2008年8月21日星期四

2 new educational devices win kids' attention by being handheld game machines

2 new educational devices win kids' attention by being handheld game machines
From:http://www.allforinfant.com/buy-game/
Key words: boys, kids, game
Your kids can learn math, how to tell time and other skills needed for school — and you don't have to pry them away from video games.

That was the appeal of two new handheld devices my three boys recently tested: the $70 Leapster2 and the $90 Didj, made by LeapFrog Enterprises Inc. and designed to put learning games into a format likely to be coveted by children.

The Leapster has been around before, but the second version adds new game titles, such as "Star Wars Clone Wars: Jedi Math." Designed for children ages 4 to 8, it connects to a computer with an included USB cable, allowing kids to earn rewards and certificates online and letting parents monitor their progress.

The Didj, geared for 6- to 10-year-olds, takes the connection one step further, allowing parents to customize games to, for example, help children study multiplication tables or learn specific spelling words for a classroom test. Players can also use the connection to customize a Didj, including designing their own online game characters known as avatars.

For today's kids, veterans of many a gaming system, there's not much of a learning curve to the Didj. They just pick it up and play.

The built-in "Jetpack Heroes" game takes a spaceman through a maze, picking up treasures for a couple of minutes as he goes along blasting foes.

Then comes the first math problem: 4 + 1, which wasn't exactly rocket science for my 8-year-old son.

www.allforinfant.com

Diet soda: Is it bad for you?

Diet soda: Is it bad for you?
From:http://www.china-food-wholesaler.com/buy-diet/
Key words: diet, fruit, lemon
Drinking a reasonable amount of diet soda a day, such as a can or two, isn't likely to hurt you. The artificial sweeteners and other chemicals used in diet soda are safe for most people, and there's no evidence that these ingredients cause cancer.
Some types of diet soda are even fortified with vitamins and minerals. But diet soda isn't a health drink or a cure for weight loss. Although switching from regular soda to diet soda will save you calories, some studies suggest that drinking soda of any type leads to obesity and other health problems. And healthier choices abound.
Start your day with a small glass of 100-percent fruit juice. Drink skim milk with meals. Sip water throughout the day. For variety, try sparkling water or enjoy a squirt of lemon or cranberry juice in your water. Save diet soda for an occasional treat.

www.china-food-wholesaler.com

Polo Ralph Lauren to launch shopping by cell phone

Polo Ralph Lauren to launch shopping by cell phone
From:http://www.1topsupplier.com/buy-cellphone/
Key words: mobile phone, company,camera
Is the tech-savvy fashionista ready to shop by mobile phone? Polo Ralph Lauren Corp hopes so.
Polo is the first luxury retailer to launch a mobile commerce site, hoping to stay ahead of a trend that is making its way from Asia to the United States, said David Lauren, senior vice president of advertising and son of designer and Chief Executive Ralph Lauren.
Using phones to buy items such as train tickets or products in vending machines is commonplace in Japan, but the trend has yet to catch on in the United States.
"We recognize that in America this is going after somebody who is more comfortable with technology," Lauren told Reuters. "The truth is that in other countries, it's becoming a part of their culture. The trend is coming, and as a fashion company it's very important to identify trends and get ahead of them."
While early adopters of new technologies are often young, Lauren said the move is not aimed at a specific age group.Shoppers can download special software to camera-phones to scan the codes and be directed to a phone-friendly version of a Ralph Lauren website, where they can shop, watch tennis videos and read company content.
Lauren declined to say how much the company invested in the new technology or its anticipated sales impact.
Cell phones with preinstalled code-readers should come to market within a year, Lauren said.
www.electronics-in-china.com

T-Mobile adds the 3g-capable Sony Ericsson TM506

T-Mobile adds the 3g-capable Sony Ericsson TM506
From:http://www.1topsupplier.com/buy-mobile/
Key words:mobile, Bluetooth, online
T-Mobile has just officially announced the 3G-capable Sony Ericsson TM506. Overall its a nice looking handset with a slim compact design, however it has one important item to point out, this is T-Mobile’s first HSDPA handset.
The Sony Ericsson TM506 has a clamshell design and features built-in GPS with TeleNav support, a Memory Stick Micro (M2) card slot, a 2-megapixel camera and stereo Bluetooth. In addition the handset also features both an internal display along with an external display that shows the time as well as caller ID.
T-Mobile customers will have to wait just a little longer to grab one of their own however, according to the press release it will be available in early-September at “select T-Mobile retail stores and online.” Still unknown is just how much the TM506 will set you back.
www.1topsupplier.com

Perth Fashion Festival gears up for a grand gala

Perth Fashion Festival gears up for a grand gala
From:http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/
Key words: fashion, dress
This year the Perth Fashion Festival will celebrate a ‘decade of fashion’ with an innovative and stylish line-up of events, proving its worth as Western Australia’s premier fashion gala.

The Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary from 4-12 September 2008 with over 35 events. Popular Indian socialite Radhika Oswal will also hit the runway on September 6 for the Telethon Celebrity Parade, joining a host of other local celebrities including ex-boxer Danny Green, TV host Zoe Naylor, Channel 7 newsreader Rick Ardon and reporters Alison Fan and Emmy Kubainski at the Perth Town Hall.

Sources informed Fibre2fashion that for the ocassion, Kubainski will wear an amethyst and diamond necklace from Koro Fine Australian Jewellers which together with other outfits and accessories will be auctioned on the night, with all funds raised donated to Telethon. Besides, on the evening, a trip for two to Cable Beach Club Resort will also be up for auction.

Over 500 party-hunters are expected to attend the awards and moreover, the guest with the most outstanding dress will be brought in to the lime light and photographed by Sunday Times photographers.

The five best-dressed guests will be selected by a panel of judges who will then walk the runway and the winner will be decided from amongst one of them.

www.fashion-accouterment.com

Intel rolls while Rambus and MIPS reel

Intel rolls while Rambus and MIPS reel
Key words: business, market, mobile
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/
Rambus and MIPS Technologies are both chip companies that don't have their own chip fabrication facilities. Intel does. Perhaps not coincidentally, Rambus and MIPS are restructuring, while Intel's business is coasting on top of surging processor shipments.

Both Rambus and MIPS, which make a living off licensing intellectual property for chips, announced layoffs this week. Intel, meanwhile, is selling lots of its tiny Atom processors and seeing processor shipments surge overall.

Rambus said Thursday that it will reduce its workforce by approximately 90 positions and will take a restructuring charge of approximately $4 million in the next two quarters. Earlier in the week, MIPS announced a restructuring charge it estimates at between $4 million and $5.5 million, and layoffs of its own: 15 percent of its 512 employees. "We believe the market continues to show signs of softness," MIPS said in a statement.

Don't tell that to Intel. IDC released a report this week showing that Intel processor shipments were up 20.8 percent in the second quarter over the same period last year. Intel market share also crept up by 0.9 percent in the second quarter, bringing it to 79.7 percent, according to IDC.

And sales of Intel's Atom processors are exceeding expectations, according to Reuters. The report quotes Chief Financial Officer Stacy Smith, who said that "Atom is off to a very, very rapid start, far exceeding our expectations when we started the year.

Barring major strategic blunders, Intel appears to be on course to make gains in other markets. The company will preview its next-generation "Nehalem" Core i7 chip architecture at the Intel Developer Forum next week. Core i7 processors are due to ship in the fourth quarter.

And Intel is ramping up production of its latest generation of 45-nanometer mobile processors now. New ultra-low-power chips (rumored to appear in the next-generation MacBook Air, among other ultraslim notebooks) are due in September. Also, the chipmaker's first quad-core mobile processor debuted this week in laptops from Lenovo

http://www.electronics-in-china.com/

2008年8月20日星期三

First Google-powered mobiles soon

First Google-powered mobiles soon
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-phone/
Key words: mobile phone, store, key board
T-Mobile said Monday it plans to launch a mobile phone powered by Google's Android software, making it the first operator to do so and posing a direct threat to Apple's popular iPhone.
A spokesman for Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile's German parent, declined to comment on the launch date for the device which is made by mobile phone maker HTC.
According to a report in the New York Times, the phone will hit the stores in the United States before Christmas, perhaps as early as October.
The new device will have a touch screen like the iPhone and other smartphones that use software from firms like Palm, Microsoft and Nokia to allow users to access the Internet.
But the screen also slides out to expose a full five-row keyboard, the New York Times report said.
T-Mobile is the number four operator in the United States as well as number one in Germany, Europe's biggest market. It is also present in Britain, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Poland.
www.electronics-in-china.com

Three ways to help your computer run well

Three ways to help your computer run well
From:http://www.1topsupplier.com/buy-game/
Key words: game, pc, company
If you’ve noticed that your computer is running slower than usual, there are probably some good reasons. Spyware and other hidden problems may be behind it. From ARA Lifestyle.com, here are three suggestions for keeping your computer in good working condition:

Clean up registry errors. Registry errors cause your computer to slow down. Everyday uses such as installing and removing software and playing online games can create errors in your PC’s registry. The more errors you have, the more likely that you will experience a problem. To remedy these, download a registry cleaner. These programs will scan your PC’s registry and identify any errors. They will then fix the errors, restoring your PC’s performance.

Eliminate spyware. Spyware is software that can be installed on your computer without your knowledge. In addition to collecting information on your surfing habits, it can also slow down your computer considerably. You should scan daily for these programs if you use the Internet often or make frequent downloads. Anti-spyware programs can be found on the Internet. Many companies allow you to download it for free.

