The Alarm Clock Gets a Smart Upgrade: Lenovo Smart Clock Review


We are a Google house through and through. There is a Google Home Mini in just about every room, a Chromecast on every TV and a Google Home Hub in the kitchen. We all have Android devices and are fully entrenched in the Google ecosystem. To say Google runs my life would kind of be an understatement.

One location where these smart assistants have been absent in my home is my bedroom. My husband values privacy more than just about anything, but I’m sneakily getting away with adding more and more smart devices to our home.

This is one reason I was thrilled when Lenovo announced the Smart Clock earlier this year at CES. The device does not have a camera and functions more like a Google Home Mini, however, it does have a touchscreen and can display the time, weather, play music and more just like the Google Home Hub. I was lucky enough to be sent one from Lenovo due to my participation in the Lenovo Insiders group.

Another way you can protect your privacy with the Lenovo Smart Clock is toggling off the microphone. The alarm functions, music and other features still work without needing to use the microphone. In fact, you can even program a routine like “goodnight” through your Google Home app that will automatically turn off lights and play your “going to sleep” playlist.

Since the clock goes in my bedroom, one of my favorite features is the clock’s ability to detect the ambient light and adjust the brightness on the device automatically. This allows for better sleep and a calmer bedroom environment.

The latest update for the Lenovo Smart Clock has added the more conversational abilities Google has introduced. Instead of prefacing every request with “OK Google” you can ask Google a follow-up question right away. For example, if you ask “OK Google, where is the nearest donut shop?” you can follow-up with “how do I get there?” instead of “OK Google, how do I get to the donut shop?”

The Lenovo Smart Clock is a great simple way to add some smart abilities to your room by just replacing your regular alarm clock with this smart version. Definitely check it out.


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About the author

Sarah Werle Kimmel

Sarah Werle Kimmel is a digital parenting coach and family tech expert. She has spent the last 20 years of her career working as a Microsoft Certified IT Manager supporting over 100 small businesses. During that time she started Family Tech LLC to help families understand and manage the technology in their home. She has regularly appeared as a family tech expert on local NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX news affiliates, BYUtv and Studio 5, and has been invited all over the world from tech companies like Lenovo, Verizon, Microsoft, Dell, and Samsung. Find out more on her website SarahKimmel.com

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