Consumer Electronics Daily News

CEA: Super Bowl Will Drive 2.6 Million HDTV Sales

Super Bowl XLIII is expected to drive the purchase of some 2.6 million HDTVs, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. For the fourth year in a row, the Super Bowl retains the title of top driver for HDTV purchases.

This year is expected to be another record-breaking year for HDTV sales with 29.8 million HD sets expected to ship, out of a total of 34.5 million digital televisions sold in the U.S. in 2009. This is up from 26.8 million HD sets sold in 2008. In addition to key sporting events like the Super Bowl, another factor driving this demand is the drop in the average wholesale price of sets. In the past five years, the average wholesale price for an HDTV has fallen nearly 50 percent to $849 in 2009.

“Even in this tough economy HDTV growth has remained strong and steady,” says Jason Oxman, CEA Senior Vice President, Industry Affairs. “Since the early days of HD, sporting events have lead the way in high-def broadcasts. Sixty percent of consumers said the Super Bowl is one of their favorite sports to watch in HD. It is no surprise that most Americans would not think of hosting a Super Bowl party without watching the game in HD.”

All categories of digital television (DTV) sales are on the rise. CEA projects that more than 34.5 million DTVs will ship in 2009. The 26.8 million LCD TVs expected to ship will make up the bulk of these sales. Plasma displays will account for 10 percent of total sets sold in 2009. Overall digital displays remain the primary revenue driver for the industry with dollar shipments representing 15 percent of total industry sales in 2009.

ABI: 79% View Netbooks as 'Secondary Devices'

In November 2008 ABI Research carried out a survey of more than 1000 adult consumers in the United States, aimed at identifying their attitudes to netbooks and mobile Internet devices (MIDs). The results are summarized in a Research Brief that provides critical insights into consumer perceptions of these products.

Among many other results, the research found that only 11 percent would use a netbook as their primary computer, while a massive 79 percent view netbooks as a secondary device to be used in addition to a laptop or desktop computer.

According to Principal Analyst Philip Solis, “While their low price does cause some consumers to view netbooks as a replacement for a laptop given the current economic conditions, the majority view a netbook as being a secondary device.”

“Even as a device that is secondary to the PC, this has to cut into the laptop market somewhat. When considering another laptop as an additional device mostly for browsing the web and using other Internet-based communications applications, consumers will find netbooks to be an appropriate alternative.”

This Research Brief, US Consumer Interest in Netbooks addresses consumers’ levels of interest in purchasing these devices, expected usage patterns, preferred applications, size and form factor, operating systems, affordability, and more. Each survey result is accompanied by concise interpretations of its significance. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com.

 

Garmin Adds to Fitness Watch Lineup

Garmin International Inc., is adding a new fitness watch, the FR60. The latest breakthrough in Garmin’s expansive outdoor recreation and fitness line, the stylish and intuitive FR60 was announced in conjunction with the 2009 ISPO Winter trade show in Munich.

“Indoors or out, it’s easier than ever to set fitness goals and track your progress with the fashionable yet affordable FR60,” says Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “While you exercise, the easy-to-use FR60 accurately tracks your time, calories burned, heart rate and other data from linked fitness equipment. Once you’re done and within range of your computer, that information is wirelessly transferred and stored for later analysis.”

The central element of the user-friendly FR60 system is an advanced fitness watch which interfaces wirelessly with other ANT+™ compatible fitness devices such as a heart rate monitor, a foot pod that monitors speed and distance or third-party fitness equipment at the gym or at home. Available in men’s and women’s versions, the FR60 comes with a wireless USB ANT™ Stick that plugs into the user’s PC or Mac and automatically downloads workout data stored on the watch to a personal computer. No cables are necessary as the FR60 quickly synchronizes with the computer once it is in close proximity. The workouts themselves are made easier with the FR60 as its robust heart rate monitor and slimmed-down foot pod transmit data wirelessly and activate automatically upon movement, removing the need to turn the lightweight accessories on and off. Available in three colors – red, lilac and black – the streamlined FR60 comes packaged with a heart rate monitor, and the foot pod is available in select FR60 bundles.

To learn more about the FR60 and Garmin’s other products and services, visit www.garmin.com.

CES 2010 iLounge Sells Out In Record Time, Space Being Quadrupled

The 2010 CES iLounge Pavilion will be quite a bit larger than initially anticipated, after the Consumer Electronics Association announced today that the unified iPod®, Phone® and Mac® exhibition area had already sold out just one week after it was announced.

To accomodate interest, CEA is quadrupling the original size since its official launch last week. The iLounge Pavilion, co-sponsored by CEA and iLounge.com, will feature manufacturers and retailers of iPod and iPhone accessories, related products and services, and based on requests from vendors, will now grow to include leading Mac developers and retailers as well.