Keep an eye out for viruses. Viruses remain one of the major threats to your PC’s security. Don’t ignore these insidious problems. The best way to protect yourself is to subscribe to a virus protection software, particularly one that offers constant updates. You should scan for new viruses at least once a week. If you’re a heavy Internet user or receive a lot of unsolicited e-mail, more frequently wouldn’t hurt.

www.1topsupplier.com

The computer helper: Fix Windows glitches - Feature

The computer helper: Fix Windows glitches - Feature
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-computer/
Key words: computer, PC, CPU
A Windows computer doesn't always do what you expect it to. Sometimes the "shut down" command doesn't shut down the computer, for instance. Sometimes your mouse might not act the way it should. and other times your PC slows down for no apparent reason.
How can you handle such glitches? Read on for some answers.
Q: My Windows XP PC refuses to shut down. It was shutting down fine a few days ago. Now when I click Shut Down, nothing happens. Why is this?

Q: Lately, my Windows computer slows to a crawl. I'm not sure why. It's not exactly frozen, but everything takes a very long time. Switching from one window to another can take several minutes. How can I diagnose the problem?
A: first, make sure your PC has not become infected with spyware. Run Windows Defender and Ad-Aware to scan your system thoroughly.
If that doesn't work, find out what program or process is hogging your system resources. To do this, press Ctrl-Alt-Delete to bring up the Task Manager. From the Task Manager, Select the Process tab. There, you'll see a list of programs and processes that are currently running on your Windows computer.
the list of processes can be sorted by clicking on the column heading according to which you would like to sort. For instqance, to sort the list of active processes by CPU, click the CPU column heading. You want to do this in order to determine which process is consuming the most CPU cycles - and thus slowing down your computer.
Once you have sorted by CPU, you'll probably notice a process named System Idle Process at the top of the list. You can ignore this. Anything below that, however, that has a high number is probably responsible for the slowdown you experience.
Try to identify the program to which the process belongs simply by reading the name. If you can't figure it out, type the name into an internet browser, and search for it on the Web. The application to which it belongs will probably be identified quickly. You can kill the process by right clicking its name in the Process tab, and selecting End Process from the resulting pop-up menu. Once you have identified.
Once you have identified the program that is consuming all of your CPU cycles, uninstall it. That should solve your problem.

www.electronics-in-china.com

Online advertising data raise privacy concerns

Online advertising data raise privacy concerns
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-computer/
Key words: products, consumer, comapny
The reach of online advertising is growing as consumers, especially younger ones, move online for content and consumption. But how to gauge the success of online ads.

It's not just about measuring mouse clicks that result in purchases via the Internet, said Andrew Lipsman of U.S.-based ComScore, which studies ways the Internet is used

"If you are trying to measure your ad campaign in clicks, you are completely missing the impact," said Lipsman, senior manager. The bigger impact is building a product's brand online and affecting consumers' behaviour off-line, he said from Chicago

The average number of online ads viewed by an Internet user in the United States is 1,762 a month, Lipsman said. This number doesn't include any online ads seen on mobile phones. No Canadian statistics were available from ComScore.
"People are beginning to understand how these online ad exposures do have a brand-building impact. And as they begin to see the value in that and get out of the mindset it's all about direct response and purchasing something online right now, more dollars will begin to shift online.

Meanwhile, online advertising has raised concerns about consumers' privacy. The Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic, based at the University of Ottawa, has asked the federal privacy commissioner to investigate the practice of online profiling of Internet users for targeted advertising. It says its research suggests that some Canadian Internet service providers may be doing this or preparing to do so.

In the United States, Congress is asking 33 cable, phone and Internet companies to provide information on how they collect data and track consumers' web habits for targeted advertising. Among the companies that are part of the inquiry are AOL, AT&T, Verizon, Google and Microsoft. Some American Internet service providers already have caused controversy for doing trials that monitored all aspects of customers' Internet activity, said Eric Goldman of Santa Clara University in California's Silicon Valley.

www.1topsupplier.com

Online advertising data raise privacy concerns

Online advertising data raise privacy concerns
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-computer/
Key words: products, consumer, comapny
The reach of online advertising is growing as consumers, especially younger ones, move online for content and consumption. But how to gauge the success of online ads.

It's not just about measuring mouse clicks that result in purchases via the Internet, said Andrew Lipsman of U.S.-based ComScore, which studies ways the Internet is used

"If you are trying to measure your ad campaign in clicks, you are completely missing the impact," said Lipsman, senior manager. The bigger impact is building a product's brand online and affecting consumers' behaviour off-line, he said from Chicago

The average number of online ads viewed by an Internet user in the United States is 1,762 a month, Lipsman said. This number doesn't include any online ads seen on mobile phones. No Canadian statistics were available from ComScore.
"People are beginning to understand how these online ad exposures do have a brand-building impact. And as they begin to see the value in that and get out of the mindset it's all about direct response and purchasing something online right now, more dollars will begin to shift online.

Meanwhile, online advertising has raised concerns about consumers' privacy. The Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic, based at the University of Ottawa, has asked the federal privacy commissioner to investigate the practice of online profiling of Internet users for targeted advertising. It says its research suggests that some Canadian Internet service providers may be doing this or preparing to do so.

In the United States, Congress is asking 33 cable, phone and Internet companies to provide information on how they collect data and track consumers' web habits for targeted advertising. Among the companies that are part of the inquiry are AOL, AT&T, Verizon, Google and Microsoft. Some American Internet service providers already have caused controversy for doing trials that monitored all aspects of customers' Internet activity, said Eric Goldman of Santa Clara University in California's Silicon Valley.

www.1topsupplier.com

Online advertising data raise privacy concerns

Online advertising data raise privacy concerns
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-computer/
Key words: products, consumer, comapny
The reach of online advertising is growing as consumers, especially younger ones, move online for content and consumption. But how to gauge the success of online ads.

It's not just about measuring mouse clicks that result in purchases via the Internet, said Andrew Lipsman of U.S.-based ComScore, which studies ways the Internet is used

"If you are trying to measure your ad campaign in clicks, you are completely missing the impact," said Lipsman, senior manager. The bigger impact is building a product's brand online and affecting consumers' behaviour off-line, he said from Chicago

The average number of online ads viewed by an Internet user in the United States is 1,762 a month, Lipsman said. This number doesn't include any online ads seen on mobile phones. No Canadian statistics were available from ComScore.
"People are beginning to understand how these online ad exposures do have a brand-building impact. And as they begin to see the value in that and get out of the mindset it's all about direct response and purchasing something online right now, more dollars will begin to shift online.

Meanwhile, online advertising has raised concerns about consumers' privacy. The Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic, based at the University of Ottawa, has asked the federal privacy commissioner to investigate the practice of online profiling of Internet users for targeted advertising. It says its research suggests that some Canadian Internet service providers may be doing this or preparing to do so.

In the United States, Congress is asking 33 cable, phone and Internet companies to provide information on how they collect data and track consumers' web habits for targeted advertising. Among the companies that are part of the inquiry are AOL, AT&T, Verizon, Google and Microsoft. Some American Internet service providers already have caused controversy for doing trials that monitored all aspects of customers' Internet activity, said Eric Goldman of Santa Clara University in California's Silicon Valley.

www.1topsupplier.com

Nestle, Kellogg struggle to pass on rising food costs

Nestle, Kellogg struggle to pass on rising food costs
From:http://www.china-food-wholesaler.com/
Key words: food ,coffee, products
Nestle, the world's largest food company, and Kellogg, the biggest US cereal maker, can't raise prices fast enough to sustain earnings growth after the cost of grains, dairy products and meat surged to records.

Vevey, Switzerland-based Nestle said on August 7 that first- half profit increased 5.9%, the slowest in four years, as cocoa and coffee costs rose. Kellogg said July 31 that second- quarter net income growth of 3.7% was curbed by expenses of making products from Cheez-It crackers to Pop-Tarts.
Nestle has dropped 5.2% this year in Zurich. In London, Domino's has climbed 7.2% and Cadbury has dropped 8.7%.

Dominos advanced 12.25 pence, or 6.9%, to 189.75 pence on the London Stock Exchange. Cadbury gained 8 pence, or 1.3%, to 627 pence in London, and Nestle gained 98 centimes, or 2%, to 49.30 francs in Zurich.

Governments are taking steps to limit food inflation. The European Union scrapped a requirement for farmers to leave 10% of land fallow to try to increase food supply and reduce the cost of agricultural commodities.

''Food prices and energy are still elevated, which is causing inflation to stay high,'' Howard Archer, chief European economist at Global Insight, said by phone on August 8.

US Feedlots

In the US, food prices will expand 5.5% this year, the fastest rate since 1989, according to the Department of Agriculture. The cost of beef jumped as the highest corn prices since at least the US Civil War, based on Chicago Board of Trade data, mean US feedlots are losing money on every animal they sell, discouraging production.

