| January 28, 2013 | News covering the consumer electronics industry |
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| Today's Digital Pulse |  |  |
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- Will China lift ban on game consoles?
China's long-standing ban on importing, manufacturing and selling video-game consoles may finally come to an end, China Daily reports, citing a government source. "We are reviewing the policy and have conducted some surveys and held discussions with other ministries on the possibility of opening up the game console market," said a source in the Ministry of Culture. The unnamed source added, "However, since the ban was issued by seven ministries more than a decade ago, we will need approval from all parties to lift it." The stocks of Nintendo and Sony reached new heights in Japan as a result of the report. China Daily (Beijing)
(1/28), Reuters
(1/28), Bloomberg
(1/27)      
| CE in the Home | | |
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- Millennium Entertainment exec: Disc, digital distribution to co-exist
Steve Nickerson, president of Millennium Entertainment, an independent distributor, sees digital downloads and discs co-existing in the video market this year. "While digital distribution is the growth area for the business, physical media is still the dominant format of choice for consumers. We want to make our content available to consumers no matter how they choose to view it, so we have to emphasize all market segments equally to maximize our total business," he says in this interview. Home Media Magazine
(1/28)
- In home theaters, first it's all about the seating, THX exec says
 John Dahl, THX's director of education, emphasizes the need to determine the layout of seating in a home theater before selecting the audiovisual equipment. He urges professional AV installers, "It doesn’t do anyone any service if we insist that there’s only one way. There’s a goal, but there are options too," adding, "If you’re a good installer, you have lots of options in your pocket." ElectronicHouse.com
(1/25)
| Gaming | | |
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- What's hot and new in consoles, games
Gizmodo speculates on what's coming up in the next generation of PlayStation and Xbox consoles, while also reviewing the game-playing capabilities of Microsoft's Surface Pro tablet computer and other devices. USA Today surveys video games to be released this year and offers its own analysis of what is going on in the console market. Gizmodo Australia
(1/28), USA Today
(1/26)
| Tech News | | |
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- CEA offers support to DISH in lawsuit over Hopper DVR
The Consumer Electronics Association filed a "friend-of-the-court" brief in support of DISH Network in its litigation with CBS and other broadcast television networks, which accuse DISH of violating their copyrights with its Hopper digital video recorder. CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro said in a statement, "Making television easier to watch is not against the law. It is simply pro-innovation and pro-consumer." CNET
(1/25)
- ITU standard could reduce network burden by half
Wireless and wireline networks would get immense relief from bandwidth constraints under a new standard -- H.265 -- that an International Telecommunications Union working group has approved, a standard known as High Efficiency Video Coding that is the successor to the H.264 codec. The next-generation compression technology would consume half the bandwidth now required and open the door for HD video on wireless networks with limited capacity. TechCrunch
(1/25), Network World/IDG News Service
(1/25)
- Law makes unlocking subsidized phones illegal without permission
As of Saturday, unlocking a subsidized cellphone purchased from a carrier without the approval of the carrier became a crime in the U.S. under a Library of Congress ruling that noted consumers still have a broad range of "unlocked phone options" open to them. In his notice, Librarian of Congress James Billington quoted one industry group in asserting that "locking cell phones is an essential part of the wireless industry’s dominant business model" because carriers need to keep subscribers in contracts in order to make back the massive subsidies they pay handset makers for smartphones. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution/The Biz Beat blog
(1/26), All Things D
(1/25), Bloomberg
(1/25)
| Retail Trends | | |
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- Study: More consumers see the need for professional tech support
Almost three-quarters of U.S. broadband households said they would be open to using professional technology support if such support was comprehensive in helping to set up and operate electronics, according to Parks Associates. "While devices are becoming more intuitive, their functionality is increasing; so, while it is easier to figure out how to access the typical functions, consumers may need guidance in learning how to perform a new function on a new device," says Patrice Samuels of Parks. MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily
(1/26)
| CEA Zap | | |
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Gary Shapiro on Forbes.com: "Six ways to create economic growth”
Check out what CEA President and CEO, Gary Shapiro, had to say in his latest Forbes.com column! This week, Gary discusses a few ways that the U.S. can spur economic growth. "What can be done to fix our current economic downturn and cut the deficit? Congress will have to lead on the big issues. The Simpson Bowles Commission, created by President Barack Obama, proposed a reasonable set of shared pain proposals that are a great starting point for debate. But even without Simpson Bowles, here are a few common-sense proposals which would reverse the "new normal" with policies focused on economic growth," said Shapiro. Check out and comment on the full article on Forbes.com.
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Renew your CEA membership by Feb. 28
CEA appreciates your ongoing support and continued membership. To continue to receive access to valuable member benefits like CES discounts, $1 million worth of market research and a plethora of business development opportunities, renew your membership today at http://payinvoice.ce.org. The final renewal deadline is Feb. 28. Questions? Contact Jamie Recio at 703-907-4346.
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