‘Telly’ is a free dual-screen TV powered by ads, includes free Android TV dongle

Ben Schoon | May 15 2023 - 12:00 pm PT

For many, TV has once again become free on the back of ad-supported services and, now, one brand is hoping to take that a step further. “Telly,” a product from the co-founder of Pluto TV, is a dual-screen TV that is completely free because it shows you ads constantly.

“Telly” is a 4K HDR television that has a 55-inch display, a built-in webcam (with privacy shutter), and a built-in soundbar. It’s really a complete home theater in one, and it’s all “sold” for free. The device is subsidized entirely on the back of advertising that appears not just during breaks in programming, but constantly on a smaller secondary display that’s found underneath the soundbar.

That secondary display’s primary purpose is showing ads, but that’s not all it does. The majority of the screen real estate is actually covered in widgets that can do things such as showing the weather, stocks, sports scores, and more. It can even interact with the content on screen, such as showing Fantasy Football. There’s also a voice assistant baked in for controlling the whole system. “Telly” will also be able to use its built-in webcam for Zoom video calls (using the second display to show controls and participants), and use the second display and built-in camera for some interactive games.

The device was first reported on by Janko Roettgers earlier this month, who further described that the second screen is “the height of a phone” and that the TV may require a smartphone app for setup and full functionality.

All in all, it’s a fascinating pitch for more reasons than one, but what might be most intriguing is just the simple fact that the TV itself is free.

In an interview with The Verge, Telly’s Ilya Pozin explains that Telly isn’t exactly a smart TV. TellyOS supports streaming live TV, but not third-party apps like Netflix or Disney+. To fill that gap, each unit ships with a free 4K Android TV streaming dongle in the box. You can also plug in streamers from Roku, Amazon, and more via the three HDMI inputs. But, all the time, you’ll still see ads on that secondary display. It’s unclear what the base of TellyOS is.

And, notably, you can’t just opt out of ads or data collection. If you do turn off data collection, you’ll be on the hook for the price of the Telly, which is apparently a mere $500, or just return the TV to Telly.

You can reserve a “Telly” unit today from the company’s website by leaving your name, email, and phone number. Shipping begins sometime in Summer 2023.