US commercial feedlots lost an average $US88.78 on each steer or heifer sold for slaughter in June, compared with a loss of $US50.07 in May and a record loss of $US169.80 in March, said Erica Rosa, an economist at the Livestock Marketing Information Center.
www.china-food-wholesaler.com

Microsoft Money to be sold online only

Microsoft Money to be sold online only
From:http://www.1topsupplier.com/buy-pc/
Key words: PC, computer, company
The tradition of walking into a store and picking software from the shelf already seems to some PC users as old-fashioned as sitting down and ordering a drink from a drug store soda fountain
In this era of high-speed Internet access, it's often easier to click a mouse and download a piece of software straight to the computer desktop, or fire up a Web browser and access a program as an online service.
Most people in the industry don't expect packaged software, as a category, to die anytime soon. But changes in technology and consumer habits are increasingly causing software companies to think twice about those boxes and installation disks that they ship to stores.
Which is one reason consumers will no longer find boxes of Microsoft Money in stores after current supplies run out. Microsoft said earlier this month that it would discontinue packaged retail sales of the personal financial-management software - instead shifting entirely to online downloads.
Microsoft says it's embracing a trend experienced by that product: In the past year, more than 50 percent of Microsoft Money Plus sales came via downloads, the company says. That was more than three times greater than in the previous year.
"This is really the key stat that helped make the decision very easy for us," said Chris Jolley, group manager for Microsoft Financial Products.
Microsoft - which still sells lots of copies of Windows, Office and other programs in traditional stores - says the decision applies only to the Money product line. In a statement posted on the Microsoft Money online forum, the company said it "does not see shrink-wrapped software going away anytime soon."
Numbers from the NPD Group research firm support that assertion: As of last year, about 70 percent of the dollar volume of software sales was still going through traditional, bricks-and-mortar retail stores in the United States.
Packaged software is "still an important piece of the software sales pie," said Michael Redmond, an NPD analyst, in an e-mail message last week.
www.1topsupplier.com

2008年8月18日星期一

Flip camcorder offers flippin' great way to shoot video

Flip camcorder offers flippin' great way to shoot video
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-video/
Key words: video, phone,connector
While it’s true that many cell phones and other mobile devices have video capabilities, and people are certainly using those gadgets to record footage, the Flip is so easy to use that it trumps them.

You can also plug the Flip into a television set with the video-out jack, or hook it up to a computer, Windows or Mac, with the USB connector.

Computers recognize the Flip as a simple flash drive. Locate the device in Explorer or the Finder, double-click on it, and the camcorder’s software launches. But the software doesn’t install on the computer; it simply runs onboard the Flip and uses the computer as a monitor.

What this means is that you can plug the Flip into any computer without hesitation. Using the computer at a hostel but don’t want to leave files for others to see? No problem. Want to plug the Flip into your work computer but don’t have administrator access? You’re good to go.

The Flip software allows you to do a number of things, including edit your videos. You can upload files directly from the Flip to any number of video-sharing sites, including YouTube; the device automatically compresses and encodes the video. Or, you can download videos to your computer’s hard drive.

I’ve had a great time test-driving the Flip over the past couple of months, what with summer vacations and festivals and day trips. Playing with the Flip and showing it off to my friends and family, I feel a bit like a shill, raving about how simple and useful it is. They all look at me with narrowed eyes. But then I give them the Flip and let them play with it for a bit. That’s all it takes to convince them.

www.electronics-in-china.com

Former Zale loss-prevention exec to assist JSA

Former Zale loss-prevention exec to assist JSA
From:http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/
Key words: jewelry, store,
The Jewelers' Security Alliance (JSA) has announced that George Slicho, who retired last month as Zale Corp. senior vice president for loss prevention, has been retained by the JSA as a special consultant.
Slicho will work primarily with the JSA on developing local crime-prevention networks of jewelers and police, as well as assist the JSA with its work involving retail jewelry chains.
Slicho led the loss-prevention efforts at Zale for 17 years. Prior to that, he served for six years as a special agent with the FBI and as director of loss prevention at a department store chain.
In January 2006, the JSA presented Slicho with the first JSA Industry Service Award.
JSA President John Kennedy said he's thrilled that someone of Slicho's stature will be working with the organization.
"George Slicho is one of the leading experts in the world on loss prevention in the jewelry industry," Kennedy said in a media release issued on Thursday. "JSA has worked with George for many years during his tenure at Zale, and his help to JSA and his contributions to the safety of the jewelry industry have been immense."
Kennedy added that Slicho has unparalleled experience involving security procedures and equipment, and has been responsible for more than 2,000 retail jewelry locations. He has also organized innovative training sessions on jewelry crime for many law enforcement audiences and has spoken many times at JSA seminars.
"His speaking and training skills will be of particular help to JSA in its project to develop 200 local crime-prevention networks of jewelers and police over the next three years," Kennedy said.

www.fashion-accouterment.com

Hershey Increases Chocolate Prices

Hershey Increases Chocolate Prices
From:http://www.china-food-wholesaler.com/buy-peanuts/
Key words: products,peanut,company
Hershey Co. will immediately increase prices on its candy by an average of 11 percent because of rising commodities prices.
The chocolate maker said Friday that the increased prices on products will help offset "significant increases" in the cost of raw materials such as sugar, cocoa and peanuts, as well as the growing cost of fuel, utilities and transportation.
Separately, the company also narrowed its 2008 earnings and revenue guidance because of the price hikes.
Hershey shares fell $2.37, or 5.7 percent to $39.25 in after hours trading, after closing regular trading up $0.43 at $41.62.
http://www.china-food-wholesaler.com/

Hershey raises candy prices, blames higher costs

Hershey raises candy prices, blames higher costs
From:http://www.china-food-wholesaler.com/buy-peanuts/
Key words: peanut,market,company,sugar
Hershey said prices for ingredients such as cocoa, corn sweeteners, sugar and peanuts are up by between 20 percent and 45 percent since the beginning of the year.

"Commodity costs have been volatile over the last several years and continue to remain at levels that are well above historical averages," Hershey Chief Executive David West said.

Citing current economic and market conditions, Hershey said it expects 2008 earnings per share to be "toward the lower end" of its previously forecast range of $1.85 to $1.90 per share. Hershey sees 2008 net sales growth of 3 percent to 4 percent.

"Consumers are likely to see higher every day and promotional retail prices as we implement the price increase and, as a result, we expect volume in the fourth quarter and next year to be lower than previously estimated," Hershey said in a statement.

The company lowered its 2009 net sales growth projection to 2 percent to 3 percent, versus its previous call for growth of 3 percent to 5 percent.

"Therefore, we continue to expect that earnings per share-diluted from operations in 2009 will increase, however, at a rate below our long-term objective of 6 percent to 8 percent growth," the company said.

Shares in Hershey closed at $41.62 on the New York Stock Exchange and fell to $39.76 in extended trade.

www.china-food-wholesaler.com

Ten Tips to Enjoy Digital Photography

Ten Tips to Enjoy Digital Photography
From:http://www.1topsupplier.com/
Key words: digital,camera, photography
Here is excellent digital tips that you should follow. I have gone through a number of reviews and and summarized a short tutorial with camera techniques and tips for you to school yourself into becoming good in digital photography. The first tip is to go through your digital camera's information guide. You will find there are a number of tips, tutorials and training that will tutor you on getting started right.

Plan ahead: When you are taking photographs of a wedding or a function it is best to prejudge the event so you can position yourself ahead to take those rare spontaneous photographs that elude most people.

Take As Many Photographs: Digital photography has allowed us to shoot a lot of photographs. We can make our selection later on and pick the best ones out.
Try taking bursts of photographic images forming a running picture commentary of the event you are photographing. A few images do not tell a full story.

Images should be around people and action photographs are more powerful to convey the essence of the moment. Try to have at least two people or more in the picture to create depth and contrast to your images.

Take photographs as they are and don't intimidate the people you are photographing. They will get nervous and the candid essence of the moment will be lost. Blend into the back ground while you are about taking the photographs

Try taking photographs from different angles to give depth, contrast and interest to your photographs. For example you can place the digital camera on someone's shoulder or shoot from your hip or lie on the grass and take a photograph looking up at the subject.

Take a lot of photographs of people doing things with each other and make a story sequence from it to convey your message. After all photos do tell a story.

Now a good photograph is not such a hard thing to take. You don't need to buy an expensive digital camera or have a lot of experience these days. When taking your photographs leave as much space so as to create a background.

www.1topsupplier.com

Analog TV shutdown will end free cell-phone TV in U.S.

Analog TV shutdown will end free cell-phone TV in U.S.
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-phone/
Key words: cell phone,tv,phone
Picture whipping out your cell phone and catching up with Lost or Jeopardy, or watching the local 10 o'clock news, all for free.
You can do this with an imported Chinese phone, but you can't with any phone sold in the U.S. — at least not without monthly charges.
This is one of the reasons the United States is behind several other countries when it comes to making television an attractive option for cell phones. Carrier business models are partly at fault, but choices about TV technology made long ago are largely to blame.
U.S. TV broadcasters are eager to provide free broadcasts to cell phones, just as they do to TVs with "rabbit-ear" antennas. They've formed the Open Mobile Video Coalition, which estimates that advertising-financed TV for cell phones could be a $2 billion market.
They want to reach cell phones through another wireless standard the ATSC is creating. It will use regular TV frequencies to reach mobile gadgets, meaning TV stations will be able to broadcast from existing towers.
The big question then, Abraham said, is whether broadcasters will be able to persuade carriers to sell TV-capable phones.
AT&T spokesman Michael Coe said it was too early speculate.
"If the answer ends up being 'yes,'" Abraham said, "then that opens up a very large market."
www.electronics-in-china.com

2008年8月17日星期日

SVZ plant will aid insight into fruit, veg tastes

SVZ plant will aid insight into fruit, veg tastes
Key words: product,fruit,beverage
From:http://www.china-food-wholesaler.com/buy-beverage/
Key words: baby, toy, book
SVZ International has opened a new pilot plant that will allow it to supply samples of fruit and vegetable ingredients in sufficient quantities for consumer testing.
The company, which is a subsidiary of Royal Cosun, already had a laboratory as part of its R&D set up in Etten-Leur, The Netherlands, that was able to supply some product samples in relatively small sizes.
SVZ has factories for the supply of commercial volumes of its fruit and veg ingredients in The Netherlands, Poland, Spain, USA and Morocco.
But before they put in an order for large quantities of ingredients, consumer testing is very important for brand manufacturers; as they want to make sure that a product will be a success.
“They don’t want to waste advertising money on a product that doesn’t work,” said Duits.
In terms of market trends, Duits said that red fruits are a major area of focus at the moment, as there is considerable interest in harnessing their antioxidant and health benefits.
At the same time, however, red fruits are relatively expensive and in the current climate of high costs manufacturers are looking at ways to use cheaper, more traditional fruits in products.
Part of SVZ’s R&D work involves coming up with new product concepts that it can propose to customers to show, for example, “what is possible with certain fruits like acai and goji”.
Again, the first question that comes back to the company is always on price. Thus, Duit and his 16-strong R&D team have to ensure they are envisaging a suitable target market for a product.
Overall, SVZ sees the juice and beverage sector as the biggest for its products. Dairy and ice cream products also make up important markets, followed, to a smaller extent, by bakery.

