What you need to know
- Lenovo has unveiled two sizes of Smart Tabs at IFA 2019, Google Assistant displays that pull double duty as fully-functioning Android tablets.
- The Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab features a 10.1-inch screen, four-mode kickstand, and JBL Dolby Atmos speakers for $250.
- The Lenovo Smart Tab M8 comes with a smart charging station that props up the M8 for use as a Google Assistant display when not in use for $120.
- A redesigned Lenovo Smart Display 7 has a smaller footprint and more comfortable form factor for $130.
Lenovo brought a truckload of goodies to IFA this year, from laptops to desktops and beyond, but some of the more interesting home tech it brought along is the Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab and Lenovo Smart Tab M8, two Android tablets that double as Google Assistant displays when they're sitting around your house.
The Yoga Smart Tab has a built-in kickstand for propping it up (or even hanging it up) in one of four modes, a 7,000mAh battery and comes with up to 4GB RAM and up to 64GB of internal storage plus a microSD slot for expandable storage. You'll be able to press a "release button" when the tablet is inactive to swap it over from Android Tablet Mode to Google Assistant Ambient Mode, where the tablet will serve as a portable Google Assistant Display. This $250 10.1-inch model will be available this month while the other two smart display models unveiled today won't be available until October.
Stepping down from 10 inches to 8 the Smart Tab M8 doesn't have a fancy kickstand, but what it does have is a more portable form factor and a swanky smart charging station it docks into when you're not using it. Like the Yoga Smart Tab, the M8 has Dolby Atmos-tuned speakers and the ability to swap from Android Tablet Mode to Ambient Mode with Google Assistant. It might only have 2 GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, but for $120, that's an incredible value for a smart display that you can pull into bed for a lazy Saturday morning of Hulu.
The Lenovo Smart Display 7 has been redesigned from the bulkier models we saw last year, and I'm digging the raised screen that will be easier to read over the clutter on my nightstand. Like the previous models, the Smart Display 7 has a physical cover switch to disable the camera, and there's a physical microphone mute switch as well. I wish there were some color options here besides white plastic with grey speaker fabric, but at least it'll blend with most home decor. The Smart Display 7 will be available for $130 in October.
