CES 2018: Lenovo, JBL and LG show speakers with display and Google Assistant

It was worthwhile to release Amazon smart column with touch screen Echo Show, as the idea was quickly picked up by competitors. Just three companies brought to the exhibition CES 2018 similar models with a built-in Google Assistant, and it seems that this is just the beginning.

What was shown?

Lenovo introduced Smart Smart Assistant in two versions. The first - with a 10-inch Full HD-display (1920x1200 pixels) and bamboo finish on the back side, and the second received an 8-inch HD-panel (1280x800 pixels) and a gray back. To the left of the screen is a 10-watt speaker, an unusual shape of the case allows you to position the novelties in an upright position. The gadgets are based on the Qualcomm SDA 624 platform with a frequency of 1.8 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, and a built-in 4 GB. There is a dual microphone, Wi-Fi 802.11ac 2 × 2 MIMO and Bluetooth LE modules.

Google Assistant says and shows: the display can display a calendar and to-do list, weather forecast, news, Google Music music player, YouTube videos and photos from Google Photos. For video calls Google Duo in HD-quality uses a wide-angle 5-megapixel camera. The issue price is $ 250 or $ 200 depending on the version (for comparison, the Amazon Echo Show will cost $ 230). Release in the summer.

In the JBL Link View, two 10-watt speakers are located on the sides of an 8-inch touchscreen. Other features include a 5-megapixel front camera, Wi-Fi wireless modules and Bluetooth. The software part is identical to the new Lenovo, additional support for Chromecast for synchronous playback of music in several rooms. The price of the smart column is not reported, it will be announced closer to the start of sales this summer.

LG did not go into details about its assistant ThinQ WK9. It is only known that the gadget is equipped with an 8-inch display and a camera for video calls, and the audio system is developed in conjunction with Meridian Audio. The integration with Google Assistant and support for Chromecast are mentioned. The company modestly keeps silent about the price and timing of the release.

If you believe the rumors, in the future Google is going to introduce a branded column with a display.

Sources: Lenovo , JBL , LG , Android Central