TWICE News

• Cerwin-Vega Launches New In-Room Series
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, March 5, 2010
  Deerfield Beach, Fla. - Cerwin-Vega launched its first new home audio products in four years with the introduction of the XLS series of eight in-room speakers, which replaces the CLS series.
  
• CEA Backs FTC Action On TV Energy Disclosure Labels
  
  TWICE Staff, March 5, 2010
  Arlington, Va. - The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) today applauded action by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on energy-use disclosure labels for TVs sold in the U.S.
  
• Analyst: Dish May Have To Shut Down 8M DVRs After TiVo Legal Loss
  
  Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, March 5, 2010
  Dish Network may be forced to disable as many as 8 million of its DVRs within a month, after the satellite TV operator lost an appeals court decision Thursday in its years-long battle with TiVo. Moreover, Dish could even lose the ability to offer a DVR altogether, according to Sanford Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett.
  
• Apple Reveals iPad Launch Date
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, March 5, 2010
  Cupertino, Calif. - Wi-Fi versions of the Apple iPad will be available to U.S. consumers on April 3, and models equipped with Wi-Fi and 3G cellular will go on sale sometime in late April, Apple announced.
  
• Taiwan Earthquake Said To Affect Large LCD Production
  
  TWICE Staff, March 5, 2010
  El Segundo, Calif. - The 6.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Taiwan today has suspended production of large-sized LCD panels in the country's Tainan Science Park area due to safety reasons, according to a report from iSuppli.
  
• Motorola Taps High Tier With Connected PNDs
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, March 5, 2010
    Libertyville, Ill. - Motorola began shipping the industry's first connected PNDs (portable navigation devices) to use the voice channels of Bluetooth-connected cellphones to stream local search results and other information.
  
• Sony Adds Cameras To MAP Program
  
  By Alan Wolf, March 4, 2010
  San Diego - Sony Electronics will extend its minimum advertised pricing (MAP) program to select digital still cameras and camcorders, effective April 1.
  
• 2010 PC Shipments To Jump 20%: Gartner
  
  Doug Olenick, March 4, 2010
  Stamford, Conn. - Gartner has again boosted is 2010 worldwide PC shipment forecast, with unit shipments expected to increase almost 20 percent.
  
• Mitsubishi Offers 3D TV Bundle At Linder's
  
  Alan Wolf, March 4, 2010
    Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. - Mitsubishi held the retail launch of its 3D TVs at a Linder's Furniture superstore here this morning.
  
• Discounters Report Feb. Sales Gains
  
  By Alan Wolf, March 4, 2010
  New York - National discount chains reported strong sales increases for February despite lackluster TV sales and the impact of severe winter weather across much of the country.
  
• Real Drops Plans To Defend DVD-Copying Software
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, March 4, 2010
  Seattle - RealNetworks dropped plans to market its DVD-copying software as part of a settlement with Hollywood studios, which alleged in a lawsuit that the software violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and a licensing agreement.
  
• Mainstream Pioneer AVRs Get Internet Radio, iPhone App
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, March 4, 2010
  Long Beach, Calif. - Pioneer is launching new 7.1-channel A/V receivers (AVRs) that substantially lower the price of Internet radio and give consumers the ability for the first time to control a Pioneer receiver via an iPhone or iPod Touch app.
  
• Brand Source's MARTA Renamed Resource Plus
  
  TWICE Staff, March 4, 2010
    Phoenix - MARTA, a division of Brand Source, has been renamed Resource Plus.
  
• Unlocked Nokia Phones In U.S. Get Skype
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, March 3, 2010
  White Plains, N.Y. - Skype is coming to more cellphones in the U.S. now that a free Skype app is available for download on 12 unlocked Nokia smartphones.
  
• Feb. CE Sales Up 6% At Retail: MasterCard
  
  By Alan Wolf, March 3, 2010
  Purchase, N.Y. - Retail sales of consumer electronics rose 5.8 percent in February over the year-ago period, according a report from MasterCard Advisors.
  
• Almo Sets '10 Expo Schedule, Adds Event
  
  TWICE Staff, March 3, 2010
  Philadelphia - Almo, the CE/appliances distributor, had set its 2010 Consumer Electronics & Appliance Expo event dates and added a new and larger Mid-Atlantic show.
  
• T-Mobile Readies $69 PND Phone
  
  Joseph Palenchar, March 3, 2010
    Bellevue, Wash. - The convergence of cellphones and portable navigation devices (PNDs) will hit a new level when T-Mobile launches a touchscreen 3G smartphone that doubles as a PND and costs only $69.99 after $50 rebate.
  
• Western Digital Intros Consumer SSDs
  
  By Doug Olenick, March 3, 2010
  Lake Forest, Calif. - Western Digital announced its first solid-state hard drives intended for the consumer market.
  
• iSuppli Says LCD Panel Suppliers Struggling
  
  By Steve Smith, March 3, 2010
  El Segundo, Calif. - Despite the prodigious growth of the global large-sized-LCD market in recent years, panel suppliers are struggling to maintain profitability, forcing them to cut materials and component costs, according to iSuppli.
  
• TiVo Remakes DVR With New Interface, Features
  
  By Glen Dickson, March 3, 2010
  New York - Digital video recorder (DVR) hardware and software vendor TiVo has overhauled its core hardware product with a new user interface designed specifically for widescreen HDTV sets, better search capability across a mix of linear, recorded and broadband content, and direct integration of Adobe's widely used Flash software.