Lenovo's Smart Home Essentials Are An IoT Starter For Smart Displays
Lenovo's Smart Display works with any connected home tech the Google Assistant supports, but now it's getting into the action with a range of Smart Home Essentials. The new line-up of accessories kicks off with three products, all of which will work with the Lenovo Smart Display as a hub.
The Lenovo Smart Bulb is a white 9W LED bulb with a standard A19 screw fitting. It puts out 800 lumens – the equivalent of a 60W incandescent bulb – with a 2,700 to 6500 K color temperature. That can be controlled remotely, along with the brightness.
You'll be able to operate the Smart Bulb both from the Smart Display – either by touch or by voice – or through Lenovo's Link app on an iOS or Android device. That'll include features like timed delays, and the ability to group multiple bulbs together and control them simultaneously. It's rated for more than 15,000 hours of use.
Then there's the Lenovo Smart Plug. That's a small adapter which plugs in-between an appliance like a lamp or fan, and a regular outlet. It can handle up to 1,800W and 15A, and is sufficiently compact that it won't block the adjacent outlet, either.
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Like the bulb, the Smart Plug supports remote control, voice control, and time delays. There's also a physical power button on the adapter itself, so you can control it direct without having to pull out your phone or shout to the nearest Google Assistant device. Lenovo says it'll use 0.7W in standby mode, and 1W when in operation.
Finally, there's arguably the most interesting product of the trio, the Lenovo Smart Camera. That's a 1080p security camera, which shoots 30fps video with audio. It can be triggered by motion, and has infrared LEDs for around 30-60 feet of night vision.
Notably, the robot-like body supports remotely-operated panning, for a maximum 355-degree horizontal perspective, and 120-degrees in the vertical. Video is stored in the cloud and can be watched in the Lenovo Link app; or, you can get a live view from the Smart Camera on your Smart Display.
All three IoT devices use WiFi b/g/n to connect, rather than Zigbee or Bluetooth, and Lenovo says its aim is to simplify the buying process for those new to the smart home. It should also open up more useful features: since all of the devices are managed through the same account, you could feasibly have a feed from the camera automatically show on the display when a person is spotted.
The company isn't talking about future products, but we'd be surprised if the Smart Home Essentials range ended at just three. The Lenovo Smart Bulb and Lenovo Smart Plug will got on sale in November, priced at $29.99 apiece. As for the Lenovo Smart Camera, that will follow on in Q1 2019, priced at $99.99.
