TWICE - February 7, 2005

THORNTON, COLO. — Ultimate Electronics has eliminated 30 positions across several departments at its corporate offices, here, as it begins to reorganize under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. No store closings or further layoffs or were announced. “The company is looking at all alternatives,” a spokesperson told TWICE, calling reported rumors of planned store closings and add...

• Accessories
• Atlantic Bows Variety Of Storage Products
• Flat, 8-Conductor Speaker Cable Designed For Biwire Applications
• Lenmar Introduces 8-Min. & 15-Min. AA/AAA Charger
• Tripp Lite Powers Up New Product Line
• URC Offers 2 New Remotes
• Chair Synchronizes Music With Massage
• Accessories Sales Locked On Uptrend: CEA
• Ergonomic Keyboard Reduces Errors, Fatigue

• Business News
• LG's 2004 CE Sales Rise 6.9% To $8.8 Billion
• Pioneer Overseas Sales Rise 5.6%
• Amazon Says Its Q4 CE Sales Beat Books
• Philips CE Volume Grew 9% To $4.4 Billion
• Sony CE Sales Flat, Profit Down In Third Quarter
• Toshiba's CE Sales Increase 14%

• By The Numbers
• Apple to Make PC Inroads

• Communications
• Cellular Carriers Tune Into Live TV
• Communications Briefs
• New Brand Looks To Put Color In Cordless
• New MVNO SK EarthLink Promises Cellular Advances

• Computer Technology
• 2004 U.S. PC Sales Growth Strong
• VoodooPC Introduces Home Theater PC

• Custom Networking
• Briefs
• Smarthome Readies Insteon Standard
• Escient FireBalls Ready For A Spin

• Home Audio
• Many Suppliers Remain Neutral In Multichannel Music Debate
• Home Audio Makers Seek Slice Of iPods' Popularity

• Major Appliances
• GE Major Appliance Sales Rise 9%
• Whirlpool Q4 Sales Increase 5.3% To $2.2B
• Maytag's Q4 Majap Sales Drop 8.4% To $1.1B

• Mobile Electronics
• Kenwood, Pioneer Offer AAC
• Alpine Showing First MOST-Ready Product
• JL Introduces OEM-Friendly Head Unit Alternative
• Bluetooth Gradually Enters Car Audio
• Even More iPod Adapters On The Way
• Karmazin Denies Merger Talks, Says Sat Radio To Top Sat TV/Cable

• News
• Sony Shifts Product Development Efforts
• Best Buy To Build 60 Next-Gen Locations
• Harvey Posts Q4 Profit, Higher Sales
• Audio Suppliers Go After Illegal Online Retailers
• TiVo's President Yudkovitz Resigns
• Digital Camera Makers Preview PMA Wares
• Napster In $30M Marketing Effort
• Tweeter Sales Increase In Q1
• One Installer's Concern About CE Profits
• EchoStar Agrees To Buy Key VOOM Assets For $200M
• Sirius Reported Higher Revenue, Soaring Subscriptions During Q4
• Sears Reports Improved CE, Majap Sales
• Twice People
• Gateway Renews CE Effort With LCD TV
• Jan. Weather Cools Off Retail Sales
• FCC's Powell Is Praised By Various Industries
• Music Producers Want To Help Hi-Fi Market

• Retailing/E-tailing
• Tweeter Unveils Next-Generation Prototype
• Plethora Of Flat Panels, Portable DVDs Stirs Angst At CES
• Gateway Vet Opens HDTV Store
• Warranty Roundup: The Best-Laid Plans Of ESPs
• Supply Chain Top Priority, Say Dealers
• eBay Launches PC Recycling And Reuse Initiative

• Video/Home Satellite
• VWB Bows Portable MPEG-4 Player
• Proview Emerges From Ashes Of Moxell