While we enjoy sporting a snazzy kimono as much as the next guy/girl, we're not sure that we want our super-expensive LCD TV to be fashioned after said article of clothing. Nonetheless, Nakamichi has just unveiled a new flat panel lineup with a swooping lower bezel called the KIMONO series, complete with an "asymmetrical fold" designed to resemble the overlapping sections of the traditional Japanese robe. Besides the questionable aesthetics, however, the 42- and 47-inch KIMONOs offer quite an attractive feature set, complete with full 1,080p resolution, a 5.1 channel amplifier outlet (when hooked up to external speakers, the TV acts as the center channel), both analog and DVB-T tuners, a built-in DVD player, integrated FM radio, and our old favorite, an HDMI input for getting your Blu-ray or HD DVD on. Other nice touches include a USB 2.0 jack and 6-in-1 card reader (even xD gets some love here), allowing you to view pictures and presumably video content captured from a variety of sources. Pricing and availability are as yet unannounced, but if the company's $512
Lumos portable DVD player is any indication, you'll definitely be paying a premium for the privilege of sporting such an, um, unique design.
posted Sep 7th 2006 1:50PM
One way to design a new product
Take two expensive existing products and put them together to form a new design
http://www.bang-olufsen.com/web2/systems/product.asp?section=systems&sub=tv&prodid=121
and
http://www.bang-olufsen.com/web2/systems/product.asp?section=systems&sub=tv&prodid=442
Reminds me more of a homeplate from baseball than a kimono. Looks like tons of features though.
I'm still trying to figure out how this is kimono inspired but ok...
Descent specs and I love black brushed metal buttons even though I don't like to see buttons on the front of my TV. (although I can't see any details in the picture to know where the buttons are)
The screen to bessel ratio is pretty bad and the small base looks unsteady. All-in-one devices are just bad bad engineering.
Seems odd that Nakamichi would build it with it appearing that the right side is folded over the left... you usually don't don't wear a kimono folded that way unless you're dead.
@locomoco: a TV is supposed to be dead, perhaps that's why.
ridiculous.
have a look at samsung's new 40 inch lcd. not only is the design far more sophisticated. it's also many hundreds $$$ cheaper.
They are ripping off Samsung's design and claiming it "unique" this thing looks more like Origami than a Kimono.
Nakamichi is not even Japanese-owned, they are part of a Hong Kong-based company who also own the Akai trademark.