LG StandbyME Go: A Huge Tablet for Picnics or a TV?
Have you ever wanted to carry around a giant tablet for, let’s say, picnics, just for the fun of it? Even just in your wildest dreams?
A dream come true, then!
LG has done it again with their LG StandbyME Go TV, which sounds and feels more like a tablet than a TV.
If the LG StandbyME, the first version on a stand, was not enough to make you wonder if Lg was making a not-so-funny joke, you are sure to laugh about this new TV.
Don’t get me wrong!
I do commend LG for their innovative thinking, but I think it was more like a shot in the dark. And they probably missed it!
Let me tell you more about the LG StandbyME Go!
What Is It Exactly?
You must have already seen what the StandbyME Go looks like. And you might have heard people talking about a big tablet of 27 inches inside a military-grade briefcase.
Although the South Korean website of LG lists the device right under the aforementioned TV section, and LG even advertises the app support for video-streaming and LG Channels for this device, it’s hard to think of it as a TV.
Why a TV?
Well, the fact that LG designed this device to have webOS software that all the LG TVs feature indicates that it must be a TV.
But unlike a real TV, this product doesn’t have a tuner! And the fact that you can access various apps using the touchscreen screams that it’s just a huge tablet.
Still, only a small TV or a computer monitor will come with a 27-inch screen, which only makes this product more confusing.
And guess what?
You can access USB-A and HDMI ports but only through its briefcase. And this fact doesn’t align with any product categories that I know of.
And then, there’s the fact that you get to pair other devices using Bluetooth 5 or Wi-Fi 5 to its screen.
Whatever it is, the specs are not impressive, to say the least.
Unique Design: The Briefcase
The most unique thing about this product is the briefcase it comes attached to. You can’t take the display out completely.
You can use its arm to pull the display out in a portrait or even a landscape orientation where you can adjust the height.
Here’s the kicker!
Unlike any monitor sleeve that is portable, this briefcase can actually protect the display remarkably well.
LG claims that they tested the device under the military standard of the MIL-STD-810H, which passed about 11 tests.
And you can even pack in the remote and charging cable of this device inside the briefcase, just like a real briefcase.
Can’t Get in the U.S. Yet
If you really want the ultimate picnic experience with a 27-inch touchscreen beside your picnic basket, I’m sorry to tell you it’s not yet available in the U.S.
According to the South Korean website of LG, the LG StandbyME Go should be available from June 7.
Not in the U.S.!
But the YooTopia website in South Korea does seem to be selling the TV to shoppers in the U.S. for $1,049.98 USD at the time.
If you’re familiar with the predecessor of this TV, which was basically a huge tablet on a stand that came with wheels, you should know that it is still available in the U.S.
So it might not be an impossible scenario where LG does decide to sell the new version to the citizens of the United States.
Conclusion
The LG StandbyME Go is a very confusing product that I find really difficult to categorize as a TV. It feels more like a giant tablet with a touchscreen and other extra features that only resemble a TV.
