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Toshiba reveals ‘smart’ 4K Alexa TVs that you can talk to – and they start at £349

TOSHIBA has unveiled a range of Alexa-powered televisions that you can talk to.

The voice-controlled TVs feature Amazon's virtual assistant and sharp 4K screens – but don't cost the earth.

 Toshiba's new TV series sports high-class 4K HDR screens
Toshiba's new TV series sports high-class 4K HDR screensCredit: Toshiba

The television's Alexa functionality works using far-field microphones that pick up your voice from anywhere in a room.

You'll need to plug in the Toshiba Connect dongle, which enables the Alexa system to work.

Then all you need to do is say the wake word (Alexa), and she'll start listening to your speech.

Ask a question and she'll use Amazon's computing heft to work out an answer for you.

 You can control the televisions from anywhere in the room using your voice
You can control the televisions from anywhere in the room using your voiceCredit: Toshiba

She can play music or radio, make phone calls, and even read your Kindle books or audiobooks out loud.

Better still, she can connect to third-party services too.

So you can use the official Domino's skill to place pizza orders just with your voice.

She'll also work with a host of other smart home gadgets.

If you have a connected Dyson fan, for instance, Alexa will be able to control how it remotely.

And if you own smart lightbulbs – like Philips Hue or Hive Active Lights – you can use Alexa to turn the lights on and off.

Alexa also comes with a healthy roster of built-in games, so you can play trivia quizzes with her when you're bored.

 The televisions display improved contrast and a wider range of colours
The televisions display improved contrast and a wider range of coloursCredit: Toshiba

What is Alexa?


  • Alexa currently only works in English and German languages.

One of the other big advantages of this TV is that it has a 4K display.

That means it has four times the number of pixels compared to a regular Full HD TV.

So if you've got high-quality 4K content to watch (from the likes of Netflix or Amazon Video) then you'll be able to enjoy it in its true glory with your 4K telly.

 A selection of the 4K content available on Netflix right now
A selection of the 4K content available on Netflix right nowCredit: Netflix / The Sun

The televisions also feature support for High Dynamic Range (or HDR) footage.

HDR is a type of video that has improved contrast (brighter whites and darker blacks) and a wider range of colours.

But you can only really enjoy HDR with a HDR-friendly TV.

Prices range from £349 for a 43-inch model right up to £699 for a top-spec 65-inch set.

The televisions are available from Dixons, Argos and AO.com.

What is 4K, Ultra HD and UHD?

Here's an easy guide to what 4K means...

  • 4K, Ultra HD and UHD are all different names for the same type of TV screen. 4K refers to the number of pixels on your TV screen – or the "image resolution"
  • The pixels are the tiny dots of colour that make up the image you see on your telly. A pixellated image is one where the pixels are really obvious, because there aren't many. But images with lots of pixels – like a 4K movie – generally look sharper and clearer
  • A true 4K screen has 4096 x 2160 pixels. That means on your TV screen there are 3840 pixels across, and 2160 pixels vertically. That's roughly 8.3 million pixels on the display in total
  • 4K gets it's name because it's got four times the number of pixels as a standard Full HD TV
  • Full HD (or 1080p) screens have 1920 pixels across, and 1080 pixels going upwards – for around two million pixels in total. So 4K just means your TV has many more pixels on the screen compared to a more common Full HD display
  • Ultra HD, or UHD, is basically the same as 4K. If you buy a UHD telly in a shop, you'll be able to watch 4K content on it with no bother
  • But there is a small difference. Almost every TV you ever buy has an aspect ratio of 16:9. That means for every 16 pixels horizontally, there are 9 vertically
  • True 4K footage doesn't quite fit in with that ratio, so you won't often find TVs with 4096 x 2160 pixels. Instead, to fit with the 16:9 ratio, most 4K TVs will have 3840 x 2160 pixels instead
  • If it doesn't make sense, grab a calculator and divide 2160 by 9. Then multiply it by 16, and you'll get 3840. That's the aspect ratio working its magic. So when you see an Ultra HD TV, it just means it's a 4K image with slightly fewer vertical pixels
  • If you try watching a 4K video on a non-4K TV, the video will still play – but it won't be in 4K quality. To watch a 4K video in 4K quality, you'll need to fork out for a 4K TV. Similarly, if you're watching standard or HD footage on a 4K TV, it won't magically become 4K quality
  • Some TVs promise "4K upscaling", which converts your standard or HD footage to near-4K quality. This works by using software to guess what colours would fill the extra empty pixels missing in HD footage, and then filling them in. This creates a 4K-like effect, but it's not true 4K
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Amazon recently added a new security "watchdog" feature to Alexa.

If you're confused about smart speakers, check out our Amazon Echo vs Google Homeguide.

And, here are some of the best Amazon Echo tricks you can try today.

Would you pay extra for an Alexa-powered telly? Let us know in the comments!