From:http://www.china-food-wholesaler.com/buy-beverage/

What drives the kids’ functional food market, report

What drives the kids’ functional food market, report
From:http://www.allforinfant.com/
Key words: children, kids, products
The children’s functional food and beverage market in the US is expected to see strong growth on the back of increased interest in kids’ health, with major areas of focus including obesity, hyperactivity, brain function, gut health and immunity, says a new report.
Published by consultancy TSG, the report draws on different sources of market research and predicts the kid’s food and beverage category will grow to $26.8bn by 2011 from $16.4bn in 2007. Growth will continue at double digit rates beyond 2012, it predicts.
“As health becomes the focus of children’s products, the industry will continue to move forward and mirror the high-growth functional foods category,” said TSG.
Key health issues
The report identifies a number of key aspects of children’s health that are being addressed through diet. These are:
• Obesity: The number of overweight children aged 6-11 has more than doubled in the past 20 years. Current estimates suggest that 32 percent of US children are overweight, while 16 percent are obese.
• Hyperactivity: According to TSG, parents are increasingly looking at labels on food products to blame for hyperactivity in their children. And as studies start to look at ingredients – such as omega-3 and omega-6 – for their combative effects on hyperactivity in children, the category may soon gather speed in the food and supplement industry.
• Brain function: TSG highlights that children with learning and behavior problems improve focus, concentration and school grades when given essential fatty acid supplements; and IQ scores when given multivitamins.
• Gut health: According to a report by Julian Mellentin entitled 5 Key trends in Kids’ Nutrition 2008, digestion and immunity are two of the biggest concerns for mothers regarding their children’s health, and both of these are influenced by gut health. TSG highlights that ingredient firm ChrHansen is focusing its NPD on children’s probiotics, indicative of growing interest in this market
Beverages lead
Beverages currently constitute the largest segment of the kids’ food and beverage market, accounting for 29 percent of total sales, said TSG.
www.allforinfant.com

Luxury watches will go on display in Dubai

Luxury watches will go on display in Dubai
From:http://www.fahion-accouterment.com/Companies/
Key words: manufacturer, watch, jewellery
luxury watches are to go on display during the Dubai International Jewellery Week 2008, reports AME Info.

Brands, designers, wholesales, retailers and manufacturers from 30 different countries are expected to attend the event.

AME Info said there has been a rise in the demand for quality watches as evidenced by the increased spend on advertising.

Last year, watch companies spent $151.9 million (£79 million) on advertising - a 16.6 per cent increase from the previous year.

Mr Haissam Chamsine, senior vice-president for Watches and Jewellery at BinHendi, one of the key exhibitors, said the most popular custom-made orders his company has received over the years have included dials with names, logos or initials.

He added that yellow, rose and white gold were also the most popular choices of metal for watches.

The jewellery exhibition will take place between the November 11th and the 15th and will include three separate shows - Areeq Dubai, Jewellery Collections Dubai and Jewellery Trade Dubai.

www.fashion-accouterment.com

Pilgrim's Pride to idle Clinton plant

Pilgrim's Pride to idle Clinton plant
From:http://www.china-food-wholesaler.com/Products/
Key words: company, products, industry
Pilgrim's Pride Corp. says it will idle its chicken processing plant in Clinton as the company struggles with high feed costs and lower market demand.

State economic officials say at last count more than 350 employees work at the Clinton facility. Officials said they didn't know how Monday's announcement would affect the work force there.
Pilgrim's Pride says the idling at Clinton, coupled with stopping production at a Louisiana plant, will eliminate about 600 jobs.
The company says it will help employees find other jobs and will reopen the plant once "industry margins can be sustained."
www.china-food-wholesaler.com

Innocent and AG Barr let loose with juice in UK health push

Innocent and AG Barr let loose with juice in UK health push
Key words: juice,drink, fruit
From:http://www.china-food-wholesaler.com/buy-juice/
Euro demand
The strategy could prove to be prudent according to consumer analyst Euromonitor, which said that the country lay behind only Germany in terms of EU juice demand rates last year.
Annual fruit and vegetable juice consumption within the UK during 2007 was 2.2bn litres, ahead of third placed Poland, which drank 1.49bn litres over the same period. However, Germany was found to be the largest market in Europe for juice demand, consuming 3.3bn litres of the product, the analyst said.
It is in this market that AG Barr announced that it had entered into a conditional agreement to purchase the operations of exotic soft-drink maker Groupe Rubicon for £59.8m (€76.4m).
Barr, which produces the Irn Bru carbonated beverage brand, added that although this wasn’t it first foray into fruit juices, should the deal go ahead, it would provide a major expansion of its presence in the UK branded beverage market.
Aside from further product diversification following its recent push into energy drinks, the Scotland-based soft drink maker claimed that the acquisition would allow it to attempt a number of cost efficiency improvements in its operations.
Innocent, which has previously concentrated solely on manufacturing smoothie products, is also hoping to establish itself within the juice market by launching its own brand of natural orange juices.
Available either with or without orange ‘bits’, Innocent claims that its orange juice, which will be sourced from various different areas throughout the year, will be preservative and additive free.
www.china-food-wholesaler.com

2008年8月14日星期四

Microsoft shopping for exclusive content to bolster Zune

Microsoft shopping for exclusive content to bolster Zune
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-player/
Key words: player, video, company
Microsoft's Zune is a competent media player that has some unique features, but it has only managed to carve out a small chunk of the portable media player market so far. With Apple selling more iPods in a month than the total number of Zunes that ship within a year, Microsoft has been left in a position that it has never been comfortable with: distant second. In an effort to raise the device's profile, it appears that Microsoft is trying to persuade the movie industry to generate some Zune-only content.
Reuters is reporting that Microsoft execs have been making the rounds at Los Angeles-based studios, trying to find companies willing to produce video content that would be marketed as Zune exclusives. The videos would either remain Zune-only or could be distributed more widely under a Zune brand.
And, in a further blow, Tattooed Zune Boy is losing the tats and has bought an iPod. This is actually (slightly) more serious than it sounds, as the decision was made in response to a widely-shared sense that Microsoft has not given its users any reason to think that the Zune and its attendant services will be seeing any significant improvements in the future.
None of this is to say that the Zune is doomed. Microsoft has created a decent media player that has done pretty well in the marketplace. But Redmond hasn't found the right combination of hardware and software that will turn the Zune into something more than a viable alternative, and the content industry isn't likely to bail them out in that regard. The lack of a clear indication that Microsoft has clear plans to change the situation, combined with the fact that the company doesn't always maintain focus on markets they're not dominating, raises some reasonable concerns regarding whether the Zune is a safe long-term bet.
www.electronics-in-china.com

Jeweller launches gold range for Olympics

Jeweller launches gold range for Olympics
From:http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/buy-jewelry/
Key words: jewelry, gold, treasure
A luxury jeweller has created a collection of gold pieces to help fans celebrate and remember the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

In the collection from Roberto Coin is a golden sneaker which is made of high-tech 24-karat gold varnished nappa leather.

To complete the look of the $31,000 (£24,654) running shoe, it comes with an 18-karat gold clasp.

Boxing fans may be interested in the 18-karat white gold boxing glove from Mr Coin's Tiny Treasure collection.

Along with the sporting items, the range of gold items also includes cultural objects, including an 18-karat white gold panda.

Pandas are an endangered species and are often portrayed as the national animal of China where they reside in the Sichuan province.

The animal was selected as one of the five symbols of good luck for the Olympics.

According to Mr Coin, "the Olympic Panda symbolizes balance and coexistence of mankind with nature".

The other good luck mascots include a fish, a Tibetan antelope, a swallow and the Olympic flame.

www.fashion-accouterment.com

Choosing Baby Day Care

Choosing Baby Day Care
From:http://www.allforinfant.com/
Key words: baby ,child, advice
While some parents are fortunate to have family members care for their children during the day, many more parents must find a reliable, caring daycare facility to take care of their child during the working hours. How can you find a good daycare?

Ask your friends and relatives who they use. This is great advice because who would you trust more than a friend or relative? If they love the baby day care facility that their child attends, then chances are you will, too!

