Google Assistant has long been playing catch-up to Amazon's artificially-intelligent (AI) digital assistant Alexa. Recently, Google showcased "smart displays" featuring their AI. It works much like an Amazon Echo Show.
This new Smart Display platform is powered mostly by Google Assistant, but the company has not developed monitor hardware for the platform themselves. For now, they will rely on their partners Lenovo, LG, JBL, and Sony to produce the displays.
The displays respond to "Hey Google" and they do things that are expected from a digital assistant. Video calling, Google Photos, and Google Maps are all supported. One feature that is a leg up from the competition is its YouTube playback capabilities. It should be noted that YouTube support has been removed from Amazon Echo Show devices.
Lenovo was one of the first to manufacture these smart displays, and they come in 8-inch and 10-inch models. The 8-inch model comes with a soft matte finish, while the 10-inch version can be customized with a bamboo finish.
Both displays lack distinct Lenovo or Google branding. The only difference between the 8-inch and 10-inch version is the resolution, as the former supports high-definition (HD) while the latter is capable of Full HD.
Lenovo also included a base stand which lets users display the device either horizontally or vertically. Another neat feature is the addition of a physical webcam shutter. This is a great feature, especially for those with fears of unauthorized spying or those who just absolutely want to make sure that the camera cannot see anything.
The displays are powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 624 microprocessor. It has 2 GB of random access memory (RAM) and 4 GB of storage available. However, storage specifications do not really matter much on devices likes these, as its role is to respond to voice commands and deliver requests via its display.
