What's New in the Electronics and Appliance Industry?

 

Appliances

Introducing Electrolux

Duet Steam Laundry

Honeycomb Laundry Drums

Induction Cooktops

EPICz Front Load Laundry

Ice2-O French Door Refrigerator

LG Allergiene Steam Washer

Cabrio Laundry


Electronics

DTV Converter Box

Audyssey Audio Calibration

ISF Video Calibration

Super Blu Player

Blu-ray Players

1080p Full HD

Furniture

Custom Team Seating

CuddleBag

 








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DTV Converter Box-
The DTV converter box, sometimes referred to as a set-top box, is an electronic device that makes the new digital signal viewable on an older “analog” television set. Zenith's DTV converter box (DTT990) is now available for purchase at a cost of $49.99. To help consumers cover the cost of the converter box, the federal government has initiated a coupon redemption program offering converter box coupons valued at $40 each. Each coupon may be used toward the purchase of a single DTV converter box, with a limit of 2 coupons per household. The coupon program will be administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

Please call for Details & Availability!

The DTV transition from analog broadcast to exclusively digital broadcasting of free television programming is scheduled for completion on February 17, 2009. At which time, by Congress mandate, all analog broadcast transmissions must be terminated. At this time any consumer currently viewing over-the-air broadcasting on analog televisions will no longer receive transmission, instead seeing a blank or snowy picture.

Consumers who receive free “over-the-air” broadcast television signals through an antenna and whose television sets are equipped with analog tuners will be affected by the transition. Alternatively, consumers who subscribe to cable, satellite or a telephone company television service provider should continue to receive unaltered television broadcasts. For many consumers who wish to continue their television viewing a DTV converter box will need to be purchase, allowing the new digital signal to be converted into analog for their existing television set.


Links: Zenith DTT990 - ntiaDTV.gov - DTV2009.gov - AntennaWeb.org









Electrolux Appliances-
Introducing the new collection from the premium kitchen appliance brand used in Europe for over 70 years. The stylishly designed line of Electrolux appliances boasts a distinctive look with a curved-front design and signature blue LEDs. Plus, first-in-class features such as one button you push to cook a perfect turkey or a new induction hybrid cooktop that boils water in 90 seconds!

Electrolux Signature Features are another way Thoughtful Design is put into practice. With features to make each aspect of using our appliances inviting and easy, Electrolux has designed a collection of essential luxuries.

Innovative features include Perfect Stemware Cycle, which leaves your stemware looking spotlessly clean at the touch of a button; The Perfect Turkey Button ensures moist, delicious poultry every time; and Perfect Set Controls allow precise control over temperatures so you can immediately raise or lower temperatures when cooking, keep your finished dishes warm at the perfect serving temperature or keep your beverages chilled perfectly.

Electrolux's intuitive design delivers the most sophisticated solutions in the most obvious, easy-to-use ways. Utilizing a ball-bearing system, Luxury-Glide Racks & Shelves are so smooth they extend effortlessly. Standard in Electrolux freestanding and built-in ranges, wall ovens, refrigerators and dishwashers, the Luxury-Glide system can also be found in freezers, warmer drawers and other specialty products. Luxury-Design Lighting is as beautiful as it is functional, with smooth, ramp-up lighting, you'll love opening your appliances every time. To ensure a smooth close and a perfect seal every time, Luxury-Close Doors and Drawers gently close your appliances. While Luxury-Hold Doors keep dishwasher and oven doors at whatever angle you place them.

Electrolux designs products that give people a greater sense of freedom in performing the tasks they want to, the way the want to do them - with the desired results! Leading the industry in technological advance, producing products that offer more options, save more energy, and free up time. Electrolux products are safe, durable, and friendly both to the planet and consumer. Electrolux aims to encourage, not intimidate. Committed to the kind of thoughtfulness that makes daily life easier to live with products that are inviting and rewarding to use.


