TWICE News

• Samsung Reveals 1080p DLP, CableCard Plans
  
  By Greg Tarr, May 28, 2004
  New York - Samsung formally announced at Home Electronics Expo here that it will ship the industry’s first DLP rear projection HDTV set, based on Texas Instruments’ new xHD3 1080p Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) and Samsung’s specially developed fifth generation light engine design this fall.
  
• Rex Q1 Sales Slide 7.6%, Comps Off 7%
  
  By Jeff Malester and Alan Wolf, May 28, 2004
  Dayton, Ohio — Sales at retailer Rex Stores fell 7.6 percent in its first fiscal quarter, dropping to $88.2 million, from $95.2 million in the year-ago period. Comp-store sales during the first three months decreased 7 percent.
  
• Hitachi Unveils CineForm Fixed-Pixel Strategy
  
  By Greg Tarr, May 27, 2004
  New York – Hitachi formally announced here a new marketing strategy for 2004/05 focusing on the company’s core technologies in, plasma, direct-view LCD and rear-projection CRT and LCD systems to maintain its ranking as a top five HDTV brand in the United States.
  
• Dell Intros $799 Laptop
  
  By Doug Olenick, May 27, 2004
  Round Rock Texas, - Dell has lowered the price bar on its entry-level notebook line with the introduction of the $799 Inspiron 1000 series.
  
• Antex Unveils 3-Zone XM Tuner
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, May 27, 2004
  Gardena, Calif.-- Antex Electronics, which markets a three-zone Sirius Satellite Radio tuner, will offer an XM Satellite Radio version sometime later this year at an unannounced price.
  
• Costco Q3 Sales, Net Rise
  
  By Jeff Malester, May 27, 2004
  Issaquah, Wash. — Membership club Costco Wholesale enjoyed a 14 percent increase in sales for its fiscal third quarter, with revenue rising to $10.7 billion for the period, up from $9.3 billion during the year-ago three months. Comp-store sales for the quarter jumped 11 percent.
  
• TiVo Reports Record Subs Added
  
  By Jeff Malester, May 26, 2004
  San Jose, Calif. — Digital video recording provider TiVo reported a record 264,000 subscriptions added in its fiscal first quarter, more than three times the 79,000 added in the year-ago period.
  
• Motorola: Interoperable PTT On The Way
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, May 26, 2004
  Arlington Height, Ill. — Cell-site equipment developed by Motorola will let Push-To-Talk (PTT) users chat with other PTT users across any wireless network.
  
• JVC To Launch $20M Ad Campaign
  
  By Steve Smith, May 25, 2004
  Wayne, N.J. — JVC will kick off a national $20 million advertising campaign in June that the company said unifies its branding and product effort around the celebrity-driven approach of its current branding program.
  
• palmOne GPS Car Kit Bows
  
  By Amy Gilroy, May 25, 2004
  New York — PDA vendor palmOne announced at CeBIT America 2004 a car navigation kit designed to work with TungstenT3 and Zire 72 handhelds.
  
• Pioneer Introduces VCR/DVD Recorder
  
  By Greg Tarr, May 24, 2004
  New York – Pioneer announced a return to the VCR category for the first time in almost 20 years, with the introduction of a combination VCR and DVD recorder, which joins a family of DVD recordable products announced for the 2004 lineup.
  
• Sony Unveils Plasma Trio As Fidler Returns
  
  By Greg Tarr, May 24, 2004
  New York - Sony Electronics used the recent Home Entertainment Expo here to introduce its new A/V marketing team and to announce three additions to its line of fully integrated digital cable ready HDTV sets that are slated to ship this fall.
  
• Audiovox Expands GSM, PocketPC Portfolio
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, May 24, 2004
  Hauppauge, N.Y. — Audiovox Communications expanded its selection of GSM phones and PocketPC phones with the introduction of the PPC 4100, a GSM/GPRS PocketPC phone that will be available through AT&T Wireless channels in June at $349 after $50 instant rebate.
  
• HP Intros HD PC Monitor, Gaming Computer
  
  By Doug Olenick, May 23, 2004
  New York - Hewlett-Packard fleshed out its summer product line up introducing a high definition ready LCD monitor, a dedicated gaming PC and it gave a sneak peak at LightScribe Direct Disc labeling technology.
  
• DHWG Moves On Interoperability Of Networked PC, AV Products
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, May 21, 2004
  New York — The Digital Home Working Group (DHWG) is on target for June completion of the first phase of interoperability standards that will permit content sharing among networked PCs and consumer electronics products, said Pat Griffis, the group’s vice chairman.
  
• Monster Enters Component Audio
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, May 21, 2004
  New York — Monster Cable has begun rolling out a long-awaited turnkey merchandising and sales-training program designed to reverse the fortunes of the audio-component business, which owner Noel Lee said is in decline because most components are large and ugly and aren’t being demonstrated properly.
  
• Industry Financial Round Up
  
  By Jeff Malester, May 21, 2004
  New York - A slew of consumer electronics and computer manufacturers and retailers reported their financial earnings during the past week, including Dell, Staples and Home Depot.
  
• Startup Eyes Music Downloads Without PCs
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, May 21, 2004
  New York – A start-up company believes it can broaden the customer base for authorized music downloading if it eliminates PCs from the process.
  
• CEA Study: HDTV Sales Benefit Home Theater Furniture
  
  By Jeff Malester, May 21, 2004
  Arlington, Va. — More than one-third of television owners, or 37 percent, without high-definition TV (HDTV) said they will buy an HDTV set within the next two years, according to results from a Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) study.
  
• Electronics Boutique Sales Rise 23%
  
  By Jeff Malester, May 21, 2004
  West Chester, Pa. — Laying claim to a "great" first quarter, video game hardware and software retailer Electronics Boutique recorded a 23 percent sales increase in its fiscal first three months, hitting $372.4 million, up from $303.5 million in the same period last year.