Visit several daycare centers in your area. If you have received several suggestions for competent daycare facilities, and you are having a hard time deciding which one to use, plan a visit to each of them。

Ask your pediatrician. When you think about it, this is a logical approach to finding a good daycare. Pediatricians typically see hundreds of patients, so they may know some of the ins and outs of various daycare providers. Don't hesitate to ask for your doctor's opinion。

Check with the state department in your state that governs and licenses daycare centers. Find out if there have been any violations or complaints, and research the reasons for those issues

www.allforinfant.com

First Forevermark diamond grading labs now open

First Forevermark diamond grading labs now open
From:http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/buy-diamond/
Key words: diamond,company.business
Forevermark announced that it has opened its first Forevermark diamond grading laboratories. These centres of excellence in Antwerp, Belgium and Maidenhead, UK will grade only diamonds which have been exclusively selected by Forevemark to meet their exacting standards.

Forevermark diamonds will be optionally graded at the same time that they are inscribed with an icon and unique identification number.

This seamless offering will help reduce time across the diamond pipeline and therefore provide business benefits to Forevermark business partners, as well as consumers.

A Forevermark grading report provides an additional guarantee regarding the qualities of the diamond – one which we believe consumers want.’

Each grading report will provide information on the cut, colour, clarity and carat of the Forevermark diamond.

Forevermark also announced the launch of the new website for Forevermark Diamantaires. This site provides Forevermark Diamantaires with an easy to use facility where they can track their Forevermark diamonds progress throughout the inscribing and grading process.

Forevermark is a part of the De Beers group of companies and will continue to benefit from the Group’s unrivalled experience in the exploration, mining, sales and marketing of diamonds.

www.fashion-accouterment.com

Tiffany appeals counterfeit eBay decision

Tiffany appeals counterfeit eBay decision
From:http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/buy-jewelry/
Key words: jewelry ,products,information
Tiffany & Co. challenged Monday a federal ruling that largely absolved eBay Inc. of policing its auction site for counterfeit items, saying the judge was wrong to leave the primary burden to the jewelry maker.
Monday's appeal with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York extends a case that Tiffany filed against eBay in 2004 arguing that most items listed for sale on eBay as genuine Tiffany products were fakes.
Last month, U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan in New York ruled that trademark holders like the jewelry maker, rather than auction platforms like eBay, are responsible for policing their brands online.
In an interview, Tiffany lawyer James Swire said Monday that the judge "got several important legal issues wrong." Swire contends, for instance, that trademark law doesn't put the responsibility on Tiffany for policing its own trademark.
"The judge's entire analysis of what is Tiffany's responsibility with respect to the site versus eBay's starts from an incorrect basis," he said.
Tiffany also believes that eBay should not need that much specific information about the sale of fakes on its sites and merchants who are selling fakes in order to take action against it, Swire said.

www.fashion-accouterment.com

Tiffany appeals counterfeit eBay decision

Tiffany appeals counterfeit eBay decision
From:http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/buy-jewelry/
Key words: jewelry ,products,information
Tiffany & Co. challenged Monday a federal ruling that largely absolved eBay Inc. of policing its auction site for counterfeit items, saying the judge was wrong to leave the primary burden to the jewelry maker.
Monday's appeal with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York extends a case that Tiffany filed against eBay in 2004 arguing that most items listed for sale on eBay as genuine Tiffany products were fakes.
Last month, U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan in New York ruled that trademark holders like the jewelry maker, rather than auction platforms like eBay, are responsible for policing their brands online.
In an interview, Tiffany lawyer James Swire said Monday that the judge "got several important legal issues wrong." Swire contends, for instance, that trademark law doesn't put the responsibility on Tiffany for policing its own trademark.
"The judge's entire analysis of what is Tiffany's responsibility with respect to the site versus eBay's starts from an incorrect basis," he said.
Tiffany also believes that eBay should not need that much specific information about the sale of fakes on its sites and merchants who are selling fakes in order to take action against it, Swire said.

www.fashion-accouterment.com

Second-quarter sales up 22 percent for Sarin

Second-quarter sales up 22 percent for Sarin
From:http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/
Key words: diamond, company, market

Diamond-technology company Sarin Technologies Ltd. experienced a 22 percent increase in sales in the second quarter of 2008, an increase fueled by emerging markets.

According to financial results announced by the company earlier this week, second-quarter revenues reached $11.3 million, compared with $9.3 million for the same period in 2007, a 21.6 percent increase.

This included a 24 percent jump in revenue from India, to $8.1 million, and a 504 percent increase in revenue from Africa, to $1.2 million.

While revenue increased for Sarin, margins shrank.
According to Sarin, gross margin for the second quarter decreased from 68.1 percent in 2007 to 64.8 percent in 2008, a drop the company attributes to increased sales of its Quazer green-laser diamond-cutting system.
Looking back at the first half of the year, overall revenues for Sarin increased 17.9 percent over 2007, rising from $18.6 million to $21.9 million.
Sarin Chief Executive Officer Zeev Leshem said the company continues to invest heavily in research and development, and expects to both upgrade existing products and launch new products during the second half of the year and into 2009.
On tap are hardware and software upgrades for the Quazer; an upgraded version of Orchidia, the rough color-prediction system; initial testing for a new product that utilizes Galatea's technology, which is capable of fully automated evaluation of a diamond's internal features; and the launch of DiaMobile XL and Instructor, both rough-planning products.

"Besides our focus on enhancing our product offering, we are also taking steps to boost sales in emerging markets like southern Africa," Leshem said in a media release. "The investments we are making in product development, paired with our increasing attention to bolstering our market share in key territories, will set the foundation for the next phase of Sarin's growth."

www.fashion-accouterment.com

2008年8月13日星期三

Satellite Radio vs. the Competition

Satellite Radio vs. the Competition
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-receiver/
Key words: CD, mp3, receiver
There has been much speculation concerning the future of satellite radio and the competition it faces from the likes of iPod and Internet radio. Lets break it down.
A music player that you can stream in your car with CD quality sound and a virtual unlimited song list unless you are obsessed with simply trying to compile every song ever recorded. It is a very nice way to have your entire music catalog at your finger tips and the sound quality through your car speakers is decent. Personally I use mp3 CDs in my car. The down side to all of this is that eventually I desire live voices through my radio. Yes even musicians get bored with music and need some talk radio to change things up a bit. Switching to Satellite financial radio is what I love to do.
I very much believe it will be a major contender in the future but it is not as easy as you may think. A lot of things have to improve technology wise. For those of you who think it will be like punching up a web site from your laptop, think again. It will still be receiver based. Motorola is working on an Internet radio receiver for your car, but guess what? You will have to pay for this service also. After all it is the Internet. You will need an ISP and that ain't free. Think of the satellite card from Sprint that plugs into your laptop enabling you to surf the net anywhere. They are $40.00 - $60.00 per month.
With the receiver, it isn't as if you will be able to punch in any old web site you want to get the desired audio stream. The Internet receivers will have a set directory of music stations that are licensed to stream to them. Also, Internet radios will need a standardized way to get a list of stations which are available and that list will need a globally relevant set of sorting and grouping tags. Then you will need a way to transport that sound your radio which will probably be in the codec of mp3. Sound quality stream will be bit rates from 96kps to 128kps. This is typical terrestrial radio sound quality in comparison. For bit rate efficiency it will probably be more like the lower value 96kps which is close AM quality sound. I can go on and on but I think you get the picture.
From:www.electronics-in-china.com

Tiffany appeals eBay counterfeiting decision

Tiffany appeals eBay counterfeiting decision
From:http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/
Key words: consumer, silver, jewelry
Tiffany & Co announced it has filed an appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from the decision of the District Court which held that eBay Inc is not responsible to police its auction site to seek out and remove counterfeit goods before they can be sold to unsuspecting consumers.

“Unfortunately, the trial court incorrectly held that trademark holders and not eBay are responsible for policing the eBay site.

The effect of this is that eBay can continue to profit at the expense of consumers and trademark holders,” said Patrick Dorsey, general counsel, Tiffany & Co.

He continued, “In our view, this approach makes no sense as a matter of law or policy. Once eBay has reason to know that a specific brand like TIFFANY & CO is being widely counterfeited and sold, eBay should be compelled to investigate and take action to protect its customers and stop the illegal conduct.”

Tiffany sued eBay in 2004 after notifying eBay that 73% of a random sample of supposed TIFFANY silver jewelry offered on eBay was counterfeit.

The appeal will seek to overturn the trial court’s failure to apply established principles of trademark law. James B. Swire, a partner at the law firm of Arnold & Porter LLP, stated, “we do not believe the law allows auction sites like eBay to continue to turn a blind eye to this problem while reaping profits from the listing and sale of counterfeit merchandise.

Trademark law does not impose a duty on Tiffany to police eBay’s site: eBay designed the site and has the responsibility to police it.”

From:www.fashion-accouterment.com

Libraries step into digital age

Libraries step into digital age
From:http://www.1topsupplier.com/Companies/
Key words: video, computer,dvd
It may be about time to dig out that old library card. Hoping to draw back readers, libraries have vastly expanded their lists of digital books, music, and movies that can be downloaded by their patrons to a computer or MP3 player - and it doesn't cost a cent.

In Phoenix, for instance, branches have banded together to create a digital library that currently has about 50,000 titles of e-books, audiobooks, music and videos that can be "checked out" from anywhere.

Once discovered, says Tom Gemberling, the electronic resources librarian for the Phoenix Public Library, the program often proves wildly popular.

Not long ago, Gemberling visited a local trailer park to speak about the program to 100 or so seniors - who regularly travel the roads touring in their recreational vehicles. "They were cheering and screaming by the end," he said. "They were so excited. They're RVers, so they can go anywhere on the road, find a computer, go into the Phoenix Public Library catalogue, download a book and play it while they drive down the highway."

