Consumer Electronics Daily News

Garmin Makes $3.3B for Tele Atlas

Garmin Ltd., has made an unsolicited $3.3 billion bid for mapmaker Tele Atlas NV, a move that tops an offer from rival TomTom by about 15 percent. Garmin plans to formalize the bid before Dec. 4, the expiry date of TomTom's bid for Tele Atlas.

"A combined company will allow Tele Atlas’ employees and customers to leverage Garmin’s large worldwide user base and industry leading technology to further contribute to the creation of superior mapping coverage, quality and shared content for all of Tele Atlas’ current and future customers," Garmin said in a statement.

“Given the high growth and rapid change the navigation market has undergone to date, we feel that now is the right time for Garmin to move ahead with this proposed combination with Tele Atlas," says Garmin CEO Dr. Min Kao. "Together, we believe that we can create the best available mapping solutions for our customers around the world. We also intend to make Tele Atlas' content available to the entire navigation market on a non-discriminatory basis, promoting healthy competition, with significant benefits to the navigation market and all its consumers.”

Garmin says that its intention that Tele Atlas, following the closure of the acquisition, will continue its business as a separate entity, based and headquartered in the Netherlands, and retain the existing management.

For more information, click here (warning: PDF link).

JupiterResearch: HD DVD and Blu-ray Format War is Futile

JupiterResearch has released a new report restating its cautions that the format war between HD DVD and Blu-ray is not only causing confusion among consumers, but it will result in major challenges for manufacturers as they seek to stimulate mainstream adoption of either.

According to the JupiterResearch report, Next Generation DVD: Will the Winner Be HD DVD, Blu-ray, or None of the Above?, while HD DVD and Blu-ray camps are attempting to win over the hearts and minds of consumers with next-generation, high-definition optical disks, HD content has little impact on purchasing decisions. In fact, a mere 24 percent of consumers cited HD content as a motivator to upgrade their home equipment. Because there is a far more extensive catalog of titles available on standard DVD than on either HD DVD or Blu-ray, there is little motivation for consumers to make the switch.

"CDs and DVDs both offered a clear value proposition to consumers when they were introduced to the marketplace. There was a visible difference in the experience that was easily grasped," explains Michael Gartenberg, JupiterResearch Vice President and lead author of the report. "The real competitor that both these formats face is not each other, but rather low cost DVD players with up-scaling capabilities that pass the ‘good enough’ test for most consumers.”

Further confusing the issue is the growth and penetration of broadband, which is facilitating content delivery directly to consumers without the need for any optical disk. Combined with ease of use and the ability to move content from room to room as well as onto portable devices, the market for downloadable video content continues to grow each day.

The complete findings of this report are available online at www.jupiterresearch.com.

CEA to Offer Certification Training at EHX

The Consumer Electronics Association and its TechHome Division will provide certification training programs for electronic systems professionals and technology integrators at the Electronic House Expo (EHX) Fall 2007. The show is next week at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif.

The certification training programs offered at the EHX Fall 2007 will include the Electronic Systems Professional Alliance's Certified Electronic Systems Technician (ESPA Certified-EST) and the CEA-CompTIA Digital Home Technology Integrator (DHTI+) certification. Both programs target professional installers working with technology in the low-voltage sector including technology integrators, custom installers, security system technicians, cable, satellite and telecommunications installers, electricians and network administrators.

"It's critical to the continued growth of the installed technology industry that installers in the community receive quality training and certification while integrating state of the art housing with custom home technology systems," says Todd Thibodeaux, CEA's Senior Vice President of Industry Relations and member of the ESPA Board. "CEA and its partners look forward to working with EHX to ensure that custom installers and integrators are provided with the best training available."

ESPA Certified-EST is an entry-level, gateway training and certification program developed by the Electronic Systems Professional Alliance, which is a collaboration between CEA, the National Systems Contractors Association and the Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association. The Certified-EST program will cover both residential and commercial installations, focusing primarily on low-voltage systems.

The CEA-CompTIA DHTI+ certification is a collaboration between CEA and the Computing Technology Industry Association. DHTI+ is an advanced-level certification, layered on top of the ESPA Certified-EST entry-level certification; however Certified-EST is not a prerequisite. DHTI+ training was developed and is offered by CEA training partner, Bedrock Learning.

For more information, visit www.ehxweb.com.

HP Unveils Must-Have Gifts for the Holidays

The countdown to Black Friday has begun, as HP kicked off the holiday festivities today with the introduction of a range of consumer products -- from personal, stylish devices that help protect and preserve digital memories, to the ultimate in high-definition digital entertainment PCs and TVs. Highlighting the offerings is a powerful, all-in-one touchscreen PC that allows families to organize their busy lives with a shared family calendar or access entertainment content with just one touch. Also new is a consumer notebook that boasts 1080p resolution for a superb mobile entertainment experience.

