Consumer Electronics Daily News

Global PC Shipments Hang Tough in Q1

In the face of a slowing economy, worldwide PC shipments in the first quarter of 2008 rose in accordance with normal seasonal patterns, increasing by a double-digit percentage compared to the same period in 2007, according to iSuppli Corp.

“The first quarter of 2008 was better than hoped for, due to continued strong demand growth for mobile PCs,” says Matthew Wilkins, Principal Analyst for compute platforms research at iSuppli. “However, the financial markets are still adjusting to the effects of the sub-prime mortgage crisis in the United States, as are the consumers and businesses who have had their financial positions impacted.”

According to iSuppli, Global PC unit shipments rose to 69.9 million units in the first quarter, up 12.1 percent from 62.4 million in the first quarter of 2007. Hewlett-Packard Co., Dell Inc. and Acer Inc. retained the top-three rankings with no change from the previous quarter.

“Hewlett-Packard’s continues to outgrow the overall PC market and the competition due to a number of factors, including its strong channel presence and its success in capitalizing on the strength in the notebook segment,” Wilkins says.

During the last five years, first-quarter PC shipments have grown by an average of 12 percent compared to the same period during the previous year, putting the beginning of 2008 on par with the norm.

For more information, visit www.isuppli.com.

Audiovox Goes Green With Eco-Friendly CE Cleaning Supplies

Looking to capitalize on the growing consumer interest in green technologies, Audiovox Corporation is entering the electronics cleaning and care category this September with the Surface line of products and kits.

The bottles are designed to stand out on the retail shelves and include a compartment for a microfiber cloth. The Surface cleaning solution contains no ammonia or alcohol and does not drip or streak.

“It’s hard to think of a consumer electronics product these days that doesn’t have a screen that requires cleaning and care. We wanted to introduce a brand and line of products that applies to every surface,” says David Geise, President, Audiovox Accessories Corporation. “The packaging presents a readily identifiable family look and the products are ideal for people on the go and at home.”

The Surface line is comprised of 12 products, including:

• Screen-cleaning kits with 60 ml (2 ounces) of spray solution for portable devices and 200 ml (6.7 ounces) for TVs and computer monitors, with microfiber cloths housed in separate compartments.
• Camcorder and digital camera cleaning kit with spray solution, cloth, screen protectors and applicator.
• An EPA-registered antimicrobial cleaning solution for commonly-shared items such as cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players, portable gaming and media devices, ear buds and headphones.
• Detailing Cleaner Swabs with multi-purpose screen cleaning solution, ideal for tiny screens and small crevices on remote controls.
• Scratch repair kits for DVDs, CDs and game discs and for portable screens.
• Additional cleaning and care accessories, such as fingertip-sized cleaning pads and wet/dry screen wipes, can be purchased separately.

For more information, visit www.surface-clean.com.

PC World, Retrevo Partner to Bring More CE Reviews to Online Shoppers

PC World is partnering with Retrevo to provide a wealth of technology and consumer electronics product information to online CE shoppers and other enthusiasts. Powered by Retrevo's artificial intelligence system, PCWorld.com now offers product comparisons and expert and user reviews from other publications, sites and blogs. As part of the agreement, PC World is selling advertising programs for the Retrevo Web site.

"Providing easy access to a wide array of content that Retrevo analyzes and organizes helps make sense of a sometimes overwhelming amount of product information," says PC World CEO and President Mike Kisseberth. "For advertisers, Retrevo is attractive to technology marketers who want to reach users ready to make a purchase."

Retrevo uses AI technology to regularly scan millions of data sources and objectively aggregate, analyze and classify information covering in excess of 40 different consumer electronics product categories such as digital cameras, HDTVs and GPS systems. Retrevo processes more than 200,000 products, hundreds of thousands of prices and over 6.5 million user and expert reviews and articles. Product information includes comparison data with price and review rankings.

For more information, visit www.retrevo.com.

NEC Readies Single-Chip USB 2.0 Controllers

NEC Electronics America, Inc. is now offering an integrated USB 2.0 host and peripheral controller designed to enable high-speed digital data sharing among various electronic products, such as digital cameras and printers.

