TWICE News

• McIntosh Seeks Luxury-Brand Position
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, September 5, 2007
  DENVER — McIntosh Laboratory is toting new high-end speakers to the CEDIA Expo and touting plans to expand its potential customer base beyond audio enthusiasts to luxury buyers, who will be the target of a Web and dealer-program initiative getting underway in October.
  
• Warehouse Clubs Post Weak August Comps
  
  By Alan Wolf, September 5, 2007
  Issaquah, Wash. — Warehouse clubs Costco and BJ's posted anemic same-store sales gains for August, fanning fears of weakening consumer sentiment amid slumping home prices and higher mortgage rates.
  
• Meridian Intros iPod Universal Dock
  
  By TWICE Staff, September 5, 2007
  CEDIA News Cambridgeshire, England — Meridian Audio introduced an iPod universal dock at the CEDIA Expo, being held in Denver this week.
  
• Apple Gets iTouchy Feely
  
  By Doug Olenick, September 5, 2007
    San Francisco — Apple today revamped its iPod lineup with the introduction of the iPod Touch, and it reduced the price of its 8GB iPhone to $399.
  
• Best Buy’s Schulze To Enter CE Hall Of Fame
  
  By Alan Wolf, September 5, 2007
  Arlington, Va. — Best Buy founder and chairman Richard “Dick” Schulze has been named to the 2007 CE Hall of Fame.
  
• PRO Group Supporting HD Radio
  
  By Alan Wolf, September 5, 2007
  Denver — PRO Group, the buying and marketing organization for specialty A/V dealers, announced today at CEDIA Expo that the majority of its members will partner with iBiquity Digital and the HD Digital Radio Alliance to market and sell higher-end HD-Radio products beginning in the fourth quarter.
  
• MyerEmco's Yacoubian Named Vice-Chair
  
  By Alan Wolf, September 5, 2007
  Arlington, Va. — Gary Yacoubian, president and COO of MyerEmco Audio/Video, has been named vice-chair of the Consumer Electronics Association’s (CEA) executive board.
  
• LG Bows Second Super Blu Player
  
  By Greg Tarr, September 5, 2007
    CEDIA News Denver — LG Electronics is unveiling here this week its second-generation Super Blu combination Blu-ray Disc/HD DVD player, which for the first time will support interactive capabilities of both formats.
  
• Westinghouse Intros 3 1080p LCD TVs
  
  by Lisa Johnston, September 5, 2007
  CEDIA News New York — Westinghouse Digital Electronics recently introduced a line of TX series 1080p high-definition LCD TVs that are designed for custom installation markets.
  
• Audiovox Intros Accessories Products At CEDIA
  
  By John Laposky, September 5, 2007
  CEDIA News Denver — Audiovox’s accessories unit announced a series of new products today at CEDIA Expo to support multiroom audio and video distribution systems.
  
• Fiire Unveils Media Connector Box At CEDIA
  
  By John Laposky, September 5, 2007
  CEDIA News Denver — Fiire introduced today at CEDIA the FiireStation 1, a 1-inch-thick media connection box for its FiireEngine system that hides behind a plasma or LCD display and offers full media control on a the display without the clutter of a cable box and wires, the company said.
  
• Accell Bows HDMI Splitter
  
  By John Laposky, September 5, 2007
  CEDIA News Denver — Accell is showing at CEDIA Expo the UltraAV 1-2 HDMI splitter.  
  
• Sanyo Intros Low Cost LCD Projector
  
  By TWICE Staff, September 5, 2007
  CEDIA News Denver — Sanyo introduced today at the CEDIA Expo a low-cost 1080p front projector.
  
• Bell’O Announces Flat-Panel TV Furniture Additions
  
  by Lisa Johnston, September 5, 2007
  Morganville, N.J. — Bell’O International announced several additions to its wood line of flat-panel TV furniture, including an elevator model and assembly enhancements. The company also added to its glass and metal, high-gloss furniture line.
  
• Gateway Sells Off Professional Computer Division
  
  By TWICE Staff, September 5, 2007
  Irvine, Calif. — Gateway sold off its professional business computer division today to MPC Computers for an estimated $90 million.
  
• Epson Refreshes PictureMate Printer Line
  
  By TWICE Staff, September 5, 2007
  Long Beach, Calif. — Epson will ship a pair of PictureMate portable printers to dealers this month.
  
• Palm Cancels Foleo
  
  By Amy Gilroy, September 5, 2007
  Sunnyvale, Calif. — Palm will not bring to market a previously announced Foleo “mobile companion” because the company is moving to a next-generation software platform.
  
• HP Expands iPaq Line
  
  By Amy Gilroy, September 5, 2007
  Palo Alto, Calif. — Hewlett-Packard launched its first new line of iPaq handhelds in two years and also its broadest iPaq line to date.
  
• Buy.com Reports Record Profits
  
  By Alan Wolf, September 4, 2007
  Aliso Viejo, Calif. — Buy.com, the No. 3 pure-play e-tailer in CE, reported net income of $1 million for the second quarter, ended June 30, a company record, compared with a $3.1 million loss during the year-ago period.
  
• mStation Acquires Mophie
  
  by Lisa Johnston, September 4, 2007
  Burlington, Vt. — Mophie, an iPod accessory manufacturer, announced today that mStation acquired the Mophie brand name and product line.