October 9, 2007 1:03 PM PDT
National, one of the subsidiaries of the Matsushita conglomerate, recently opened a technology center in the Shiodome area of Tokyo to showcase a growing area for the company: home furnishings and appliances. Why should LG have all the fun in this market, after all? Especially when the margins are good. The center is open for techno tourists, but also architects and builders. The items range from complete bedroom sets with massaging mattresses and automatic light systems ($20,000) to induction stoves. Here's a sampling.
The Cubios prefabricated cabinet system houses a massive plasma TV and stereo components. The screen you see in the picture is actually not the plasma. It is a movie screen that rolls down at the push of a button. It sells for about $20,000 with the movie screen, but without the plasma or other electronics.
Photo by Michael Kanellos/CNET News.com
