Flat screen TV's, getting thinner

October 01, 2007

The future of TV is (almost) here: Sony announces first OLED model for Japan

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...ed_monitor.jpg



How thin is too thin? No such thing if you're Sony, who just announced a TV that's a mere 3 millimeters — or just 0.12 inches — thick. The secret to the XEL-1's trim figure is the quickly spreading OLED technology, which can achieve such thinner-than-a-pencil depth since it doesn't require a backlight like LCDs do. Resolution of the widescreen set is 960 x 540 pixels, and it boasts a rated (and probably somewhat fictional) 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. That articulating stand looks pretty nifty, too.

Downside 1: The screen measures just 11 inches diagonal, emphasizing the infancy of OLED technology. Downside 2: The XEL-1 will be available in Japan only (starting December 1st). Be patient, though — our gadgets Stateside always eventually catch up with Japan, even if it takes a couple of years. I'm sure you didn't want to pay $1,740 for a tiny TV, anyway. That was Downside 3, by the way. — Peter Pachal