Consumer Electronics Daily News

Retailers Cheery as Black Friday Brings Holiday Shoppers En Masse

While the run-up to Black Friday had a variety of analysts weary about the state of the U.S. economy and its impact on consumers during the holiday shopping season, retailers of all kinds are downright cheery with strong Thanksgiving weekend sales and the kick-off of the season, the National Retail Federation reports.

According the NRF, more than 147 million shoppers opened up their wallets over the long weekend, a five percent jump over 2006. While the boost in shoppers was met with a welcome sigh of relief from consumer electronics retailers, the average spent by consumers dropped about 3.5 percent from last year -- down to an average $347 per shopper.

NRF's analysis shows that more than 1/3 of shoppers (36 percent) spent their Black Friday weekend seeking consumer electronics. Similarly, 42 percent of shoppers the federation surveyed said they spent money on CE-related content including CDs, DVDs, books, videos or video games.

The NRF said this morning that it forecasts more than $474.5 billion in holiday spending this year at U.S. retailers. For more information, click here.

Teac Preps Compact Flash-based Digital Recorder/Player

Teac has taken the wraps off the HD-R1 recorder/player that uses Compact Flash as the recording media. Showcasing the device at this week's Inter BEE 2007, the device supports recording in MP3 and PCM (up to 96 kHz) format. It also supports control via LAN or RS-232C. A USB host feature enables playback of sound files in USB memory.

The SS-CDR1 recorder/player with Compact Flash and CD-R/RW drives supports recording in MP3 and PCM (up to 48 kHz) format. It also supports dubbing between CDR and Compact Flash media, continuous recording and playback.

For more information from Inter BEE, visit www.inter-bee.com/en/tv.

CableLabs Announces Switched Digital Solution

CableLabs® today announced that, along with TiVo, Motorola, Scientific-Atlanta, BigBand Networks and C-COR, it has developed a new solution that extends the functionality of certain Unidirectional Digital Cable Ready Products (UDCPs) that use CableCARDs™ to access switched digital services previously unavailable to such devices.

CableLabs recently developed specifications for a new external interface that enables UDCPs equipped with a USB connector and necessary firmware to access switched digital cable channels, benefiting both cable operators and consumers. A new adapter using this interface will attach to the UDCP device so the device can access switched digital cable channels.

The new adapter will solve the switched digital issue for UDCPs that have a USB connector and necessary firmware. Such UDCPs will enable consumers to view all linear cable channels, including both switched and non-switched linear channels. He said the new adapter will be available to consumers in the first half of 2008.

For more information, visit www.cablelabs.com.

Nationwide, SED Add JVC to Warehouse Direct Program

Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG) and SED International announced today that JVC products are now available for purchase via Nationwide's Warehouse Direct fulfillment and distribution program. JVC will be fulfilled through Nationwide's distribution partner SED International, Inc.

"JVC is an excellent addition to NMG's Warehouse Direct program," says Mike Decker, Vice President of Marketing-Electronics for NMG. "JVC will provide NMG members technologically driven products with exclusive distribution that will meet and exceed the expectations of the purchaser."

According to Nationwide, JVC will join more than 40 other major appliance and consumer electronics manufacturers already active in the buying and marketing group's distribution program.

"The addition of JVC to the Warehouse Direct line-up affords Nationwide members a great opportunity to turn inventory faster by shipping a mix of products from JVC and other manufacturers' products for as little as $5,000 prepaid per shipment," says Tom Roper, VP & GMM Of Consumer Electronics for SED International.

Warehouse Direct-SED provides same day shipping, up to 90 days free flooring through DirectPlus!, and five locations to efficiently serve Nationwide Members throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.nationwidegroup.org or www.sedonline.com.

Peerless Authorizes Online Dealers

Peerless Industries, Inc., has launched a series of new initiatives to identify unauthorized Internet sales of their mounting products by partnering with Net Enforcers, a proven Internet monitoring search company that identifies online resellers.

"With this partnership, we are ensuring against unauthorized online resellers," says Mike Campagna, President, Peerless Industries, Inc. "When our customers make an online purchase, they can be assured that they are receiving the professional-grade product that they expect from Peerless."

This partnership enables Peerless to ensure the integrity of the mounting products that are purchased via authorized online resellers. For more information about Peerless' comprehensive line of professional-grade mounting solutions, visit www.peerlessmounts.com or call 800-865-8010.

Email Scam Targets CEDIA Members

CEDIA -- the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association -- is warning members that they are the target of an email scam posing as a offer from the association. According to CEDIA, a unknown number of members have received emails soliciting an offer for plasma TVs and/or projectors with a credit card.

"Please be aware that CEDIA is not involved with this promotion," the association said in a statement to members, "nor has our association agreed to support any company making this offer. Please do not respond to the email request. This is a scam."

For more information, visit www.cedia.net.

Precision Interface Electronics Joins MERA

The Mobile Enhancement Retailers Association (MERA) announced this morning that Precision Interface Electronics (PIE) is its  newest manufacturer member company. PIE joins 54 other MERA manufacturer members.

In addition to joining the association, PIE has become MERA’s latest participant in the MERA Integration Excellence™ program, a software solution that provides retailers with a comprehensive database of OEM integration solutions.

Participating manufacturers provide the data that helps make MERA Integration Excellence an invaluable resource for retailers as the data is merged with the comprehensive technical database of Victory Technologies. The detailed solutions include manufacturer product applications, product specs, pictures and deep links to manufacturer Web sites pertaining to product-specific technical information.

