What you need to know
- Xiaomi this week announced a new smart display-cum-speaker-cum-alarm.
- As you'd expect of any smart speaker, it offers full support for Google Assistant.
- The Mi Smart Clock will retail for €49.99 ($60).
If you're looking for a cheap entryway to the smart home revolution, Xiaomi's Mi Smart Clock may be worth a look. The newly announced smart speaker/alarm clock/display comes in at only €49.99 ($60) but packs a 1.5-inch full frequency speaker as well as a 3.07-inch display with an 800 x 480 resolution, making it one of the best smart speaker for the price.
No need to sleep with your phone anymore!😉#MiSmartClock shows the time, provides alarm clocks and can also respond to Google Assistant voice commands, for checking the weather, playing music, controlling smart home devices, and summarizing the day's agenda. #SmartLifeMadeSimple pic.twitter.com/X7lkGuKOP3No need to sleep with your phone anymore!😉#MiSmartClock shows the time, provides alarm clocks and can also respond to Google Assistant voice commands, for checking the weather, playing music, controlling smart home devices, and summarizing the day's agenda. #SmartLifeMadeSimple pic.twitter.com/X7lkGuKOP3— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) January 10, 2021January 10, 2021
On top of that, it also supports Google Assistant with two built-in far-field microphones to ensure your conversation with the digital assistant goes as smoothly as possible.
You can also use the display on the Mi Smart Clock as a live feed for security cameras or use it as a digital photo frame. And as you'd expect from any smart display worth its money, the Mi Smart Clock is more than capable of acting as a hub for controlling all the other smart and connected gizmos around the house.
There are so many smart features on #MiSmartClock⏲ to help you, start living smart! Which one do you like best? 😍Comment below! 👇 #SmartLifeMadeSimple pic.twitter.com/CoFIis442qThere are so many smart features on #MiSmartClock⏲ to help you, start living smart! Which one do you like best? 😍Comment below! 👇 #SmartLifeMadeSimple pic.twitter.com/CoFIis442q— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) January 8, 2021January 8, 2021
In terms of specs, the smart clock packs 1GB of RAM and 4GB of storage. It offers connectivity via both 2.4GHz b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0 BLE, but perhaps most important of all, it also comes with Chromecast built-in, meaning you could stream both music and video from a smartphone to the speaker.
Though Xiaomi hasn't revealed many details about availability yet, the listed retail price is €49.99, so it's most likely going to launch in Europe first.
If you're looking for something even cheaper, though, Lenovo's Smart Clock costs just $40 and offers much of the same functionality.
Small form, big info
The small 4-inch display is just the right size for a bedside table and actionable information on its touchscreen. When asking Google Assistant for your daily schedule, weather, or connected cameras, it is all there to see. Of course, there's also playing music, alarms, and telling the time.