On a single chip, the uPD720150 integrates communications functions that formerly required separate USB host and peripheral controller chips, thereby helping to reduce device count and conserve board space. A member of NEC Electronics’ ECOUSB™ series of USB devices, which are manufactured with eco-friendly materials that serve to minimize environmental impacts, the uPD720150 chip further helps to minimize environmental impacts by employing advanced power management techniques that can reduce power consumption in end products.

"There is a rapidly emerging need in the marketplace to have USB 2.0 integrated circuits operating as either host or peripheral controllers in embedded system applications. Printers, music players, handheld computers, set-top boxes and numerous other devices now have this need,” says Katsuhiko Nakazawa, General Manager, digital consumer and connectivity strategic business unit, NEC Electronics America. “To address this emerging requirement, NEC Electronics developed the uPD720150 chip, which offers both host and peripheral controller functions in a single IC and also provides a simple, low-cost, 16-bit bus interface to the embedded CPUs typically used in these systems.”

For more information, click here.

EHX Amps Up Fall 2008 Show

Electronic House Expo (EHX) Fall 2008 is set to deliver the latest trends and critical technologies with a redesigned show that advances the business of custom electronics professionals. EHX, produced by EH Events and sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association and CEA's TechHome Division, will take place November 4-7, 2008 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif.

With the guidance of CE Pro editors, the EHX advisory board and feedback from past participants, EHX Fall has been refined to better meet the needs of exhibitors and sponsors, show organizers said in a statement today. The result is an “Amped Up” conference lineup, training program and expo floor designed to deliver the best event to date. New features for Fall 2008 include:

• New Product Showcase: See, touch and learn about the newest CE products in this dedicated showcase area.
• Buying Show Focus: Exhibitors will generate sales transactions within their booth by giving attendees access to products on the show floor at discount rates.
• Destination Stations: Dedicated expo floor zones offer product information, free training and strategies on emerging business opportunities in immersive gaming, outdoor living and green technologies.

Other event highlights includes four full days of training (free product training from more than 30 manufacturers), Demo Alley (integrated A/V demos with installation insights) and  a large new products display with everything from home media servers to IP-enabled devices, multi-room A/V and wireless solutions.

For complete event information or to register, visit www.ehxweb.com.

Dell Studio Brand Pushes Design, Simplicity

Dell today introduced Studio, a new consumer product line designed for self-expression and creative living. Studio products are highly expressive and personalized -- inside and out -- combining aesthetics and technology into a fresh approach to hi-def mobile lifestyles.

"People seeking stunning design, brilliant colors and innovative new technology find inspiration in Dell's new Studio brand," says Michael Tatelman, Vice President of Dell consumer sales and marketing worldwide. "These products are built for today's digital nomad based on the millions of conversations we have every year on Dell.com, Ideastorm and community forums. With Dell Studio we're answering the call for personalization, connectivity and simplicity."

The first Dell Studio products are two distinctively styled laptops, the Dell Studio 15 and Dell Studio 17. These laptops combine sleek designs, striking visual color elements and personalization options with features such as standard built-in webcam, capacitive touch media control buttons, slot load drives and optional mercury-free LED displays and built-in mobile broadband.

For more information, visit www.dell.com/studio.

Chrysler: Wi-Fi in All 2009 Models Coming in September

Big Three automaker Chrysler has announced plans to turn all of its 2009 model vehicles into roaming Wi-Fi hotspots, the LA Times reports, with vehicles with the feature rolling out as early as September.

The Wi-Fi service will be available through UConnect Web as an upgrade option to every 2009 model vehicle. Pricing haqs not yet been disclosed for the service, though it is likely that the service will require some sort of monthly or annual subscription fee in addition to start-up costs.

According to early reports, the service will be built around a 3G cell phone connection, and deliver data speeds up to 800Kb/second, functioning only while the key is in the ignition to elminate the possilibity of unwanted access by those outside the vehicle.

A formal announcement from Chrysler is expected today, the newpaper reports, though a variety of highway safety advocates have already publicly panned the idea as dangerous on the road.

For more information, click here.

