![]() However, while this feature greatly improved my experience with the Nest Hub's display, it didn't do as good of a job on the Smart Clock. Like the Google Nest Hub, the Lenovo Smart Clock has an auto-brightness feature. The Echo Spot can play videos, while the Clock can't - but watching a video on such a small screen is so unappealing that I don't think this gives the Spot much of an advantage. Despite the fact that the Spot's circular face better imitates an actual clock, the rectangular display allows for more inventive clock-face designs. I also prefer its rectangular shape to the Echo Spot's circle. The Smart Clock's 400 x 800 screen delivers a sharper image than the Echo Spot's 480 x 480 display. This feature is simple, but it's something I'd actually use every night. (If you have a nighttime routine set up through Google Assistant, Google can also dim the lights in your room, tell a joke and a number of other things). Then, it plays relaxing ambient sounds, which you can pause with controls on the screen. When you say "OK, Google, good night," the Clock dims its display and asks if you want to set an alarm for the next day. What I do need my alarm clock to do is make my bedtime process easier, and here the Smart Clock excels. I don't need to ask my alarm clock to display directions or song lyrics - I can get those from other places. However, I found that none of this really bothered me. It can't send text messages or check your email. It will display the morning's headlines, but not their accompanying articles or any graphics. It will read you recipes, but won't display the instructions. When you play music, you'll see the song's title with a blurred silhouette of its album cover in the background, but no lyrics. When you ask for directions, you'll see an ETA from Google Maps, but not the full directions. Unlike the Nest Hub, the Smart Clock doesn't display the words you're saying as it hears them, though the Google Assistant icon does appear to indicate that it's listening. In fact, on the whole, the Smart Clock uses its screen far less than other smart displays do. I want my clock to display the time I don't need it to double as a photo album. But after using it for a few nights, I realized this feature wouldn't serve much of a purpose. When I started testing the Smart Clock, I thought it might be nice to be able to customize the home screen with photos of my own. Unlike the Echo Show and Nest Hub, which are constantly suggesting things I should do with them, I never got the sense that Lenovo's Smart Clock was forcing me to use it. ![]() The Clock also has a dark mode ( as everything seems to these days). Another writes out the time (e.g., "twelve thirty") in funky colors and fonts. For example, one face displays the next few hours' weather on a backdrop that matches the forecast. ![]() There are around a dozen options, many of which are standard digital or analog clock faces, and many of which are quite creative. ![]() Upgrade now and your body will thank you.Long-press on the screen, and you'll pull up an interface where you can change the screen's design. It's a game of tradeoffs, but either route is better than having your phone be your alarm clock. Google- or Alexa-compatible clocks will fully integrate into your smart home system and to do everything you'd use your phone for anyway. Models from Loftie and Hatch will help fix your sleep schedule, but they aren't necessarily smart home compatible. And that doesn't mean going back to an old-school alarm clock. But honestly, you gotta get that smartphone away from your bed. A kickass pillow isn't a bad shout, either. A white noise machine or new mattress will certainly help. So what's the solution? A beautiful bed frame can't hurt. If you use any cool wearable tech, like the new Oura Ring, it'll say just as much. But studies are starting to show a pretty clear picture that bedtime screen use is not good, maybe even bad, for your sleep quality. Falling asleep scrolling your phone? Seems bad! Am I a doctor? Nope. Well.not literally, but hearing that awful ding that's also your ringtone, rolling over and instantly checking emails, Instagram, or (worst of all) Twitter cannot be good for you.
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