TWICE News

• Sony Profit Doubles In Q2, Despite TV, PS3 Struggles
  
  By John Laposky, July 27, 2007
  Tokyo — Sony cited solid sales of consumer electronics and the success of “Spiderman 3” as it reported a $551.5 million profit for its fiscal first quarter, more than double last year’s Q1 profit. Sales were up 13.3 percent to $16.4 billion
  
• 'Close Encounters' Of The Blu-ray Kind
  
  By Greg Tarr, July 26, 2007
  Culver City, Calif. - Steven Spielberg’s classic UFO adventure “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” will be released in a 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition in the Blu-ray Disc and DVD formats Nov. 13, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment said Thursday.
  
• The Gigabeat Goes On At Toshiba
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, July 26, 2007
  Irvine, Calif. — Toshiba’s gigabeats are back, but this time through the Toshiba group that markets portable computers, computer accessories, PocketPCs and business projectors.
  
• Toshiba Unveils 32GB USB Drive
  
  By TWICE Staff, July 26, 2007
  Irvine, Calif. — Toshiba will ship a 32GB USB flash drive to dealers by the end of the year.
  
• XM Salutes Panero, Offers Merger Optimism
  
  By Amy Gilroy, July 26, 2007
  Washington — XM CEO Hugh Panero offered reasons for his recently announced plans to leave the company in early August in an XM Satellite Radio earnings call today.
  
• Xbox HD DVD Gets Price Cut
  
  By Greg Tarr, July 26, 2007
  San Diego — Microsoft cut the price on its HD DVD add-on drive for the Xbox 360 video game console by $20, to $179, the company announced at the Comic-Con International 2007 show Wednesday.
  
• Logitech Debuts Comfort Wave Keyboards
  
  by Lisa Johnston, July 26, 2007
  Fremont, Calif. — Logitech today announced two keyboards that feature that company’s Comfort Wave design.
  
• Matsushita Posts Gains In Q1
  
  By TWICE Staff, July 26, 2007
  Osaka, Japan — Matsushita Electric Industrial saw global consolidated group sales of $18.21 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2008, ended June 30, an 8 percent increase from the same period the previous year.
  
• XM Net Subs Down, Net Loss Narrows
  
  By Amy Gilroy, July 26, 2007
  Washington — XM Satellite Radio announced a narrower net loss and higher revenue for the second quarter, citing record gains in automotive subscribers.
  
• Sony Software Ships
  
  By Doug Olenick, July 26, 2007
  New York — Sony Creative Software has started shipping four new versions of its audio/video editing and music creation software.
  
• Mac Sales Shine In Apple Q3
  
  By Amy Gilroy, July 26, 2007
  Cupertino, Calif. — Apple announced a 73 percent increase in net income, totaling $818 million, citing record Mac computer sales and continued demand for the iPod.
  
• TiVo Taps Bressner
  
  By Greg Tarr, July 26, 2007
  Alviso, Calif. — TiVo has appointed Karen Bressner as its new advertsing sales senior VP.
  
• Target Adds Sony BD Players
  
  By Greg Tarr, July 26, 2007
    Updated! San Diego — Target has agreed to sell Sony Blu-ray Disc players as its exclusive next-generation high-definition disc players this holiday season, Sony said today.
  
• Amazon's Q2 Profits Soar 257%
  
  By Alan Wolf, July 25, 2007
  Seattle — Strong sales of CE helped boost Amazon.com’s net income 257 percent to $78 million for the second quarter, ended June 30.
  
• JVC And Kenwood Confirm Merger Talks
  
  By Amy Gilroy, July 25, 2007
  Long Beach, Calif. — Kenwood USA confirmed that Victor Company of Japan (JVC) and Kenwood Corp. of Japan will begin a joint project in car, home and portable audio this October and that a merger of both companies under a holding company is under discussion in Japan.
  
• American Telecom Services Expands Distribution
  
  By Greg Scoblete, July 25, 2007
  City of Industry, Calif. — American Telecom Services (ATS) will expand the distribution of its DECT-based cordless phones bundled with VoIP service and models bundled with landline minutes in several retail accounts, the company said.
  
• Two XM Investors Lease Nationwide Spectrum
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, July 25, 2007
  Houston — Wireless spectrum that cellular-tower operator Crown Castle once planned for a nationwide mobile-TV service, could potentially end up helping XM Satellite Radio expand its services.
  
• Harvey-MyerEmco Merger Pushed Back To August
  
  By Alan Wolf, July 25, 2007
  Lyndhurst, N.J. — Harvey Electronics said today that it has extended the closing date of its agreement to acquire MyerEmco to Aug. 10.
  
• Magnolia A/V Preparing National Expansion
  
  By Alan Wolf, July 25, 2007
  Kent, Wash. — Magnolia Audio Video, the regional A/V specialty chain, is planning a national expansion that could build the $160 million Best Buy subsidiary into a $1 billion business over five years.
  
• Sony ES AVRs Make New Connections
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, July 25, 2007
  San Diego — Sony announced its first A/V receivers equipped with onboard decoding of all optional and standard-surround formats approved for use on HD DVD and Blu-ray Discs.