Telly Starts Shipping Free, Ad-Supported 4K TVs 91
Telly's free 55-inch 4K dual-screen TV sets are set to arrive at users' homes this week -- but of course, there's a catch. From a report: The start-up, which plans to ship some 500,000 free, ad-supported TVs in 2023 in the U.S., is calling the initial wave a "public beta program." The company says the new Telly households represent a diverse cross-section of the U.S. population, although the initial user base overindexes on education level and household income -- and also skews toward Gen Zers and millennials. According to Telly, more than 250,000 people have signed up to receive a free TV set, which displays an always-on, rotating ad unit on a 9-inch-high second screen situated below the main 55-inch one. Each unit also includes a free Chromecast with Google TV adapter. The bulk of the half-million TVs will go out in the fourth quarter of 2023, Telly chief strategy officer Dallas Lawrence said: "We think there's no better Black Friday deal than free."
To receive the free TV, Telly users must submit detailed demographic info (such as age, gender and address), as well as purchasing behaviors, brand preferences and viewing habits, and they must agree to let their data be used for serving targeted ads. Telly's TVs include a sensor that detects how many people are in front of the screen at any given moment. So what's the catch? Telly users must agree to several conditions under the company's terms of service. If someone doesn't abide by the TOS, Telly reserves the right to demand the TV be shipped back -- otherwise, it will charge up to $1,000 to the credit card associated with a given account. Also read: Telly, the 'Free' Smart TV With Ads, Has Privacy Policy Red Flags.
To receive the free TV, Telly users must submit detailed demographic info (such as age, gender and address), as well as purchasing behaviors, brand preferences and viewing habits, and they must agree to let their data be used for serving targeted ads. Telly's TVs include a sensor that detects how many people are in front of the screen at any given moment. So what's the catch? Telly users must agree to several conditions under the company's terms of service. If someone doesn't abide by the TOS, Telly reserves the right to demand the TV be shipped back -- otherwise, it will charge up to $1,000 to the credit card associated with a given account. Also read: Telly, the 'Free' Smart TV With Ads, Has Privacy Policy Red Flags.
Riiight (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: Riiight (Score:4, Insightful)
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Because otherwise we'd be taking their free thing and putting electrical tape over their secondary ad screen, like we do with any other annoying LED.
Free? (Score:2, Insightful)
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Often has a huge cost.
That is... that's what this entire article is about.
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Often has a huge cost.
Addicts traded their digital soul in order to continue to keep taking free hits of social media whenever they feel a need to. Anyone still advocating for any semblance of privacy are considered social extremists/terrorists now.
That "huge" cost you speak of, has been reduced considerably by those who no longer give a shit about said cost, and only care about a free price tag due to addiction.
Easy solution (Score:2)
Disable the backlight on the second screen.
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I wonder if they deliver to the EU...
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So, to spoof it, you'd need somehow to inject a dupe (or spoof) of that channel into your signal stream. You'd probably also need to spoof your ICBM address by connecting it through a VPN of some sort. All quite standard stuff.
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Or even more old school -- cover it with lots of electrical tape.
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Ah yeah, the TV-as-cabinet trend definitely needs to make a comeback.
Is this really free? (Score:2)
This sort of looks like a free rental with a $1000 deposit. What conditions trigger the $1k charge, who gets to decide, and what are the arbitration/lawsuit options? The $1k is 3x the cost of a 55-in 4k TV. I suspect that the $1k charges will be determined more by how profitable the ad revenues are in the future rather than any specific infractions. In fact, I suspect that the terms are sufficiently fuzzy that it would be impossible to technically avoid all infractions. But, if the customer doesn't hav
and any damage at all = $1000 fee even after years (Score:2)
and any damage at all = $1000 fee even after years of usage
Re:Is this really free? (Score:5, Interesting)
This sort of looks like a free rental with a $1000 deposit.
For a customer who pays with a credit card, they lose access to $1K of their credit line; but, for someone who pays with a debit card, it's worse. They lose access to $1K in their account.
This is far, far worse than the very worst pay to own plan. Think about it. For less than $300 you can walk into a Walmart and buy a competent 4K TV with no strings attached at all. The small amount of privacy invasion in modern TVs is nothing compared to this Orwellian nightmare.
