Geekzone: technology news, blogs, forums
Guest
Welcome Guest.
You haven't logged in yet. If you don't have an account you can register now.


MurrayM

2456 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified
Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

#290185 26-Oct-2021 12:12
Send private message

I'm thinking of replacing my old radio alarm clock with a Lenovo Smart Clock but just want to confirm a few things first:

 

I like my alarm to go off at 6am and play RNZ National news. I listen for half an hour and then get up and have my shower and continue listening while I get dressed and then turn the alarm off.

 

Can the Lenovo Smart Clock start playing RNZ National when the alarm activates?
Will it continue playing until I deactivate it?

 

I did Google this and got back some conflicting answers. Some people said they could get it to play a radio station just find for the alarm, but others (usually people outside the USA) said they couldn't get it to work. I know my Google Home Mini doesn't offer me everything that users in the USA can get it to do (eg make phone calls), so was wondering this this is a similar problem where something works ok in the USA but not elsewhere. Also one search result said that alarms only work for 10 minutes and then automatically shut off, which would stop me listening to the news after 10 minutes, but then I found other people that said it'll keep playing until turned off. I figured asking NZ users may be me more valid results.

 

Thanks!


Create new topic
jonathan18
7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified
Trusted

  #2801287 26-Oct-2021 12:19
Send private message

Both my kids have one of these, having replaced Google Minis (one has the first gen clock, the other the second gen). I can have a play and see what I can find out for you.

 

We use a Google Hub as a clock radio (and only didn't get this for my kids as I don't want them watching Youtube or Netflix at night!). Personally, I'd recommend that as a much more comprehensive and easy-to use product. I saw 1-day had recon units for like $70 last week but they don't seem to be available anymore.




jonathan18
7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified
Trusted

  #2801327 26-Oct-2021 13:01
Send private message

Ok, have had a play with the gen 2; assume the gen 1 works in the same way...

 

To use a radio alarm it needs to (initially) be set verbally using GA - there's no option when setting it via the screen to use a bespoke alarm (just a range of default ones).  In this way setting up the alarm is identical to any verbal command to a GA device.

 

First up, it was somewhat fussy about what I called the station - normally 'RNZ National' works,  but it claims it doesn't know what that is, so I needed to say 'Radio New Zealand National' (to which it replies 'ok, I'll set an alarm using RNZ National'!)

 

It can be set up in one step with 'Hey Google, set an alarm using Radio New Zealand National for 6am'; or 'Set a radio alarm for 6am' and then provide the name of the station.

 

You can also specify the days you want it by adding this to the command, eg 'set an alarm using Radio New Zealand National for 6am every weekday'. (I've tried all this on a Nest Mini in the room I'm in and it all worked in the same way, so it should also on your own Mini.)

 

As for the differences when using the Smart Clock: the alarm, once set, can be edited using the screen interface - eg, turn it on/off, set days for it to repeat etc.

 

I had misremembered your question re it stopping playing - I've set one just now and will go back in 10 to see if it's still playing and will let you know. Edit: Yep, left the 'alarm' playing for about 15 minutes and it was still going strong, so it doesn't look like it has some arbitrary cut-off.

 

 

 

 


davidcole
6034 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

  #2801459 26-Oct-2021 17:40
Send private message

I use the good morning routine. And at the end get it to “play zm”. I suspect you could change the routine to use rnz news.

I think it does stop after an hour (I don’t personally use the alarm any more as the wife does at 7). But I think it does stop.




Previously known as psycik

Home Assistant: Gigabyte AMD A8 Brix, Home Assistant with Aeotech ZWave Controller, Raspberry PI, Wemos D1 Mini, Zwave, Shelly Humidity and Temperature sensors
Media:Chromecast v2, ATV4 4k, ATV4, HDHomeRun Dual
Server
Host Plex Server 3x3TB, 4x4TB using MergerFS, Samsung 850 evo 512 GB SSD, Proxmox Server with 1xW10, 2xUbuntu 22.04 LTS, Backblaze Backups, usenetprime.com fastmail.com Sharesies Trakt.TV Sharesight 




MurrayM

2456 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified
Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #2801716 27-Oct-2021 08:20
Send private message

Thanks for the replies @jonathan18 and @davidcole

 

It sounds like it will do what I want, so I'll add it to my Christmas present list (my partner is always saying that I'm so hard to buy for, so now I have to give ideas).


Blurtie
468 posts

Ultimate Geek


  #2801796 27-Oct-2021 09:49
Send private message

Just a heads up - we've got the lenovo smart clock essential (which has been giving me Wifi issues recently, but that's another story), but we found the display to be rather bright even when using the lowest setting. It got to the point where my partner would actually turn off the display at night time. 

 

In the end we swapped it out for a nest hub v2, and put the clock in the office..


jonathan18
7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified
Trusted

  #2802114 27-Oct-2021 17:18
Send private message

Blurtie:

 

Just a heads up - we've got the lenovo smart clock essential (which has been giving me Wifi issues recently, but that's another story), but we found the display to be rather bright even when using the lowest setting. It got to the point where my partner would actually turn off the display at night time. 

 

In the end we swapped it out for a nest hub v2, and put the clock in the office..

