万花筒 2008-09-07&09-08 最薄的液晶电视（在线收听）

Centre stage at this year's IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin is the device that has long had a central spot in people's homes.

Televisions may seem like the most familiar of technologies, but both form and function are undergoing a significant rethink.

The president of Sony Europe, Fujio NISHIDA, made a string of global announcements, among them the launch of the world's thinnest LCD TV, the ZX1, which measures 9.9 millimetres.

"Quite an impressive product. I'm sure you will believe."

Sony also unveiled a new LCD TV with 200Hz motion flow technology, to help eliminate jitter caused by fast moving action. For those want to move beyond LCD panels, organic light emitting diode TVs will soon make their European debut.

"I am pleased announce that the XEL1 will be the world first all LED TV to reach the European market, at just three millimeter deep and with over a one million to one contrast ratio, the super TV image quality and crisp natural colors need to be seen to be believed. "

Philips also has a few new concepts to freshen up its flat panel offerings which range from colorful to understated. Des Power's the television division's senior vice president of marketing.

"Consumers have told us for years that the dream is to be able to hang a flat TV on the wall, just (as) your would (hang) a painting or the picture. And today with the Philips Essence TV, that is now possible. "

LG CEO of Digital display Simon Kang says with the standard of picture quality already very high, there is a new emphasis on networking the television in new ways.

"We are moving forward another area which is the broadband TVs. We are ready to introduce that broadband TVS early next year in United States.”

But, if the idea of broadband enabled flat panel doesn't catch a fancy, Germany Siemens is launching a multimedia refrigerator. Conversions may bring technologies together but it sure makes for some odd competition.

Matt Cowan, Reuters, Berlin