For the Chef's Kiss, there are 25K idiots who already signed up for this. Guess no one ever went broke overestimating the stupidity of the American people.
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You sadly dropped a decimal place there.
Re: Is this really free? (Score:2)
Where was the decimal place? Our 55" 4k TV was about $350 and while it certainly ain't the best, it works just fine and is better than half as good as a $700 model.
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Where was the decimal place? Our 55" 4k TV was about $350 and while it certainly ain't the best, it works just fine and is better than half as good as a $700 model.
That's a race to the bottom comment if I've ever heard one. The lowest end garbage product will always be better than the factor of the cost difference from a decent product. You're right $350 isn't the best, but it very well may actually be the worst. Several notable companies don't even have products in that low category, and for any reputable brand it will be their most junk product.
May be suitable for you if the minimum requirement is just to own a TV and not actually watch it, but I would not recommend
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My last TV was a Sharp Aquos that was ~$1400 at Costco. This TV is probably half as good as that, although it has four times the pixels. But that was over a decade earlier, and that Aquos was one of the last CCFL models and it was just power hungry at best. This thing draws less than half what it did, and it's nearly as bright. The backlighting is shit, of course, but I frankly don't care. I barely watch any TV, and when I do, there's generally enough happening (especially these days) that it's irrelevant.
M
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Agreed, I can't imagine who this is for? Well actually I guess I do, people that are really bad at math and finances. However as soon as a few people fail to sign up due to NOT having 1000k for the deposit or figure out the 1000k is locked up it will probably not be attractive to that group anymore.
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Yup this is one of the saddest schemes I have seen in long time.
As you say $300 - with layaway at places like Walmart would get you a TV just as good without the BS. I don't what it takes to get $300 in credit from Walmart but my guess is you don't need a terribly good FICO score.
What this is a scheme to entice people with free, saddle them with a bunch of complex contract terms that basically nobody will comply with. Finally after they have made the $150 or so landed cost they actually have in the unit ba
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For less than $300 you can walk into a Walmart and buy a competent 4K TV with no strings attached at all.
No you don't get a competent TV for $300. You get the nastiest Chinese import brand no one has heard of, or the very bottom tier product from some reputable brands, and several brands don't even go that cheap.
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No you don't get a competent TV for $300. You get the nastiest Chinese import brand no one has heard of, or the very bottom tier product from some reputable brands, and several brands don't even go that cheap.
You think this TV will be anything but a nasty Chinese import brand no one has heard of
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You think this TV will be anything but a nasty Chinese import brand no one has heard of
Yes. The specs, support for streaming services, and information on what panel they use which was discussed heavily the first time we talked about it on Slashdot alone will put them in a category well above Chinese POS TVs.
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For less than $300 you can walk into a Walmart and buy a competent 4K TV with no strings attached at all.
No you don't get a competent TV for $300. You get the nastiest Chinese import brand no one has heard of, or the very bottom tier product from some reputable brands, and several brands don't even go that cheap.
Two years ago, I spent $279 on my TV. I'll admit that it was "last season's model" so Best Buy was clearing them out, but for $279 I got a 62" TCL 4K TV. TCL is no LG or Samsung, and I'll admit that I can see a difference against my friend's $1,600 Samsung TV he'd bought the year before...but it runs Android TV so I can do all the streaming stuff on the TV if I want, and more importantly, I didn't *have* to log into it or give it internet connectivity, and it happily shows what's plugged into HDMI 1/2/3.
A c
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I'm not sure what you're debating about. You're literally saying exactly what I'm saying, except that you're happy with Chinese pieces of shit. Good for you. I'm happy with a piece of shit car. That doesn't mean I would recommend anyone drive one.
Good 55" TVs start at around $800 Anything lower is a good recommendation for people who need something on in the background without any interest in actually watching it, or are unemployed or otherwise struggling. These cheap TVs are not nice to use, or look at.
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For a customer who pays with a credit card, they lose access to $1K of their credit line
This is America. You can be homeless and still have a $10k+ credit line. Loosing $1k is insignificant.
for someone who pays with a debit card, it's worse. They lose access to $1K in their account.
