TVa hardware startup led by Pluto TV co-founder Ilya Pozin, Announced on Monday that it will give away 500,000 of its new smart TVs for free. (Yes, we said free). However, there is a catch. Users must watch ads 24/7 while simultaneously streaming TV shows and movies.
Telly developed a dual-screen smart TV, which has a 55-inch 4K HDR screen, an integrated five-driver soundbar, and a second 9-inch screen mounted below. This second screen is where the ads appear along with widgets like weather, music playing, and sports scores, among other informative widgets like stocks. The bottom panel is illuminated at all times, even when content is playing.
However, since the additional screen is much smaller than the main screen and the ads only take up a quarter of it, it is likely that some users will train their eyes to ignore the ads altogether. For others, it may be too annoying. But hey, it’s free TV!
Also, the other trade-off is agreeing to give Telly certain data. After all, the giveaway is only possible because the device itself is financed by advertising.
“Telly is a game-changer for both consumers and advertisers,” Pozin, Telly’s founder and CEO, said in a statement. “For too long, consumers have not been an equal part of the advertising value exchange. Companies make billions of dollars from the ads that are shown on TVs, but historically consumers have had to pay as much for the TV as for the content they watch. All that changes today. When I co-founded Pluto TV, we created a whole new model that brought amazing TV content to viewers for free. Now, with Telly, we also offer real TV for free.”
Users can reserve their smart TV for free at www.freetelly.com. Telly will ship the device this summer. Telly is currently only accepting reservations in the US.
“Don’t be fooled by the free price. This is by far the most advanced television ever developed. Consumers will never look at their TV the same way again after Telly transforms the TV from a monitor on the wall into the most powerful and useful device in the home. Telly is the ultimate free update that actually gets better month after month with over-the-air updates that constantly innovate the living room experience. There has never been anything like this before,” Pozin added.
Telly’s TV has a retail value of $1,000, according to the company.
Other notable features include a video calling feature for users to chat with friends or family or watch content virtually together.
There is a built-in camera, sensors and microphone, so users can also play games and exercise. There are over 40 video games to choose from, as well as motion-tracking fitness programs. Users can use controllers, remote controls, or their own bodies to use the features.
Telly’s AI-powered voice assistant allows users to set timers, ask questions and more. For example, users can watch their favorite football game and ask “Hey Telly” to bring up their fantasy football roster, which will appear on the bottom screen.
Another way the company differs from other competitors is that it doesn’t have its own smart TV software. Telly’s TV will ship with an Android TV streaming stick, and consumers can also connect other connected devices like Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV.
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