Whereas once it was just a bulky device for delivering news and amusement, manufacturers had transmogrified it into a high definition, flat panel, surround sound, 16:9, 60-inch wide, micro-dimming, Internet ready, interactive electronic marvel, whose chief purpose now was to bring an approximation of the theatrical movie-going experience into our homes.
(And about time, too. Microwave popcorn had been around since 1981, so what were they waiting for? But I digress.)
Not to be outdone in the exaltation department, LG announced a 55 in. curved screen ultra-thin model at the CES in January. Like an IMAX theater screen (or Cinerama for an earlier generation), the edges of the Model 55EA9800 curve ergonomically towards the viewer to provide – wait for it! – a more immersive feeling.
Also Read: Bang & Olufsen's Massive 85 in. 3D HDTV
According to LG, the benefit of the curvature is that "the entire screen surface is equidistant from the viewer's eyes, eliminating the problem of screen-edge visual distortion and loss of detail."
Oh.
Despite the prattle, this is a pretty nifty TV. For one thing, it's remarkably svelte at just .17 inch thick. And it features thin transparent film speakers in the crystal clear stand, "providing high-quality sound without compromising the TV's beautiful design."
If this all sounds too appealing to resist, consider this: the 55EA9800 is going for $13,500.
If you are game, LG is taking pre-orders, with deliveries promised for later in the year.
