the camera shutter, so the privacy-conscious can guarantee that the camera can’t be hacked to record them.If you want to set content restrictions for your kids or Downtime periods when they can’t use the display, that’s all through the Home app. dipos I 2x Screen Protector compatible with Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab 10.1 YT-X705F Flexible Glass 9H Display Protection Lack of support for the vertical orientation and the frustratingly stripped back touchscreen controls are undeniably annoying, and highlight the occasional failings of the voice controls.That’s just one of a number of oddities about integration between the Smart Display and the accompanying Google Home app.Lenovo Smart Display review: Bigger screen, bigger sound Ultimately, the irritations here are mostly on Google’s side, and mostly software - so we hope they might improve over time anyway. Nothing too surprising there, but remember for a device like this you’ll likely never give a second thought to the internals. He was features editor but his expertise on mobile phones and tablets meant he transitioned to the role of mobile, wearables and tab… The Google Assistant powered smart screen is on paper a key rival to Amazon’s Alexa-powered Echo Show that should make it quick and easy to check recipes, control your smart home and generally browse the web using a single-pane-of-glass interface. Lenovo’s latest smart display is specifically designed to operate as an alarm clock.
Just say “Hey Google” and you’ll see. Lenovo Smart Display 7 Inch With Google Assistant While you can touch the screen to navigate the UI, it’s clear you’re meant to use your voice. One particularly neat hardware addition is the small cover that slides over the 720p front-facing camera when it’s not in use. Lenovo’s Google smart display was all the rage at CES 2018, and for good reason. It’s interesting to note that rather than running the version of Android you’d be used to seeing on a phone, the Smart Display runs Android Things. The same is true for notification controls, settings for Duo and YouTube, speaker pairing, and more.The Home app is increasingly cluttered and difficult to use, making matters worse, whereas it would seem easy to build a stripped back UI for the display itself. Weight is unlikely to matter much for a device you’re not expected to move very much, but they weigh 1kg (2.2lbs) and 1.2kg (2.6lbs) respectively.Still, if you’re a serious audiophile you can always pair it to a better speaker set over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi through the Google Home app. There’s also support for services like Nest and you can make video calls through Duo. One thing you can’t do - to our surprise - is add it to a speaker group within the Home app though, so you can’t use it as part of an existing multi-room audio setup through Google Home.The Lenovo Smart Display is a strong start for Google’s smart display ecosystem, and probably a better option than the Google Home Hub for most users - if only for the integration of a camera for video calling.While both models are white on the front, the 8in comes with a muted grey on the rear while the larger device (pictured) comes with a bamboo finish instead.