Increasingly, today’s consumers want not just well-built products, but better-designed ones as well. To meet this demand, many firms are introducing products with an artistic appeal that complements their high-tech insides. Thus was coined the term “techart”, a combination of the words technology and art, for a category of products whose sophisticated designs strike a chord with customers. LG Economic Reserach Institute is predicting the idea will be an important one for this year’s top products. ◆ High-tech no longer enough An example of this new trend is the new Hauzen air-conditioner from Samsung Electronics. Introduced last week, it’s the result of the work of a famous Korean designer, Andre Kim. The product’s cutting-edge technology can cool five rooms simultaneously, but it’s the exterior, with a pattern of flowers and butterflies on a dark surface, that will get people talking. Andre Kim also contributed to a couple of other Samsung products last year, including a kimchi refrigerator and a front-loading washing machine…..

“Techart” Designs Catching On Increasingly, today’s consumers want not just well-built products, but better-designed ones as well. To meet this demand, many firms are introducing products with an artistic appeal that complements their high-tech insides. Thus was coined the term “techart”, a combination of the words technology and art, for a category of products whose sophisticated designs strike a chord with customers. LG Economic Reserach Institute is predicting the idea will be an important one for this year’s top products. ◆ High-tech no longer enough An example of this new trend is the new Hauzen air-conditioner from Samsung Electronics. Introduced last week, it’s the result of the work of a famous Korean designer, Andre Kim. The product’s cutting-edge technology can cool five rooms simultaneously, but it’s the exterior, with a pattern of flowers and butterflies on a dark surface, that will get people talking. Andre Kim also contributed to a couple of other Samsung products last year, including a kimchi refrigerator and a front-loading washing machine. ….

Increasingly, today’s consumers want not just well-built products, but better-designed ones as well. To meet this demand, many firms are introducing products with an artistic appeal that complements their high-tech insides. Thus was coined the term “techart”, a combination of the words technology and art, for a category of products whose sophisticated designs strike a chord with customers. LG Economic Reserach Institute is predicting the idea will be an important one for this year’s top …