TWICE News

• CE A Drag On Jan. Sales: Discounters
  
  Alan Wolf, February 2, 2012
  New York - Target and Costco gave little credit to CE for their solid sales gains in January.
  
• R'Shack Offers Low-Price Phone Guarantee
  
  Alan Wolf, February 2, 2012
  Fort Worth, Texas - RadioShack will begin matching competitors' advertised prices for cellphones.
  
• Parasound Readies Halo Amp, New Compact Components
  
  Joseph Palenchar, February 2, 2012
  San Francisco - Parsound has added a three-channel amp to its flagship Halo series and plans four half-rack-size audio components intended for tabletop use.
  
• Fujifilm Releases X-Pro1 Pricing
  
  By Greg Tarr, February 2, 2012
  Valhalla, N.Y. - Fujifilm officially announced pricing on its X-Pro1 mirrorless compact system camera that made its debut at International CES.
  
• Staples Taps Ex-Borders Chief For Top Merchandising Role
  
  By Alan Wolf, February 2, 2012
  Framingham, Mass. - No. 1 office-supply chain Staples has named former Borders president/CEO Mike Edwards as executive VP of U.S. retail merchandising.
  
• Cambridge Audio Makes New-Media Connections
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, February 2, 2012
    Champlain, N.Y. - Playing back new and old media is a focus of multiple new audio components from Cambridge Audio, which is launching its second network music player and a DAC that connects to computers via USB.
  
• Lensbaby Adds Macro Converters
  
  By Greg Tarr, February 2, 2012
  Portland, Ore. - Lensbaby introduced macro converters for its Lensbaby lens bodies and optics.
  
• Electrolux Q4 Profits Fall 68%
  
  By Alan Wolf, February 2, 2012
  Stockholm, Sweden - Lower prices, higher raw-material costs and weak demand contributed to a 68 percent decline in Electrolux's fourth-quarter earnings.
  
• Brightpoint Reports Q4 Sales Increase
  
  TWICE Staff, February 2, 2012
  Indianapolis - Brightpoint reported a double-digit gain in its revenue for the fourth quarter, but slightly lower net income.
  
• CE A Drag On Jan. Sales: Discounters
  
  By Alan Wolf, February 2, 2012
  New York -Target and Costco gave little credit to CE for their solid sales gains in January.
  
• Hitachi CE Unit Reports Lower Sales, Loss
  
  By Steve Smith, February 2, 2012
  Tokyo - Hitachi's digital media and consumer products segment reported lower sales and an operating loss in its fiscal third quarter, ended Dec. 31, 2011.
  
• Yamaha Gives Details On U.S. Audio, Musical Instruments Merger
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, February 2, 2012
  UPDATE! Shizuoka, Japan - Yamaha's board approved a merger effective April 1 of its U.S. home-audio subsidiary with its U.S.-based musical instruments and pro audio subsidiary, but the merged entity has no plans to merge sales or rep forces.
  
• ZTE Prepares $99 Tablet
  
  Joseph Palenchar, February 2, 2012
  Richardson, Texas - Chinese cellphone supplier ZTE is launching its first U.S. market tablet through Sprint.
  
• Sony Reports Net Loss, Lower Sales In Q3
  
  By Steve Smith, February 2, 2012
  Tokyo - Sony reported a net loss and a double-digit percent decrease in sales during its fiscal third quarter due to the Thailand floods, exchange rates and TV sales and price declines.
  
• Appliance World Stores Remain Closed
  
  By Alan Wolf, February 1, 2012
  Greenfield, Wis. - Independent majap dealer Appliance World appears to have closed shop.
  
• Report: Sharp To Halve Sakai LCD Production
  
  By Greg Tarr, February 1, 2012
  Osaka, Japan - Sharp will halve its LCD panel output at its Sakai facility in 2012, according to a Nikkei business report Tuesday.
  
• Theta Digital Upgrading Casablanca, Monoblock Amp
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, February 1, 2012
  Montebello, Calif. - Theta Digital is planning its first Class D amplifier and preparing multiple upgrade options for its existing flagship Casablanca III HD preamp/surround processor.
  
• Creative Debuts Two ANC Headphones
  
  By Lisa Johnston, February 1, 2012
    Milpitas, Calif. - Creative Technology unveiled two active noise-canceling headphones on Wednesday.
  
• Nabes' Video Eyewear Looks Like Sunglasses
  
  By Greg Tarr, February 1, 2012
    Amesbury, Mass. - A new fashion-oriented CE company called Nabes has been issued a U.S. design patent for a video eyewear system that transforms sunglasses into a stealth video headset.
  
• U.S. Cellular Readies 4G LTE Launch
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, February 1, 2012
  Chicago - Regional carrier U.S. Cellular will launch its 4G LTE network next month in areas reaching 25 percent of the population of its markets.