Telly TV: First Look
Telly, the British TV company, sent me a 55-inch 4K TV as part of their "free TV" campaign. Their idea is that people will accept a free TV—as long as they interact with the ads—and that the device will become a central part of our connected lives. However, calling it a TV is a bit misleading; it’s more akin to a smart display or a computer. The TV comes with a Google TV stick, features two screens, and runs what appears to be a custom version of Android. On the home screen, the software plays ads alongside a free news channel, while the HDMI input is located on the bottom screen. This bottom panel constantly displays information: an ad in one corner, with stock updates, news, and weather filling the rest of the space. News content is provided by sources like TIME, FOX (web), and CNN (web). Clicking on a headline opens the article on the top display, though it doesn’t allow full browser access—only external links provided in the ar...