No you can't use reserve charges on debit cards, and on debit mastercards or visa debit cards they act like credit cards and you don't loose $1k from your account.
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This is America. You can be homeless and still have a $10k+ credit line. Loosing $1k is insignificant.
This is America. 63 percent of the country is living paycheck to paycheck. Losing $1000 would put a majority of the country in the poor-house.
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The $1k is 3x the cost of a 55-in 4k TV.
You must be buying some incredibly shitty TVs.
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I bought a Hisense for $300-400 on black friday. Yeah it bleeds a bit of back light towards the edges but that isn't worth an extra $600 to me. Only ever let it connect to the internet once for an update and use it exclusively as a "dumb" display.
Re: Is this really free? (Score:3)
I use a Hisense 55" that was about the same price without a discount. It's a Google TV and aside from terrible GPU performance (only relevant to gaming, which I therefore don't do on it) it is totally adequate. I even let it talk to the internets, since I actually use that functionality, I have it wired so it doesn't know my wifi password and therefore cannot report it to anyone.
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So what fails, the control board, backlight power, or main power? I won't be surprised if either of the latter things goes out. I can handle a board swap or a recap, though.
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Actually yeah I just checked Bestbuy, I wouldn't keep most of those $330 55" TVs if they were given to me for free.
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Yeah ok, elitist much?
Seriously, yes you are correct, most of the TVs are two generations old tech and marginal as that goes. Are they good for your fancy home theater room - no they are not. Are the perfectly OK in the living/family room where you probably other issues the ruin the fedelity of the experience anyway, viewing angles, light from windows, wrong screen height due to furniture considerations etc, yes they work for viewing the Nightly News, or the latest episode of "America's next top HVAC speci
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Not having looked at the prices of tellies anywhere for a number of years, that's useful. Thanks.
We have hit it Western Peak Advertiser Neediness (Score:2)
Advertisers are desperate to spend money someplace it will be effective. Ill buy your overpriced toilet paper if you provide the toilets and the share
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Putting TVs and free Internet on skid row is the only way to capture more eyeballs at this point.
Oh, now there's a rich group ripe for the advertising picking. I'd love to know the point of advertising to that audience. Tends to highlight how worthless online advertising has become.
Advertisers are desperate...
Let just stop right here to reflect the reality of it. Advertisers are desparate to find anything that remotely justifies their pre-COVID budgets and six-figure salaries, since selling marketing hype and bulllshit doesn't quite have the kick it used to, because reality.
Question (Score:2)
How much are they paying me to use my bandwidth for their ad's?
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How much are they paying me to use my bandwidth for their ad's?
Exactly the same amount you paid for that unnecessary apostrophe.
Re: Question (Score:2)
Ummm.... a free TV? That's sort of the whole point of this service.
Ad Block on My Laptop Breaks TOS? (Score:4, Interesting)
Not use any software on Your WiFi network that with advertising blocking capability.
Telly TOS: https://www.freetelly.com/term... [freetelly.com]
Am I reading that right?
Re:Ad Block on My Laptop Breaks TOS? (Score:5, Funny)
So connect your laptop with ethernet, duh.
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I'd expect that it's more about using some sort of ad-block or custom DNS on your router to block ads network wide and less "ad block on your laptop". It may be poorly worded but unless that ad block or other software on your laptop is affecting the whole of the wifi network, you'd be fine.
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You assume kindness from a company who might find some way to charge every beta tester $1000 when their business fails. Fair enough. You're probably a nice person.
I assume malice any time lawyers are involved.
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*Disclaimer: IANAL, don't actually do this. It probably won't fly in court and you do so at your own risk.
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What's the problem? That's easy to comply with and needn't limit or materially affect other clients in your home.
If I were to take this "deal" (which I won't) the Telly TV would be connected to a WiFi network with SSID TellyOnly and there would be nothing else on that network (except access to the internet - perhaps via VPN) and it wouldn't have access to the any other WiFi or wired network in my home.
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It's worse than that.
