Philips

Buy it!

Meet a massive speed freak

Two-hundred frames per second flow through Sony's top-of-the line LCD tube, the 52Z450A. The Z is short for "Zealous for Motion" because this new series is great for watching speedy sports or fast-action movies. This model features a 52-inch high-definition screen (1920 x 1080 pixels), a dynamic contrast of 80,000: 1, a "BRAVIA Engine 2" image processor and three HDMI slots. The suggested retail price is Bt134,990 - so don't pay that much.

Fast and furious competition

Philips matches the Sony's 52-inch screen with its 52PFL9703 from the range-topping 9000 series. The 52PFL9703's response time of 2 milliseconds beats the 4ms that most of its competitors offer, while its 100 Hz refresh-rate adds sharpness to fast action. Outside there's a high-definition display of 1920 x 1080, inside a Philips' Perfect Pixel HD Engine takes care of the image processing. The dynamic contrast figure is 55,000:1 and there are four HDMI slots. Philips have suggested Bt189,900, but you should be able to find it cheaper.

Eyes-free calling

Thanks to designer Bruno Fosi, the touch-screen iPhone has a handy new feature that will appeal to a lot of people, but perhaps especially the visually impaired. His Silicone Touch covers the phone's screen with bas-relief buttons that correspond to the menu items, allowing you to feel your way through all the functions. Once the idea catches Steve Jobs' attention, expect Silicone Touch to be caressing shelves in the shops.