Consumer Electronics Daily News

Dell Globalizes Business Groups around Major Customer Segments

To serve business customers with faster innovation and greater responsiveness, Dell plans to organize globally around three major customer segments – large enterprise, public sector, and small and medium businesses. Dell’s consumer business, led by Ron Garriques, is already organized globally.

Dell believes the four groups best capitalize on the company’s competitive advantages, while strengthening execution and synergies. Each group will possess greater global accountability and responsibility for responding to customer needs, and for anticipating and leading industry change.

“In the past two years we have significantly improved our competitiveness, reengineered our supply chain, broadened our product portfolio and introduced Dell to more people in more places than ever before. We have laid the foundation for the transition from a global business that’s run regionally to businesses that are really globally organized,” says Michael Dell, chairman and CEO. Dell said the changes result from listening to customers and responding to their desire for faster innovation and globally standardized products and services.

Leading the new worldwide business units will be:

• Large Enterprise — Steve Schuckenbrock, currently president, Global Services, and chief information officer. Dell is the leading provider of IT infrastructure and solutions in many of the world’s economies. A single large-enterprise unit will further Dell’s advantage in delivering globally consistent innovations, solutions and services to the world’s largest IT users.

• Public — Paul Bell, currently president, Dell Americas. Through a globally integrated Public organization Dell intends to extend its leadership in answering urgent IT challenges in areas such as government, education, health care and the environment.
• Small and Medium Business — Steve Felice, based in Singapore, currently president, Dell Asia-Pacific and Japan. The new organization will accelerate creation and delivery of SMB-specific solutions and technology to the more than 72 million small and medium-sized businesses worldwide.

In a related move, the company announced that Mike Cannon, President, Global Operations, will retire from Dell effective Jan. 31. Cannon will be succeeded by Jeff Clarke who, in addition to his responsibilities as head of Dell’s Business Client Product Group, will become Vice Chairman, Global Operations. Cannon will serve as a consultant to Dell. For more information, visit www.dell.com.

Audiovox to Expand its Satellite Radio Footprint Through New Agreement with SIRIUS XM

Audiovox Corporation today announced that it has reached an agreement in principle with SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio, whereby the company will become the principal supplier of SIRIUS satellite radio products to the North American aftermarket, providing products to the major U.S. retailers. The agreement is subject to the completion of a final distribution agreement under which Audiovox will provide warehousing, distribution, logistics and related services for SIRIUS XM with respect to both SIRIUS and XM products.

This new agreement is in addition to the existing Master License Agreement that Audiovox has for XM products, which was entered into by Audiovox and XM in 2005.

Patrick Lavelle, President and CEO of Audiovox stated, "This is yet another major milestone for our Company as it further strengthens our leading position in the satellite radio category. Despite the current economic climate, satellite radio is still growing and we believe it will continue to be a prominent form of consumer entertainment. With this agreement, we expect our satellite radio sales to more than double next year with limited exposure. We look forward to partnering with SIRIUS XM in this next phase of their corporate evolution."

For more information, visit www.audiovox.com. 

RIDATA Offers 233X, 300X Compact Flash Card Plus a SATA HDD Converter RAID

Advanced Media, Inc., the manufacturer and marketer of the Ridata brand of electronic storage products, and digital accessories, announces Ridata 233x Lightning Series CompactFlash cards plus a SATA Converter RAID 1. Compatible Ridata CF cards range in capacity from 512MB to 32GB. The adapter allows a CF card to function as a Solid State Drive. In the case of a hard drive failure, the CF card via the converter appears as an ordinary hard drive to any OS and can be configured as a boot device.

"Many of our portable device customers would like to try an SSD without the bigger price tag. Our industrial customers face the problem of waiting for long hard disk drive (HDD) rebuilds that may cause over heating issues. By using our CF card and SATA converter, users can hot swap the HDD with the card and converter saving storage rebuild time with low temperatures and high transfer speeds," commented Harvey Liu, president of Advanced Media, Inc.

