Previous iterations relied on Google Assistant
Lenovo’s smart clocks are among our favorite bedside companions when it comes to good ol’ alarm clocks and smart speakers in one device, and during CES 2022, the company has announced another member of the family. The Lenovo Smart Clock Essential with Alexa Built-in, as it’s officially called, is a diversion from the tested formula as it relies on Amazon’s voice assistant rather than Google’s, but if that’s your jam, it could be the perfect bedside alarm clock.
The Smart Clock Essential with Alexa is bigger than its Assistant counterpart, with a design more in line with the Lenovo Smart Clock 2. Like the rest of the lineup, it comes with a soft touch fabric exterior that makes it feel a little less like a cold gadget. It’s available in blue and red. The front is dominated by the LED display that shows you the time, date, alarm status, and a few more key details, and the back exhibits a mute switch next to the power plug. At the top, you’ll find buttons for volume and alarm control. Supposedly, there’s also a full-size USB port hidden somewhere for charging your phone, though we haven’t spotted it in the product imagery just yet.
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On the smart speaker side of things, the clock supports almost anything that an Amazon Echo device does. Lenovo pitches the Smart Clock as a particularly great device for enjoying music and podcasts thanks to its 3W full-range speaker.
To add a more playful side to the dull and depressing function of an alarm clock, Lenovo is also gearing up to sell an Ambient Light Dock with the Smart Clock. It’s a base that you put underneath the alarm clock, and it’s able to provide ambient light with a total of eight colorful modes, which can be cycled through by tapping the top of the clock or by talking to Alexa. The design is definitely geared towards a young audience, though, with the squid-like version pictured at the top of this article and the sea lion-like base below.
The Smart Clock Essential with Alexa also appears to be compatible with the Smart Clock 2’s wireless charging dock, allowing you to just drop your phone next to it to have it charge overnight. It sure looks like Lenovo is happy with the success of its smart alarm clocks and wants to turn the disjointed devices into an ecosystem of compatible devices.
The Smart Clock Essential with Alexa Built-in is available starting this month from $59.99. The Ambient Light Dock should hit the US in Q1 2022 and will go for $29.99. The wireless charging dock is already for sale in combination with the Smart Clock 2.
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