LG reinvented the jukebox (but it won’t sell me one)

While LG's transparent OLED drew plenty of crowds at CES, the company's Labs showcase was host to a much weirder take on the same tech.

Called the LG Dukebox, this 360-degree speaker reimagines the retro aesthetics of its namesake. At a glance, the unit could easily be mistaken for an old-school CRT. However, the front-facing side of the Dukebox is built around a transparent OLED display akin to the one found in the aforementioned LG Signature OLED T.

While the transparency of that display can be adjusted, the fact that you're able to gaze upon the vacuum tube amp audio system inside the Dukebox while you're using does go a long way to making it feel of a kind with an old-fashioned jukebox.

As far as audio goes, the Dukebox boasts a set of front-facing speakers plus a pair of 360-degree ones that emerge from the top of the unit when in use.

According to LG, the Dukebox can be used to enjoy more than just music. You can also use it to watch video content or even just simulate a fireplace if you feel like making your living room a little more cozy. While the hustle and bustle of CES wasn't the best environment to get a sense of how the unit sounds, it was a good opportunity to get a sense of the speaker's charmingly antiquated interface.

The display on the Dukebox offered up a list of popular songs that could be streamed. Then, once a selection was made, the name and artist chosen would be displayed on the screen in an appropriately old-timey font.

It's not clear if this was just something that LG had set up for demo purposes, but it added so much flavour to my brief encounter with the Dukebox that I can't help but hope it makes it into the final product.

Speaking of which, the official line from LG is that the Dukebox is currently just a concept piece. There are currently no firm plans on when or if it will come to the Australian market but won't stop me from hoping it will.