Home Electronics Industry News -- February 2001
NOTE: This page is an archive for previously posted news stories from February 2001 - Since most of the links are now inactive, they have been removed. However, the headlines and summaries are still posted to historically document the news headlines from the dates listed.
02/28/01
Radio Shack Enters In-Store Deal With Blockbuster
With Best Buy recently buying up Suncoast Video and Sam Goody, cementing the CE giant as a major player in the audio/video software retail pie, Blockbuster announces a strategic alliance with Radio Shack to establish it(Blockbuster) as an outlet for CE products.
02/27/01
PMA Illustrates The Transition From Analog To Digital
The continuing trend from film to digital took center stage at this year's PMA (Photo Marketing Association) convention earlier this month. Among products taking center stage were Minolta's 5-megapixel Diamge7, Canon's new Powershot S300 Digital Elph, and Kyocera's tiny Finecam S3.
02/26/01
InFocus Unveils The Ultimate In Mobile Projection ...
The popularity and flexibility of Digital Light Processing is evident in the new three-pound mobile video projector by InFocus.
02/24/01
DOJ Stands With Film Industry In DVD Cracking Case
The U.S. Department of Justice is standing firm with the film industry in its oppositiion <2600: The Hacker Quarterly from having the right to publish the DVD DeCSS encryption code, which prevents consumers from pirating DVD recordings.
02/23/01
JVC Redesigns Their AV Receivers And Packs Them With Features
JVC, in an effort to capture larger market share in the home audio market, is introducing several new AV Receivers with lower pricing and exciting features, such as multi-room flexibility, USB port for PC audio, a CD-R in/out, and more.
02/22/01
Onkyo Sued By NY/NJ Sales Rep Firm Of 20 Years
Onkyo is in hot water these days, facing a lawsuit for wrongful termination and breach of contract by Roth Paris Associates, which has been representing Onkyo in the NY area for some time.
02/21/01
Tweeter Ups Stake In Sound Advice To 8.5%
Tweeter continues its steady expansion into a national CE chain retailer by increasing its stake in Florida-based Sound Advice from 4.5% to 8.5%.
02/20/01
Prediction: Satellite Radio Will Be Huge
It was really hyped at this year's CES, but will satellite pay radio fly with consumers? Some think so, as reported by Stereophile Magazine.
02/19/01
Home Entertainment Show 2001 Coming To New York City
New York City is hosting this year's Home Entertainment Show, highlighting the latest advances in home theater and home entertainment technology.
02/18/01
Kodak And Olympus Agree On Cross Licensing Digital Camera Technology
In an exciting development that will undoubtedly change the face of digital photography, Kodak and Olympus announce an alliance in the development and marketing of new digital imaging technologies, products, and services.
02/17/01
DTS Conducts DVD-A Tour
In an effort to promote the benefits of the new DVD-Audio format, DTS Entertainment will be conducting a roadshow bus tour of DVD-Audio technology.
02/16/01
New Panasonic TV Has Built-In PVR
Video recording alternatives to the VCR seem to popping up everywhere these days. Now, Panasonic introduces a TV with a built-in hard drive (PVR) for time-shifting your favorite programs.
02/15/01
Lenders Pull Plug On ETOWN; Best Buy Holds Assets
Another dot-com bites the dust as ETOWN, one of the internets most comprehensive consumer electronics information sites, overstays its welcome with investors.
02/14/01
Thomson Consumer Products Sales Jump 37% In '00
Boosted by sales of digital products, Thomson's consumer electronics sales increased quite substantially in 2000.
02/13/01
Court To NAPSTER: Stop It
A appellate court deals a possible death blow to NAPSTER. However, is NAPSTER really down for the count, or will it rise out the legal morass like the proverbial Phoenix.
02/12/01
Philips India Announces Reduced Market In Consumer Electronics
The consumer electronics revolution is taking over the world, however, Philips is having some sales diffulty in India.
02/11/01
Disappearing Act
Is the FCC and its crazy-quit of regulation about to disappear? Will Michael Powell, the new FCC commissioner, usher in and era of more freedom for broadcasters?
02/09/01
BSkyB Sees Clear Route To Switching Off Analog
With an increasing digital subscriber base and more interactive TV content, Britain's Sky Broadcasting may soon cut off its analog satellite programming service.
02/08/01
December Video Sales Close Out Spectacular Year Of Growth
Sales of DVD Players, Camcorders, VCRs, and other video related products contributed to a successful year for both manufacturers and retailers.
02/07/01
DVDs Take Off In Airports
While sales of home DVD players are skyrocketing a feverish pace, the sales of portable DVD players have also been brisk as business and pleasure air travelers have taken to the concept of movies-on-the-go.
02/06/01
JVC Press Expo
JVC presented its new product line at a special press event in Orlando, Fla. Included were demonstrations of its Digital-VHS video recorder (capable of 1080i High Definition video recording) and latest line of TVs, Camcorders, VCRs, and mobile audio products.
02/05/01
SEGA: So Long Hardware -- Hello, Profitability
For those of you who haven't heard by now, SEGA announced earlier this week that it will no longer manufacture video game hardware platforms (Bye, Bye, Dreamcast...). SEGA will be shifting into gear as a third party software maker of software and games for other platforms, such as SONY Playstation.
02/04/01
HDTV: Watch, Don't Record
Well, Hollywood paranoia is at it again as movie studios are planning not to release their blockbuster movies for HDTV broadcasts for fear of HD piracy. The solution, digital copy-protection.
02/03/01
Actual DTV Sales In 2000 Surpass Estimates
At the annual meeting of the Association of Local Television Stations, it was announced that sales of Digital Television products for 2000 increased 400% to $1.4 billion over 1999.
Best Buy Completes Musicland Acquisition
Its official, Musicland is now officially part of Best Buy.
02/02/01
SONICblue To Acquire ReplayTV and Sensory Science
ReplayTV recently announced that it would discontinue the manufacturing of hardware versions of its PVRs, now SONICblue, makers of RIO MP3 Players, announces it will purchase the company. In addition, SONICblue is also buying Sensory Science/Go Video in a separate deal.
02/01/01
DVD 2004 = VCR 2001
The DVD onslaught continues in the marketplace as consumers "gobble-up" DVD players as fast as they hit the shelves, but does this really mean the end of VHS?
TIVO Points To Positives In Fourth Quarter Earnings
TIVO reported a 40% increase in revenues this past quarter as more consumers get in on the PVR bandwagon.
For more News Stories check out my Home Electronics Industry News Archives.