Available in thousands of libraries across United States, the programs work like this: First you need a library card, access to the web, and some easily downloadable software.

At that point, just browse around the library's website, select some titles, add them to a digital book bag and click the download button. If the title isn't available, it can be placed on hold for downloading later.

Depending on the library and title, the item remains on your computer for one to three weeks before disappearing, meaning you don't have to bother with returning a book, CD or DVD to the actual library.



From:www.1topsupplier.com

Bilingual Soccer Service To Bow This Week On NY, LA, Texas Systems

Bilingual Soccer Service To Bow This Week On NY, LA, Texas Systems
From:http://www.1topsupplier.com/
Key words: tv,system,network
Gol TV, embroiled in a carriage dispute with Dish Network, has put in one in back of the distribution net, as it will launch on Time Warner Cable this week.
The soccer-centric network, which offers feeds in both English and Spanish, will roll out on Time Warner systems serving New York, Los Angeles and Texas.
The nation’s second-largest cable operator will add Gol TV to its sports tier at channel 459 and its DTV en Español package at channel 820 in New York City. The service also will bow on Time Warner Cable’s Hudson Valley systems in New York.
In the City of Angels, the network will be added to the operator’s core Hispanic packages, including the new El Paquetazo package, at channel 856.
Additionally, Time Warner Cable will launch GolTV across its system in Texas, in San Antonio, Austin and Waco.
“Soccer has more participants than any other sport in the Americas, and as the popularity of soccer increases in North America – so does the reach of GolTV,” said Gol TV founder and CEO Enzo Francescoli in a statement. “Now Time Warner Cable subscribers won’t miss a match as the 2008-2009 seasons kickoff and the road to the 2010 World Cup begins.”
The Time Warner Cable launches come as GolTV gears up for the new futbol season in Europe. On Aug. 15, Gol TV will kick off its exclusive U.S. coverage of the opening match of Germany’s Bundesliga, followed 14 days later by the debut of the 2008-09 campaign of Spain’s La Liga 14. Moreover, Gol TV holds rights to the 2010 World Cup qualifying matches for reigning FIFA champions Italy, as well as Germany and the kings of Euro 2008, Spain.
At press time, Gol TV remained off the air on Dish Network. The parties failed to reach a new carriage agreement, when the network’s contract expired on Aug. 1.
From: www.1topsupplier.com

Design awards celebrate Indian jewelry

Design awards celebrate Indian jewelry
From:http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/buy-jewelry/
Key words: gem, jewelry, gold
The Indian jewelry industry has been awarding its designers with two different awards held in Mumbai, reports the National Jeweler Network.

A joint evening gala was held in honour of the winners of the ABN-Amro-Solitaire Design Awards and the Vision 2008 All India Jewelry Design Competition, hosted by the Indian Institute of Gems and Jewelry (IIGJ).

According to the website, the theme of the first award this year was the Alluring Seasons - Spring, Summer, Monsoon and Winter.

Competitors could enter to either formal or daily wear categories for the first competition.

The winner of formal wear was from Krsna with the Love Curse - Dark Winter Night piece.

Chain Plus took the consolation prize in the formal category with their yellow gold piece titled Indian Summer.

Winning the IIGJ award in the party wear category was Arunprett Kaur Nagi with his creation, Vogue.

The IIGJ is a non-profit organisation and is a project of the Gem and Jewelry Export Promotion Council. The council is, in turn, sponsored by the ministry of commerce.

From: www.fashion-accouterment.com

Cloud Computing And Next Generation Anti-Virus Software

Cloud Computing And Next Generation Anti-Virus Software
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/
Key words: phone, computer, electric
A 'cloud computing', applications and services provided seamlessly on the Internet, approach to malicious software detection developed at the University of Michigan could make old antivirus software techniques a relic of the past.

Traditional antivirus software is installed on millions of individual computers around the world but according to researchers, antivirus software from popular vendors is increasingly ineffective.

The researchers' new 'cloud computing' approach, called CloudAV, moves antivirus functionality into the "network cloud" and off personal computers. CloudAV analyzes suspicious files using multiple antivirus and behavioral detection programs simultaneously.

CloudAV virtualizes and parallelizes detection functionality with multiple antivirus engines, significantly increasing overall protection," said Farnam Jahanian, professor of computer science and engineering in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

CloudAV, however, can support a large number of malicious software detectors that act in parallel to analyze a single incoming file. Each detector operates in its own virtual machine, so the technical incompatibilities and security issues are resolved, Oberheide said.

CloudAV also caches analysis results, speeding up the process compared with traditional antivirus software. This could be useful for workplaces, for example, where multiple employees might access the same document. The new approach also includes what the developers call "retrospective detection," which scans its file access history when a new threat is identified. This allows it to catch previously-missed infections earlier.

The researchers see promising opportunities in applying CloudAV to cell phones and other mobile devices that aren't robust enough to carry powerful antivirus software.

From:www.electronics-in-china.com

HP buys wireless network infrastructure company

HP buys wireless network infrastructure company
From:http://www.1topsupplier.com/Companies/
Key words: companies, products, market
Hewlett-Packard said on Monday it plans to buy Colubris Networks, furthering the consolidation of wireless networking companies.
Financial terms were not disclosed. HP said the deal should close by the end of fiscal 2008, which occurs in October.
Colubris, founded in 2000 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, sells wireless access infrastructure products based around the 802.11n wireless standard, which can match or best the speeds of a plugged-in broadband connection.
But the upgrade to 802.11n poses many issues for it to work efficiently. Colubris has centered many of its products around the predicted upgrade of those networks over the next few years. Colubris also sells wireless security and network management products.
HP said products from Colubris will be incorporated into its ProCurve Networking portfolio, which will improve HP's ability to serve the health-care, transportation, and manufacturing and education markets, among others
In June, Belden said it would buy WLAN vendor Trapeze Networks for US$133 million in cash.
From:www.1topsupplier.com

2008年8月12日星期二

What to Look for in a Baby Day Care Center

What to Look for in a Baby Day Care Center
From:http://www.allforinfant.com/
Key words: baby, toy, book

Just because a friend or relative recommends a daycare provider doesn't necessarily mean that this center will be the perfect match for you and your child. To really get an idea of what the facility is like, you will have to make a visit. The first visit should probably be an impromptu one, in other words a surprise visit. Keep it short and sweet, and if you think you might like what you see, set up an appointment for a more in-depth visit later. There are several questions you should ask and things you should look for, however.

How clean are the facilities? First of all, your local health department should have given the facility a numbered rating. Ask to see that sheet, and pay attention to the types of violations, if any, that have been marked on it.

What type of schedule do they follow? Children thrive on routines, so it is important that a daycare facility incorporate routines into their daily activities.

How willing does the staff appear to listen to parents' wants and needs for their children? Does the staff let parents' wants and concerns go in one ear and out the other, or are they willing to listen to suggestions for specific children and the center as a whole.

What types of activities do children participate in? Are there plenty of educational toys, books, playground equipment, etc. for children to use, and are they in good condition.

Finally and maybe most importantly, how does the staff interact with the children? Do you see evidence of teachers and staff who are happy to be working and taking care of the children? Is there plenty of laughter? Do the children seem happy and well-adjusted as a whole? Do you notice a quick response time for those children who are crying, hungry, or upset in any way?

From:www.allforinfant.com

Toddler Food Problems

Toddler Food Problems
From:http://www.allforinfant.com/
Key words: toddler food, cheese, baby
It is so important to ensure that your toddler has a balanced diet. He is developing rapidly both physically and mentally, and he needs good nutrition to help that development. So, what happens when he refuses to eat certain foods? How can you be sure that he is getting the right nutrition?

Well, the good news is that there are so many varieties of meats, vegetables, fruits, and grains, that you should be able to continue to try substitutions with him. As long as he is getting plenty of all of these types of toddler foods, he should be fine. Don't make a big deal over the foods that he has begun to refuse.

Part of the problem is that he really is learning to recognize his own likes and dislikes, but the other part of the problem could merely be a power struggle. Don't force him to eat, and don't focus on the foods he doesn't eat. Instead, try something new, and if he does appear to like it, don't give that a lot of attention either. The point is that you want him to like food and eat because he enjoys eating. You don't want him to use food as a means of power over you.

Calcium is very important to your baby's growth. While he can get calcium from cheeses and other sources, your toddler should still be drinking plenty of milk. Your pediatrician may have told you that you can stop giving your baby formula or breast milk at one year. If you are still nursing, however, that is great! If not, it is important that you give your baby whole milk, not skim or low fat milk. For one reason or another, some babies will not drink enough milk from a cup. If you have to continue giving your baby milk in a bottle for a few months to ensure that he is getting enough, then go ahead and do so. If your baby is refusing to drink milk, you may want to try some of the formulas made for toddlers. He may like the taste of those better.

From:www.allforinfant.com

Shopping for baby boy clothes

Shopping for baby boy clothes
From:http://www.allforinfant.com/buy-clothes/
Key words: shopping, clothes,store
Shopping for baby boy clothes can be fun, or it can be frustrating! To make it a little easier, however, you might want to narrow your search down to several categories. Once you've begun your search for the perfect outfit, you may find yourself addicted to bargain hunting.

Babies grow so quickly that it can sometimes be difficult to judge what size your little one will be in the coming months. However, some of the best buys you can find will be end of the season clearance sales. When you are shopping, be sure to check the racks towards the back of the store. This is where many of the sales items can usually be found.

