Sony launch thinnest ever TV in the UK

15:07 28 January 2009

The world's thinnest television has been launched in the UK with a big fat price tag of 3,489!

At slightly less than 1cm thick and 11 inches wide, the Sony Bravia XEL-1 is the next stage in how we will watch TV.

And the beautiful design is set to make plasma and LCD televisions a thing of the past.

It uses OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology that harnesses organic molecules to produce light.

This means that unlike LCDs, which are often backlit with a fluorescent tube behind the screen, the Bravia XEL-1 is only illuminated by light-emitting diodes allowing the viewer to see the image projection in the same way.

Adrian Northover-Smith of Sony said: "It is incredibly thin - the thinnest on the market. This telly has a wow factor."

But with its whopping price is this small-sized TV really worth the purchase?

The features

It comes in two parts, the screen and a wireless transmitter that can be moved out of sight.

It offers the crispest, most colourful pictures ever.

Being of such a lightweight it is easily portable.

The contrast ratio is 1 million to one compared to a good LCD TV which is around 30,000 to one.

Using OLED technology, the set is energy efficient consuming up to 40% less power than conventional 20-inch LCD panels.

Despite the small size and high price, Jonathan White, head of televisions for Sony UK insisted there had been lots of interest in the machines.

He said: "It is the sort of product that people who have to have the latest technology will be interested in. At this very top end of the market, these sort of products are almost recession proof."

Where can I get one?

The XEL is going on sale in Sony shops this week, and in mainstream shops, such as John Lewis and Currys, in March 2009.