Lenovo Smart Clock review: Just the perfect bedside gadget

I really didn’t understand this product when it was announced – was it a Google Smart Display? Or Was it a clock? It’s not really until you’ve used it for a few nights that you totally understand it.

And I love it.

Firstly, it’s small. Even a small Nest Hub (Google Home Hub) is a big item for your bedside table. This thing is a palm of the hand device, really surprisingly small in the scheme of things.

Secondly, it’s not a smart display – it’s a Voice Assistant Speaker with a touch-screen clock.

What that means is you have something on the bedside that resembles the good old fashioned clock radio – just the information you need, but a touch more than the old days because you’ve got the weather there too if you wanted.

There are PLENTY of clock faces – I counted 10 – to choose from, though I just ended back at a classic clock radio face every time.

Swipe across and you get access to your alarms or the weather full screen.

Swipe down for some shortcut settings to routines, swipe up for settings like brightness and volume.

It’s a stylish little thing, and the sound is pretty good too considering the size – certainly way better than a Google Home Mini if that’s the tiny speaker benchmark.

Around the back is the hard switch for disabling the microphone, as well as a USB to plug in and charge your phone.

And I haven’t even mentioned the Google Assistant. Those things thus far are just a cool touch-screen clock – when you add Google – it gets really cool.

Ask Google to set your alarm for you.

Ask Google the time when you’re in the next room without a watch, and of course Ask Google to play you some music.

At $129 it’s crazy value. Such a stylish device that’s feature rich while not being over the top.

This one will sell well for Father’s Day and Christmas – no doubt.