Links: ElectroluxAppliances.com - Virtual Kitchen - Kitchen Gallery




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Calibration-
Get the most out of your system - Why settle for manufacturer settings that weren't designed for your room? Schaefer's offers calibration options for both Audio and Video Products. Benefits range from balancing room sound and removing audio distortion to optimizing black levels and adjusting for "real life" color. Professional calibration provides a theater-like experience while prolonging the life of your product and saving you on energy costs.

See what your system is really made of with the following Calibration options:

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Audyssey
- No matter how great the equipment purchased, its performance is limited due to the distortion caused by the acoustics of the room. An Audyssey calibration provides the best sound equalization possible, uniquely tailored to the room, system, and seating configuration.

When you experience Audyssey technology, a cloudy layer is lifted away, leaving only clear, accurate, natural sound. Voice and dialog become focused and intelligible, musical balance is restored, musical instruments and sound effects become precisely localized, and surround soundstage is made seamless and enveloping.

With Audyssey calibration you hear accurate, enveloping, and distortion-free sound not at a single seating position but everywhere in your listening room.


Schaefer's compatible receivers include Onkyo and Integra brands, along with high-end separates; though Audyssey calibration is available from Schaefer's for all enabled products and brands. Call for details and ask about Audyssey Pro calibration (Nebraska's only certified Audyssey Pro calibrator).

Links: Audyssey.com - MultEQ - Dynamic EQ - FAQ - Audyssey-Enabled Products

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ISF
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Television manufacturers don't setup their product with your home in mind, but rather a sales floor environment. ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) calibration is an in-depth adjustment of every aspect of your television's picture, allowing your television to perform to its full potential while recreating the director's intention. Performed in-home to account for the viewing environment, ISF calibration gives you better color and contrast with a noticeably clearer picture.

ISF calibration corrects and optimizes many parameters, including grayscale tracking, white and black Level, color temperature, geometry and more. With ISF blacks become black, whites become white, light distribution evens, colors look realistic and images become film-like in quality. In addition to the improvement in picture quality, a calibrated television will save energy, extend its life expectancy and reduce eye strain.

Links: ImagingScience.com













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Duet Steam Laundry-
Like carpets and furniture, clothing benefits from the natural cleaning power of steam. The Direct Inject wash system showers the wash load with a concentrated burst of detergent, penetrating deep into fabrics and virtually eliminating the need to pre-treat. From grass to grease, the powerful Steam Boost option raises temperatures and naturally steams away tough stains. The sanitary cycle is NSF-certified to remove 99.9% of harmful bacteria so even your dirtiest laundry gets clean. Using a timed-release Oxi dispenser option optimizes the delivery of oxygen-activated cleaners for an extra boost of stain-removing action. The powerful steam technology also sanitizes towels and sheets without bleach.

With wash and dry cycles designed to work together, you can eliminate the lag time between loads and get the laundry done faster. The high-speed spin and unique drain hole configuration extract the maximum amount of water in the washer to reduce dry time and save energy. While the AcclerCare Drying System dries loads in the same amount of time it takes to wash them. Moisture sensors measure how fast the load is drying and automatically stop the cycle when the load is done, saving time and energy.

Nothing beats the power of steam to get rid of wrinkles. The Duet Steam dryer naturally steams out wrinkles in just minutes, while also removing any lingering odors. The Refresh Cycle relaxes wrinkles in 2-3 garments in just 15 minutes. The 20-minute Enhance Touch-Up Cycle refreshes and relaxes wrinkles from a full load of laundry that's been left in the dryer for an extended period of time.

Dynamic Stability Control senses and optimizes load distribution while the 6-point suspension system absorbs excess vibration, allowing you to install the laundry pair virtually anywhere. The Duet Steam pair can be easily stacked, installed side-by-side or under-counter. Laundry 1-2-3 towers, pedestals and worksurfaces make your laundry room even more organized and versatile, helping you get more done in your day.