Now users can choose what capacity CF card to use and connect the CF card directly to the SATA ATA controller via a SATA converter in a RAID 1 configuration. Ridata now offers a SATA-CF adapter that can be installed in a drive bay or in a slot on the rear of the PC or notebook. The Compact Flash Card Plus a SATA HDD Converter RAID 1 supports up to PIO Mode-6 and UDMA Mode-4. It is compatible with Ridata CF card capacities of 512MB through 32GB. The converter also supports Intel Robson cache technology that ensures the fast start-up of Centrino-based notebook PC?s and is compatible with Microsoft Vista Ready Boost cache technology.

For more information, visit www.ritekusa.com.

Golden Signals Announces DisplayShare Wireless Networking Software

Golden Signals, a leading innovator in wireless networking products, announces DisplayShare, a unique wireless solution that uses a gaming console to establish a high definition link between a PC and a home entertainment system.  By simply downloading the DisplayShare software on the PC, connectivity to the home entertainment system is automatically established via the gaming console. Consumers can easily display PC content - like documents, multimedia and presentations -- on their television screen. DisplayShare will be showcased at CES in booth No. IP221, located at the Innovation Plus Pods in the Sands Expo Center.

“Our main focus when developing DisplayShare was ease of use for the consumer, without requiring the purchase of additional hardware for the home,” says Dr. Stuart Golden, founder and CEO of Golden Signals.  “For sharing pictures, videos and music with friends and family, DisplayShare is a simple and cost-effective way to link your PC with your existing home entertainment system.”

The first release of DisplayShare uses the PlayStation 3 to establish the connection, which can be made with two simple steps. After turning on the PS3 and installing the DisplayShare software on a PC in the home network, the PS3 welcome screen on the TV shows an icon identifying the PC. The user then uses the PS3 remote or game controller to select the PC icon. Whatever appears on the PC display screen is now replicated on to the TV.  Audio is also streamed to the speakers of the entertainment system.

DisplayShare is best utilized in situations where you want to see the PC display screen on a larger and higher definition screen. Pictures, video, PowerPoint presentations and Web pages can all be replicated through DisplayShare on to an HDTV. The wireless link, established by DisplayShare, also transmits audio so that the user can listen to internet radio or music stored on the PC through your home audio system. As a result, sound quality increases since the music is now streaming through high quality speakers in the home entertainment system instead of computer speakers. 
  
The PS3 release of DisplayShare is available now and can be purchased for $49.95 per license at www.displayshare.com. Software releases for the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii will be available later this year. DisplayShare products optimized for office and industrial applications are also being developed.

Retrevo Releases 2008 Year-End CE Report

Retrevo®, the first matchmaker for people and electronics, today released its 2008 Year-End Consumer Electronics report on consumer electronics trends in 2008 and predictions for 2009 based on data from The Retrevo Pulse, the heartbeat of trends for electronics and gadgets.

The 20-page report covers:

• Key drivers of growth of CE products in the first half of the year;
• The impact of the financial crisis and recession on consumer demand for electronics products in late summer/early fall;
• 2008 price and demand trends for noteworthy categories; and
• The 2009 outlook for top CE product categories, including HDTVs, laptops, GPS receivers, digital cameras, camcorders, mobile phones and more.

“It was widely assumed earlier in the year that the CE industry would be mostly insulated from the slowing economy,” says Vipin Jain, President and CEO of Retrevo. “Looking at the Retrevo Pulse, we know that was not the case. There were bright spots, however, particularly TVs, digital camera and laptop sales, which helped propel total CE spending,” added Jain. “In the report we released today, we looked at historical data from The Pulse to highlight some important trends in 2008, and make several broad predictions for 2009.”

Data for the report was collected and aggregated by the Retrevo Pulse, which consists of the CE Price Index™, CE Demand Index™ and a real-time product buzz ticker. The indices track daily price and demand trends for consumer electronics by product category and in aggregate based on observed data from millions of consumers for more than 4,000 products across 40 categories, such as HDTV’s, digital cameras and laptop computers.

The Retrevo 2008 Year-End Consumer Electronics is available for free. For more information, click here.

