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Get a free 4K TV … with 1 key trade-off
A startup from the co-founder of Pluto TV is giving out at least 500,000 free TVs. Yep, you heard me right. The company started shipping them in July last year and planned to send half a million sets by the end of 2023. But it’s still accepting reservations, so it’s not too late to put your name on the list. More on that later.
The 55-inch 4K models from Telly have all the bells and whistles. The only catch? You pay with your data.
One long commercial break
The TVs have 4K HDR displays (not the very best you can buy, but totally solid), a built-in five-driver soundbar and a free 4K Android streaming stick. They have a dual-screen design combining a 55-inch 4K HDR Theater Display with a second Smart Screen.
You can control it with your voice — “Hey Telly” — or through built-in motion sensors. There’s also a camera for video calls.
The kicker: About a quarter of the smaller screen under the main one shows ads. And you can’t opt out of your TV’s tracking.
How smart is too smart?
In reality, all smart TVs are tracking what we do and watch — then packaging that up to sell to advertisers.
Take Vizio. The company made $1.6 million in gross profit selling TVs in the first quarter of 2023. But they earned $73.8 million in profits on the Platform Plus business — which includes selling advertising and viewer data. Yup, Vizio TVs are just there to sell ads and data.
So, how much money is Telly bringing in with these ads? The numbers are difficult to track down, but Connected TV (CTV) advertising generated nearly $26 billion in 2023 and is expected to keep growing. Yikes! FYI, CTV ads are the ones you see on streaming platforms.
When the product is free …
You’re the product. I say this all the time. To see what Telly gets, look no further than the terms of service. I read it, so you don’t have to.
- You must always keep your TV connected to Wi-Fi, and you can’t block any ads anywhere on your network.
- They get your name, personal details, what you watch and … basically any other data they can glean from your TV habits.
How deep does this tube go?
Here’s what the founder of Telly told Fast Company. “We know where you live, what your income bracket is — obviously, it’s all anonymized — but we know what car you’re driving. We know when your lease is up. We know where you shop. We know what your favorite sports teams are, et cetera.”
Hey, at least he’s not being sneaky about it …
Want to take a byte?
To use the TV, you must download the Telly app. I didn’t read those terms and conditions, but I’m sure there’s a lot of data tracking and selling going on there, too. You have to give the guy credit for being upfront about selling your data. As for me, I’ll pass on the Telly. You can join the waitlist here.
I saw an ad on Facebook Marketplace that read: “Television for sale, $1, volume stuck on full.” I thought to myself, I can’t turn that down.
✅ I bet the TV in your house is tracking you. Here’s how to stop it on Vizio, LG, Samsung and more.
Tags: 4K, advertisements (ads), advertising, Android, camera, data, displays, Facebook, free, motion sensors, Pluto, profit, reservations, shipping, soundbar, startup, streaming stick, tracking, vizio, Wi-Fi
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