(a) Use the Product as the primary television in Your household;
(b) Keep the Product connected to WiFi and internet; and
(c) Not use any software on Your WiFi network that with advertising blocking capability.
(d) Not make physical modifications to the Product or attach peripheral devices to the Product not expressly approved by Telly. Any attempt to open the Productâ(TM)s enclosure will be deemed an unauthorized modification.
If we discover that You are not abiding by the requirements above or have disconnected the Product from an internet connection or WiFi for more than short periods each month, You will no longer be able to use the Service and You must return any Products in your possession to Telly. Failure to return Products to Telly will result in Telly charging the credit card on file. If you do abide by the Terms of Service, your credit card will not be charged.
So you have to let them spam you, and you must use it as your primary TV. They seem to imply that you have to keep the TV in standby rather than turning it off too.
It doesn't mention anything about not covering the bottom ad display with something, say your soundbar. I guess they can't detect when it's blocked, so the next version (if they survive that long) will have a camera to make sure you can see it.
Old Marketing Joke (Score:3)
"I know I am wasting half my marketing budget, but I just don't know which half."
Ads saturation is just about ubiquitous at this point. We are well down the curve of diminishing returns, and stuck in some dystopian advertising race to the bottom, and an ad-blocker arms race.
The onslaught of advertising has lead to people paying for ad-free options. But clearly that is creating headaches, as the last service we signed up for (added Hulu per wife's request) buried the ad-free tier and made it a headache to add without ending up ESPN as well. We've become so averse to ads that we feel kind of cutoff, missing out on movie releases and frankly not having a clue what shows have come out that we might want to watch. But every time we use a device without ad-blockers, or try and watch cable TV in a hotel it is just so completely awful that we retreat back to our ad-free fortress.
My hope is that maybe someday business will get better at figuring out what the real ROI on ad dollars is, and it will lead to a collapse of a lot of ad funded business models. IYes, I am that naive. One needs hope I guess.
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"I know I am wasting half my marketing budget, but I just don't know which half."
Ads saturation is just about ubiquitous at this point. We are well down the curve of diminishing returns, and stuck in some dystopian advertising race to the bottom, and an ad-blocker arms race.
We have been questioning the overall value of the marketing department ever since they started running around with fucking pom poms.
I can't help it that the marketeers were so good at their job that it took most of society several decades to realize a business write-off could have been spent on box seats and blow every year, with better results.
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The only solution for you is for marketers to know so much about you that they can target ads specifically for you. You have to completely give up any semblance of personal privacy. At that point, however, you would get the exact ads you want.
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At that point, however, you would get the exact ads you want.
So I would get zero ads? Cool!
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But every time we use a device without ad-blockers, or try and watch cable TV in a hotel it is just so completely awful that we retreat back to our ad-free fortress.
This is me when I travel. We only stream at home - and with pretty much only ad-free options (except for the very occasional ad-supported thing on Prime). When I travel for work and try to watch TV in hotels, it drives me absolutely nuts. And not even just the overall quantity and frequency of commercials but they're all just so... stupid. I'm far more likely to NOT buy something based on its advertising than to actually want to buy it.
Fine for those who don't think (Score:2)
The ability to ignore noise in the background is a remarkable skill observed in many; I remember visits to houses where the TV was on the WHOLE time, yet the people seemed to cope despite the distraction. I guess it's what you're used to...
In that context it seems unlikely to be an effective means of advertising - though perhaps I am over optimistic at the ability of most people to wholly ignore distractions. The scary thing is that it may encourage adverts that are even more distracting; the arrival of meg
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The ability to ignore noise in the background is a remarkable skill observed in many; I remember visits to houses where the TV was on the WHOLE time, yet the people seemed to cope despite the distraction. I guess it's what you're used to...
In that context it seems unlikely to be an effective means of advertising - though perhaps I am over optimistic at the ability of most people to wholly ignore distractions. The scary thing is that it may encourage adverts that are even more distracting; the arrival of mega screens on highways showing adverts has got to be a traffic hazard.
While people may be able to ignore ads, the question is are their buying habits still influenced by them. In other words, are they more likely to buy products that showed them ads, even if they don't remember the ad or it was just background noise?
