In the US, you can now sign up to be one of the first to loan a free 55-inch 4K LCD TV with an integrated soundbar, camera and second screen. But you should first read the terms.

As reported earlier this month, the co-founder of Pluto TV has been working on free TV with ads. It is called Telly and here it is.


 The 55-inch Telly with a dual screen. Photo: Telly

A dual-screen TV
As you can see, Telly has an extra screen under the main screen. This is where all of those ads go as well as widgets to show the weather, music player, and more.

- "Telly is poised to not only disrupt the industry by delivering the most innovative TV in the market, but to revolutionize the industry's business model by enabling advertisers to fully subsidize the cost of the TV itself for the consumer, and deliver it completely for free," the company proclaimed.

Telly is powered by TellyOS, designed for dual screens. You can watch anything on the TV including cable, satellite and streaming, and connect game consoles or media boxes such as Apple TV or Nvidia Shield via HDMI.



It is a 55-inch LCD panel that supports HDR in software, but is unlikely to have the hardware to make possible HDR pictures. It also has an integrated soundbar with 5 drivers, a microphone for "Hey Telly" voice control, a built-in HD camera for video calling, fitness and interactive gaming (40+ games), and a motion sensor that enables it to wake up.

It comes bundled with a 4K streaming stick (Android) for apps and a built-in tuner for OTA channels. There are 3 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, WiFi and Bluetooth. It will get "frequent over-the-air updates".


Read the fine print
If you are considering ordering – loaning – Telly you should first read the fine print. And be prepared to actually look at the ads on that second screen.

- "We may collect information about the audio and video content you watch, the channels you view, and the duration of your viewing sessions," Telly's terms stipulate.

- "You have the right to opt-out of sharing your Viewing and Activity Data, but unfortunately, that means you will no longer have access to the Services and must return the television. If you opt out and do not return the television to Telly, Telly will charge the credit card on file. Telly is only available in the United States. Unless otherwise agreed by Telly, you may not resell the Services.‌"

The terms have since been updated to remove mention of the specific amount; $500.


Coming this summer
Telly announced that it has opened a reservation system on freetelly.com for the first 500,000 free units that will begin shipping this summer.

- "Telly is the biggest innovation in television since color," said Ilya Pozin, Founder and CEO of Telly. "Telly is a revolutionary step forward for both consumers and advertisers. For too long, consumers have not been an equal part of the advertising value exchange. Companies are making billions of dollars from ads served on televisions, yet consumers have historically had to pay for both the TV and the content they watch. All of that changes today. When I co-founded Pluto TV, we created an entirely new model that offered amazing TV content to viewers for free. Now, with Telly, we are providing the actual television for free as well."

Telly features
In the company's own words:

- Smart Screen: Telly's Smart Screen lets viewers stay up to date with the latest news, sports scores, weather, stocks and so much more. They can gather together around the biggest screen in the home to watch Sunday football and track fantasy scores while watching the game. Movie night? Telly's artificial intelligence helps deliver reviews and content recommendations, all on one device.
- Video Calling: Video calls will never be the same again as consumers can connect with friends, family and work colleagues from the biggest screen in the house. Viewers can even watch their favorite movie or sports teams together with friends and family across the county.
- Video Games: Telly's Game Room is bringing the family back together for game night, packed with more than 40 video games, from arcade classics to immersive multiplayer experiences.
- Music: Play songs from popular music services on Telly's stunning built-in five-driver sound bar.
- Voice Assistant: "Hey Telly" connects living room experiences like nothing before with an innovative AI-driven voice assistant.
- Fitness: Telly turns the family room into a fitness studio with free advanced motion-tracking fitness programs designed for every lifestyle.
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