Links: Duet Steam Laundry - Washer - Dryer - Laundry 1-2-3 - Whirlpool.com













Custom Team Seating-
Berkline teams up with DreamSeat to offer officially licensed team-themed leather recliners. Each Dreamseat™ is made in the USA and manufactured with a combination of long-lasting top-grain leather and easy-to-clean leatherette sides and back. The pigmented corrected grain leathers are surface coated, allowing for a perfect match of team colors, and topping that off with an embroidered team logo sewn into the headrest..

Each recliner utilizes Wallaway® assembly, meaning the chair fully inclines while sitting a few inches away from the wall, employed by a hidden-from-view yet easily accessible push button. And ChaiseLounger® provides continuous, head to toe support when reclined. Two convenient cup holders, one in each arm, are generously sized to hold most cans, bottles and drink cups, and are finished with a beautiful decorative beveled rim.

Backed by the manufacturer, these recliners come with a lifetime warranty on wooden frames, spring systems and reclining mechanisms; a five-year warranty on cushions; and a one-year warranty on fabrics.

Available in a variety of teams, there is a chair for every enthusiast’s room!










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Honeycomb Laundry Drums-
The revolutionary Honeycomb drum represents Miele's latest advancement in at-home fabric care, producing better washing and even drying results, considerably lower water consumption, and an increased life span of garments.

Miele washing machines are known for their thorough yet gentle care of fabrics. Miele's patented Honeycomb washing drum take this concept to a new level. Forged from the very best stainless steel and designed with a unique convex hexagonal pattern that resembles a honeycomb, the Honeycomb drum enhances both cleaning performance and reduces fabric wear.

Additionally, an 80% reduction in the number of water exit holes, and a network of water channels, create a thin water layer that cushions your clothes while the drum rotates. By reducing the size and number of water exit holes, there is virtually no chance your clothes will be damaged from snags against the steel holes.

In standard washer drums at high spin speed, material actually penetrates the water exit holes of the washing drum. Over time this causes the fabric to develop pilling, wearing down the integrity of the material. Whereas the revolutionary Honeycomb washing drum, spinning at the same speed, shows virtually no penetration. This is made possible by the patented honeycomb pattern, which hinders the clothes from reaching the water exit holes nestled deep inside the water channels. This design allows for thorough washing results and effective water extraction that has been proven gentler than hand washing.

In addition to Honeycomb washing machines, Miele manufactures complement tumble dryers with the groundbreaking, patented Honeycomb drum. Compared to the Honeycomb washing drum in which the hexagons point inward, the special feature in the tumble dryers is that the hexagons point outward. This unique design creates ingenious "air cushions." These pockets of air ensure the gentle movement of laundry and the reduction of contact friction with the stainless drum. The Honeycomb drum guarantees even drying results, while minimizing creasing and needless wear of your garments.


Links: Miele.com - W4840 Honeycomb Washer - T9800 Honeycomb Dryer











CuddleBags-
Unbeatable in comfort and function, the unique qualities of CuddleBag are a true expression of relaxation. The fluid design is form fitting and moves with each curve of the human body. Enjoy the luxury of a plush and wonderful place to sit and at an affordable price. Throw it anywhere for extra seating, but be prepared…it will be the most comfortable piece of furniture you will ever own.

CuddleBag’s custom blend of Polyurethane Foam creates unmatched comfort. Easy maintenance, versatile shape, superior standards, and impressive prices, are just a few of the reasons why CuddleBag exceeds their competitors.

Available in a variety of sizes, including the 8-foot Great Biggie Bag, there is a complimentary size for every room. Need more cushion? Enhance your seating with matching Ottomans and Pillows.


Links: ElectroluxAppliances.com - Virtual Kitchen - Kitchen Gallery















Induction Cooktops-
Traditional electric cooktops use electric resistance to create heat, which is transferred to the cookware and its contents. Induction cooktops employ elements, each utilizing a powerful, high-frequency electromagnet which generates a magnetic field from beneath the element's ceramic surface. The magnetic field transfers energy into the metal of ferrous (magnetic-material) cookware, generating heat through a circulating electric current. This generates heat in the cookware as opposed to on the cooktop surface, establishing the cookware as the heat source cooking the food instead of the cooktop element.

