| April 12, 2012 | News covering the consumer electronics industry |
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| Today's Digital Pulse |  |  |
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| CE in the Home | | |
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- Interest in mobile video grows, but cost is a concern
Although more viewers are becoming interested in multiscreen video services, they cite concerns about cost as the main reason holding them back from trying it, QuickPlay Media has found in a survey. More than 1 in 3 respondents say they have tried a mobile TV and/or video service, with just over 1 in 4 indicating they are current users of a new video service. However, only one-fifth can remember ads viewed on mobile TV devices or video services, and about 8 in 10 say the ads are not varied enough. MediaPost Communications/MediaDailyNews
(4/11), TWICE
(4/11)      
| From Blue Chips to Startups | | |
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- 3 major CE display-makers partner with Japan's help
The display-panel operations of Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi have teamed up to create Japan Display, a government-backed effort to corner the market on displays for iPhones and other small-screen gadgets. Japan's government has invested $2.5 billion for a 70% stake in the new venture, which will compete with South Korea's Samsung Electronics. The Wall Street Journal
(4/10)
- Sony doubles loss forecast, confirms 6% reduction in force
Sony has more than doubled the loss forecast for the fiscal year ended in March, from $2.7 billion to $6.4 billion. The consumer-electronics giant also confirmed that it would eliminate 10,000 jobs -- about 6% of its worldwide workforce -- with half of that total coming from the sale of a chemicals business and a small LCD manufacturer. New CEO Kazuo Hirai is expected to also address Sony's television business, which has lost a total of $10 billion in eight years. Reuters
(4/12), CNET/Internet & Media blog
(4/12)
- Weak Symbian sales prompt Nokia to issue profit warning
Nokia said Wednesday that its first-quarter income would come up short of estimates because of disappointing sales of the cellphone-maker's Symbian-powered handsets at a time when the company has yet to fully exploit its new relationship with Microsoft. While sales of the Lumia series of Windows Phone were strong, margins were relatively weak because of competition. Analysts urged Nokia to take stronger stops to turn around the company, such as spinning off its low-end phone units. Also on Wednesday, Nokia introduced its Lumia 610 NFC model, which will come equipped with a near-field communications chip for mobile payments, and said it would bring more NFC-enabled phones to market. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
(4/11), Bloomberg
(4/12), Reuters
(4/11)
| Tech News | | |
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- Microsoft exec: "Kinect: Star Wars" should satisfy fans, boost 3D
The new "Kinect: Star Wars" game for the Xbox 360 console will not only make "Star Wars" fanatics very happy but also will help drive consumer adoption of 3D technology, according to Kudo Tsunoda, Microsoft's creative director of Kinect. "There really are things that people have wanted to do inside the 'Star Wars' universe that they have never been able to do before because of the technology limitations," he said. Pocket-Lint.com (U.K.)
(4/11)
- Gartner: PC shipments were up in Q1
The PC market appears to be on firmer ground than analysts thought, according to industry reports. The first quarter saw a 1.9% increase in shipments, according to a report from Gartner that countered analysts' expectation of a 1.2% dip. The increase indicates the industry may "pick up significantly" by year's end, Loren Loverde of IDC said in a separate report. Reuters
(4/11), Bloomberg
(4/11)
- Samsung takes on low-end tablets with $250 Galaxy Tab 2
Samsung Electronics will price its 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2 device at $250 when it goes on sale April 22, the South Korean company announced Wednesday. It also unveiled a 10-inch version of the tablet that will sell for $400 when it ships in May. The devices will come equipped with Android 4.0 and more powerful specs than the original Galaxy Tab products. With the lower price, Samsung is taking aim at budget-oriented tablets such as Amazon's Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble's Nook. Samsung also introduced two new versions of its Android-based Player digital media devices. VentureBeat/Mobile
(4/11), VentureBeat/Mobile
(4/11), PCWorld/Today @ PCWorld blog
(4/11)
| Retail Trends | | |
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- Disc to Digital service at Wal-Mart aims for the clouds
About 3,500 Wal-Mart stores in the U.S. on Monday will begin offering the Disc to Digital service, under which consumers can upload their authenticated DVDs and Blu-ray discs to the computing cloud. The initiative is part of the UltraViolet "digital locker" program supported by most of the Hollywood studios. PaidContent.org
(4/11)
- Lenbrook develops digital music center concept for dealers
The Lenbrook Group, a distribution management and brand development company, has come up with a Digital Music Experience Center retailing concept that it is implementing with a number of independent consumer-electronics dealers. Lenbrook, which owns the NAD Electronics and PSB Loudspeakers brands, developed the concept with input from independent dealers. Dealerscope
(4/11)
| CEA Zap | | |
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DTV Interface Subcommittee maintenance review and revisions
CEA's R4.8 DTV Interface Subcommittee is conducting a maintenance review of CEA-770.2-D and the CEA-805-D January 2010 Errata and is seeking users and people with a general interest to participate. CEA-770.2-D defines the physical characteristics of an interface and the parameters of the signals carried across that interface. The CEA-805-D January 2010 Errata provides corrections to an error found in ANSI/CEA-805-D. If you are interested in participating in these reviews, please contact standards@CE.org.
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Display your auto technology at The Garage @ CEA Line Shows
The expanded show floor at the 2012 CEA Line Shows will feature a new, dedicated display -- The Garage @ CEA Line Shows -- where the latest in automotive technology will be on display by leading car companies and aftermarket suppliers. To accommodate the unique exhibition needs of these technology providers, CEA Line Shows is reserving 10 convenient "parking spots" for cars right on the show floor. Each parking space includes enough room for a single vehicle, a tabletop display, signs and a literature rack for one low price -- no additional costs or hassle. Just drive right up and reach the industry's most influential journalists, analysts and dealers. Contact us to find out how to drive sales for your automotive technologies in New York this summer. Call Rick Albuck at (215) 238-5215 today!
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