Retailer Tips in a Difficult Economy

March 09, 2009 | Bob Snyder | Bob’s BytePDFPrintE-mail

At CES, the CEA told press that a CEA/GfK study expects CE retail sales will hit the $724 billion mark in 2009, up 4.3% compared to 2008. Yet 2008 sales were up 13% over 2007, so that’s nearly 9% we’ll lose.

At On CE, we’ve been consistently telling our readers to expect at least 10% less in sales; and we mean 10% less than 2008 sales.

Read more...

Excessive DTV Patent Licensing Fees

March 09, 2009 | Bob Snyder | TV - Display - ProjectorsPDFPrintE-mail

America makes its switch to Digital TV, but one could hardly call it a smooth transition. Vizio, the American HDTV brand whose fast rise to success caught old-line TV off guard, supports a Coalition to Terminate Financial Abuses of the Television Transmission. VIZIO is petitioning and urging the FCC to act to protect U.S. consumers from “excessive patent charges for DTV that have already exceeded $1 Billion”.

The coalition, also known as CUT FATT, says the FCC requires all TVs sold in U.S. include a digital tuner built to the requirements of the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC). CUT FATT charges that American consumers will pay between $20-$30 per TV “for the same patent rights that cost $1 or less in Europe or Japan."

Go CUT FATT

Back to the Future: Vinyl Records Rebound

March 09, 2009 | Bob Snyder | AudioPDFPrintE-mail

In 2008, consumers bought 1.88 million vinyl albums in USA, more than in any other year since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking LP sales in 1991. And Nielson may be under-reporting because many online and independent retail shops aren't counted.

Nirvana, Van Morrison, Cream, Guns 'N Roses and Metallica have all recently put out new releases or re-released classic albums on new vinyl. LPs have made such a comeback that Amazon recently introduced a vinyl-only store and increased its selection to 150,000 titles across 20 genres.

Why the vinyl rebound? Sure, some audiophiles insist vinyl records offer better sound quality but we treated them like Luddites. But are they right?

Apparently, yes…they are right. Many buyers insist the new vinyl (heavier than old LPs) demonstrates sound superiority over CDs. But vinyl record sales have skyrocketed not just because of a “warm sound.” New buyers are discovering the value of owning albums, with their cover art and large liner notes. Call it a fad or a new generation of audiophiles but it’s not Gen X or Baby Boomers buying—it’s 13- to 24-year-olds rediscovering the value of record collections.

And it's not just the vinyl that's selling—you need a turntable and cartridges to play them. Angelis Labor will be unveiling at CES its Gabriel Turntable for $27,000 and $64,000.

Go Angelis Labor

FNAC Launches Pack TV

March 09, 2009 | Bob Snyder | TV - Display - ProjectorsPDFPrintE-mail
FNAC launched Pack TV featuring all French DTT channels as well as Video on Demand titles delivered over internet to set-top boxes.

The joint venture between FNAC and Netgem will offer all the French terrestrial channels plus five supplementary linear channels - Eurosport, Planete, LCI, Paris Premiere and TF6. The dedicated STB comes with a dual-tuner and 160 GB hard drive, as well as USB ports, hidden WiFi antennas, HDMI and SCART outputs.



Available to French households with a broadband connection for €149.90 one-off payment plus subscription fees of €5.90 per month for 12 months (or a one-off payment of €259.90).

FNAC, with aggregator Glowria, developed the video on demand service that includes 1000 titles from 5000 on FNAC's web-based service. Video on demand titles will cost between €2.99 and €4.99.

Go Netbox and FNAC

Bosch Divest Blaupunkt

March 09, 2009 | Bob Snyder | Auto electronics, sat navPDFPrintE-mail
Bosch sells off their Blaupunkt car stereo unit. Blaupunkt’s aftermarket and audio components business becomes an independent company, while Bosch continues in OEM car electronics.

Proud new owner is Aurelius Group, a German holding company specializing in buying up medium-sized companies in throes of restructuring. Blaupunkt is at CES and will show "the first Internet car radio” (potential competitor to satellite radio, but needs an Internet-enabled phone to receive audio streams.)

Go Blaupunkt

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