CES 2022: Lenovo's new Smart Clock ditches Google Assistant for Amazon Alexa

Lenovo had quite the show at the CES 2022. Not only did it unveil a range of new laptops, the company showed off its new smart clock. While the design and the display of the new Lenovo smart clock-cum-display-cum-speaker is the same as before, it ditches Google Assistant in favour of Amazon Alexa. That is why it is rightfully called the Lenovo Smart Clock Essential with Alexa Built-in.

Bedside gadgets have made our lives easier because they not only work as alarm clocks but also as our personal assistant that answers questions and plays music. That is because of the digital voice assistant that powers them. While there are a handful of voice assistants right now, the most popular are Google Assistant and Alexa. The latter is unequivocally regarded better when it comes to speakers, and maybe that is why Lenovo has embraced it.

Alexa will need an Amazon account to work, unlike Google Assistant, which uses a Google account that pretty much everyone has. You may need to create an Amazon account for the Lenovo Smart Clock Essential with Alexa Built-in to work. Like an Echo speaker, everything will be available on this version of Lenovo Smart Clock Essential. You can set an alarm, play music from Amazon Music and other supported music services, as well as control smart home devices with this smart clock.

In terms of specifications, the Lenovo Smart Clock Essential with Alexa Built-in has a bigger display than the Google Assistant counterpart. The fabric case is a bit more pronounced and comes in blue and red colours now. The LED display on the front is slanted. The 3W speaker inside will be loud enough for you, sitting on the bed next to it, or in a small room, but do not expect much from it. There are physical buttons for volume up/down, alarm clock, and Alexa on top of the device, while on the back, you have the microphone toggle for better privacy. Next to this toggle is the power input.

And if you still think the Lenovo Smart Clock Essential with Alexa Built-in looks boring, Lenovo is selling an Ambient Light Dock that looks like a cloud. This dock glows when you attach the clock to it and there are eight colours to lighten up your mood. You can either tap the top of the clock to change this colour or ask Alexa to do that. The Smart Clock Essential also supports the wireless charging dock of the Smart Clock 2, which allows you to charge phones by keeping them next to the clock.

The Lenovo Smart Clock Essential with Alexa Built-in costs $59.99 (roughly Rs 4,460) and will be available in the US starting this month. The Ambient Light Dock will sell separately for $29.99 (roughly Rs 2,230) in the US in the first quarter of 2022. There is no information on the India launch yet.