Palm-Sized Color TVs Unveiled

For TV viewers who cannot miss an episode of their favorite soap operas or for sports fans on the run, three Japanese companies today unveiled new pocket-sized color television sets that will go on sale next month.

Demand for the tiny televisions is growing at 10% to 30% a year, with total annual production--almost entirely Japanese--expected to hit 2 million units by next April, industry sources said.

Casio’s new hand-held model has a 2.7-inch screen and bunches all the control switches together on the right side. It will sell for $235.

Citizen Watch’s new LCD TV has a 2.9-inch screen with a rounded design. It also doubles as an AM/FM radio. Citizen plans a retail price of $242.

Marantz Japan unveiled a “hamburger-shaped” model with a 3-inch screen that it says can be viewed easily even in outdoor light. It plans to sell it for $396.