The latest convergence trend: fridge TVs
(Credit:
LG)
As we steam ahead toward the era of the fully digitized home, we didn't think that the term "convergence appliance" would mean a combo TV-fridge. In fact, we almost overlooked this latest example from LG, thinking that it was the Samsung model that appeared on Crave a few months ago. Little did we know that TV refrigerators were becoming a trend.
Cooling performance aside, the LG model boasts a 15-inch LCD vs. Samsung's 10.4-inch display, and it's even an HDTV. But we think it could have a fatal design flaw: Unlike Samsung's version, the screen is right next to the ice dispenser on the LG fridge--inviting a water glass to be smashed into the screen by mistake. (If you'd been to one of our parties, you'd know why.)
All this became moot for us, however, when we saw the price: $4,000. For that kind of coinage, we would have expected a lot more. After all, it doesn't even control the rest of the home's media systems or--most important--serve drinks.
