OLED

Ultra-skinny Televisions


We seem to live in a global society that is obsessed with thinness. The thinner the better when it comes to crisps, cellphones and even people. And now our obsession with thinness has turned to the television.


Sony plans to release its new television, which is not only ultra thin but also brighter and crisper than current generation screens, in December.


This new TV screen in a mere 3mm thick and uses organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) to produce the image. OLED screens not only make it possible to have almost paper thin screens, they have a number of other benefits. OLED screens are apparently more energy efficient than LCD panels as they do not need a backlight to boost brightness. OLED screens are also brighter than LCD panels and have better contrast ratio - resulting in sharper and clearer pictures. Different organic materials produce different colours and are combined to produce a colour display


The diodes emit a brilliant white light when attached to an electricity supply and are also being developed for use as replacements to traditional light bulbs.

As great as this new technology is, it has some drawbacks. Firstly, the OLED TV has a lifespan of only about 30,000 hours of viewing - half that of Sony's LCD televisions. It is also difficult and expensive to make large screens using the technology. Sony's first OLED TV costs £850 and has an 11in display.


Sony views this new television as a sign of its returning strength as a technology innovator. Sony president Ryoji Chubachi stated at a news conference at its Tokyo headquarters, "I want this world's first OLED TV to be the symbol of the revival of Sony's technological prowess. I want this to be the flag under which we charge forward to turn the fortunes around.


Other firms are also working on OLED screens - Samsung has shown off a 40-inch TV using the technology - but Sony is the first to market.


"I don't think OLED TVs will replace LCD TVs overnight. But I do believe this is a type of technology with very high potential, something that will come after LCD TVs," said Sony executive deputy president Katsumi Ihara.


This fancy new and skinny TV goes on sale in Japan on 1 December. However there are no plans for a global launch as yet, so for those of us who live on the tip of Africa, we will probably have some time to wait before we can bring these sexy, skinny models home.