What is the Lenovo Smart Display?

The Lenovo Smart Display combines the broad usefulness of a smart speaker with large, bright visual results that enable faster, more efficient forms of user interaction. Launched in mid-2018, the Lenovo Smart Display was the first screen-equipped smart display powered by the Google Assistant virtual assistant. It competed initially with the Amazon Echo Show and its Alexa virtual assistant, with additional Google Assistant-powered models debuting thereafter from other companies.

The Lenovo Smart Display has changed the smart display marketplace by introducing design elements more like those of a decorative accessory than a computing device, an appearance that some analysts said was limiting public adoption of earlier models. This move toward a more visually attractive design has been described as a big step toward integrating the new generation of voice-activated information/automation tools into everyday home and office settings.

Benefits of the Lenovo Smart Display

The theory behind smart displays is simple: if simply hearing responses from a smart speaker such as Google Home or Amazon Echo can be so useful, wouldn't seeing the results be even better? And quicker? Whether it's searching the web, checking traffic, or selecting a song from a playlist, most users find it easier to ingest information visually than to wait for it to be spoken to them. Likewise, with refining a list of initial search results or interacting with a map of alternate travel routes -- it's much easier to say, "Check Highway 18 instead" or "Jump to the 4th item in the list."

When it debuted, the Lenovo Smart Display was noted as boasting several advantages over existing smart speakers and some key differentiators compared to other smart displays.

Lenovo Smart Display vs. a smart speaker:

Music: View your playlist to make selections
Calling: Make video calls, not just audio ones
Search: Get visual results (how-to videos, etc.)
Calendar: See -- don't just hear -- your schedule

Lenovo Smart Display vs. other smart displays: *

Photos: Native integration with the popular Google Photos service
Video: Access to YouTube's massive video library
Calling: Native integration with Google Duo video calling

*Comparison is to smart displays that do not use Google Assistant. When it debuted, Lenovo Smart Display was the only such device to use Google Assistant.

What makes the Lenovo Smart Display different?

The Lenovo Smart Display not only introduced the powerful Google Assistant virtual agent to the smart display marketplace, it also gained attention for its distinctive dimensions and exterior appearance. The Lenovo Smart Display was intentionally designed to fit into modern family rooms, kitchens and even offices in ways that earlier, more "boxy" smart displays did not.

Design features of the Lenovo Smart Display:

Displays: 8" HD or 10" Full HD touch screens (useful when you're beside the device)
Exteriors: Bamboo or Soft Gray skins suitable for most home or office decors
Adaptability: Dual standing positions (landscape or portrait) help it fit anywhere
Privacy: Physical shutter to block camera and a visible mic mute toggle setting
Sound: Full-range speaker with two tweeters and multi-room audio support