Researchers at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology present a high-tech twist on the Smell-O-Vision idea-- presenting a system that makes smells appear from any spot on an LCD display at the IEEE Virtual Reality conference, Orlando.
No, dear reader, we assure you this is not a rerun of that classic 1965 April Fool's Day prank, where BBC TV aired an interview with the alleged inventor of "Smellovision," never mind the far more recent "Google Nose" take on exactly the same joke...
Slightly more advanced than the scratch-and-sniff cards employed by John Waters in the "Odoroma" version of Polyester, the "smelling screen" developed by the Japanese team feeds odours from vaporising gel pellets into 4 air streams (one for each corner of the display). Fans blow out the air streams in parallel to the screen surface, varying strength and direction to guide smells into a particular spot on the screen.
Reportedly the airflow from the fans is gentle and accurate enough to trick viewers into thinking on-screen objects are actually creating the smells in question!
The technology handles a number of TV controls, including volume, content selection and web searches. It also includes text-to-speech functionality, allowing it to read out TV content and on-screen options. 
The BFV357 stand offers steel and tempered-glass construction, with an integrated wire management system keeping cables organised and hidden. An open design maximises airflow to equipment while providing easy access to the back of components, and adjustable feet ensure furniture is level on any surface. 
Philips TV shows off a different take on the traditional HDTV with the DesignLine-- an LCD display set behind a seamless gradient black pane of glass. 
According to the newspaper Panasonic will move away from TVs over the next 3 years in order to focus the more profitable auto part and aircraft businesses. Reportedly the company will end plasma production in Amagasaki, Japan by fiscal 2014, and has already stopped development of new plasma TV models. 
