Dropping consumer spending, tightening credit hurt the electronics giant
Associated Press Nov 10, 08 8:21 CST
(AP)
-
Circuit City Stores has filed for bankruptcy protection today, about a week after it said it would close 20% of its stores. The electronics retailer, based in Richmond, Va., has struggled as nervous consumers spend less and credit tightens.
More »
product review
Typical users don't have to break the bank: Mossberg
Wall Street Journal Oct 30, 08 10:36 CDT
(Newser)
-
Economic conditions being what they are, you might not have a ton of dough to spend on a new computer. So in his annual PC buyer’s guide, Wall Street Journal tech expert Walter Mossberg adopts a budget-focused mindset. His advice: The current Mac OS, Leopard, is much better than Windows, but Macs don’t come cheap. Look for a computer with Windows XP; downgrading from Vista may cost money, but you can then buy a cheaper machine.
More »
Japanese Electronics maker sees profits tumble 72% for quarter
New York Times Oct 29, 08 8:27 CDT
(Newser)
-
A strengthening yen and declining demand—especially from the US—for consumer electronics provided a one-two punch that knocked Sony profits down 72% for the third quarter, reports the New York Times. Sony shares slid to a 16-year low on Monday, and are down 67% for the year.
More »
PRODUCT REVIEWS
A drive-in movie buff takes tech for a backyard test run
Esquire Aug 19, 08 8:26 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
Though the drive-in movie theater has gone the way of the buffalo, Barry Sonnenfeld writes in Esquire , with the right projector you can recreate the outdoor film experience in your back yard. But take notice: A projector is only as good as the screen it’s projecting on, so make sure it’s quality. The three best for outdoor use:
More »
Analyst says continued tech, customer-service turbulence could do real damage
USA Today Jul 28, 08 1:21 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
It’s still exceedingly tough to get a new 3G iPhone due to limited supply, and myriad technical problems persist in registering and operating the eagerly awaited gadget. Apple has apologized for the lines, and the bugs in its new syncing software, but one analyst tells USA Today that the fallout might soon sour perceptions of the company as a whole.
More »
Old TVs, PCs can pollute developing countries
USA Today Jul 7, 08 5:59 CDT
(Newser)
-
Recycling old computers, cell phones, and TVs may sound like a good idea—but be sure you know the destination before you dump such material, USA Today advises. While such “e-waste” recycling programs are springing up everywhere these days, some pose a threat. Often, the materials end up in developing nations, spreading toxins through the air and water.
More »
They could soon be a better choice to power laptops, phones
Economist Jun 19, 08 8:20 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
Think fuel cells are just for cars? Think again. Their real value may be to power portable electronics such as laptops and cell phones. Fuel cells that use methanol, rather than gasoline, could replace batteries in electronics. They last much longer and take just a moment to refuel—and they're greener and possibly safer than batteries, reports the Economist .
More »
High-tech is the way to make dad feel like a million on his special day
ABC News Jun 14, 08 7:06 CDT
(Newser)
-
Lose the power tools and the landscaping implements this Father's Day, ABC News suggests. The kind of cutting edge Dad really wants can't be found at the hardware store. Among them: For dads who want media at their fingertips, the enV2 by LG hosts music and video via V CAST and sports a QWERTY keyboard for only $129, with a phone contract.
More »
Added technology could spell doom for portable navigation devices
Wired Jun 8, 08 6:10 CDT
(Newser)
-
Apple is likely to announce the addition of GPS to the iPhone tomorrow—and that’s bad news for makers of portable satellite-navigation systems, Wired reports. It could also be a dangerous distraction for those on the road, as drivers increasingly turn to tiny mobile-phone screens for directions. The number of users of GPS-enabled phones is expected to quadruple by 2011.
More »
Consumers often
can't figure out
how to use them
PC World Jun 3, 08 6:30 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
Just 5% of the electronics that consumers return to stores actually don’t work, though often the buyers believe they’re broken, a new study says. In 68% of cases, “they thought it was defective when it wasn't, or there was an expectation gap,” an executive of the firm releasing the study told PC World . US electronics returns cost $13.8 billion in 2007.
More »
Washington appeals to WTO to end levies on $70B worth of goods
Reuters May 28, 08 6:09 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
The US butted heads with the European Union today over import tariffs on more than $70 billion worth of computer screens and other technology products, Reuters reports. "The EU should be working with the United States to promote new technologies, not finding protectionist gimmicks to apply new duties to these products," said a trade representative.
More »
Strikes deal for accessory-free TV
Reuters May 28, 08 12:19 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
The days of set-top cable boxes are surely numbered, thanks to Sony, the first consumer electronics company to close a deal to produce TVs that need no accessories to receive digital cable signals. The memorandum of understanding, signed by all the major cable companies, doesn’t just apply to Sony; other electronics companies have been invited on board too, Reuters reports. Sets should be available by Christmas.
More »
product review
3mm-thick wonder trumps LCDs, plasmas — though it's tiny, and pricey
New York Times May 1, 08 12:34 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
Sony’s new XEL-1 television is neither plasma nor LCD: it uses organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology, and “its picture is so incredible, Sony should include a jaw cushion,” David Pogue writes in the New York Times . Sony is the first to sell TVs using the system, which is "like looking out a window. With the glass missing,” Pogue notes.
More »
Commodity prices have 'urban miners' panning discarded electronics
Reuters Apr 28, 08 2:03 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
No matter how broken it is, your old cell phone is still valuable to some people. That’s because it, like most electronics, is loaded with copper, iridium, gold, and other commodities that are becoming more expensive by the day. “To some it's just a mountain of garbage, but for others it's a gold mine," one recycling-plant manager tells Reuters.
More »