New TVs Lead to More Home Parties

To the chagrin of movie theaters everywhere, more than half of all Americans say they are staying home more than they did two years ago to enjoy high-tech entertainment. And new technology such as wide-screen and HDTV has turned TV-watching into a social event, according to research conducted by Synovate. Marketing Daily

TVs are only getting cheaper and better, which means this trend will continue to increase and we need new ways of thinking about living unit design and materials. Flat-panel televisions are good-looking, and essentially serve double duty as entertainment devices and status symbols. As more residents come home from Best Buy with their new 50" LCDs, it's important to be thinking about how living room walls may need to be reinforced at locations near TV outlets to accommodate for hanging of these behemoth beauties. Also, as more people stay home and invite friends over to enjoy a game or a movie, improved sound dampening will become increasingly important in dense communities.