Other participating manufacturers in MERA Integration Excellence include charter participants AAMP of America, Metra, Pacific Accessory Corporation and Soundgate, as well as Alpine Electronics, Code Alarm and Scosche Industries Inc.

Learn more about MERA membership – for retailers, manufacturers, representatives, distributors, expeditors and other mobile enhancement professionals – as well as MERA Integration Excellence and additional MERA programs and initiatives, at www.merausa.org.

VUDU Snubs HD DVD & Blu-ray, Offers Direct Download of HD Movies

VUDU Inc., the company that brings instant access to video content to the living room, announced an unprecedented collaboration with Universal Studios Home Entertainment to deliver the entire Bourne Trilogy in high definition (HD). The move marks the increasingly popular direct-to-download movie service's first foray in HD programming.

VUDU and Universal will offer the three installments of the franchise available through the VUDU service in HD with Surround Sound starting November 23rd. For a limited time, VUDU will begin offering a bonus to its existing and future VUDU customers -- the purchase of a VUDU set-top box now includes permanent copies of The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy in HD (a $50 value).

According to VUDU, these HD movies complement more than 5,000 titles available for rent or purchase directly through the television, without requiring a PC, cable service or satellite TV subscription. The availability of The Bourne Trilogy expands on a previously announced agreement with Universal to deliver content in HD format.

"Digital delivery of HD movies through VUDU makes it easy for consumers to get the high quality content they most want to watch, when they want to watch it," says Tony Miranz, VUDU's co-founder and EVP for Sales & Business Development, "Our agreement with Universal gives lovers of the Bourne series instant gratification in glorious HD right from the comfort of their own home. We share Universal's passion for providing viewers with the ultimate in video content, and look forward to collaborating on many more top-quality Universal releases."

VUDU enables high-speed broadband customers to get instant access through their TV to more than 5,000 movies from all the major and more than 20 independent studios and distributors. VUDU delivers movies to consumers as they are released by the studios to DVD and maintains an up-to-date library of current releases. VUDU lets consumers watch the movie they want to watch when they want to watch it — no planning necessary, no computer required, no software downloads and no cable TV service or satellite subscription needed.

For more information, visit www.vudu.com.

CompUSA, Best Buy Offer Up Black Friday Details Early

CompUSA and Best Buy have let the cat out of the bag a few days early, with announcement today regarding their Black Friday deals...including CompUSA's plan to start their Black Friday celebrations  early -- 9 p.m. on Thursday night.

CompUSA is hoping to entice shoppers on Thursday evening with a 14.1" HP Pavilion Notebook for $499.99, after $300 instant savings; 37" Olevia LCD flat-panel HDTV for $599.99, after $300 instant savings; 22" Widescreen LCD, $149.99, a $130 savings, after mail-in rebates; CASIO 7.2 megapixel Camera, $129.99, after $50 instant savings; Flip Cam with Instant Online Publishing for YouTube, $89.99, after $30 instant savings; and a 7" Digital Photo Frame, $44.99, a $55 savings, after $25 instant savings and a $30 mail-in rebate. On Black Friday, the retailer is offer a 32" LCD HDTV, $449, after $250 instant savings; 17" HP Pavilion Notebook for $449, after $300 instant savings; Samsung Color Laser Printer for $99.99, $150 savings, after mail-in rebates; 5.0 megapixel Powershot with Compact Photo Printer for $149.99, after $100 instant savings.

Best Buy is offering customers access to more than 20 exclusive sales through their website, including a 42" Panasonic Plasma HDTV for $899.99, Sony Viao laptop for $400,  TomTom L1 GPS for $120, Xbox 360 with Guitar Hero 2 package for $350, and a variety of DVDs for as low as $2.49. For complete details, visit http://www.bestbuy.com/thanksgiving1jt.

Samsung Extends Lead in Desktop Monitor Shipments Worldwide

While they may have not regained the top spot in the nation's LCD-TV sales, Samsung is again tops in desktop monitor shipments, according to DisplaySearch. Preliminary figures from DisplaySearch's Quarterly Desktop Monitor Shipment and Forecast Report show that Samsung was the worldwide market share leader for LCD desktop monitor shipments in Q307, knocking Dell from the top quarterly market share position for the first time since Q4'01. Dell had enjoyed the top market share position for LCD monitor sales every quarter since Q102, and was at the forefront of the CRT to LCD transition offering aggressively priced products, leading edge technology and a diverse portfolio of products to its customers.

"The catalyst for growth in the LCD Monitor market in recent quarters has not been the overall growth in the desktop PC market," notes Chris Connery, Vice President of Market Research for DisplaySearch. "Growth in the annual $42 billion desktop display industry has been fueled by a new display replacement cycle. End-users are upgrading their displays not from CRTs to LCDs as they might have begun doing in 2002, but from smaller LCDs to larger and wider LCDs."

Samsung's move to the top market share position is similar to the early stages of the LCD monitor industry. From 1999-2001, standalone monitor companies such as NEC, NEC-Mitsubishi, Hitachi and Samsung were LCD monitor market share leaders as end-markets looked to these display-centric companies for their initial upgrade needs from CRTs to LCDs until price points were low enough that PC companies such as Dell and HP began to aggressively market PC plus LCD Monitor bundles.

Beyond the growth seen in worldwide consumer purchases of new displays, emerging markets such as China, are seeing organic growth in both consumer and commercial sectors with many purchasing new PCs and displays for the first time, however. The combination of the replacement-cycle growth in mature markets and the organic growth in emerging regions helped the overall world-wide market for LCD monitors grow 28 percent Y/Y.

For more information about the current world wide market for LCD monitors, click here.