Say for example, your little one is a little over one year old now, and it is the end of summer. There are lots of adorable summer outfits on sale, and while you may need a few, you already have quite a few clothes that fit him at the moment. However, at these prices, you could easily outfit him for the next summer if you only knew what size to buy.

If the prices are cheap enough, why not buy a couple of different sizes for several items. Your baby may be able to wear the smaller ones at the beginning of the season and grow into the larger ones towards the end. If you do find that your child is unable to wear some of the things you bought, you might should be able to sell them at a consignment store, a yard sale, or even at online auctions, such as Ebay, and you may even make a nice profit.

Finally, online auctions can offer some great bargains, especially for babies. The selection is usually large, and the prices can be terrific! You can bid as high as you like, but don't forget to figure in the price of shipping. Before you actually buy, you might want to watch a few auctions to get an idea about how the items are selling.

Yes, baby boy clothes can be more difficult to find than baby girl clothes, but once you begin the search, you may find that there are plenty of resources for you to explore. Don't forget to have fun while you are searching.

From:www.allforinfant.com

Reduce cell-phone cancer risk

Reduce cell-phone cancer risk
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-phone/
Key words: cell phone, mobile phone, wireless
Can cell phones lead to cancer? That's a never-ending debate, but until conclusive data arrives, users can take small steps to reduce the risk of cancer caused by electromagnetic radiation from cell phones.
Fearing the health risk posed by cell phones, a precautionary note asking people to limit cell phone use was issued last week by Dr. Ronald Herberman, a cancer researcher at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.
Prolonged use of cell phones could lead to the disease, especially in children, Herberman wrote. Cell phones and wireless phones emit electromagnetic radiation, which is more "likely to penetrate the brain more deeply for children than for adults," he wrote.
Until conclusive data arrives in two years, it's prudent to consider the cell phone a health risk. Herberman also wrote that smart cell-phone usage could reduce bodily exposure to radiation emitted by cell phones.
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-phone/

PC industry scared notebooks may hurt laptop sales

PC industry scared notebooks may hurt laptop sales
From:http://www.1topsupplier.com/buy-laptops/
Key words: notebook, laptop,pc
Advanced Micro Devices has no immediate plans to release a processor designed for low-cost laptops, sometimes called notebooks, saying its not yet clear whether or not growing shipments of these devices will cannibalize sales of mainstream laptops.
Some low-end notebook models use an existing AMD Geode processor, but the company hasn't announced a specific processor aimed at this product segment, apart from general plans to release chips based on a low-power architecture called Bobcat in 2010.
Other companies and analysts are also worried, in part due to the popularity of the mini-laptops.
The recent proliferation of notebooks are largely due to the success of Asustek Computer's Intel Celeron M-based Eee PC, which was introduced in 2007. The June unveiling of Intel's Atom processor, designed expressly for small, inexpensive laptops, spurred the release of a host of copycat devices by hardware makers looking to replicate the Eee PC's success.
To illustrate his point, Otellini said Atom-based computers weren't suitable for watching YouTube videos for an extended period of time.
But a recent online debate suggests Atom-based notebooks may do more for users than Intel might wish, even when it comes to video playback.
The debate was sparked by the release of a video by Via Technologies, which compared the high-definition video playback of a notebook based on Via's Nano processor and an Atom-based Eee PC, with both computers running Windows Media 11. The video showed the Nano-based computer playing a high-definition Windows Media file. The Eee PC struggled with the same file; the video playback was unwatchable.
Blogger JKK, of hardware site JKKMobile, called the Via video "BS," and countered with a video of his own that showed an Eee PC 901 playing the same high-definition video file using Windows Media 10 without any apparent problems.
From:www.1topsupplier.com

More competition for cloud computing services

More competition for cloud computing services
From:http://www.1topsupplier.com/buy-laptops/
Key words: vendor, companies, market
With many of the major software vendors--and most recently, Microsoft--implementing Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) models, integrators and resellers are struggling to figure out how to make the switch and still make money. There are still a lot of unanswered questions, and the most recent monkey wrench in the works is the entrance of telecom carriers into the SaaS business.
Last week, AT&T announced that it would enter the market with a new SaaS service called Synaptic Hosting. AT&T will offer most common applications on demand, eventually expanding to include services like unified communication, dynamic backup, and other specialized services.
Earlier this summer, Verizon also announced an on-demand computing service. It's pretty easy to guess which companies are going to dominate in the SaaS world, of course, it's going to be the big telecom carriers. And because of the telecoms' size and reach, I would hazard a guess that they won't stop at targeting the enterprise; it's a natural sell to the SMB market as well. They may even go for the home user market, since they already have a significant footprint there as well.
AT&T will sell its services both through the channel and through its substantial direct sales force.
From:www.1topsupplier.com

Mini notebooks taking big byte out of market

Mini notebooks taking big byte out of market
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-computer/
Key words: computer, notebook,market
Sales of mini notebook computers--laptop computers with a 10-inch screen or smaller--are increasing sharply, with sales of such computers accounting for more than 17 percent of total notebook computer sales in July.
Mini notebook computers, which sell for less than standard notebook computers, are forcing prices of standard notebook computers down. The average unit price of notebook computers dropped by 10 percent in July from the previous month.
Some major electrical appliances stores have even been offering mini notebook computers for just 100 yen, provided the buyer signs a contract with a communications company for a two-year period.
And the battle for sales looks like it will heat up as sellers of mini notebook computers, other computers and cell phones fight for market share.
The boom of mini notebook computer sales began in January when Taiwan-based ASUSTek Computer Inc. released the 7-inch screen Eee PC 4G mini computer, which sells for 40,000 yen to 50,000 yen.
After ASUSTek, many companies followed suit. Companies including Taiwan-based Acer Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., based in the United States, and Kojinsha Co., based in Yokohama, have released mini notebook computers.
From:www.electronics-in-china.com

2008年8月11日星期一

Clockmaker celebrates 50-year anniversary

Clockmaker celebrates 50-year anniversary
From: http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/buy-watch/
Key words: clock ,wristwatch,gold
In celebration of their 50th anniversary, German clockmaker Erwin Sattler has created a unique timepiece which unites table clock, wristwatch and winder, reports ViaLuxe.

According to the website, "the Sattler Trilogie combines a precise table clock with 15-day power reserve, to a programmable rotating watch winder which holds a self-winding Erwin Sattler regulator timepiece".

This will be the company's first ever watch which comes in a 46 millimetre case made of 18-karat gold with a sold 18-karat gold winding mass on the inside.

In commemoration of the anniversary, the trilogy will be limited to 150 pieces of which 50 will be made in yellow gold, 50 in white and 50 in rose.

The alligator strap will be completed with a deployant buckle in the matching 18-karat gold colour.

Along with the Trilogie, the company has also made the Opus Temporis, the Monumentum Temporis and the Stella in order to celebrate its half centenary.

From: http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/buy-watch/

Dell says its operations are now carbon-neutral

Dell says its operations are now carbon-neutral
From: http://www.1topsupplier.com/
Computers are far from being truly clean machines, but Dell Inc. and other PC makers are trying to make their own business operations greener.
Dell said Wednesday its facilities worldwide are now carbon neutral, a goal the Round Rock, Texas-based company had set to achieve by the end of 2008.
Dane Parker, its director for environment, health and safety, said Dell buys renewable energy — including wind, solar and methane gas — directly from utilities to fulfill one-fifth of its energy needs.

There is not enough green energy available for all of Dell's requirements, so for the other 80 percent, Dell buys regular "brown" power, Parker said, plus enough renewable energy credits to offset that power's carbon emissions. Those credits subsidize purchases of renewable energy by other organizations, in places where more green power is available.
Dell's preference for renewable energy isn't just about global warming or public relations. Buying green power at a predictable cost can serve as a hedge against rising oil prices.
The company also said it has cut its energy use with more efficient lighting, modern climate control systems and software that shuts off idle office computers after hours, for a savings of $3 million a year, or about 5 percent of its annual energy bill.
Dell isn't the first company to declare its operations carbon neutral, but it's the first global high-tech player to do so, said Stephen Stokes, a climate change and business analyst for AMR Research. "They do deserve some congratulations," Stokes said, noting that the company took steps beyond just buying energy credits.
"Even if you were the worst carbon emitter in the world, if you wrote a huge check ... you could claim to be carbon neutral," he said.
Dell, the world's second-largest computer company, also is ahead of No. 1 PC maker Hewlett-Packard Co. on this matter.
HP said in 2007 it purchased credits to offset 2 percent of its worldwide energy use, and bought green power for a relatively small portion of its operations. The Palo Alto, Calif.-based company did say that its energy consumption fell 4 percent in 2007, and that it is consolidating its power-sucking computer clusters known as data centers.

From: http://www.1topsupplier.com/

Gartner: Global mobile phone sales will rise 11 per cent in '08

Gartner: Global mobile phone sales will rise 11 per cent in '08
From: http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-phone/
Key words: mobile phone, sale, vendor
Gartner is projecting 11 per cent growth in global sales of mobile phones and related devices in 2008, citing healthy sales in the first half of the year.
The projection means that 1.28 billion phones will be sold this year, up from 1.15 billion sold in 2007, Gartner said in a statement.
Part of the projection is based on healthy first and second quarter results that have been noted by other analysts already. Gartner said it expects final numbers will show that between 300 million and 305 million units were sold in the second quarter that ended June 30, an increase of about 15 per cent over the same quarter in 2007. Two other analyst firms, IDC and ABI Research, reported comparable numbers last week
Carolina Milanesi, a Gartner analyst based in the United Kingdom, said she expects the third quarter numbers to be higher than the second quarter "but only moderately" since both Motorola and LG have warned of a drop in sales.

