Perfect Blend Tired of ugly tech gadgets taking over the living room? New gear adds a homey touch.
By Steve Cooper
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
As technology invades our everyday lives, our quaint homes ofyears past are becoming cold with wires and metal. But it's toolate to give up the 5.1 surround sound or the high-defplasma--we're already hooked. Soon, everybody will have digitallibraries of pictures, music, movies and more--and that means evenmore tech gear invading our living space. So does that meangoodbye, warm and homey; hello, chilly? Not necessarily. Whetherfor your home or office--or your home office--here are three techproducts that blend in with their environments and help bring backthe warmth.
Get in the Zone
Wirelessly streaming digital music from your computer throughoutyour home is exciting for many. But even more impressive is theability to simultaneously stream jazz in the living room, salsa inthe den and classical in the home office. Sonos ZonePlayer allowsyou to do just that. Another significant bonus: This discreet10-pound box, roughly 10 inches wide, puts total control in asingle wireless handheld controller--filling the room with music,not stacks of stereo equipment and servers. Prices start at $1,199for the introductory package, which includes two ZonePlayers andone controller; additional ZonePlayers are $499 each.
Mirror, Mirror on the TV
Sometimes, TVs don't need an entire entertainment unit toencase them. In fact, Séura has encased LCD TVs inmirrors--even in the bathroom, so news junkies can get their fix asthey get ready in the morning. When turned off, the mirror reflectsnormally, but when it's turned on, a window in the mirrorreveals the rolling hills of TV land. Prices start at $2,999. Nowif only they could squeeze a DVD player, DVR and stereo into amirror, you'd never have to leave the bathroom.
Speakers Should Be Heard, Not Seen
Sure, speakers have gotten smaller and less obtrusive, but evensmall speakers hanging from the ceiling along with the assortmentof other floating tech devices add up to a glut of"concealed" home technologies. Stealth Acoustics'Invisible In-Wall Speaker System makes speakers disappear,eliminating what the company calls "aesthetic pollution."The speakers are mounted in the wall directly on the wood studframing, seamed with drywall, sealed and painted. Speakers start at$300 each.
