The iWorld

Sharp Corp. will shortly begin selling a new line of LCD televisions in Japan that are substantially thinner than competing sets currently on the market. Sharp's new X-series models come in 37-, 42- and 46-inch screen sizes and go on sale in Japan on March 1.

The thin TVs are being targeted at design-conscious consumers who want wall-hanging TVs. Most "thin" TVs on the market today are 10 cm thick or more, so while it's possible to hang them on a wall, the result isn't always stylish. The unit replaces the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cable that would otherwise link the tuner unit with the set so that nothing but a power cable needs to be provided to the set.