Nothing outside the cookware is affected by the magnetic field, uncovered sections of the induction element are safe to the touch, and overflows and spills won't bake on. In addition, once cookware is removed from the element, or the element is turned off, heat generation stops. And by controlling the strength of the electromagnetic field, heat generation can be altered instantaneously, similar to gas counterparts.

Induction cooktops have the edge in energy efficiency also. Induction cooking uses 90% of the energy produced compared to only 55% for a gas burner and 65% for traditional electric ranges. Induction provides extremely fast boil and re-boil, over 50% faster than gas or electric.

Brands: Electrolux ICON - KitchenAid - Viking - Wolf














Maytag EPICz Front Load Washer & Dryer-
Maytag EPICz washer and dryer are geared towards efficient performance and solid construction.

The Rainfall Clean Wash System utilizes a unique 138 hole, 3-baffle design provides quick and thorough saturation, giving detergent more time to work on stains. Engaging the Maxextract Option produces an intense final spin removing excess moisture from the wash load, taking clothes from wet to dry in under 30 minutes. A NSF Certified Sanitary Cycle kills 99.9% of household bacteria, thoroughly cleaning even your dirtiest clothes.

The IntelliDry Sensor monitors moisture levels as clothes dry, minimizing the risk of overdrying and shrinking. Maytag's Gentlebreeze Drying System allows airflow to completely surround fabrics, taking clothes from wet to dry in less than 30 minutes. EPICz's intelligent design uses less water and energy than an average top-loading washer earning Energy Star qualification.

Maytag's Smooth Balance Suspension consists of shock absorbers and springs that reduce vibration and noise allowing you to install EPICz Laundry Pair virtually anywhere you want. The DuraCushion Dryer Drum is resistant to chipping, scratching and rusting so clothes gently glide off the surface without snagging. And Commercial-Grade Components include heavy-duty die-cast door hinges and the industry's widest dryer belt offer years of dependability.


Links: Maytag.com - EPICz Laundry Pair Demo - EPICz Video











Maytag Ice2-O French Door Refrigerator-
Maytag's new 22 cu. ft. French door bottom-freezer refrigerator is the first of its kind to fit in a 33-inch opening, while still offering many of the same features in the 25 cu. ft. model, including a temperature-controlled Wide-N-Fresh deli drawer that canvasses the entire width of the refrigerator compartment, making room inside for part platters, deli trays and snacks.

The new full depth Ice2-O refrigerator offers the performance and durability of a Maytag in a versatile size. An Impingement Ice System produces and stores ice by directing freezer air into the sealed icebox. The Stainless steel auger is tougher than common plastic ones that can break when splitting ice cubes that stick. Strongbox Hinges provide structural strength and the steel brace embedded into the liner prevents door sag. The insulated magnetic locking seal on the door helps to maintain temperature and save energy. Dependable Smoothclose Freezer Drawers opens and closes effortlessly and holds up to 120 lbs of food.


Links: Maytag.com - ICE2-O Refrigerator Demo - MFI2266AES














LG SteamWasher with Allergiene-
The LG Front-Load SteamWasher features innovative TrueSteam technologies, such as SteamWash™, SteamFresh™, and Dial-A-Cycle™, designed to improve cleaning performance while implementing advanced convenience techniques. SteamWash™ uses traditional wash cycles, with added steam option, to boost cleaning performance and energy efficiency with the built-in steam generator. LG's 20-minute SteamFresh™ cycle allows you to remove wrinkles, odors or refresh clothing, up to 5 garments at a time, all with no water or detergent. Upfront Electronic Controls with Trilingual Blue LCD Display and Dial-A-Cycle™ allow you to 'set it and go'. The large LCD display provides instructions and diagnostics while keeping you updated on the cycle status and time remaining.

