![\"lenovo](\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/11\/lenovo-smart-display-796x428.jpeg\")
Unsurprisingly, it\u2019s a smart display. It has a screen (obviously), Google Assistant, and Chromecast streaming support. This means you can not only control it with your voice and get it to show you useful shit, it also acts as a media hub if you so desire.<\/p>\n
On top of that, it has physical buttons for you to turn off the camera and microphone \u2014 making me feel far less weird about it being in my home. And that, friends, is the Lenovo Smart Display in a nutshell.<\/p>\n
Now comes the part about why I\u2019m pouring one out for this lifeless rectangle of metal and plastic.<\/p>\n
Over the past two years, the Lenovo Smart Display has become an integral part of my household. I have an open plan living space, meaning the kitchen and lounge area are connected \u2014 and this gadget has sat in the middle of it.<\/p>\n
In that time it\u2019s become an incredibly useful companion. I use, sorry, used <\/em>it for checking the weather, setting timers, and answering questions. So much so that during the course of writing this piece, I\u2019ve glanced over at where it used to be multiple times and even started asking it to begin a countdown timer for my cup of tea.<\/p>\n Before the smart display, I was suspicious of voice-activated assistants. Now it\u2019s gone, it\u2019s like missing a limb.<\/p>\n That element of it I think I could get used to. But there\u2019s something else I\u2019m struggling to let go of: the photography frame feature. The Lenovo Smart Display has Google Photos support, meaning you can set an album (or your entire library if you\u2019re a psychopath) to be displayed on the frame.<\/p>\n And this has been revolutionary.<\/p>\n Until I owned the smart display, thousands upon thousands of my photos just sat on my phone. I rarely looked at them, they simply existed. But the Lenovo Smart Display brought them to life. Each day, some of those pictures would bring a smile to my face.<\/p>\n So yeah, that\u2019s why I\u2019m sad the Lenovo Smart Display broke.<\/p>\n To conclude this piece, there\u2019s one more question: what\u2019s next? Well, to be honest, I\u2019m not sure. Lenovo has released the new Smart Display 7<\/a>, while the Google Nest Hub<\/a> is also a fine piece of technology. And then there\u2019s always the option of switching to Alexa and the upcoming Echo Show 10<\/a>.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll make the decision about what\u2019s next soon, but until then? Well, you can find me mourning for my original Lenovo Smart Display. May god have mercy on your soul.<\/p>\n For more gear, gadget, and hardware news and reviews, follow Plugged on Twitter<\/a> and Flipboard<\/a>. <\/i><\/p>\n Published November 17, 2020 \u2014 10:06 UTC <\/p>\n