Are you ready for laser-HDTV? Mitsubishi hopes so

You thought plasma, LCD, OLED, DLP and CRT were all the choices you had in HDTV? Not quite. Mitsubishi is adding a new color to the palette, in the form of a high-def TV that uses all laser technology. Expect to pay a large premium, though, as always, for the increase in picture quality and planet-friendliness.

LaserVue HDTV from Mitsubishi is expected to release in the next few weeks, very much in time for the holiday rush on gadgets. The difference over other high-def sets is that it uses an engine powered by laser lights, instead of standard TV lighting technology. It sounds cool, as many new fangled ideas do, but expect to feel much lighter in the wallet to get in on the newest thing.

The LaserVue set will retail for $6,999, according to published inside info. Mitsubishi promises that it offers a sharper picture, more defined colors and greater power efficiency. It will use approximately one third of the power that a similar plasma HDTV would expend, and the new fangled device should be available in many chain and big-box stores very soon.