Top picks from Sony's CES '08 product lineup
By Juniper Foo
08/01/2008
Televisions
Wireless interface |
Music & mobility |
Digital SLR |
Televisions |
Camcorders |
Blu-ray devices
With so much going for Sony's Bravia LCD TVs, it's not surprisingly that the Japanese company announced 17 new models at CES 2008. These range from a new 19-inch model with fast response time and 178-degree viewing angle to the new Z series with thin bezels and slimmer depth in the 40- and 46-inch screen range, to the first-ever smaller size Full-HD 1080p XBR models in 32- and 37-inch screen sizes. According to Sony, most of the new models have a new 3D graphic interface as well as another interface that provides viewers the ability to acces video from portable devices such as Walkman and others.
We also saw several new 52-inch Full-HD 1080p models as part of the company's desire to reinforce its lead in sets 40 inches and above.
LCD TVs weren't the only attraction. OLED television was a highlight as an emerging technology pitting itself against SED, LCD and plasma, with Sony being first out in North American stores with the XEL-1 OLED television.
In the experimental corner, the Japanese company showcased its 4K technology on an 82-inch screen in what could eventually trickle down to mainstream usage.
| Model name |
In a nutshell |
XEL-1 Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) TV
Click for larger image |
Wow factor: An ultra-sharp display that's wafer-thin at only 3mm or just three credit cards thin.
Notable features:
• 11-inch screen
• 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio with very deep blacks, brilliant color expression and picture detail
• Wide color range surpassing other displays
• 178-degree viewing angle
• Low power consumption of 30 watts
• 960 x 540 pixels
• 287 x 253 x 140mm, 2kg
Expected: Now out in the US and Japan, no word on Asia availability
Price: US$2,500, 200,000 yen (US$1,740)
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27-inch OLED TV prototype
Click for larger image |
Wow factor: This pushes the screen size envelope with a bigger version of the XEL-1.
Notable features:
• Full HD at 1,920 x 1,080 pixels
• 10mm-thin panel
• Over 1,000,000: 1 contrast ratio
• Super Top Emission
Expected: Prototype development
Price: N.A.
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4K x 2K LCD panel
Click for larger image |
Wow factor: We're talking about 3,840 x 2,106, four times the resolution of high-definition TV.
Notable features:
• 82-inch LCD panel
• LED backlight
• Based on SXRD technology
Expected: Several years down the road
Price: N.A.
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Bravia KDL-46Z4100 flat-panel LCD HDTV
Click for larger image |
Wow factor: New Bravia series which features a new slim frame bezel and ultra-thin depth, in addition to Motionflow 120Hz frame rate technology
Notable features:
• x.v.Color and Deep Color compatible
• DLNA compliant
• 24p True Cinema input capable
• High-definition 3D graphic user interface
• 1080i input capable via HDMI (x4), component (x2) and PC input
• Bravia sync
• Digital Media Port (DMP) ready for optional accessories such as audio cradles compatible with selected Network Walkman players and iPods
Expected: Several years down the road, though hopefully sooner
Price: N.A.
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