After throwing the TV world in to chaos last year with its launch of passive 3D technology, 2012 is potentially a critical year for LG.
Can it bring its industry-rocking 3D technology forward? And perhaps more importantly, can it still keep up with the 'Joneses' in other areas, given that 3D's consumer appeal appears to be on the wane?
Based on the recently tested 47LM670T and now the 55-inch 55LM660T, early indications are promising. Design wise, for instance, the 55LM660T is a huge step forward for the brand, thanks to an incredibly narrow bezel that gets even closer to delivering 'bezel-free TV' than Samsung's flagship TVs do.
The 55LM660T also enjoys an improved version of LG's Smart TV online service, complete with prettier onscreen menus and more content - including a Netflix portal. These online features, moreover, are joined by extensive multimedia support via USB ports and DLNA compatibility.
It's good to find, too, that you can enjoy the set's network features via integrated Wi-Fi if you can't easily hardwire the set to your router/PC, while die-hard picture tinkerers will find plenty of tweaks to get their teeth into when it comes to getting pictures looking exactly as they want them to.
Also promising is the inclusion of a new version of LG's Magic Remote alongside a more standard remote. This adds a Wiimote-style gesture control option to the mix without requiring you to wave your arms about like you do with Samsung's remote-free gesture-control approach.
Given the level of spec inside the edge LED 55LM660T, it's surprising to find that the set doesn't sit particularly close to the top of LG's new range. Directly above it is the LM760T series, which doubles LG's 'Motion Clarity Index' figure (derived from a combination of a screen's native refresh rate and the scanning rate of its backlight) from the '400' of the LM660Ts to 800.
Further up still you get to the LM860V models, which introduce a dramatic 'floating metal wing' stand design and a premium version of the Smart TV system based around a dual-core processor.
Right at the top of the range later in the year will be the direct/full LED LM960V models, as well, of course, as the 55-inch EM960V OLED model that caused such a stir at this year's Consumer Electronics Show.
Sticking with the LM660T range for now, though, the 55-inch model is joined by 32-inch, 42-inch and 47-inch siblings, with some sizes also available with silvery colour variations on the bezel design (under LM669T and LM670T model names).
