Lenovo's new $50 smart clock keeps things stupid simple

It's been more than a year since Lenovo launched the Google-powered Smart Clock, and that little thing has been pretty well-received. The company noted in a press briefing that the device has received a 4.4-star rating around the world and that 80 percent of its users said they use it in their bedrooms. Director of global product marketing Wahid Razali said the Smart Clock is "simpler than a smart display and more useful than a small smart speaker." It's hard to imagine the clock getting any more basic than that, but Lenovo's latest offering proves it can be done (for better or worse). The company today unveiled the Smart Clock Essential, which is basically a Google smart speaker with an LED screen to show the time.