Sony Bravia outshines iPhone as most-wanted gadget this Christmas

The Sony Bravia High Definition TV has stolen the march on the Apple iPhone as the most-wanted gadget this Christmas, according to a survey of over 3,500 people conducted by consumer electronics reviews website CNET.co.uk.

Heralded by Steve Jobs as a “reinvention of the phone”, the arrival of the Apple’s iPhone has triggered huge excitement across the world with an estimated 1.05million sold in the US since the device hit the shelves in July. However, it is the 40-inch Sony Bravia high-definition LCD TV that has been named this year’s most coveted Christmas gift by the readers of CNET.co.uk.

Sony’s awarding-winning Bravia TV range has generated massive publicity recently, following the launch of “Play-doh”, Sony’s highly acclaimed Bravia advertising campaign which features 200 colourful plasticine bunnies hopping through New York. Created by a team of 40 animators who produced 100,000 still images over three weeks, the 60-second advert follows in the footsteps of previous Bravia campaigns which featured thousands of colourful balls on the streets of San Francisco and an explosion of 70,000 litres of paint in a housing estate in Glasgow.

Jason Jenkins, reviews editor of CNET.co.uk, said: “With the festive season just around the corner, competition is hotting up as vendors battle it out to produce the most desirable gadget in the crowded Christmas marketplace. Since Steve Jobs’ glitzy announcement of the iPhone in January, the hype surrounding the device has been phenomenal. But, now Sony has pipped Apple to the post in producing this year’s object of desire, with the Bravia’s bunnies giving the Bravia an extra bounce. As the iPhone hits the shops in the UK at the beginning of November, it will be fascinating to watch the battle unfold as we get closer to Christmas.”
The winners of the readers’ awards were unveiled at CNET.co.uk’s Editor’s Choice 2007 Awards. Other winners included:
1. Best social networking site - Facebook
2. Most wanted product feature - Wireless recharging
3. Most stylish product - Apple iMac
4. Most useless Facebook application - Harry Potter Spells and Charms