"Consumer electronics are at the top of holiday wish lists this year and HP offers an innovative and stylish line up of gifts aimed at empowering consumers to create, share and publish their content, their way," says John Solomon, Vice President and General Manager, U.S. Consumer Business, HP. "Whether they want to capture and print photos or enjoy the simplicity of a touchscreen computing experience, HP delivers best-in-class solutions to meet their needs."

TouchSmart IQ775 PC. Featuring AMD64 dual-core processing with AMD LIVE! Smarter Digital Entertainment and a 19-inch diagonal LCD adjustable display, this PC allows users to quickly and easily check the weather, edit and view photos, personalize notes, manage family schedules, access favorite Web sites) or watch favorite recorded or live TV shows. Estimated U.S. retail price of $1,599.

Photosmart R937 Digital Camera. This digicam includes a 3.6-inch touchscreen -- the largest on a compact digital camera. Editing images in-camera is easy with a virtual keyboard that can be used to crop photos, insert captions and add Microsoft Vista-compatible tags to share photos via email. Estimated U.S. retail price of $299.

iPAQ 300 Series Travel Companion. Featuring a unique high-resolution 3D navigation experience, Bluetooth wireless capabilities and a premium entertainment system, the sleek Travel Companion is great for any frequent business or vacation traveler and offers an easy-to-use navigation system with text-to-speech guidance and online trip planning tools, travelers can research, create and share personalized trip plans to download onto the device. Estimated U.S. retail price of $449.

MediaSmart Server. A central, safe location to keep the entire family's digital media and files with easy access from any networked PC, in or outside the home. Estimated U.S. retail price of $599 for 500GB and $749 for 1TB.

Pavilion HDX Entertainment Notebook PC. Showcasing the exclusive HP Imprint finish "Dragon" design, this notebook combines home theater, mobility and powerful performance in a 20.1-inch diagonal high-resolution Ultra BrightView LCD display that is capable of 1080p resolution and an easily adjustable screen for optimal viewing preference and comfort. Estimated U.S. retail price starts at $2,999.

MediaSmart LCD HDTV. A fully networked television that allows consumers to stream photos, music and videos from their PCs to an HD LCD display, the set has built-in wireless connectivity and provides access to online services such as CinemaNow, Estimated U.S. retail price for the 42-inch diagonal model is $1,999 and $2,499 for the 47-inch diagonal models

For more information, visit www.hpshopping.com.

CEDIA Cancels Spring EXPO

CEDIA Steps Back from Spring EXPO and Offers Table-Top Exposure Opportunity at Electronic Lifestyles Forum Instead

CEDIA notified members today that it is canceling plans for the Spring EXPO, and in its place offering manufacturers more intimate meeting opportunities at the Electronic Lifestyles Forum instead.

The association said that while there has been support for the spring tradeshow, "member feedback regarding market condition changes and other factors have prompted CEDIA to step back from Spring EXPO at this time and focus on education and expanding the exposure opportunities...at the third annual Electronic Lifestyles Forum."

CEDIA has ensured that 100 of the nation’s top architects, builders and interior designers will attend the Forum with the owners of electronic systems companies this spring. "[T]hat kind of cross-industry interaction isn’t available anywhere else in the electronic systems marketplace," the association said in an announcement today.

“The feedback from our members has changed over the past couple of months and they are no longer ready for a full-force tradeshow such as what was planned for the 2008 Spring EXPO,” says Don Gilpin, CEDIA Executive Director. “However, CEDIA members are still very interested in exposure to residential architects, builders and interior designers, and we have an opportunity to offer excellent interaction with the best-of-the-best in the design and build professions in an affordable, collaborative environment.”

Along with the Electronic Lifestyles Forum education opportunities and round-table discussions, CEDIA will be offering a new table-top display option for sponsoring manufacturers, Gilpin says.

The CEDIA Electronic Lifestyles Forum will be held April 30 to May 2, 2008 in Dallas, Texas at the Adolphus Hotel. For more information, visit www.cedia.org/elforum.

HomePlug/Panasonic Proposal Moves One Step Closer to Standardization

HomePlug Powerline Alliance today announced that the joint proposal, submitted by HomePlug member companies and Panasonic, is the sole MAC/PHY proposal remaining in the IEEE P1901 work group process for creating an international standard for in-home and access powerline communication technologies.

At a meeting held two weeks ago in Boston, the voting process implemented by members of the IEEE P1901 work group voted to support the HomePlug/Panasonic proposal over competing proposals, paving the way for industry unification and greater market growth.

The merged proposal offers the efficiency of a single MAC and the flexibility to support both the HomePlug AV and HD-PLC PHYs. Future products based on the merged 1901 proposal can be fully interoperable with existing HomePlug AV or Panasonic HD-PLC products.

"We created specifications for a technology that would meet the stringent feature requests of service providers and equipment manufacturers the world over," says Matthew Theall, President of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance and Intel's Powerline Initiative Manager. "The IEEE P1901 work group was comprised of many of these international companies that plan to implement this technology in applications such as HDTV, audio, surveillance, computer networking, broadband access and smart-grid solutions. As the process continues, we expect to work with members of the IEEE community and demonstrate how this technology fully serves each of these applications and more."

