TWICE News

• GalleryPlayer Appoints Execs
  
  By Greg Tarr, March 13, 2007
  Seattle — GalleryPlayer, a developer of HD still image content for HDTV displays, made several key executive appointments, including the addition of Kevin Akeroyd as its new CEO and long-time industry veteran Marty Levine as business development and sales VP; Paul Brownlow was promoted to founder and chief technology officer.
  
• Deltathree To Offer VoIP Service For Panasonic Phone
  
  By Greg Scoblete, March 13, 2007
  Secaucus, N.J. — Panasonic will use deltathree’s new “joip” VoIP service for a line of VoIP phones.
  
• LG Developing D/A Converter
  
  By Greg Tarr, March 13, 2007
  Englewood Cliffs, N.J. — LG Electronics joined Thomson in announcing plans to supply a set-top digital-to-analog TV converter that will be eligible for coupon subsidies through the just-announced National Telecommunications and Information Administration final rules for a DTV converter box coupon program.
  
  
• General Imaging Debuts GE Digicams
  
  By Greg Scoblete, March 13, 2007
  Las Vegas — General Imaging revealed details on its previously announced line of GE-branded digital cameras at the Photo Marketing Association’s annual trade show, here, last week.
  
  
• RCA Gauging Retail Demand For D/A STB
  
  By Greg Tarr, March 12, 2007
  Indianapolis — Thomson’s RCA was among the first manufacturers to announce plans to market a set-top digital-to-analog television converter to participate in the coupon program that was finalized March 12 by the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. (NTIA).
  
• Wal-Mart Bows CE Scorecard Criteria
  
  by Lisa Johnston, March 12, 2007
  Annapolis, Md. — Wal-Mart Stores announced the criteria it will use for a scorecard that evaluates CE suppliers on the environmental sustainability of their products. Wal-Mart will ask suppliers to fill out the scorecard beginning in 2008.
  
• Court Finds Vonage Infringed On Verizon Patents
  
  By Greg Scoblete, March 12, 2007
  Virginia — Vonage infringed on three of seven disputed Verizon patents, the U.S. District Court for the Virginia Eastern District found last week.
  
• Samsung Makes $400K Donation To Magic
  
  By Greg Tarr, March 12, 2007
  Ridgefield Park, N.J. – The Samsung Four Seasons of Hope charity presented basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson with a pledge check for $400,000 to support the Magic Johnson Foundation prior to the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 in Las Vegas on March 11.
  
• NTIA Issues DTV Coupon Rule
  
  By Greg Tarr, March 12, 2007
  Washington – The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issued its final rule for a digital-to-analog converter box coupon program that will subsidize the cost of special equipment that some consumers may need to continue receiving television broadcasts, once full-power analog TV broadcasts cease on Feb. 17, 2009.
  
• MP3 Patent Lawsuit Rooted In Chip Rivalry
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, March 12, 2007
  Marshall, Texas — An MP3 player patent-infringement suit filed by little-known Texas MP3 Technologies against Apple, Samsung and SanDisk is rooted in a U.S. semiconductor company’s efforts to fend off competition from low-cost Asian competitors that it claims copies its designs.
  
• CE Shoppers Want Premium Services: CEA
  
  by Alan Wolf, March 12, 2007
  Arlington, Va. — Today’s shoppers are looking for premium services along with their consumer electronics devices in order to create a total home entertainment experience, a new study by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) shows.
  
• D&M Outlines Its Key A/V Features
  
  By Steve Smith, March 9, 2007
  Mahwah, N.J. — D&M Holdings will be introducing its new lineup of premium audio and networking products this summer and let TWICE glimpse at its “strategic product direction” for 2007 and going forward.
  
• Universal Remotes Revenue Topped $1B In U.S. In ’06
  
  by John Laposky, March 9, 2007
  Dallas — Revenue in the United States from the sale of after-market universal remote controls will increase from approximately $1 billion in 2006, to $1.9 billion in 2012, according to Aftermarket Entertainment: Universal Remote Controllers, a new report from Parks Associates.
  
• Former Gateway Execs Found Liable In SEC Case
  
  By Doug Olenick, March 9, 2007
  San Diego — A federal jury this week found two former Gateway executives liable for violating fraud and record-keeping regulations and making false statements.
  
• No Loss For Words At EH Expo, PARA
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, March 9, 2007
  Orlando, Fla. — Infuriating, fun, challenging and ironic were some of the adjectives used here this week by retailers, installers and suppliers to describe the current state of the custom installation and specialty audio/video industries.
  
• HES Holds Vendor Meetings In Tokyo
  
  by Alan Wolf, March 9, 2007
  Tokyo — Home Entertainment Source (HES), the A/V specialty division of the AVB/BrandSource buying group, recently completed a round of high-level sit-downs here with senior executives from Hitachi, Sharp and Pioneer.
  
• Best Buy Responding To Site Pricing Controversy
  
  by Alan Wolf, March 8, 2007
  Minneapolis, Minn. – Best Buy says it is cooperating with Connecticut’s attorney general in his investigation of disparate pricing on the company’s e-commerce site and in-store Intranet sites, which may have been used to mislead customers.
  
• Home Builder Hits Blue Note
  
  by Alan Wolf, March 8, 2007
  New York — The CEO of the nation’s largest home builder was unusually blunt about the soft housing market and its impact on his company, telling analysts at an investor conference here yesterday that 2007 will “suck.”
  
• Panasonic Camcorder Gets Tough
  
  By Greg Scoblete, March 8, 2007
  Las Vegas — Panasonic added a new SD-based camcorder to its lineup today at the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) show with a water- and dust-resistant exterior.
  
• JVC Debuts Its 1st In-Ear Noise-Canceling Headphones
  
  by Lisa Johnston, March 8, 2007
  Wayne, N.J. — JVC today announced the company’s first in-ear noise-canceling headphones, the HA-NCX77.