With StandbyMe on wheels and a 27-inch smart TV, the Korean giant is aiming squarely at the lifestyle segment of the electronics market
read more…
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s LG’s StandbyME!
That’s not to say this weirdness from the Korean giant is some kind of “supergadget,” just that it came out of left field. LG Standby Me is the gadget you never knew you needed. No, only the LG ministers knew about it. And now they’ve confirmed that you will too.
But what is this strange device that doesn’t seem to fit into any existing category? StanbyME is a 27-inch battery-powered touchscreen smart TV with a wheeled pedestal. The base of the pedestal houses the battery, whose weight acts as a ballast to stabilize the entire device. Otherwise, if the screen were to rise to about 4 feet off the floor, the battery would be top-heavy with the screen and would topple over.
The screen itself is secured to a rotating mount on a metal stem that houses the cable that powers the TV from the battery in the base. The swivel mount allows you to rotate the screen in different directions, allowing you to tilt the image horizontally, vertically, or in any direction you want. The stem also has a built-in spring that allows you to adjust the height of the display by approximately 1.5 feet.
After a few weeks of use, I’m still undecided on the purpose and usefulness of this device, but it’s clear that it’s more of a lifestyle device than a technological masterpiece. As such, looks are more important than performance, and the looks and finish department seems to be excellent.
The display’s base, stalk, and frame edges are all finished in a minimalist-worthy smooth matte white, while the back of the TV has a faux cloth beige finish. It’s the same beige mom aesthetic popularized by Gen Z moms. Gen Z mothers are turning everything in their children’s rooms, toys, furniture, and even their entire wardrobes to beige to match the aesthetic of the rest of their homes, which is primarily beige. Look at this trend on Tiktok. Apparently LG did. Because that’s where LG seems to be taking inspiration for the design of this device.
Now, from a pure technical prowess standpoint, this device can’t be called next-level innovation, but that doesn’t seem to be the purpose of this device. However, since this is ostensibly a technical review column, let’s take a closer look at the specs.
If you’re looking for a high-end monitor or TV, your AED 4,299 would be better spent elsewhere. StandbyME only has his 1080p display with a standard 60Hz refresh rate. The side-firing two-channel speakers are adequate, and despite the lack of deep bass, both music and dialogue have plenty of clarity.
Wired connectivity is very limited as there is one HDMI 1.4 port and one USB-A 2.0 port on the back. Of course, considering you’ll be using Bluetooth to connect devices for playback, you won’t need more ports unless you need to connect something like a keyboard.
StandbyMe also doesn’t have a built-in camera, but strangely it comes with a clip-on phone grip to attach your phone to the device, allowing you to use your phone’s camera and microphone while mirroring your screen to the StandbyME. It will be available for use. This allows you to use the device as a display for your smartphone, display phone-based content, or carry a larger screen for video calls.
Standby Me comes with 8GB of internal memory, which can be expanded using a USB drive, but that one port will be blocked. Shortcuts to apps appear on the home screen, and our test mule included Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV, and YouTube, to name a few, as well as LG Fitness, a web browser, and several other LG proprietary apps. was included. You can stream content from your PC or phone to your device, and AirPlay 2 support makes connecting your Apple products super easy.
The battery housed in the circular base is 5,000mAh 74Wh, and is said to have a usage time of 3 hours, and I was able to watch a 2-hour movie with over 10% remaining. The 4 hour charging time is on the high side, but this wasn’t an issue for us as we kept it plugged in wherever we took it.
After all, the LG StandbyME is a lifestyle device. period. In the world of electronics, it stands out like a unicorn at a thoroughbred convention. For someone who finds comfort in being surrounded by the latest, this is an item that represents a preppy aesthetic, much like his Stanley Cup, which is extremely popular among Gen Z and Alpha generations.
However, as it is, it is pointless and the price is too high, so while I was trying it out, I suddenly wanted it. That’s the magic of LG StandbyMe.
————————————————– —-
LG StandbyME Portable Smart TV