For more information, visit www.homeplug.org.

Nintendo Overtakes Sony as Top Console Software Developer

Nintendo displaced Sony Corp. as the leader in the videogame console software market in the third quarter of 2007 as it introduced a flood of new titles for both its Wii video-game console and its portable DS system, according to iSuppli Corp.

Worldwide revenue for Nintendo DS and Wii gaming software amounted to $1.2 billion in the third quarter, up 31.4 percent from $943.6 million in the second quarter and more than double the $611 million from the third quarter of 2006.

In comparison, Sony Corp. in the third quarter generated $1 billion in gaming software revenue for its PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and PSP players. Microsoft Corp. posted revenue of $317.8 million for Xbox and Xbox 360 software. In the second quarter, Sony generated $1 billion in gaming software revenue for its gaming platforms, while Microsoft was at $271.9 million.

“Nintendo is likely to maintain its lead in this area, as it expects by the end of 2007 to ship about 200 additional titles, adding to the more than 150 games already released, many from outside publishers,” predicted David Carnevale, Vice President of Multimedia Content and Dstribution at iSuppli. “Company software sales should be further boosted by the addition of a new flagship title for the Wii, dubbed Wii Fit, which encourages players to engage in full-body exercises using Wii Balance Boards, performing activities including yoga, push-ups, aerobics and stretching.”

Find out more about the game console software content market in Carnevale’s latest report entitled: Internet Protocol TV Battle Heats Up. For more information on this report, click here.

CEA, Parent's Choice Plan CES 08 Playdate

New Conference and Exhibition Bring Tech and Toy Industries Together to Showcase Creative Play in a Digital World

The Consumer Electronics Association and Parents' Choice Foundation today announced the creation of the Sandbox Summit: A Playdate With Technology. The conference and exhibition will debut at the 2008 International CES in Las Vegas, running from January 7 to 10, 2008.

The conference portion of the Sandbox Summit, scheduled for January 8, will bring together educators, toy manufacturers, consumer electronics companies, policy makers and media to discuss how technology is changing the ways kids play, learn and connect in the new digital world. The Sandbox Summit's exhibition, which runs for the entire four-day CES event, will showcase the latest high-tech toys and media that children are using today, and explore toys being designed for the kids of tomorrow.

"The relationship between the worlds of play and technology has grown stronger as the market for high-tech toys gains momentum," says Karen Chupka, Senior Vice President of Events and Conferences at CEA, producer of the International CES. "The 2008 International CES will be the global destination where attendees will witness the true merging of creative digital play with consumer technology."

"Kids are consuming technology as fast as we can produce it," says Claire Green, President, Parents' Choice Foundation. "We have a responsibility to learn what it's like to participate in our youngsters' digital world and to help these kids to become critical and creative consumers of technology."

For more information, visit www.sandboxsummit.org or www.cesweb.org.

Circuit City, Amazon.com Selling Toshiba HD DVD Player for $198

Circuit City, Amazon.com and other retailers are now selling the Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player for less than $200, more than $100 less than Toshiba's MSRP for the device.

The price drop came over the weekend after online reports surfaced that Wal-Mart was preparing to offering the player for $198 through a select number of it's brick-and-mortar stores. The nation's largest retailer will reportedly offer the $198 pricing on the HD-A2 on Nov. 3.

The HD-A2 from Toshiba debuted early in 2007 for $500, but has steadily reduced in price over the past 10 months with online and other retailers recently offering the player for $225 to $300. The dip below the $200 price point marks a first for the next-generation DVD formats, and puts the standalone HD DVD player more than $300 below the lowest priced Blu-ray player, Sony's PlayStation 3 console.

For more information, click here.

Gaming Tech Expands Presence at CES 08

In the wake of the demise of E3, the 2008 International CES, the world’s largest consumer technology trade show, will feature expanded gaming hardware and software, in one central location, including advancements in online and PC gaming in conjunction with the entire range of consumer electronics products at its Gaming Showcase.

The latest in gaming technology will be prominently featured at CES, as the exhibit space for gaming expands by more than 65 percent this year over 2007. Total revenues from the game category are forecasted to reach $18.3 billion in 2008, up from $15.4 billion in 2007.

“Attendees at the 2008 International CES will be among the first to experience the latest products and trends changing the shape of the gaming market," says Karen Chupka, Senior Vice President, Events and Conferences, CEA. "With the CES Gaming Showcase, featuring top gaming companies from around the world in a central, easy to visit location, conference sessions and other special gaming events, the 2008 International CES is the global hub for the latest trends emerging on the gaming market."

CES’ major gaming exhibitors include: Commodore Gaming, Entropia Universe, Red Lion Interactive, Shuttle Computers and War Machine, all exhibiting at CES for the first time this year, along with CES veterans LumiSource, Red Beard and InterAction Laboratories. Microsoft and Sony will also feature the latest developments in the gaming world at their respective booths.

For more news on the 2008 International CES, visit www.cesweb.org.