IKEA unveils HDTVs built into furniture

YouTube/IKEASWE

(CBS News) IKEA, the furniture retail giant, launched a solution for cluttered home entertainment centers.

Now instead of separate electronic devices and entertainment center, there is just one piece of furniture - the Uppleva. The all-in-one unit ncludes an HDTV, Blu-ray/DVD/CD players and MP3 and iPod player, which are all integrated with IKEA furniture. Each unit also comes with a wireless subwoofer.

The result is a sleek-looking entertainment center with IKEA's signature clean and modern look.

According to ZDNET, IKEA partnered with Chinese electronics manufacturer TCL (RCA in the U.S.) to create the entertainment center. The TV screens are available in sizes from 24 inches to 46 inches. The unit  will retail around $960 and comes in black, gray and blue.

Uppleva will be available in Stockholm, Milan, Paris, Gdansk and Berlin in June. Retailers in Sweden, Italy, France, Poland, Denmark, Spain, Norway and Portugal will see the entertainment center the fall. American most likely will have to wait until next spring to see the unit hit store shelves.

IKEA is a worldwide retail chain that specializes in furniture that is ready-to-assemble. The company has 280 stores in 25 countries.

[PCL1]

Putting all the components and wires in one cabinet was always a good idea, but the console TVs and stereos of the '50s and '60s lacked enough flexibility to make much economic sense. Buyers were stuck with outdated components permanently embedded into a cabinet for which they payed hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The ideal entertainment center would have grill panels in the front and sides, to allow either speakers or components with remote sensors to be placed inside, as well as casters and removable back panels to make wiring easy to reach. Very few entertainment cabinets I've seen recently have features like that and the ones that do are usually very expensive. If IKEA can work these features into a reasonably priced flexible package with "starter" components, I'll bet that their customers will love it.

[venusvegasvada]

Looks like North Korea is finally producing it's first portable computer.

[hypnotoad72]

Like their sofas.

Cool designs, yes, but lay on one of those for 5 minutes and your back will scream to get off the thing. Never mind a whole movie length or night.