Google surprised everyone at CES last January when it announced partnerships with various companies, including computer builder Lenovo and home-audio stalwart JBL, to build Google Assistant-powered smart speakers with touchscreens. Lenovo, a company with no real experience building home audio gear, came to market first with the Lenovo Smart Display (we reviewed the 10-inch model and liked it--a lot). The JBL Link View is even better--at least from an audio perspective. The JBL Link View competes more directly with the 8-inch Lenovo Smart Display, which Lenovo was kind enough to loan for a look-see. It should come as no surprise that the biggest difference between the two speakers is that JBL provides true stereo drivers and a 5-inch, rear-mounted passive radiator that pumps the bass even when the speaker isn't placed against a wall (the better to bounce sound back toward you).

Another Google Assistant-powered smart display is on the way, as JBL has now made its Link View available for preorder. First announced at CES earlier this year, the JBL Link View follows the release of Lenovo's Google Assistant-powered Smart Display -- you can check out our review here. The JBL Link View has an eight-inch display and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. The display is also splash proof and comes with two front-facing 10W speakers, a rear-facing passive radiator for deeper bass and 24-bit HD audio streaming, resulting in JBL's "legendary sound," as the company puts it. A number of companies showed off their Echo Show and Echo Spot competitors during CES this year.

While Amazon might have been the first to come to market with a smart display -- the Echo Show and the Echo Spot, respectively -- it's now no longer the only ones. At this year's CES, Google is announcing a slew of smart displays from several companies, and one of them is the JBL Link View from Harman International. Think of it as a Google Home, but with a touch screen. Measuring 13 by 5.9 by 3.9 inches, the overall Link View looks a bit like a halved football, but with a display set in the middle. That display measures 8 inches across and features a HD 1280 x 720 resolution.