ISSUE #101

Written by: Todd F. Shaw

Mirror, mirror
Recently showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Philips new MiraVision is a versatile 17-, 20, or 30-inch LCD display integrated into a mirror. Ideal for non-traditional viewing spaces, the refined TV screen can be placed on the wall as a centerpiece. It also allows connectivity with a PC, becoming an enormous monitor. Currently being marketed to the hospitality industry, the MiraVision will be customized for home environments in the next few years. Price to be announced.

Bang & Olufsen’s hi-fi butterfly
The design of B & O’s new BeoCenter 2 has an elegance that arises from simplicity and logic. The oval shape comprises two symmetrical doors that open, wing-like, to reveal a combination CD-DVD player (when connected to a Beolink PC2 unit, it can also play MP3 files). The player’s display panel automatically dims to surrounding light levels, and an all-in-one socket unit keeps cables neatly out of the way. Price: CZK 125,400.

Big sound, small package
Sony has reinvented its own Walkman line with the launch of the Hi-MD Walkman, offering the ultimate in storage capacity, sound quality, transfer speed, versatility, and portability. Compatible with the new generation of MiniDisc media, a 1 GB Hi-MD disc allows recording of up to 45 albums (at a less-than-CD quality bitrate) onto one disc, and delivers up to 100x real time transfer speed, recording a CD in just 40 seconds. It can also store PC and visual data as well as music files. Available in June, price to be announced.