LG Electronics has upgraded its portable hybrid flagpole TV/tablet device with the launch of the StanbyME 2 Max, introducing a larger 4K resolution display while maintaining its original quirks.
While LG hasn’t said how many of the StanbyME and StanbyME 2 TV/tablets were sold, it seems clear that the company is trying to establish the device as a novel iconic brand, similar to what Samsung managed to do with successive generations of its gallery-style TV, the Frame.
The StanbyME 2 Max is the third-generation of this weird portable TV on wheels concept, which is designed to adapt to more flexible lifestyles, where people might want to watch movies and shows in places aside from the living room.
Whereas the original StanbyME came with a 27-inch display, the StanbyME 2 Max comes with a larger pole-mounted 32-inch screen while retaining the wheels that makes the device so portable.
It also retains the battery-powered design of its predecessors, allowing it to be moved from room-to-room without having to worry about messing around with cables and finding power plugs all the time. What’s more, it’s the first in the StanbyME range to benefit from sharper, 4K pictures.
LG said its third-generation Alpha 8 AI processor sits under the hood of the StanbyME 2 Max, helping to analyze video signals to optimise the picture and audio. The chip also supports AI upscaling of lower resolution content, aided by dynamic tone mapping. The result, LG promises, is a clearer, more detailed picture with enhanced colour and contrast compared to the older StanbyMEs. These upgrades make it more of a TV than anything else, whereas the others were more distinct “second screens”.
Nonetheless, portability remains one of the core attractions for anyone considering buying the StanbyME 2 Max. The wheeled stand means it can glide around the floor, even over the carpet, with ease, and users can easily adjust the angle of the display based on whether they’re standing up or sitting down.
As with the StanbyME 2, there’s a simple one-click mechanism that allows the display to be detached from its pole, effectively transforming it into an oversized tablet with touchscreen controls -- something the original StanbyME was not able to do. There’s also a wall strap accessory that allows it to be mounted onto a wall, in the same fashion as the Frame. Other extras include a smart camera that can be clipped onto the front to enable video calls. Flexibility is the name of the game, as these features mean the StanbyME 2 Max can be used for casual watching, interactive edutainment for kids, bedside viewing, decorative art and more.
LG said the StanbyME 2 Max comes with a beefy 144-Wh battery that enables around 4.5 hours of use, and there’s a USB charger for topping it up. The battery is integrated within the display in such a way that it maintains its thinness, similar to tablet devices.
Whenever the StanbyME 2 Max is docked on its flagpole stand and plugged it, it will recharge its battery automatically and remain topped up, the company said.
As with LG’s regular TVs, it’s powered by the webOS operating system and comes with streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube and Disney+, and there are also various interactive applications for drawing, playing games and making calls.
LG said the StanbyME 2 Max is available to buy now in South Korea, priced at 1.6 million won, which works out at around £800 at the current exchange rate. It hasn’t said anything about a global launch, but we’d be surprised if it doesn’t find its way to foreign markets soon, considering that the original StanbyME and StanbyME 2 were both sold worldwide.
