CES NEWS: Sony's Sir Howard's still got the Blu - and a super-thin TV

"All of us are feeling blue today - it's a good feeling.”

So spoke Sony chairman Sir Howard Stringer, in triumphant mood at the company's product-packed CES press conference. And he added his especial thanks to Warner Bros for making its decision to exclusively back Blu-ray.

Sir Howard also personally presented the highlight of Sony’s new offerings - its 11in OLED TV: not just a prototype, but on sale today in US Sony Style shops.

"OLED is the next champion product,” he said, “ It symbolises both where Sony is and its direction for the future."

He also made a joke that bemused the international audience about the technology “sounding like a Viking warlord" (it's pronounced Oh-Led), but his dutiful management team laughed heartily.

But back to the remarkable TV itself - a mere 3mm thick, with no backlight and a contrast ratio of a million to one. It looks simply stunning, and with a prototype 27in model on display at the Show, it looks like the TV technology to watch (literally!).

Another TV prototype getting a lot of attention was a display using 4K technology, able to show images at four times the resolution of Full HD, or four 1080p images at once.

There was no indication of if/when this would go into production, but it's a sign that HD as we know it is merely the story so far.

Sony's Bravia Internet Video Link system, shown at last year's CES and able to stream TV over a broadband connection, received a Stateside boost with the announcement of a deal with the CBS network to provide content.

The system uses a $300 module compatible with most 2007 Bravia TVs, and the 2008 models announced at the show.

And talking of thos 2008 Bravias, the new US models feature slimline bezels, a new user interface and Sony's Digital Media Port connection.

The DM Port, first seen on the company's AV receiver and home cinema in a box systems, allows content to be watched from portable devices such as iPods and the company's Network Walkman players, as well as streamed on wi-fi networks.

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