#IFA2017, #ShowStoppersIFA – The Lenovo assistant is a specialized speaker that was created to turn Lenovo’s Tab 4 tablets (8 and 10 inches) into an always-on voice assistant powered by Amazon’s Alexa. At first, the idea may seem strange at first, but a full-on Amazon Echo costs $179.99, and the Echo Dot sells for $44.99, Lenovo would provide something in-between with better speaker performance for a price of $69.99.
Obviously, you need a tablet, but it is assumed that you are not buying one just to build a voice assistant. Since most people use their tablets at home, the Home Assistant Pack also serves as a charging station and a stand. In many cases, it’s not hard to imagine how having a speaker/stand could be useful in a room or living-room setting.
The speaker is not intelligent, and the tablet will do all the voice assistance heavy lifting, thanks to Amazon’s Alexa. It is also light (300 grams) and can be easily moved or transported. Although the most likely usage is to be at a fixed position.
The Lenovo Home Assistant Pack can take and process command exactly like an Amazon Echo or Echo Dot would. Lenovo has a Lenovo Kid’s Account feature that adds a layer of security and parental controls. The Kids feature also come with additional protection for the device and some colorful stickers to make things fun.
Teens and Adults also get a Lenovo Home Assistant Pack extension in the form of a (Bluetooth) keyboard that also doubles as a protective sleeve and a stand. In productivity mode, Lenovo has added special software in the shape of a taskbar and windows. Those features were introduced with the Lenovo Yoga Book, a tiny Android clamshell tablet.
In the end, if you already have a Tab 4 tablet, or are committed to have one, this could be an attractive option which gives you Echo-like features, while serving other purposes as well.
Filed in . Read more about Amazon Alexa, IFA, IFA 2017, Lenovo and Voice Assistant.