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Let's decide which is best between the Google Home Hub and the Lenovo Smart Display.
While I'm a fan of the Lenovo Smart Display design, it's easy to see why others might not be. Michael Simon/IDGWith Google Assistant and the Lenovo Smart Display, you’ll never need to consult a cookbook again. This optional step is so that the Assistant can recognize different individuals, and deliver personalized results. Press “Yes, I’m In” on the next screen if you want to share data about the Smart Display’s performance with Google. At the top of the screen should be a card that says “1 device found.” Press Set Up in the lower right corner of the card. There are now a few choices if you’re in the market for a new Smart Display.
Check the weather
Given how heavily scheduled people can be these days, I’ll be interested to see how detailed Routines can get. The home display on the demo unit showed a personal photo as the default wallpaper, plus the time. All I had to do to get more was say “Hey Google” and ask for somethnig like the weather, traffic, or restaurant suggestions, among other choices. Google Assistant would deliver with visual icons that I could slide or touch to select. It even played a game—Google’s own “I Feel Lucky” trivia contest—in hopes it would come in handy if I felt bored or needed a break.
Use your device only in environments within the temperature range of 0°C (32°F) to 40°C (104°F) (storage -20°C (-4°F) to 60°C (140°F)) to avoid damage. The displays are rectangular with the speaker on one side. They can be oriented vertically or horizontally, although only horizontal worked during our demo. The frames are gray plastic, but the backs were finished in a light bamboo veneer that gave them a bit of warmth. Both models round out to a kickstand on one side, but are otherwise thin. On the top, you'll find a slider that mutes the microphone and volume controls.
Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)
From Google to Alexa devices, these are the best of the best smart displays on the market now. These two devices are indeed quite similar, and the big differences mainly come down to aesthetics and looks, so you can take your pick. But since the Lenovo Smart Displays seem to be hard to find, we think that if you’re looking for a smart speaker with a screen today, go for the Google Nest Hub Max. On the front on the Lenovo Smart Display there’s a large speaker grill housing the 10W full-range and dual passive radiator to direct sound out towards you. The speaker is loud, crisp, and packs plenty of bass.
I actually keep an Insignia smart speaker just a few feet away and have not had any problems with the volume or rebooting. As good as Assistant on the Lenovo Smart Display is, however, it also highlights its shortcomings. Like Google Assistant in other places, you’ll need to know exactly what you want to watch or listen to before searching, but the lack of a music or YouTube app to browse is more noticeable here. These aren’t Google Assistant-only limitations, of course, but they’re accentuated on the screen, where we’ve been trained to tap and swipe to find what we want.
What is the point of a smart display?
Don’t count the JBL Link Viewout either, if you’re after something a little more music oriented. Ask our community of deal experts a question about this deal, product, or store. Lenovo is not responsible for the performance or safety of products not manufactured or approved by Lenovo. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your Lenovo Smart Display.
But even for the common things I’ve already been using Google Assistant for, the Smart Display offers a greatly enhanced—and frankly more pleasurable—experience. Obviously, these smart displays deliver the most when they can tap into Google services, encouraging you to commit to their ecosystem. Google Maps, Google Play Music, Google Photos, and YouTube all figure prominently in the information delivered to you. And you can use Google Duo for video chats with people who also use Google Duo. The displays can also integrate into a variety of smart home systems, providing controls for devices like smart thermostats and security cameras. You can also control your smart home devices, like your smart doorbell, with an intuitively designed control panel.
Lenovo products sold in California, on or after January 1, 2007, meet the requirements of “California’s RoHS” . Lenovo products sold to the New York City government, on or after March 1, 2007, meet the requirements of the City’s environmental preferred purchasing regulations. When your device is turned on, some parts might become hot.
I would argue just $50 more for the 8-inch Lenovo Smart Display offers good value for money, but $100 more for the 10-inch model feels a little expensive. The sheer size may also make it trickier for some people to find a good home for Lenovo’s behemoth. The screen on the Smart Display doesn’t just look great, it also makes Google Assistant far more useful.
Shop your favorite products and we’ll find the best deal with a single click. When it boots up, you should see a screen asking you to download the Google Home app. If you’re looking for extra multimedia capabilities, then Lenovo Smart Display is certainly worth a look. Thanks to a recent update, Home View isn’t an exclusive selling point for the Home Hub anymore, either. Your vote will help the community find the best deals. Thanks to Community Member FairCreator6810 for finding this deal.
One other disappointing aspect of the Smart Display is its limitedChromecast support. I found it pretty annoying that I could cast YouTube and Play Movies to the unit, but not Netflix. While this is admittedly a pretty minor downside to the Smart Display, for those like me that watch content while in the kitchen, Netflix’s absence is noteworthy. This is more a Google issue than a Smart Display one, so maybe it will be fixed at some point. Andrew loves writing about cool, futuristic technology.
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