A reviewer at 9to5Google says Google TV, a platform that works well on a living room television, becomes a source of frustration when it is packed into the RayNeo Pocket TV Pro, a portable device meant to pair with smart glasses.
The writer, who switched to the Google TV Streamer about a year ago after a Roku streamer failed, was eager to try the Pocket TV Pro. The device resembles a TV remote, connects to RayNeo smart glasses and supports 12-bit Dolby Vision. The plan was to use it on an upcoming flight.
Setup was simple, and within a minute the reviewer was in the Play Store installing favorite streaming apps. The trouble began when they tried to save Netflix shows for a few hours in a cramped coach seat. The download button was missing. A second show showed the same result.
The reason, the reviewer learned, is that streaming apps on the Google TV platform do not support offline downloads at all. Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO and YouTube were all affected. The reviewer wondered how such a gap could have passed testing, and the device went back in its box for more than a week until the trip was over.
The reviewer acknowledges they may have been "holding it wrong," and expects they will not be the only person to assume the device could be used on a plane. For them, the product is now of little use, since they never want to watch something alone and away from family. For others, though, it could be the product they hoped for.
One example is a sports fan whose family has taken over the main TV. A press of the "Live TV" button opens the Google FreePlay app, which carries a large amount of free live content, including many games. Because the device is a full Google TV unit, services such as Hulu, ESPN and Amazon can also be installed. Another example is a parent who wants to watch the latest Knives Out movie in private through a pair of RayNeo GT glasses while the children watch Moana on the main screen.
The hardware earns praise. The remote looks nearly identical to a Google TV streamer remote and weighs 208 grams, about the same as an average smartphone. A large circular directional pad eases navigation, and a prominent microphone button summons Gemini quickly. Battery life is about five hours on a charge.
The device has a dedicated USB-C port on the bottom for output to the glasses and a separate port for charging, so it can run from an outlet or a portable battery for longer. A microSD card slot on the side would suit people who own digital copies of films or shows, and the reviewer says it would have solved their problem had they owned any.
The software is the same as on a home Google TV, the reviewer notes, only now made private through smart glasses. The one change that would improve it, they say, is if the streaming apps that permit offline downloads on phones offered the same feature on this platform.
