IKEA Announces Furniture With Integrated TV, Speakers, and Blu-ray 163
MrSeb writes "If you long for those balmy days when TVs looked like pieces of furniture, good news: This fall, IKEA will release Uppleva, a range of home entertainment systems that integrate a flat-screen full HD TV, 2.1 sound, and a Blu-ray player. Uppleva will come in three different designs, with a range of screen sizes starting at 24 inches. If the built-in Blu-ray player isn't enough, there are two USB and four HDMI ports down the side of the screen, and an empty 'bay' that can hold a games console, TiVo, or another set-top box of your choice. In true IKEA fashion, the whole caboodle will come in a range of colors (white, light wood, dark wood, black, and so on). Prices start at 6,500 Swedish Kroner (around $950) — presumably for the 24-inch version — which is a fairly good deal. Uppleva will only be available in a few European markets to start with, but the UK and North America should see it in early 2013."
I don't want a combination fridge/TV set (Score:2, Interesting)
Blu-Ray? (Score:2, Interesting)
What is Blu-Ray again? Isn't that the technology that a very small minority of people used for a very short period of time to bridge the gap during the transition from DVDs to online delivery?
But seriously, what is it with companies coming to the party late and/or clinging to dead/dying technology. Are their processes so inefficient that by the time they produce something, it's already out of date?
Re:Electronics Vs Furniture (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:I don't want a combination fridge/TV set (Score:4, Interesting)
Not to be combative, but generally speaking things like this are miserable failures. You get a bad fridge AND a bad tv, regardless if it's pretty or not. Thus, the first guy's post isn't as self-centered as you've indicated. I too lament the loss of "component" technology in favor of all-in-ones (my home stereo, for example...) but understand some all-in-one things have become so cheap, they are easier to just replace the entire thing than it is to maintain multiple parts (iMac vs. Mac Pro, for another example).
Re:I don't want a combination fridge/TV set (Score:5, Interesting)
I would have to disagree. In my experience, it's the opposite. About 5% is poorly built. My advice, don't buy the cheap stuff. Ikea has a lot of it on display, but it doesn't make a large proportion of the assortment.
I furnished a whole apartment from IKEA and 7 years on and 3rd renter (yes, I rent it) and it's still fine. The Kitchen, the closets, the chairs. Honestly, just because you have to put it together it gets a bad rep. I used to collect money to get IKEA stuff. When I finally got it, putting it together was something my wife and I REALLY looked forward to. It was like playing Legos all over again. And my wife likes it! It's genius. They're the Apple of furniture. Complain all you want about your pet insignificant peeve about it, but it sells like hotcakes and the customers absolutely love it.