TWICE News

• Feb. Plasma Prices Drop 35%
  
  By Greg Tarr, April 11, 2007
  Port Washington, N.Y. — Plasma TV dollar volume dropped 16 percent in February compared with February 2006, to post the category’s first-ever year-over-year decline, according to The NPD Group’s retail tracking service.
  
• Goncalves Joins DirecTV
  
  By Greg Tarr, April 10, 2007
  New York — Tony Goncalves, who was formerly Humax USA’s sales and marketing VP, has been named DirecTV’s consumer electronics retail sales VP.
  
• Zenith Files 8-VSB Suits
  
  By Greg Tarr, April 10, 2007
  Tyler, Texas – Zenith Electronics is going after seven price-aggressive TV competitors through a patent infringement lawsuit related to its vestigial side band (8-VSB) demodulation system, which is used to tune digital ATSC broadcast signals in digital television receivers.
  
• DBL To Distribute DLO’s MP3 Accessories
  
  By Colleen Bohen, April 10, 2007
  Scottsdale, Ariz. — DBL Distributing, wholesale distributor of consumer electronics and accessories, has entered a partnership with Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO).
  
• New S-LCD Gen 8 Plant Advances
  
  By Greg Tarr, April 10, 2007
  Tangjeong, Korea – A new eighth-generation LCD joint venture plant between Sony and Samsung will start production of LCD panels here this summer, a month ahead of schedule, a Sony executive told a group of reporters attending the firm’s product show in Taipei.
  
• LG.Philips Posts Higher Q1 Sales, Net Loss
  
  By TWICE Staff, April 10, 2007
  Seoul, South Korea — LG.Philips LCD reported higher sales but a loss for its first quarter, ended March 31, vs. its performance during the same time last year.
  
• Almo Adding Olevia LCD TVs
  
  By Colleen Bohen, April 10, 2007
  Philadelphia — Almo has entered into an agreement with Syntax-Brillian to distribute the vendor’s Olevia-branded 5 Series line of LCD HDTVs.
  
• Microsoft Readies Pink Zune
  
  By Amy Gilroy, April 10, 2007
  Redmond, Wash. — Microsoft is launching a limited edition pink version of its Zune MP3 player later this spring, after finding that consumers respond to product cosmetics including color.
  
• CTIA: Subscriber Growth Robust In ’06
  
  By Joseph Palenchar, April 10, 2007
  Washington — The cellular industry may have celebrated its 23rd birthday last August, but the industry isn’t showing signs of aging.
  
• Toshiba Sues 17 DVD Marketers
  
  By Greg Tarr, April 9, 2007
  Tokyo — Toshiba, one of several companies that contributed key technologies to the DVD standard, is cracking down on firms it says allegedly import DVD devices that use its intellectual property without permission.
  
• DisplaySearch Conference Slated
  
  By Greg Tarr, April 9, 2007
  San Diego — Consumer electronics market research firm DisplaySearch will present its inaugural U.S. TV Supply Chain Conference June 14-15 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina.
  
• Malone Named President Of Audiovox Electronics
  
  By Amy Gilroy, April 9, 2007
  Hauppauge, N.Y. — Audiovox Corp. has promoted Tom Malone to the position of president of its Audiovox Electronics subsidiary, which markets vehicle and consumer electronics products.
  
• Dash To Launch Nationwide PND Trial
  
  By Amy Gilroy, April 9, 2007
  San Diego — Dash Navigation will place 2,000 cellular-connected portable GPS units in consumers’ hands nationwide to test the devices, which are due for release this fall.
  
• Epson Gets ITC To Bar Third-Party Ink Cartridges
  
  By Greg Scoblete, April 9, 2007
  Tokyo — Epson said it was issued a favorable ruling by International Trade Commission (ITC) in its patent dispute with 24 companies.
  
• Levin Consulting’s Barry Levin Dies At 53
  
  By TWICE Staff, April 9, 2007
  Beachwood, Ohio — Long-time industry executive Barry Levin, events VP at Levin Consulting, passed away unexpectedly this weekend. He was 53.
  
• Vonage Wins Stay, Can Continue Selling Service
  
  By Greg Scoblete, April 9, 2007
  Holmdel, N.J. — Vonage can continue to sell its service and support its existing customers thanks to a temporary stay from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C..
  
• Akimbo Expands To XP, Vista PCs
  
  By Greg Tarr, April 9, 2007
  San Mateo, Calif. – Internet video service provider Akimbo will introduce on April 16 Windows XP and Vista versions of its user interface software enabling the download of hundreds of special interest programs for playback on PC screens.
  
• Wal-Mart Creates Two New Senior Positions
  
  By Colleen Bohen, April 6, 2007
  Bentonville, Ark. — Wal-Mart has created two new senior management positions for its U.S. division.
  
• High Frame Rate SXRD Revealed
  
  By Greg Tarr, April 6, 2007
  Tokyo — Sony posted on its corporate Web site here specifications for a next-generation 1,080p SXRD microdisplay device that doubles frame-rate speeds for smoother video images in fast motion and animated sequences, while maintaining resolution.
  
• Camera Phone Image Sharing on Decline
  
  By Greg Scoblete, April 6, 2007
  Jackson, Mich. — Despite a sharp uptick in the number of households with camera phones, fewer consumers than ever are sharing their camera phone images, according to a new study from the Photo Marketing Association.