Sony unveils TVs with Google's Web-surfing system

SAN FRANCISCO: Sony's lineup of sleek televisions boasting Google's Web-surfing system will go on sale this Saturday. The debut will test how much consumers are willing to pay to combine access to the entire Internet with their regular TV programming.

The high-definition sets unveiled Tuesday have LCD screens ranging from 24 inches to 46 inches. Prices range from $600 to $1,400. Sony Corp.'s online store will begin selling the TV sets Saturday and they should be available in Best Buy Co.'s U.S. stores by early next week.

Sony's price for its Google TV sets is $200 to $400 higher than comparable TVs without the highly touted software, a differential that threatens to dampen demand at a time when the still-shaky economy is causing more households to pinch their pennies.