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I've found myself cringing and changing brands/shops over excessive and obnoxious ads and spam. A couple bike shops started overly spamming my inbox, so I unsubscribed and no longer buy parts from them. Another shop made it too easy to have an errant click sign you up for a long term warranty on the way to checking out, I no longer shop there either (adding the warranty looks like the way forward if you . I'm likely in the minority, sadly.
I think a lot of companies see a short term uptick after a spammin
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I've found myself cringing and changing brands/shops over excessive and obnoxious ads and spam
This. I don't mind ads, sometimes I learn about new and interesting products that way. Same with email lists - so long as I have specifically opted in. If your ads (or most all spam) are intrusive or obnoxious, however, I will make a mental note to avoid that brand/vendor when I am shopping that category of merchandise.
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We stopped going to certain restaurants due to them adding TV's with sports and TV on them. I don't care a lick about sports or to read subtitles on a sitcom rerun, but it impossible to not be distracted by constant motion out of the corner of your eye. Catching yourself slack jawed staring at some baseball instant replay when your wife starts talking to you is just embarrassing and maddening.
I think many folks are far more distracted than they let on. Billboards were bad enough, but adding motion to the
Is that a feature not a bug? (Score:2)
'It seems we are collectively losing our ability to think long term and do deep work. Everything is a quick dopamine hit anymore.'
It's a scary thought to consider that our lords and masters may regard this as a good thing...
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>The ability to ignore noise in the background is a remarkable skill observed in many;
"The trash needs to go out."
"Yes, dear." [keeps reading]
there is no way in hell (Score:3)
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Yeah why do that when you can pay top dollar for a brand name TV which injects ads with much better picture quality :-)
Dual TV? (Score:3)
So the ads are in the bottom screen? How many people will place rectangular art over it that portion?
that 55 inch TV is only free if (Score:3)
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That's assuming you're too dumb to make an informed decision about goods and services you're offered.
Re: that 55 inch TV is only free if (Score:2)
Hope this fails (Score:3)
And with the ridiculously cheap price of commodity grade 37"-50" TVs, I think it will.
Makes no sense (Score:3)
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Makes plenty of sense (Score:3)
Perhaps your life circumstances have sheltered you from exposure to the poverty that affects (if we're going by the federal line) over 30 mi
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A 55 inch TV sells for like $300. Why would anyone bother with this?
Presumably this TV is better than the bottom tier utter junk you get for $300. Presumably some people actually value their eyes and thus wouldn't suffer the indignity of watching something on a $300 TV.
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Was Better the First Time (Score:1)
I originally misread the headline as:
Well, shut up and take my money! ...wait.
A bit like peeling a potato and keeping only the skins, that.
Samsung Subsidizes Already (Score:2)
Never out of beta? (Score:2)
So, if I understand this right, they are
1. collecting data on everyone that has applied to be part of the programme (and selling that data, obviously), and then
2. selecting a subset of them with enough purchasing power to receive a TV.
And this is called a "public beta".
But then what? How would they not have to repeat steps 1 and 2 in perpetuity to be able to sustain any semblance of a business model?
If they started to distribute free TV sets to just everyone, then I'd think they would be snatched up by peop
Who would be first to take it apart (Score:1)
Max Headroom predicted this (Score:2)
Free TVs for everyone, even the Blanks in the outer zones!
Brought to you in part by ZikZak Corp.
With no off swirch of course, And you get the chair if you illegally add one.
Free-PC dot com (Score:1)
I'm imagining, sad, sad commercials (Score:2)
Because the writers would think they were marketing to people who had to submit to commercials because they couldn't cough a couple of hundred bucks at Best Buy.
"Thinking if bankruptcy is right for you?"
"Thinking of suing someone?"
"Hamburger helper-helper, because sawdust is both safe and a good fiber source"
"Know what to do if you've been in accident, or even witnessed one and are suffering for 'bystander whiplash'*?"
*Stolen from SNL back when Phil Hartman was gracing it.
Seems like another test run (Score:2)
How perfectly Orwellian. (Score:2)
I hope the company doing this bankrupts itself in its cynical greed. Remember, nothing is free. If you're not paying for a product, you are the product.