Flat Panel Aesthetics @ CES 2010
By Bruce Tripido, Sharp USA
With each passing year of the Consumer Electronics Show, TV manufacturers up the ante on design, form factor and overall aesthetics of flat panel HDTV's. The trend has been toward thinner (depth), new materials utilized in the manufacturing process (acrylics, lucite etc.), the integration of color (they're not all just black or silver any more) and an overall pushing of the envelope to make the appearance something to brag about in your home. This year's show does not disappoint. Since we achieved high definition resolution as the everyday standard, augmenting legacy specifications and performance metrics alone is not satisfactory. Sure, the refresh rates are faster, the contrast ratios are higher and we are all adding web derived content (both streaming and static) at an exponential clip - but the product designs are more visually arresting than ever.
At Sharp, we learned a valuable lesson last year, which was that having the best image quality in the industry is only part of the equation for success. That technology needs to be housed in a thin and beautiful chassis. So for 2010 we've responded by creating not one, not two, but three world-class edge-lit series of LED backlit LCD TV's. The design direction includes a square acrylic base, a chrome "neck" and a sleek chassis with rounded corners and a "full flat" effect with the front glass running from edge to edge of the set - both vertically as well as horizontally. The TV's are a svelte 1.5 inches thin. The integration of the world's first "QUADPIXEL" four color technology into these awe-inspiring designs has us optimistic for a robust 2010.
When it comes to design, we're in good company here at CES. To be fair, their are many strong designs represented by our competition here at the show and we are collectively raising the bar each year. For consumers and tech enthusiasts who care about appearances, the suite of LCD product offerings here on the show floor has something for everyone. When you take one of these hot designs and integrate the world's first technology capable of a color palette of over a trillion colors (that's not a typo), you have a product solution that has created quite a stir here in Las Vegas. Unlike 3D (we're all showcasing it) and web connectivity (we're all showcasing it), QUADPIXEL technology is a Sharp exclusive - it cannot be found on any other manufacturer's product in 2010.
At Sharp, our slogan for this year's CES is "Hello Yellow", and perhaps we should add "housed in an elegant and svelte chassis". Check it out - the designs and this new technology from Sharp - they are collectively awe inspiring.
