Stylish Swedish Relief

I honestly don’t really care if my computer peripherals physically match the furniture around me. As long as they look decent and perform to my standards, I’m happy. For those with more discriminating taste in the way your peripherals look, Swedx is for you.

Swedx is a Swedish company that’s on a mission to bring kinder, gentler-looking technology to your home or office. ) Plastic casing is out and wood is in. You can choose between three types of wood: sapele (rich, dark wood, similar to mahogany), beech (honey blonde with a satin finish) or ash (very light wood with a pronounced dark grain. The products are not just retrofitted or wooden bezel that covers an ordinary monitor. The electronics are built into the wood. It’s kind of how televisions and radios were back in the day.

The LCD flatscreen televisions and computer monitors feature electronics by Samsung and Swedish styling by Swedx, drawing on Sweden’s rich history of woodworking. They are available in various sizes from 15 to 32 inches. Also available are eye-pleasing keyboards and mice. The prices aren’t as exorbitant as you might think. In fact, they’re almost the same prices as normal plastic peripherals. The LCD monitors range from $387 to $521, the LCD or HDTV televisions from $434 to $3577, the keyboards from $35 to $41, the mice (corded or wireless) $17 to $26, and the speakers are $83.

Swedx first introduced its product line in 2002, and seems to have hit it off with those who have become tired of plastic and want something stylish at their desks or environment-friendly folks. Swedx’s products have been described as “more human” since each product is unique because of the use of real timber. Ergonomics is kept top-of-mind when manufacturing these products. They’re perfect for the smallest of desks, giving you ample space to let your tired arms rest on the desk. In addition to the thin designs, the monitors all have a tilt mechanism, which allows perfect angle viewing. The bottom line is that Swedx is aiming to bring personal feelings, warm materials and natural colors into our technology world. I guess it’s basically to help us feel less intimidated by technology (if you happen to be scared of it).

Go wooden with Swedx at www.swedx.com.