Lenovo - Smart Clock Essential 4" Smart Display with Alexa - Clay Red

Works really well but some room to improve. The built in Alexa works great. Might be better if it showed full date.

Pleased with the clock overall however the speaker on this product is not the greatest if you want to listen to music from this device. I mainly wanted this for the clock and not to listen to music overall. Price was right when I purchased it so no complaints.

I love that this is integrated with Alexa, it notifies me of any updates with my Amazon purchases, I don’t even have to look at my account cause my alarm clock keeps me updated!

I’ve been using Amazon’s echo devices since the first device was introduced several years ago and have been sporting an Echo Show bedside for some time. My biggest complaint has been the screen being a bit overly bright, especially later into the evening, and also being somewhat annoyed with the various Ad’s displayed randomly throughout the day. Lenovo appears to have taken a step in the right direction with the Smart Clock, which allows you to continue using Alexa to control your smart home devices, while only providing you with the essential information you’d generally want from a clock. In the box you’ll find the smart clock, a power adapter, and the manual/warranty card. The only app required for setup is the Amazon Alexa app with Bluetooth turned on. Set up was a BREEZE, as the Alexa app immediately detected the device, displaying an info card with a picture of it, and asking if I wanted to add it to my Amazon account. The device even speaks in the familiar Alexa voice, instructing you to open the Alexa app to complete the install. There was a quick update required, with the status displayed on the device, and a brief restart. Once the update was complete, the device was immediately ready to use. The screen display is clear, with the brightness dimming after some inactivity, a day of the week indictor, simple weather icon, and a default decimal meter in the lower right hand side. Using the Amazon Alexa app, you can assign the device to a group/room, set the timezone, select weather or the decimal meter on the screen, and even customize 24/12 hour time settings. Using the wake word (default: Alexa), and you’re presented with a digital face blinking at you waiting for your command. The speaker is incredibly loud, and I found the midway volume to be the desired setting for my use. As this is the “Essential” Smart Clock, you won’t have any video capability or apps that you can use outside of those simple items located on the display. However, if you’ve been using Amazon echo to control your smart home you’ll find the voice control will continue to function as expected. I’ve had no issues controlling my lights, fans, switches, or even using the device as an intercom with my other echos. You won’t be able to view video doorbells or other camera feeds, but this “Essential” Smart Clock is just right for your bed side night stand.

--- SETUP --- The setup is quick but requires a few more steps than a normal clock. First, download the Alexa app if you don’t already have it. Make sure the app is up to date. Once updated, open the app. If the clock is plugged in, then the app will find the clock. If it isn’t plugged in, you can manually add the clock. --- FEATURES --- The key feature this clock is that it has integrated Alexa. This means that you can use your voice to ask it to check the weather, set an alarm, control other Alexa devices (like smart lights), and generally, do other things your Alexa Echo Dot can do. --- PERFORMANCE --- The performance of the clock works, in a sense. The clock display is bright and the brightness can be adjusted in the Alexa app. You can manually set alarms using the buttons on the device, though that is not user-friendly at all. The best way to set alarms is to say, “Alexa, set an alarm…” to whatever day and time you want. I use it daily to ask for the weather so I know what to expect before I leave home. One of the features I liked most was being able to stream my audiobooks. Since the alarm clock is in my bedroom, a little book-listening before bed is nice. Early in the morning, the display is large enough for me to see the time at a glance. I also liked setting reminders, such as reminding me to stop watching a TV show because I needed to refocus on work. --- EXPECTATIONS --- The one thing I don’t like is that most settings need to be changed through the Amazon Alexa app. The settings are very limited. By default, the clock is set up to show a meter for how much sound is in the room. That’s a neat feature, but mostly useless information for me. I changed that information to that of the humidity and weather instead. Additionally, this clock couldn’t recognize my WiFi 5G or 6G. It could only pick up my 2.4G. However, what I couldn’t change was the time. Being a smart clock, it should display the time from my phone, as it is using bluetooth and my home wifi network to display the time. However, the clock set itself up as one hour ahead. I was trying to see if there was a way to change the daylight savings time settings, but neither through the voice nor through the app settings was that possible. Hopefully, the clock situation will change. Additionally, saying “Alexa” to get it to do things with the voice was more a miss than a hit. I felt as if I needed to raise my voice more than usual or get closer to the device before it recognized the “Alexa” prompt. I’m used to other smart devices with voice prompts and I use them daily, but none require as much effort as this clock does for me. --- APPROVAL --- As it is, I can only recommend this product if you don’t plan on using the smart features too often. Having to change everything on the app is not a friendly experience and the voice prompt doesn’t work as well as other Alexa-friendly devices.

