Gadget Furniture Rocks Out Your iPod

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The New York Sun

Clever furniture designers are hawking a number of products that integrate furniture with technology, allowing people to plug into the very chairs they sit on.

So-called “gadget furniture” has actually been around for some time, but until recently was primarily focused on streamlining traditional workspaces. Featuring drawers equipped with power strips and hollow legs to hide printer cords, these products create open desk space.These designs give the user the traditional, life-affirming ability to pile too many papers on their desks without having to worry about dislodging their laptops.

Workspace issues largely mastered, designers are moving to the next great frontier: the family room. High-end Italian furniture manufacturer Cassina recognized this trend early, introducing the Lazy Working Sofa ($6,270-$11,990) in 1998.This couch comes with internal wiring that allows users to plug computers, printers, and other electronic gadgets into its surface. Hollow connecting joints allow cords to stay mostly hidden, rather than dangling around the floor.

“The way they incorporated the wire with the legs means you can hide a lot of mess, so it’s very clean-looking,” the creative director for CassinaUSA, Puipui Li, said.

For those looking to follow the Descartes model and do all their best writing in bed, Cassina also offers the Sleeping Working Bed (from $3525 for a queen).

In 2004 Cassina added tunes to the equation, debuting the Music Image Sofa System, commonly referred to as the “M.I.S.S.” ($6,135-$10,550). The M.I.S.S. contains speakers and comes with a small cabinet that houses some of the product’s other technological components. The couch comes with a flatwire system and a projection screen, so viewers can view movies as well.

“It’s like a home theater system, but with the speaker built into the sofa,” Ms. Li said.

Ms. Li said that M.I.S.S. has been popular since its debut, but that she doesn’t attribute its success solely to consumer demand for integrated technology.”The technology will always get people interested, but ultimately people always settle for comfort,” she said. “A lot of people say they are buying this sofa for that comfort, not the speaker system.”

California-based Adonis Furniture, on the other hand, believes that for some people, the musical capabilities may just be the big priority. Adonis premiered its iRocker chair ($99-$599)

in early October. The seat includes an iPod docking station, Heavy Magnet speakers, and a remote control, allowing loungers to control their music selection and volume with minimal movement.

“It’s very different from what we usually do,” Derek Mazzal, vice president of Adonis Furniture, said. “But these days if you include an iPod, it usually means the product will be a hit.”

Adonis conducted some market research during the product’s development. “We saw a demand,” Mr. Mazzal said, though he was unable to provide any numerical proof. The initial consumer response has confirmed this finding, with sales exceeding Mr. Mazzal’s expectations during the first two weeks of marketing.

The company is currently finalizing a number of higher-end models of the iRocker. The current design is features bright colors and plush covering, and is being marketed to children and young teens. By summer, Adonis plans to add larger leather models to its repertoire. “We need to look forward.We’re not going to have this market to ourselves for long,” Mr. Mazzal said.

Adonis does not even have the musical chair market cornered today. The Pottery Barn’s PB Teen division offers an iChair ($399) that also contains speakers and connects to an iPod, while the Sharper Image’s iJoy Zipconnect Massage Chair ($999.95) has all of that and the ability to ease a sore back. To stay ahead of the curve, new designers may need to consider including a sandwich-making or homework-doing component to their products.

These innovations should help spawn a generation of children deathly afraid of spilling on the couch (or those that should be so afraid).

Wired though these new seats may be, waterproof they’re not.The possibility of experiencing a high-voltage shock upon splashing soda on the upholstery will lead to a massive drop in cleaning bills. Even scholars would have a hard time criticizing that result.


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