One of the most innovative features in the LG SteamWasher is the exclusive Allergiene allergen-reduction cycle, which is proven to remove 95% or more of house dust mites and domestic pet dander. Allergiene uses steam to break down and wash away allergens in your fabrics and is gentle enough for everyday use. This technology is a key reason why the SteamWasher is the first washing machine certified "Asthma & Allergy Friendly" by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

The ENERGY STAR qualified LG SteamWasher saves more than $700 compared to traditional top-load washers over its average lifetime and more than 8,100 gallons of water each year as compared to a non-energy star washer. With an ultra-large capacity, 4.0 cubic foot, stainless-steel drum, an extensive selection of nine cycles, and SenseClean™ System for intelligent fabric care, the LG SteamWasher is the ultimate in washer innovation.

Links: us.LGE.com - SteamWasher WM2688HNMA
- Demo Site














LG Super Blu Player-
The Super Blu Player combines next generation technology with the ability to play both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD formats in Full HD 1080p resolution, providing the highest quality video resolution available through the all-digital HDMI output. In addition, the Super Blu Player is cabable of superior image quality from standard definition DVDs with 1080i up-conversion, ensuring that your existing digital video library will always look its best.

A user-friendly interactive menu system with BD-Java (Blu-ray Disc Java) standard profile technology makes your Blu-ray Disc viewing experience easy and entertaining through high-definition animations, advanced subtitles and scene searches. With support for various audio and video format, including MPEG-2, VC-1, H.264 video, MPEG 1/2, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital+, Dolby True HD, DTS and DTS-HD audio, and the support for 5.1 channel analog output; the Super Blu Player combines the next-gen formats into a single drive movie player.


Links: us.LGE.com - Super Blu Player BH-100












Sony Blu-Ray Disc Player-
Designed for those passionate about their home entertainment experience, the Sony® BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc™ Player unleashes the full potential of your high-definition television. Experience full 1080p high-definition video and surround-sound with depth and clarity like never before. The Sony BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc Player brings highest of the HD resolution available—straight to your home.

As a principal developer and the leader in HD entertainment, Sony knows Blu-ray Disc technology inside-out. Our BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc Player uses Sony “Cinema Tuned” Digital Processing to produce cinema-quality surround sound and strikingly true visuals. The BDP-S1 adds extra excitement to films and concerts by enabling interactive capabilities with BD-Java—offering a new dimension in “bonus features.” And the BDP-S1 is backwards compatible with your existing DVD library, creating a better image than a DVD player ever could. More, in every sense.

Links: SonyStyle.com - Blu-Ray Disc Player BDP-S1 - About Blu-Ray Disc










Whirlpool Cabrio Washer and Dryer-
Sure, there are fabric care systems that help you save time. There are others that help you save effort. There are even some that help you save water and energy. But, there's only one top-load washer that has it all. Introducing the new Whirlpool Cabrio fabric care system washer and dryer.

Now there's a washer that helps you wash 3 baskets of laundry at once, so that you savetime. Simply put, you can't find a larger capacity than the wide-open Whirlpool Cabri owasher. Then you can dry a load in just under 30 minutes with the matching Cabrio dryer.

Links: Whirlpool.com - Cabrio Washer - Cabrio Dryer












Sony Bravia 1080p Full HDTVs-
There are a lot of ways to define high-definition but Sony BRAVIA Full HD means you’re getting the best resolution that high-definition has to offer consumers. With Sony BRAVIA XBR HDTVs, Full HD 1080 means 1920 x 1080 pixels and 1080p video inputs. Your lifestyle demands the best in high-definition and with BRAVIA Full HD 1080 products you get it.

When it comes to high-definition TV the pinnacle of performance is achieved by using 1920 x 1080 display panels. And BRAVIA XBR®-Series televisions have them. Full HD 1920 x 1080 panel resolution with over 2 million pixels (more than twice that of 720p HDTV) is exactly what you need to reproduce the 1080p content that can be delivered by our cutting edge 1080p Blu-ray disc™ player. And working with BRAVIA Engine™ PRO everything from standard definition and high definition is upconverted to 1080p for a picture so real it’s like you’re actually there.

Links: SonyStyle.com - 52" Bravia LCD KDL52XBR3 - 1080p Full HD