I should say upfront that I received the The Lenovo - Smart Clock Essential 4" Smart Display with Alexa for the purposes of providing fair and honest feedback. And, on the whole, I like it. The screen features an auto dim feature. Alexa integration works well. The built-in speakers won't blow anyone away, but they sound good for a device this side and sound good for music or alexa alerts. Setup could be a bit simpler, but as an alarm clock with Alexa built-in, the Lenovo - Smart Clock Essential has met my expectations and I'm liking it. Setup - I thought the set up was a bit more difficult than I expected it to be. Part of the problem is the reliance on the Alexa app which may make things a bit confusing. You will need to download the Alexa app from either the Apple or Google Play app store. The Alexa app detected my Smart Clock right away, connected the clock to my home wifi, and downloaded an update. But I was confused after that as to how to change the display. By default the Smart Clock Essential shows sound decibel levels instead of the weather. To change that to the weather, you have to open the Alexa app, click on the devices icon in the bottom right, then click on "all devices", then you're looking for the icon for your Lenovo Smart Clock. But, you are looking for the Lenovo Smart Clock device with the wifi signal in what appears to be a house. You aren't looking for the Lenovo Smart Clock with headphones / speakers next to it. Yeah, I made that mistake a few times. It all felt too confusing. Then, some of the adjustments in the App don't seem to stick. At night, the screen automatically adjusts to nearly totally dim. A lot of people will probably like that setting. I wanted the screen to stay a bit brighter at night. So, from the Alexa app, I adjusted the screen brightness. And the screen brightness stuck, for about five minutes until it reverted to the previous setting. Why let me make that adjustment if it isn't going to stick? Experience - Using the clock with Alexa is simple. You just say "Alexa, set an alarm for ......" Which is good, because setting an alarm with the buttons on the clock is a bit more tedious. You use the alarm clock symbol to start the process and progress through steps, but if you want to actually save your alarm, you have to press the up button to confirm at the end. That process felt a bit unintuitive. I really like the size of the device. It fits well in small spaces. The screen looks nice and the entire device has a very modern feel to it. There is no USB port for charging your phone. There are docks you can get that customize your experience a bit. For instance, Lenovo has an octopus dock that lights up and changes the "eyes" on the screen when you talk to Alexa. At this time, I'm not sure if the Smart Clock Essential is compatible with an other Lenovo Smart Clock dock. There is a MIC toggle on the back of the clock. If you don't want Alexa listening in, you can manually turn the microphone off. Conclusion - On the whole, I like it. It's an effective alarm clock and the weather indicators are a nice touch. Despite some app struggles, Alexa integration works well. I hope a software update corrects the nighttime auto dimming issues I described above. I think software setup and use could be a bit simpler, but if you use Alexa for your other devices, you're probably familiar with the Alexa app at this point.

Kicking off 2022 with simplifying my home, I want any smart items to have dual functions and hopefully that snowballs into my closets full of clothing! Jokes aside I enjoy my phone alarm but I have been wanting a clock by my nightstand that wasn't an eye sore with buttons all over and clunky looking. Then comes in the Lenovo Smart Clock in the reddish clay color which matches my pots in my living room. Set up out of the box took about a minute, when I opened my Alexa app she detected the clock, updated it, and set the time for me. You can also choose how bright you want the clock's numbers by sliding your finger on a bar in the settings app. Of course this is a speaker and the sound is pretty great for a night stand speaker. In the morning I ask Alexa to tell me the news and thus far it has worked great, the sound isn't muffled and the assistant is responsive. My favorite feature is when you ask Alexa questions the clock makes this cute face that shows she's listening to what you are prompting. The clock is perfect for your bedside, bathroom, or a small space! Oh, and this speaker definitely meets my request for multi-functions: it's a speaker, clock, smart assistant, and weather person!

This is a neat little alarm clock, and if you go into it expecting just that, you will not disappointed. It's best if you're already using Amazon Alexa devices-- don't make this your first one. It's not a full fledged Alexa device, and it barely functions as a speaker. It's also not an Echo Show, so don't expect it to show any video. What it does do, it does well. It's a clock, with alarms. It makes sound which is adequate for playing alarms and confirming voice commands. The display is easy to see, and the auto-dimming feature works well. It will not bother you at night, which is far more than can said for an Echo Show. All that said, this is not a $70 device. If you catch it on sale, it may be worth picking up. Otherwise, give it a pass. I got it on sale, and I'm happy with the price I paid, but I would not buy it at full price.