Genius Premieres New 'Touch' Products at CES

Genius, a division of KYE Systems Corp., announced today that it will be showing the company’s latest fun and innovative family of products at CES 2009. Highlights include the Touch Photo Frames, DPF-T805 and DPF-T1000, and the Touch Speaker Systems, SP-T1200 2.0 and SP-T1800 2.1, all of which feature Genius’ touch technology.

The DPF-T805 and DPF-T1000 Touch Digital Photo Frames allows users to create a moving photo album. What makes ours special is the touch keypad design, allowing users to upload and play their photos with ease. With a single press of a finger, users can browse through their photos.

Combing fun with great sound is the new SP-T1200 2.0 speaker system that has a unique “touch panel screen” to control the volume, bass or treble all with the gentle slide of your finger. The slide bar illuminates when adjustments are made, creating a visually high-tech look and feel. The compact size, mixed with 30-watt sound, make these speakers the perfect companion for laptops and notebooks.

The SW-T2.1 1800 Touch Speaker System includes a sleek three piece speaker system with innovative DRD 3D sound effects for greater acoustic range and powerful base. The speaker system has a touch panel screen to control function, volume, bass or treble all with the touch of a finger.

The 2.4 GHz Wireless Stereo Speaker System comes with a three piece speaker system. With a wireless range of up to 100 feet, the speakers system has a convenient 3.5mm socket on audio transmitter for connecting with all audio devices, such as TV’s, DVD players, and all MP3 players.

The latest IP camera, IP Cam 350TR, is designed with the most advanced night vision technology to secure any home or office efficiently. The light sensor automatically turns on six infrared LEDs when the camera is in a dark environment, making the user feel as though they have a twenty-four hour body guard.

Toshiba Is 'The One to Watch' With Exciting New regza HDTVs

Scott Ramirez, Vice President of Marketing at Toshiba, talks about the company's 2009 TV lineup.

CEDN: Please tell us about your 2009 TV lineup and anything new that is being announced here at CES.

SR: The big news is the quantum leap we are taking with our premium REGZA LCD TV models. Everything is upgraded from the cosmetics, with our unique Deep Lagoon Flush front design, to the picture quality with a new advanced frame rate technology and Resolution+ super-resolution, to the sound quality with Dolby Volume and Audyssey, to the complete next-gen connectivity with USB 2.0, SD card slot, DLNA, InstaPort and more. 

At Toshiba, we say REGZA is 'The one to watch,' and now it is truly the one to want and the one to follow.

CEDN: What differentiates your line from the competition?

SR: For 2009, there are so many unique Toshiba technologies, but I think our new advanced frame rate technology and Resolution+ are the most demonstrable. Our new frame rate technology, offering more than 120Hz, combines a higher frame rate with backlight scanning to provide a new level of picture clarity with fast motion video for sports or action movies.

Resolution+ makes everything you watch feel like HD, even standard DVDs, non-HD TV channels, camcorder movies and video games. It also improves scaling from 720p HD to 1080p full HD. These key features, along with our long list of other new technologies for 2009, will create unmatched Toshiba REGZA picture quality.

For more information, visit www.toshiba.com.

Zip Announces First In-Store Retail Partnership with Office Depot

Zip Express Installation, a leader in next-day installation services for consumer electronics retailers, announces its first in-store retail partnership with Office Depot. Zip Express now provides TV installation services for Office Depot customers, available in-store as well as online at www.officedepot.com.

With Zip Express, Office Depot now provides professional installation services for customers who purchase TVs through the Company’s retail or online channel, with next-day installation available anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. When the selected service is purchased, customers simply call the Zip Express toll free number or visit www.zipinstallation.com to schedule the installation for the specific day and time that is most convenient for them.

“We see consumers continuing to invest and look for exceptional value on mini luxuries, such as electronics, for in-home entertainment,” explains Chris Mauzy, President and CEO of Zip Express Installation. “With Zip Express Installation services, Office Depot can now provide even greater purchase incentives to their customers and deliver instant gratification for their TV purchases.”