Instinct Becomes Sprint's Fastest-Selling EVDO Handset in its First Week

ust a few days after hitting store shelves, Samsung Instinct has become the fastest-selling EVDO handset in Sprint history, the company announced today. Instinct was first available exclusively to current Sprint customers on June 19, breaking records for the initial launch of any Sprint product.

"We had high expectations going into the launch so our initial order to Samsung was the largest for any Sprint EVDO handset to date," says John Garcia, President of Sprint's Wireless Division. "The strong early response tells us that wireless customers recognize Instinct as a highly-innovative and convenient touch-screen device combined with the fast speeds available on the largest national mobile broadband network."

The record pace of Instinct sales has led to temporary shortages of the device at some U.S. locations. "Sprint and Samsung are diligently working around the clock to increase inventory in all sales channels. Samsung has increased efforts to deliver new supplies of Instinct on a daily basis and manufacturing plants are operating at full capacity to keep up with the demand," the two companies report.

Instinct was recently named "Best in Show" in the third annual Emerging Technology (E-Tech) Award competition in April at CTIA Wireless 2008. Instinct was also honored as "Most Innovative Product at CTIA Wireless 2008" by the editors of LAPTOP, a leading mobile technology magazine. CNET also recognized Instinct as the "Best Cell Phone" in its annual Cream of the Crop CTIA 2008 awards.

For more information, visit www.instinctthephone.com.

Study: Grey Market Costs IT Billions

KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm, today announced it has teamed with The Alliance for Gray Market and Counterfeit Abatement (AGMA), and MarkMonitor to issue a whitepaper entitled, Effective Channel Management is Critical in Combating the Gray Market and Increasing Technology Companies' Bottom Line. As the gray market issue continues to impact the information technology (IT) sector, KPMG and AGMA have identified how the gray market has changed since its initial study published in 2002.

KPMG and AGMA estimate that the value of gray market products in 2007 averaged $58 billion, placing the gray market between five percent and 30 percent of total IT sales. With an average impact on profits of between $8 and $10 billion, establishing deterrents to counterfeit and fraudulent business activity is a top of mind issue for technology companies today.

The latest study from KPMG and AGMA defines the gray market as the unauthorized reselling of branded goods as the result of diversion from authorized channels into the hands of third parties, including the open market. According to the report, the key to stemming the unauthorized flow of goods into the gray market is for IT manufacturers to establish strong partnerships with reputable distributors and resellers. Additionally, IT manufacturers need to implement consistent policies and a strong set of business incentives designed to foster long-term and mutually beneficial relationships with their channel partners.

The study results indicate that the Internet has impacted the gray market specifically in the areas of pricing policy, product availability, warranty, service and maintenance.

"One of the key challenges facing IT companies today is the use of the Internet as a key vehicle for news and solicitation of illegal and counterfeit technology products," says Ram Manchi, AGMA President. "According to interviews conducted with electronics industry executives in the distribution sector, almost four in 10 stated that the Internet has become a major highway for news and solicitations for gray market product offers."

AGMA urges technology companies to educate themselves about the dangers and pitfalls of the gray market. A copy of this whitepaper can be obtained at www.agmaglobal.org.

PND Sales Beat Expectations

Worldwide shipment growth of personal navigation devices (PNDs) was higher than anticipated last year, with shipments reaching 30.7 million in 2007, up from 13.3 million in 2006, reports In-Stat. Due in large part to price declines, efficient volume availability through the retail channels during the crucial holiday season, enhanced functionality  and stronger consumer demand for navigation, the category appears poised for even more record growth in 2008.

“However, the PND market faces strong competition from both mobile phone handset navigation and embedded automotive navigation systems,” says Stephanie Ethier, In-Stat Analyst. “In particular, vendors in handset navigation are starting to offer a number of value-added services, such as pedestrian navigation, offline navigation, and searches for local points of interest.”

According to In-Stat, worldwide unit shipments of PNDs are expected to grow from 30.7 million units in 2007 to 68 million units in 2012. Moreover, PND manufacturers are integrating advanced functionality in PNDs in order to improve the price/performance value.

In-Stat's The Worldwide Personal Navigation Device Market Update covers the worldwide market for personal navigation devices, and offers a revised PND forecast that takes into account market developments that occurred in the second half of 2007 and in the first half of 2008.

For more information, click here.