On CE - For Dealers, Distributors and OEMs of Consumer Electronics throughout EMEA

Dixons sales for the fiscal year ending 30 April 2011 decline by -2% Y-o-Y, with the decline increasing by -4% across the year's second half.

However the retailer says its businesses are performing ahead of their markets-- pointing out the UK, Nordics, Italy and Greece. Its Nordic operations are the only ones seeing growth, with a 5% Y-o-Y increase for the period.

Dixons will continue its shift towards going multi-channel, even if its pure e-commerce sales are down by -9%-- its multi-channel internet sales for the year are up by 12%.

Like the majority of retailers, Dixons describes the current economy as "challenging". Currently it will also continue concentrating on its store improvement plan, particularly in the UK.

It will also launch its preliminary results for the year ending 30 April 2011 on 23 June.

Go Dixons Full Year Trading Statement

Devices with screens users can fold to store in their pockets? Samsung's Advanced Institute of Technology presents a prototype of an AMOLED display it says does exactly that, while bearing no visible crease.

The prototype in question consists of x2 AMOLED panels with silicone rubber (a hyperelastic material), a protective glass cover and a module case. The display's folding radios is of just 1mm-- meaning the panels nearly touch each other when folded at a 180° angle.

The glass cover not only protects the panels from scratches, but can also serve as a touchscreen.

On testing Samsung's researchers folded the device for 100000 times, with surprising results. They say the brightness at the folding crease decreases by just -6%-- virtually invisible to the human eye.

There definitely is a market for portable touchscreen devices, so we imagine (if not hope) Samsung use this technology for future devices fairly soon.

Go Foldable Display Shows No Crease after 100000 Folding Cycles

Kesa considers selling its 250 UK Comet stores according to a Financial Times report.

The Comet brand is going through hard times-- Q1 2011 sees its revenues falling by -15.2% Y-o-Y, while Kesa expects revenues to decline even further in its end of year trading statement. Kesa CE Thierry Falque-Pierrotin describes the UK market as "the toughest in Europe in the year to come".

The FT also reports an Ernst & Young report predicting UK consumer spending will grow by only 0.6% in 2011 and 1.3% in 2012.

Currently Kesa is holding discussion with its investors, even if no course of action is decided yet, according to the FT.

The company's other businesses are also hit-- specifically its Spanish, Turkish and Italian interests, whose Q1 2011 revenues fall by -14.9% Y-o-Y.

Further announcements by Kesa should emerge come June, when it announces its full-year results.

Go Kesa Considers Selling Comet Stores (FT.com)

Go Kesa End of Year Trading Statement

Nokia announces its "evolution"-- by dumping its Ovi app store branding and changing it to (wait for it)... Nokia.

The transition should start in July 2011, and Nokia hopes its "new" brand will cover the entire globe by 2012's end. Unless the world ends by then, of course.

Nokia handsets owners should experience the transition first hand, through a software update or two (in order to change the names of not only the store, but also Nokia's mapping, music, mail, sync and chat apps).

The reasons for the rebranding are fairly obvious-- once Microsoft-powered WP7 Nokia phones hit the market, Nokia wants its brand to be as prominent as possible on its devices. Otherwise the roadmap for the Nokia-Microsoft "strategic partnership" won't be seeing any changes.

Go The Evolution of Nokia and Ovi