Part status board, part desk clock, part weather app, part art frame, part information hub. The Tidbyt is a versatile and retro-inspired smart display device that’s designed to help you rely on your phone a little less.
It allows you to show off design and photos to boost the ambiance of a space and stay on top of the information that matters like news headlines, commute details, weather updates, stock market changes, and more.
However, the Tidbyt is hardly the most innovative product of its kind. There are many handy features that it lacks that may make it unattractive to users.
For instance, the device doesn’t have speakers, an alarm feature, an AI assistant, a high-resolution screen, or a mic for voice control.
It can’t make calls, stream music, or be controlled using a touch interface. Also, the cost of the Tidbyt may put it out of reach for some users. All of these reasons necessitate a need to consider similar technologies that match or rival Tidbyt’s capabilities.
To that end, we’ve curated a list of the best Tidbyt alternatives in the market, offering lower prices, diverse aesthetic choices, extended use cases, ample customization options, improved functionality, and more.
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Quick Summary
- Tidbyt’s timeless, vintage-style design makes it a statement decor piece and brings a touch of sophistication to spaces but it falls short when it comes to functionality.
- The best alternatives to Tidbyt include Google Nest Hub, Amazon Echo Show 5, LaMetric Time, Nixie Tube Clock, and Lenovo Smart Clock.
- The Amazon Echo Show 8 is the overall best Tidbyt alternative if you’re looking for a truly smart display with a wide range of functions.
- Like Tidbyt, intuitive user interfaces and delightful user experiences are at the heart of most alternative smart display devices.
- If you want the freedom to customize and create your own detailed pixel art frames for display, the Divoom Pixoo 64 is the best art-focused alternative to consider. However, gamers will get a kick out of Time Gate’s sci-fi design.
Best Tidbyt alternatives
1. Amazon Echo Show 8
The Amazon Echo Show 8 costs less than the Tidbyt but it is packed with a lot more powerful features. For starters, it has an 8-inch screen which makes it adequate for watching videos, taking calls, or even looking up recipes while making dinner.
With a screen resolution of 1280 by 800 pixels and an auto-framing, high-resolution camera, you can expect a smoother and clearer video and browsing experience.
As long as you don’t walk too far out of view, the camera’s zoom and auto-pam functions will help keep you within the frame.
The Echo Show 8 comes with sound capabilities, so you can listen to music or podcasts from your favorite streaming apps as you go about your day.
The device’s speaker drivers combine automatic acoustic adjustments with special audio processing to make sounds richer.
The display screen can tell you the time, date, and weather forecasts for the day so you’re never caught unprepared in the middle of a rainfall or snow storm, or an usually hot day.
Fast-paced performance is one of the highlights of the Echo Show 8. The device responds quickly to commands via touch or Alexa voice command interaction. It also offers support for apps like Thread, Zigbee, and Matter for controlling your smart home.
Like the tidbits, the Echo Show 8 makes for an excellent decorative item. It can adorn your work desk, coffee table, nightstand, or kitchen countertop and add some character to the room.
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2. Lenovo Smart Clock
Although it’s primarily designed to serve as a nightstand alarm clock, the Lenovo Smart Clock does many things well.
At the beginning or end of your day, you can swipe through the screens to get information about the weather, view your calendar, or even decide what routes to use on your commute.
The Lenovo Smart Clock can suggest alarms based on your schedule for the coming day to ensure that you stay on top of all your tasks and check them off without delays. You can set multiple alarms and customize things like alarm tone, volume, snooze times, and other details for each one.
One attractive and unique feature of the Lenovo Smart Clock is the Sunrise mode. It essentially creates the illusion of the sun rising by making the display brighter gradually starting 30 minutes before your alarm is scheduled to go off.
This way, you get to ease into awake mode instead of being roused by a sudden harsh glare. Come nighttime, the clock can automatically trigger your configured bedtime routine at the press of a button.
The Lenovo Smart Clock is powered by Google Assistant so you will get the usual batch of voice control features.