Office Depot customers who purchase the TV installation service can choose a next-day or five-day appointment, and one of Zip’s 16,000 technicians is guaranteed to arrive on the hour. To ensure proper knowledge of their new TV purchase, technicians provide consumers with the additional benefit of a training session following the installation. TV installation packages are offered as an in-store SKU, similar to a PIN card, and are scanned at checkout. Online, customers simply choose the service package they want and add it to their virtual shopping cart.

Installation services start at $129.95 and all installations completed by Zip’s more than 16,000 CE-certified installers include a one-year warranty.

DBL Adds Small Home Appliances

DBL Distributing LLC, one of the largest and fastest growing distributors of consumer electronics in North America, today announced the expansion of their Small Home Appliances product offerings. Answering their customer’s demands for an amplified product assortment, DBL announces the additions of Sanyo and Wahl to their small appliances product assortment.

DBL entered the home appliance market in April of 2008, announcing partnerships with Panasonic, Cusinart and Avanti. The overwhelming success and continued 40 percent month over month growth of the introductory product assortment has prompted DBL to further expand the segment with new and exciting vendors. Effective in January of 2009, DBL will begin marketing Sanyo home appliances to its 32,000 customers nationwide. Sanyo is a worldwide provider of innovative home appliances related to rice cookers, toaster ovens, indoor grills and coffee makers. Utilizing the latest in patented variable control® technology, Sanyo’s computerized rice cookers execute the perfect amount of pressure to produce perfect rice, each and every time. Other features of this innovative kitchen electronic include an extra thick inner pot for maximum heat distribution, multi-texture selections for cooking different types of rice, safety locking device, a slow cook function for cooking soups and stews, a retractable cord, and a steaming function for healthy steamed food. In addition to their advanced rice cookers, DBL will also distribute Sanyo’s assortment of indoor grills, coffee makers, microwave ovens, mini refrigerators, toaster ovens and wine coolers. Also new to DBL’s product line-up includes Wahl’s assortment of personal beauty, barber salon trade and consumer personal care products.

“DBL’s home appliance segment has been extremely successful,” stated Tim Coakley, Senior Vice President of Merchandising for DBL Distributing. “Because of the profitable month over month growth and positive feedback from our customers, we have expanded the lines to offer a more robust product selection for our customers.”

For more information, visit www.dbldistributing.com.

CES Preview: Noritsu, Lucidiom to Showcase Integrated Imaging Solution

Noritsu America Corporation will present an integrated photo-quality imaging solution in cooperation with Lucidiom Inc. at the 2009 International CES. Noritsu and Lucidiom have integrated their technologies to create a complete consumer-friendly imaging solution that is fully scalable for retailers both large and small. This total solution includes the new Noritsu D502 duplex inkjet printer paired with Lucidiom’s award-winning APM photo kiosk and Photo Finale Web 6.0 online portal. The duplex capabilities of the Noritsu D502 enable a wide variety of photo products to be produced. Enlargements, greeting cards, calendars, posters, signs, scrapbooks, banners and photobooks can all be cost-effectively produced from the Noritsu D502, creating exciting new revenue opportunities for retailers in today’s challenging economic environment.

“Working together with Lucidiom allows us to offer a total imaging solution and tremendous profit potential to both mass and small chain retailers,” says Akihiko Kuwabara, President of Noritsu America Corporation. “The Noritsu D502 double-sided inkjet printer in tandem with Lucidiom’s flexible and open software platform can produce virtually every conceivable value-added photo product – from photo books, to calendars, to greeting cards, posters and more – in addition to prints of all sizes. Retailers now have the opportunity to use reliable, proven technology from two of the leading companies in the retail digital imaging industry.”

Lucidiom President Steve Giordano, Jr. added, “The Noritsu-Lucidiom solution provides retailers with everything they need to succeed in the brave new world of social picturing, both in-store and online. Lucidiom’s award-winning software and hardware combined with the awesome printing power of the Noritsu D502 equals a digital imaging workhorse that will produce profitable results even in today’s tough economy. In fact, Lucidiom APM Network data shows that orders of personal publishing products already are up hundreds of percentage points this quarter compared to last year. Smart retailers will invest in the Noritsu-Lucidiom solution that produces these value-added products quickly and with the highest quality."

For more information, visit www.noritsu.com.