We\u2019ve seen a lot of Google Assistant powered speakers hit the market in the past few months, and even more made their debut at CES 2018. However, a new Assistant form factor entirely also mad\u2026<\/b>
\nFirst, let\u2019s get the hardware out of the way. Lenovo\u2019s Smart Display (the actual product name) is a pretty basic product when it comes to the design, but I really love it. The 8-inch or 10-inch display is flanked by a speaker grill on the left side (or bottom if you place it in portrait), and the back is either faux Bamboo or a simple grey. It\u2019s well built and little features like the physical privacy shutter are fantastic.
However, the real story here is the software. Google\u2019s latest Android Things-based OS for these displays runs the Google Assistant with a new custom interface (which is gorgeous). These displays can do anything a standard Google Home or Assistant-enabled speaker can do, but with a few added benefits.
Those benefits include being able to see and not just hear your calendar events, being able to check the weather and latest news with a visual aspect, and even being able to get directions on Maps and see traffic information. One of the biggest highlights in my opinion, though, is the ability to make calls on Google Duo, something that\u2019s just getting easier and easier.
Personally, I think these \u201csmart displays\u201d are the future of Google Assistant, and for me I don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to be worth buying anything else going forward. Speakers are great, but when you slap on this software and a display, it becomes something truly magical.
Lenovo\u2019s Smart Display will be arriving later this year starting at $199, and others will be hitting the market in the coming months\u2026<\/p>\n

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Similarity rank: 1.1<\/div>\n

Sentiment rank: 1.6<\/div>\n

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