When you turn it on for the first time, you’ll be guided to the Google Home app where you can choose a Wi-Fi network, set up voice recognition, and activate any other choice features.
Also, you can use this device to control other smart devices in your home and play music via Google Play Music, YouTube Music, Pandora, Deezer, or Spotify.
The audio quality won’t win any awards, but it will fill up your room with little to no distortion even when listening at the highest volume. Best of all, at $80, the Lenovo Smart Clock is less than half the price of a Tidbyt.
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3. Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
If you want a smart display that is more affordable, doesn’t have a camera, and comes with a host of useful features, Google Next Hub is one of the best Tidbyt alternatives you can get.
At 7 inches, the device is compact enough to seamlessly blend into any room and sizeable enough to comfortably view the screen from across the room. The Nest Hub has all the trappings of the Tidbyt and more including a clock and weather reports,
You can place the device on your nightstand and let its built-in motion sensors and microphones monitor your movements and breathing at night to help you measure the quality of sleep you’re getting.
Google Nest Hub comes with Google Assistant built-in, which means it functions in the same way as a Google Home Mini smart speaker.
Using voice commands, the touchscreen, or quick gestures, you can get your smart display to control other smart devices in your home.
You’ll be able to adjust the temperature of your thermostat, switch your smart lights on or off, view the live feed from your smart doorbell, or stream music from a speaker in a different room.
Google Next Hub also adapts the brightness of the display screen based on the time of day and the media on the screen, ensuring that all images look their best all the time.
Like the Tidbyt, this second-generation smart device does not feature a camera, but if you’re the kind of person who prioritizes privacy that’s more of a plus than a disadvantage.
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4. Amazon Echo Show 5
Amazon’s Echo Show 5 is a modern and functional smart display companion to have in your bedroom or office space. It’s integrated with Alexa and Matter, the smart home control platform, so you can issue voice commands to the device and enjoy fast responses.
Although the screen size is considerably small compared to the Tidbyt, the Echo Show 5 spills its weight and surpasses the Tidbyt in almost all other areas.
You can still watch videos, engage in video chats, and view important information like weather forecasts, stock updates, sports scores, to-do reminders, your calendar, and more.
The device can act as a radio, camera, alarm clock, video player, weather app, smart home remote control, and digital photo frame, all at once.
The Echo Show 5’s microphone captures your voice and correctly responds to your words even in noisy environments
Audio from the Echo Show 5’s speakers won’t travel far or fill up large areas like a living room but it can be pretty powerful in smaller spaces.
With your smart device, you can stream videos from Hulu and Prime or listen to your favorite songs via Pandora, Spotify, SiriusXM, Tidal, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
If you have Alexa-compatible smart devices like thermostats, locks, doorbells, lights, and security cameras in your home, you can also use your Echo Show 5 to manage them.
5. Divoom Pixoo 64
The Divoom Pixoo 64 brings decor and functionality together in one eye-catching device. It has a 64×64 LED display frame that can be used to create and showcase pixel art, text, or animation.
You can choose from the library of ready-made images, design one of your own with the available drawing tools, or import existing GIFs and images from other apps. Pixoo 64 is not limited in terms of the kind of information you’re allowed to display on it.
Pixoo 64 gives you the freedom to customize the display to reveal decorations, current or upcoming events, welcome messages, health tips, motivational nuggets, and more.
Like Tidbyt, you can choose to showcase the date, time, and weather exclusively or use the screen to show off your latest game performance and results.
If you’ve got financial investments, the Pixoo 64 connects to WiFi and tracks pertinent information related to stocks and cryptocurrency. So you can take action right away to boost gains or minimize losses.
Social media influencers and marketing professionals can use Pixoo 64 to monitor their social media pages and campaign performance. The LED display can also function as a lamp, adding warmth to a corner of your room, and lighting up any space you place it in.
Compared to Tidbyt, the Pixoo 64 has more hardware-focused apps and allows for easier importing of media content like gifs. Also, it supports Alexa, allowing you to unlock voice features for hand-free control.
The device has a sleek interface that’s easy to set up. While the Tidbyt can’t be hung on a wall, Divoom did well to add a detachable stand and a wall-hanging slot that you can use to switch up how and where you display the device.