 

 

Yeah, fair point - I had assumed the OP was looking at getting a Smart Clock v 1 or 2, as opposed to the Essential; the former pair have a full colour LCD screen, as opposed to the Essential, the screen of which is pretty much like any normal clock radio. On this basis, I wouldn't assume the poor low brightness afflicts the larger units (in my experience, they go more than dim enough at nighttime, though can be a bit weird with switching out of auto brightness - or that just may be my son fiddling with his!).

 

Lenovo Smart Clock 2 - Grey | Harvey Norman New Zealandvs

 

It's worth seeing if you can view whichever model you're looking at in-person (though I wasn't able to do so), as the size of even the larger (full screen) clock is smaller than I thought. This does mean, also, if you're looking for decent, loud sound I'd suggest you look elsewhere (ideally, the Nest Hub, which as mentioned makes a fantastic clock radio plus heaps more features, with a sound loud enough to easily fill a room). That said, the sound on the second version does seem better than that on the first, as they've relocated the speakers to the front instead of the back. (So suggest going with this rather than v1, even if you're not intending to buy the wireless charging pad).

 

 

 

 


davidcole
6034 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

  #2802173 27-Oct-2021 17:32
Send private message

Mine is in the middle of those two for size. 

 

it does get quite dim in the middle of the night.  I’m very happy with it.   





Previously known as psycik

Home Assistant: Gigabyte AMD A8 Brix, Home Assistant with Aeotech ZWave Controller, Raspberry PI, Wemos D1 Mini, Zwave, Shelly Humidity and Temperature sensors
Media:Chromecast v2, ATV4 4k, ATV4, HDHomeRun Dual
Server
Host Plex Server 3x3TB, 4x4TB using MergerFS, Samsung 850 evo 512 GB SSD, Proxmox Server with 1xW10, 2xUbuntu 22.04 LTS, Backblaze Backups, usenetprime.com fastmail.com Sharesies Trakt.TV Sharesight 


 
 
 

Free kids accounts - trade shares and funds (NZ, US) with Sharesies (affiliate link).
jonathan18
7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified
Trusted

  #2802194 27-Oct-2021 18:45
Send private message

davidcole:

 

Mine is in the middle of those two for size. 

 

it does get quite dim in the middle of the night.  I’m very happy with it.   

 

 

That'll be the initial version of the Smart Clock:

 

Buy the Lenovo Smart Clock Grey with Google Assistant, 4" Touch Screen (  ZA4R0001AU ) online - PBTech.co.nz

 

Version two basically just adds additional height on its base (plus a connector) so it can sit properly on the optional wireless charging stand, but in doing so this provided the ability to shift the speaker to the front of the unit, hence (what I believe to be) the better sound. V1 is now $79 at JB vs $99 for V2 (or $129 including the charging stand).

 

Lenovo Smart Clock 2 with Wireless Charging Dock - Grey | Harvey Norman New  Zealand

 

 


davidcole
6034 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

  #2802665 28-Oct-2021 11:31
Send private message

Yeah that's the one.  It's a good size, audio quality is fine for what it is.





Previously known as psycik

Home Assistant: Gigabyte AMD A8 Brix, Home Assistant with Aeotech ZWave Controller, Raspberry PI, Wemos D1 Mini, Zwave, Shelly Humidity and Temperature sensors
Media:Chromecast v2, ATV4 4k, ATV4, HDHomeRun Dual
Server
Host Plex Server 3x3TB, 4x4TB using MergerFS, Samsung 850 evo 512 GB SSD, Proxmox Server with 1xW10, 2xUbuntu 22.04 LTS, Backblaze Backups, usenetprime.com fastmail.com Sharesies Trakt.TV Sharesight 


Create new topic





News and reviews »

Air New Zealand Starts AI adoption with OpenAI
Posted 24-Jul-2025 16:00


eero Pro 7 Review
Posted 23-Jul-2025 12:07


BeeStation Plus Review
Posted 21-Jul-2025 14:21


eero Unveils New Wi-Fi 7 Products in New Zealand
Posted 21-Jul-2025 00:01


WiZ Introduces HDMI Sync Box and other Light Devices
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:32


RedShield Enhances DDoS and Bot Attack Protection
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:26


Seagate Ships 30TB Drives
Posted 17-Jul-2025 11:24


Oclean AirPump A10 Water Flosser Review
Posted 13-Jul-2025 11:05


Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7: Raising the Bar for Smartphones
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Brings New Edge-To-Edge FlexWindow
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Epson Launches New AM-C550Z WorkForce Enterprise printer
Posted 9-Jul-2025 18:22


Samsung Releases Smart Monitor M9
Posted 9-Jul-2025 17:46


Nearly Half of Older Kiwis Still Write their Passwords on Paper
Posted 9-Jul-2025 08:42


D-Link 4G+ Cat6 Wi-Fi 6 DWR-933M Mobile Hotspot Review
Posted 1-Jul-2025 11:34


Oppo A5 Series Launches With New Levels of Durability
Posted 30-Jun-2025 10:15









Geekzone Live »

Try automatic live updates from Geekzone directly in your browser, without refreshing the page, with Geekzone Live now.



Are you subscribed to our RSS feed? You can download the latest headlines and summaries from our stories directly to your computer or smartphone by using a feed reader.