Buying a second Lenovo Smart Display was my best purchase of 2019

Of all the gadgets and gizmos I've picked up during the year, buying a second Lenovo Smart Display was my best.

2019 was filled to the brim with new products from every major tech company. Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Google and everyone else released some super innovative stuff that people love, and a few things that people didn't love so much. A lot of these products stepped on each others toes a bit when it came to functionality, too, just like my favorite product purchase of 2019 did.

You can buy a connected display that has a built-in virtual assistant from Amazon, Facebook, or Google and its many Android ecosystem partners. They all offer the same basics and can act as tiny televisions to watch videos, be kitchen assistants, play some music, and other things. The thing that sets the Lenovo Smart Display apart is its beautiful 10-inch display and bamboo back. Yes you can buy a 7-inch model, but unless you really need to save space, don't.

I was a late adopter on this one. Lenovo and Google got things ready to roll for the 2018-2019 holiday season, but I held off because I just didn't like the idea of something like a Google Home that also had a camera on it snooping into my life. I finally gave in and the only chouce I even considered was the Lenovo because of its physcial cover that blocked the camera so I could see it wasn't able to record anything.

Since I originally picked one up later in 2018, I can see what all the fuss was about. My wife uses it in the kitchen so she can cook delicious dishes by following a recipe that's presented in a perfectly hands-off way for a chef. I've even tried using it to cook homemade chicken and waffles that turned out horribad because I can't seem to cook without charcoal or wood being involved.

The Lenovo Smart Display is so handy we bought a second one for the house, and just might be buying another.

We also use it as a digital photo frame for a shared Google Photos album that my family all contributes to, and sometimes I'll sit and watch it cycle through them while the television drones on in the background. My family lives all over the place, but having the 10-inch display filled with pictures of what's happening makes it feel like we're closer together.

Of course we use it to check daily agendas and tell us the weather, but I also tote it into the bedroom from time to time when I'm not doing so well and have to spend time in bed with my feet up. YouTube is OK on a small phone screen, tablets are heavy and a PITA to hold for very long, but the Smart Display on the stand beside me keeps me company when I'm feeling down.

There are other smart displays out there, but none look as good as Lenovo's 10-inch model. It's not hard to say that buying a second Lenovo Smart Display is the best purchase I made in 2019, because it is. And it just might be one of the best tech purchases I've ever made.

Big and beautiful

Lenovo Smart Display

$250 at Best Buy

So good i bought it twice

The 10-inch Lenovo Smart Display is big, beautiful, and filled with features that will make life better. We just had to have a second one for the house because it's so handy!

by Jerry Hildenbrand