By Frank Roshinski | Published April 14, 2008

Over the past few years we have gone from bulky CRT based televisions, to current day Plasma and LCD televisions measuring just five inches deep. This has been a real revolution and has allowed us to enjoy larger televisions in places never before possible.

Imagine a large, ultra-thin flat screen television that measures less than an inch deep! It is not science fiction; Plasma and LCD manufacturers are being challenged by the new arrival of Organic Light Emitting Diode technology (OLED).

Manufacturers responded to this new technology at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January of 2008. Panasonic and Pioneer showed 50 inch ultra-thin plasma, Samsung showed 40 inch ultra-thin LCD and 26 inch ultra-thin OLED, and Sony showed ultra-thin OLED TV. All of these ultra-thin monitors are expected to ship in late 2009.

One issue that still need to be worked out before this new technology takes hold, is where the tuner is housed. Because they are so thin, these new TVs will be monitors and require an outboard tuner and speakers to function like a television. The TV tuner produces a great amount of heat which prohibits it to be housed on board these thin panels. This is a problem that will probably be resolved in time.

If you like being the first to have any new gadget or technology, a number of our stores now sell the 11" Sony OLED TV, which features a 3mm (0.118 inch) thin panel!   Stop by and experience the industry's first ultra-thin OLED TV on the market!