During its annual Summer Line Show – at New York’s Morgan Library & Museum, which is famous for housing one of the world’s greatest collections of artistic works – LG Electronics showcased its latest works in “An Exhibition of smART Technology.” The company highlighted its new major appliances, mobile phones and consumer electronics products that will ship in the 2nd half of 2008.
The goal of this Korean-giant is smart technology with stylish design. To that end, the company noted that it had earned $5.6 billion in the last quarter, and is ranked third in flat-panel sales. While other parts of the economy are in a recession, LG’s consumer electronics, mobile phones, and major appliances are experiencing an 18-percent growth in sales over last year. Flat-panel TVs, for example, have grown 9-percent in the 1st half of 2008, and the company expects double-digit growth till the end of the year.

According to Michael Ahn, president and CEO, LG Electronics North America, “LG seeks to enhance consumers’ lifestyles with intelligent features, intuitive functionality, exceptional performance and stylish design. The featured products, from our SteamWasher which reduces allergens, to our mobile phone with advanced photo editing tools, to our advanced new BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player with Netflix instant movie streaming capability, show how smart technology can combine with a sophisticated look and feel in real-life ways.”

(For more on the BD300 read “LG’s New Blu-ray Player Can Stream Netflix.”

Consumer Electronics
LG90: This 1080p LCD HDTV features a compelling teardrop design with blue color accents, a high-glass black finish, and a high-performance LED backlighting system with local dimming and a 1,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio. This provides enhanced black levels and a quick response time because of its advanced 120Hz “TruMotion” refresh rate, and its 24P Real Cinema Mode. This 47-in. set is priced at $3,599.

LGX Series: At a depth of only 1.8-in. thin, the LGX models are among the slimmest 1080p LCD HDTVs with built-in tuner. The black cabinetry with red accents and an invisible speaker design is tuned by audio legend Mark Levinson. The LGX Series, which is available in 42-in. ($2,699) and 46-in ($2,999) screen sizes, features advanced 120HZ “TruMotion,” a Super IPS panel, Intelligent Sensor, and newly designed AV Modes.

PG60: At a depth of 3.3-in. deep, this is one of the slimmest plasma 1080p HDTVs currently available. The PG60 is one of the first plasma series to attain THX Display Certification, and to offer 180HZ Fluid Motion that provides up to 3x panel refresh rate for very smooth motion scenes. The 50PG60 is available at price of $3,199.

LHT889 Home Theater System: This stunningly designed home theater in a box offers contemporary design with champagne glass-shaped speakers that feature multiple drivers and parabolic housings on a tapered integrated pedestal. The system includes a 700W 5.1-channel DVD receiver with 1080p up-scaling, built-in wireless kit, USB Media Plus, HDMI output, LG SimpLink multi-device control (HDMI-CEC) and multi-format playback compatibility. The system is priced at $649.95.

Digital Appliances
Even with housing sales way down, LG claims that its digital appliances are selling extremely well. According to the company, their innovations serve as a great showcase for LG’s design and cutting- edge technologies. They claim that award-winning, contemporary design that has been a major factor in the brand’s success to date continues to push the envelope with the latest offerings. The newest LG appliances continue to meet previously unmet consumer needs, as they serve as showpieces for the home.

Steam Laundry: The newest eye-catching LG SteamWasher and SteamDryer models for the “Electronic House,” which will be hitting stores in September, feature an updated design. A seemingly unique square door hints at the large capacity inside (4.5 cubic feet) as well as the enlarged opening, which is 15-percent larger, and reportedly makes it easier to load and remove bulky laundry. As the claimed market leader in steam washers, LG continues to drive new applications for their proprietary TrueSteam technology. In addition to the exclusive Allergiene allergen-reduction cycle in the washer and the SteamFresh freshening cycle, LG has added new features, such as the SteamSanitary option in the dryer.

4-Door Refrigerator: LG’s new flagship refrigerator, which offers a sleek 4-door design, is the centerpiece of LG’s growing kitchen lineup. The refrigerator boasts dual refrigerator doors and double freezer drawers, which offers better organization along. The 4-door refrigerator also features the tallest water dispenser currently available.

Built-in Ovens and Cooktops: LG will offer new built-in single and double wall ovens along with radiant and induction cooktops, bringing LG’s unique styling to an entirely new industry segment. From the new menu-driven touch screen control panel in the wall ovens to the smooth touch screen controls of the cooktops, LG looks to offer the latest in cooking technology.