“We have received an incredible response from companies interested in exhibiting in the iLounge Pavilion at the 2010 International CES,” said Karen Chupka, senior vice president, events and conferences, CEA. “In fact, the original space allocated for the pavilion sold out in less than one week – a CES show record – and we’ve quadrupled the space to accommodate the overwhelming demand. This exciting new CES Pavilion brings momentum to the consumer technology industry and reinforces the International CES as the global hub for the latest innovative technologies.”

The iLounge Pavilion, originally floored with 4,000 net square feet of exhibit space which sold out in the first week following the launch, has increased to 18,000 net square feet. Exhibiting companies in the 2010 CES iLounge Pavilion, which will be housed in the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall 2, include Griffin Technology, Mobis Technology, Pro Clip USA, Scosche, Incase Designs, Incipio Technologies, iSkin and GelaSkins.

For more information, visit www.cesweb.org.

apt-X® Raises Audio Fidelity for Jaybird’s Bluetooth Stereo Headphones

APT Licensing Ltd., the real-time audio compression systems house, today announces further consumer electronics industry endorsement of its low-latency, high-quality apt-X® audio codec technology with news of a collaborative partnership with JayBird Gear, LLC.

Jaybird will incorporate the low-latency apt-X® audio codec technology into the company’s next generation of high-definition stereo Bluetooth wireless headphones for the growing active lifestyles market. The Jaybird Freedom Wireless Headphones, successor to the award-winning Jaybird JB-200 Bluetooth Stereo Headset, becomes available from April 2009, and is again primarily targeted toward the active lifestyles sector of the consumer electronics market. 

JayBird CEO and founder Judd Armstrong said: “The Freedom headset is Jaybird’s new crown jewel, the ultimate music machine for sports, and builds on the whirlwind success of the critically-acclaimed JB-200 series.  Many listeners agree that standard Bluetooth A2DP stereo sound has background static issues, but with the apt-X audio codec option, wireless sound is crystal clear. The ears of sweaty athletes are in for a treat come April.”  Like the JB-200 headset, the Freedom Wireless Headphones will be “Made for iPod” approved.

For more about Jaybird, JB-200 and Freedom Wireless Headphones, visit www.jaybirdgear.com.

 

HDD Makers Settle on New Encryption Standard

Agreement Set The Stage for Full-Disk Encryption on All Computer Hard Drives

A partnership between the world's largest HDD makers has finally produced a single, unified standard for full-disk encryption, paving the way for simple encryption solution across HDDs, SSds and other encryption key management applications, Computerworld reports.

Developed under the banner of the Trusted Computing Group -- which includes members from the world's six largest disk drive manufacturers -- the new specifications cover storage devices in nearly every class of personal and commercial computers, as well as disk storage arrays.

Once implemented, the encryption standard will allow for a unified lockdown process for PCs -- standardizing a basic, cryptographically-strong encryption and password access system for any PC before the HDD will even boot.

For more information, click here.

House Shoots Down DTV Transition Delay

As quickly as the U.S. Senate approved a move to delay the digital OTA broadcast transition to mid-June, their counterparts in the House have struck down the delay -- reopening the door for the Feb. 17 deadline in which all OTA broadcasts will be all-digital.

Earlier this week, the Senate approved a measure to delay the Feb. 17 deadline for broadcasters to cease analog broadcasts, a move that was heralded by consumer groups and chastized by industry representatives, including the Consumer Electronics Association.

At the time, anaylsts said the move in the Senate was the biggest hurdle for the deadline delay -- since President Barack Obama had already signaled his support for a delay, and congressional representatives appeared to be ready to support it as well.

During debate on the measure in the House, Congressmen argued that the delay would only serve to further confuse the general public on the need for digital converter boxes and further reduce compliance.

For more information, click here.

Deeper Discounts Set For Circuit City Liquidation Sales

TVs To Be Marked Down 20-25 percent, Car Audio Slashed 40 percent 

Liquidators managing the going-out-of-business sales at Circuit City stores nationwide announced today that, due to record shopper turnout since the clearance sales started over a week ago, deeper discounts of up to 40 percent on selected merchandise will be offered at all stores beginning tomorrow.

Great American Group, LLC, one of four companies contracted to liquidate all the inventory at the 567 Circuit City stores nationwide, said that prices on all plasma televisions will be slashed 25 percent off of original prices, with other brand name flat screen and LCD models reduced to 20 percent off. Car audio components, such as speakers, radios and CD changers, will be discounted 40 percent off.

All other store merchandise, such as computers, cameras, camcorders, video games, MP3 players, DVDs and CDs, will be sold at substantial discounts, the company noted, including those items that typically receive no kind of list price discount.

Since the clearance sales started on January 17, more than $450 million of Circuit City’s $1.7 billion of inventory has been sold. Because the clearance sales have been so brisk, they are expected to last only another four to five weeks, rather than the eight originally anticipated.