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CES: A wealth of TV technology on display

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This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Two days ago I blogged that I had seen the best television ever.

I might already be wrong about that. Several times over.

At CES this year, new TV technologies are popping up almost as much as annoying ring tones.

Last night came what will probably be the last of the flashy debuts at the show, Mitsubishi unveiled -- amid flashing lights, smoke and girls dancing on pedestals -- its long-awaited laser television.

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It looked fantastic. But so did the production OLED set that Sony debuted. And then there were the alluring backlit LCD TVs shown by both Samsung and Sharp (for them, it was like arriving at the party and discovering someone wearing the same dress).

All the new technologies have drawbacks. The Mitsubishi’s 65-inch screen was 10 inches thick -- practically ‘Biggest Loser’ material in an age when flat panel TVs are all the rage. The backlit LCDs on display were prototypes, probably far from ready for prime time. And Sony’s OLED had only an 11-inch screen but a hefty retail price tag of $2,500.

It’s not sure which wins the picture quality sweepstakes -- that can’t be known until there is real, side-by-side viewing.

But it sure makes this a much more engaging CES than just a few years ago, when the most exciting debut of the show was a longer-lasting AA battery.

-- David Colker

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