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6. Nixie Tube Clock
If you’re looking for an alternative to Tidbyt that’s more decorative than functional, the Nixie Tube Clock will be a perfect addition to your home or office. This high-tech device is so aesthetically pleasing that you might find yourself spending minutes just gazing at it.
Nixie Tube Clocks come in varying designs depending on the manufacturer you purchase them from. However, they typically feature vintage colon tubes mounted on or enclosed in wooden cases.
The tubes are fitted with a built-in Real Time Clock module, allowing it to accurately tell the time even when your Nixie Clock is powered off. When plugged in, the tubes light up to fill your space with a warm glow and transform the look and feel of your interiors.
Essentially, the Nixie Tube Clock simultaneously serves as a smart clock, calendar, and lamp. You can even change the color of the tubes to create your desired atmosphere thanks to the built-in RGB backlight.
The clock also has an alarm feature and it’s very easy to control. You don’t have to link it to any apps, you can manage all its settings by tapping or rotating the knob at the base.
There are different configurations of Nixie Tube clocks that you can buy based on your budget. Some clocks feature two numeric Nixie tubes while others have four, and some variants have up to six.
7. LaMetric Time
Bring some character into your space with this stunning smart clock. LaMetric Time is designed to help you tell the time and the weather in beautiful ways that are sure to prompt comments and smiles from visitors.
You can design your own unique clock background or add personalized retro-style display messages to motivate yourself, reflect the season of the year, or add some quirky delight to the space.
LaMetric Time also has over 25,000 pixel-art clock faces to choose from to add excitement to interiors or create a certain vibe if you prefer ready-made designs.
The device’s charming weather pictogram elegantly displays the humidity and temperature for the day. So no matter where you reside or where you’re headed, you can get a sense of how to dress and what to take with you to prepare for the day ahead.
With time tracking features, LaMetric Time can help you stay focused and measure the amount of time you spend on activities like exercising, cooking, and more to improve productivity.
If you want to spend more time soaking up the magic of nature, this WiFi-connected smart clock tells you when the sun is starting to rise or set.
This way, you can always catch the golden hour or watch the sun make its presence known above the horizon or fade beyond it.
Another advantage that LaMetric Time has over Tidbyt is the availability of more third-party apps.
You can seamlessly integrate the device with your favorite tools for productivity, ecommerce, social media, audio streaming, smart home control, and team management and collaboration.
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8. Divoom Times Gate
Not everyone is a fan of Tidbyt’s minimalist wood frame and old-timey design. If you want something that looks more modern and even a tad futuristic, Divoom’s Times Gate will feel right at home on your desk, shelf, or nightstand.
The device features five full-color displays that show a digital clock by default and can be customized to include personalized GIFs, animations, and pixel art.
Times Gate is integrated with the Divoom smart assistant which is equipped to supply information like real-time weather reports, and world clock so you can accurately track time differences between cities you have an interest in.
The smart app is also capable of handling tasks and managing your to-do list. Additionally, Times Gates has smart data dials that you can use to mine insights about your game performance or social media milestones and display them for all to see.
When connected to WiFi, this pixel art display will automatically pull financial info from trusted sources, keeping you updated on changes in the prices of any stock or cryptocurrency of your choosing.
Thanks to the device’s ambient lighting and backlight combinations with over a dozen customizable effects, you can create different kinds of moods to suit any occasion and add enriching swaths of color to your room.
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Conclusion
Display devices take many forms. Some like the Tidbyt are retro-inspired, some have a modern appeal like the Google Nest Hub, while others like LaMetric Time straddle the balance between contemporary technology and vintage elegance.
At the end of the day, the best Tidbyt alternative for you will depend on what you hope to get out of the device.
If you want a truly smart display that excels at everything from video chats and streaming to calendar tracking and weather monitoring, you can’t go wrong with the Amazon Echo Show 8.
But if aesthetics matter to you more than utility, nothing beats the hypnotic glow of a Nixie Tube Clock.
