Come December, Sony is set to unveil the world's first organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TV, the XEL-1, in the Japanese market. The XEL-1 features a 3-mm-thick, 11-inch wide OLED display with a resolution of 960 by 540 pixels and a contrast ratio rate of 1,000,000:1.

Sony has used its patented STE (Super Top Emission) technology for this product. You'll also find the same XMB user interface that made a major contribution to the success of both the Sony Bravia LCD television and the PlayStation 3. What I particularly like about the XEL-1 is its capability to highlight fast moving images--an absolute delight for action-movie and sports aficionados like me.

The television measures 287 by 253 by 140 mm and weighs a mere 2 kilograms. Its wide-screen display is supported by a metal arm and affixed to a base composed of an HDMI port, a satellite tuner, a USB port, and an Ethernet connection. The screen offered by the XEL-1 is thinner than those of LCD or PDP TV sets now available, which gives it wider viewing angles, faster response time, and better contrast and colors.

The news of this holiday-season launch has caused quite a stir among rival companies, who are still en route to mastering the latest OLED technology. But certain limitations might hinder Sony's market-share aspirations. Take the size of the XEL-1, for instance: At a time when large LCD and plasma TV screens are promising a theater-like experience, display screens akin to the size of a copier paper will have to do a lot more.

Also, it's been observed that OLED materials degrade over a period of time, thus limiting the life of electronic products based on such materials. It is neither feasible nor profitable to incorporate OLEDs into larger products involving heavy capital expenditure, which also explains the miniature screen size. But Sony has announced that the XEL-1 will provide 8 hours a day of exquisite television watching for 10 years. In other words, the company is promising a shelf life of approximately 30,000 hours.

Beyond doubt, the XEL-1's short lifespan may give buyers pause about the high retail price of 200,000 Japanese yen (approximately $1,740). You can get a 40-inch LCD model offering longer viewing life at nearly the same price. Regardless of these apparent disadvantages, the XEL-1 definitely falls into a league of its own, and its launch in the local market is sure to evoke a lot of interest.

Post by Rahul Prabhakar