In coming months, Milanesi predicts that established vendors will consolidate, while new vendors such as Apple will find ways to differentiate themselves.

From: http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-phone/

Gartner says mobile sales will increase 11% in 2008

Gartner says mobile sales will increase 11% in 2008
From: http://www.1topsupplier.com/buy-phone/
Key words: mobile phone, sale, products,market
Worldwide sales of mobile phones will reach 1.28 billion units in 2008, an 11% increase from last year, according to Gartner. In 2007, worldwide mobile phone sales reached 1.15 billion units.

Worldwide mobile phone sales in the first quarter of 2008 reached 294.3 million, and Gartner expects sales in the second quarter of 2008 to be between 300 million and 305 million units.

“For the second half of the year, we expect sales in the third quarter to be more than the second quarter results, but only moderately as both Motorola and LG issued warnings for a sequential drop in sales, as well as an economic environment that remains challenging" said Carolina Milanesi, research director for mobile devices at Gartner, based in Egham, UK.

“All the hopes for mobile phone manufacturers for the overall year-end growth results rest on the final quarter of the year when most new products will be introduced to the market and the normal seasonality will help boost sales.”

Motorola ROKR EM30 LINUX Phone Unveiled

Key words: mobile phone, radio,,music

The LiMo foundation announced the new Motorola ROKR EM30 mobile phone, apparently the 22nd handset model based on the LiMo platform. LiMo, for those who came in late, is a Linux-based operating system for mobile devices. You may also remember the Moto ROKR as being one of their music phones, and the EM30 is no different: Motorola claims compelling music features。

From: http://www.1topsupplier.com/buy-phone/

* Researchers closing in on developing a digital eye news

Researchers closing in on developing a digital eye news
From: http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-camera/
Key words: camera, digital,electronics
Researchers at the University of Illinois and Northwestern University have developed a high-performance eye-shaped camera using standard sensor materials, which they say, would help improve the performance of digital cameras and enhance imaging of the human body. The devise could also lead to the development of prosthetic devices including a bionic eye.
With funding from the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy, John Rogers, the Flory-Founder chair professor of materials science and engineering at Illinois, and Yonggang Huang of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, demonstrated a digital camera on a curved surface that has the size, shape and layout of a human eye.
The work opens new possibilities for advanced camera design. It also foreshadows artificial retinas for bionic eyes similar in concept to those in the movie ''Terminator'' and other popular science fiction.
The researchers say the curved shape vastly improved the field of vision, bringing the whole picture into focus. The device could be used to make better imaging equipment, such as curved sensors to monitor brain activity that follow the contours of the brain. It could even be used in the development of an artificial retina or a bionic eye, which future research could enable being connected to the brain.
The camera has been made using an array of single-crystalline silicon detectors and electronics, configured in a stretchable, interconnected mesh.

''Conformally wrapping surfaces with stretchable sheets of optoelectronics provides a practical route for integrating well-developed planar device technologies onto complex curvilinear objects,'' said Rogers.
From: http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-camera/

Technical Seminars to be held at Jewellers Association Show

Technical Seminars to be held at Jewellers Association Show
From: http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/
Key words: jewelry, show, gem
Jewellers Association Show ’08 shall be organized between 28th to 31st August, 2008 at Birla Auditorium, Jaipur. The show is organized by Jewellers Association, Jaipur which is an 80 years old body.

The Gem & Jewellery show will also include distribution of Jewellers design awards. For the publicity of the show NRI’s in 12 countries have been deputed as Ambassadors.

This show is supposed to be much more attractive and bigger than the previous show. Last year there were 182 Stalls and this year considering the bookings, these are expected to cross 250.00

According to the president of the Association Mr. Vivek Kala, last year 1965 Sq. Meter Area was used for Stalls, whereas this year 3000 sq. meter area will be used.

Last yar there were 15,000 guests which are expected to cross 25,000 this year. Hotels are already being booked for this four days show. Promotions are being made in Jewellery shows all over world for this event.

Three Types of design Awards: Spokes persons of the Association Mr. Sajnay Kala has informed that a special programmer of design awards has also been organized this time. It will be an all India level competition.

From: http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/

The eyes have it in camera design

The eyes have it in camera design
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-camera/
Key words: camera, electronics, technology
Borrowing one of nature's best designs, U.S. scientists have built an eye-shaped camera using standard sensor materials and say it could improve the performance of digital cameras and enhance imaging of the human body。
The device might even lead to the development of prosthetic devices including a bionic eye, they said。
"This is the first time we've demonstrated a camera on a curved surface to really make it look like a human eye," said Yonggang Huang of North-western University in Evanston, Ill., who reported his findings yesterday in the journal Nature。
Huang, who worked on the project with John Rogers of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, developed a relatively simple solution to the long-running problem of transferring microelectronic components onto a curved surface without breaking them."If you simply bend it, those materials are brittle like a ceramic bowl. They break," Huang said.To solve this, Huang and Rogers developed a mesh-like material made up of tiny squares that hold the photo detectors and electronic components. The squares are connected by tiny wires that give each component the ability to mould to a curved surface"This approach allows us to put electronics in places where we couldn't before," Rogers said.Huang and Rogers built a digital camera that has the size, shape and layout of a human eye. Huang said the curved shape greatly improves the field of vision, bringing the whole picture into focus."Currently when you take photos, the middle part of the picture is very clear but when you go to the edge, it is not so clear," Huang said. "The curved technology will make the entire picture clear."


From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-camera/

2008年8月10日星期日

Wells Fargo Jewelry Advantage credit card program launched

Wells Fargo Jewelry Advantage credit card program launched
From:http://www.fashion-accouterment.com/buy-jewelry/
Key words: jewelry, product, marketing
Wells Fargo Financial National Bank – a subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company – has launched a revolving consumer credit card program for the jewelry industry. The Wells Fargo Jewelry Advantage credit card program offers jewelry retailers prompt, automated decisions and easy-to-use online processing and reporting.

“Jewelry retailers told us they wanted a consumer financing program to help them run their businesses more easily and efficiently,” said Darryl Marin, product manager, Wells Fargo Financial Retail Services. “When we created the Wells Fargo Jewelry Advantage credit card program, we focused on the areas that are important to them: quick application decisions and innovative technology to support their processes.”

The Wells Fargo Jewelry Advantage credit card program gives jewelry retailers access to an internet processing system and an online dealer center, resources that provide reporting, processing and marketing support. Marin also noted that the Wells Fargo Jewelry Advantage credit card program uses a new application process that saves time and reduces frustration for salespeople and customers.

The Wells Fargo Jewelry Advantage credit card program offers a comprehensive range of payment plans, including no-interest plans with equal payments; low interest plans with longer payment terms; no payment, no-interest option plans; and no-interest option with minimum payment plans. “The program helps jewelers offer customers a wide variety of financing options,” said Marin. “Customers will appreciate the flexibility, especially given economic conditions. It’s an added value for them.”

New Study Shows Consumers Prefer PS3 Blu-ray players

New Study Shows Consumers Prefer PS3 Blu-ray players
From: http://www.electronics-in-china.com/
Key words: player, PS3,game
When surveyed as to whether customers would prefer a stand alone Blu-ray player over a Sony PS3 with same player, the majority preferred to pay less for the player and have a hi-def video game console tossed in for good measure. The study, conducted by ABI Research shows that more than half of consumers aren’t thrilled with the obscene price point of a stand alone alone player, preferring to add value to their purpose by going with the Playstation 3 instead. The study goes on to say that, although 23 percent of consumers are planning a Blu-ray purchase, even those aren’t in a hurry to get one, choosing to wait until at least 2009 before they take the Blu-ray leap.In addition, the study also found that a whopping 87% of Playstation 3 users do watch Blu-ray movies on their PS3 player. The study’s findings are great news for SONY who is enjoying brisk sales of the Blu-ray capable PlayStation 3 game console. So, when one considers that Blu-ray sales are staggering at the current price of between $350 and 500, it isn’t surprising at all that consumers would rather have a great gaming platform tossed in for good measure.Kudos to Sony for being so forward thinking in tossing in the Blu-ray player from the outset.

Why is the Asus Eee Box expensive?

Why is the Asus Eee Box expensive?
From:http://www.electronics-in-china.com/buy-bluetooth/
Key words: PC, Bluetooth, LCD
For the price of Php 24,900 a lot of people are asking me why the recently launched Asus Eee Box is a little expensive in the Philippines (even if Asus bundled a 16″ LCD monitor with it)?
Back in June, when I first reported that the Asus Eee Box will come out this month, I predicted a retail price of just Php12,000. A similarly spec’ed desktop PC will hover around Php13,000 in price due to additional WiFi and Bluetooth connections.
However, Asus bundled with it a small 16″ LCD monitor which retails in the market for as low as Php7,000 for AOC models and Php7,500 for Samsung models. Subtract the cost of the LCD and you end up buying the Eee Box alone for Php17,500.
What can you buy with Php17,500?
Athlon 64 LE1640 @ 2.6GHz - Php2,410
2GB DDR2 SDRAM - Php1,960
250GB Seagate Barracuda SATA 8MB -Php2,680
MSI K9N6SGM-V NVidia V-PCie/S/L/R - Php2,250
Inno3D 7300GT 512MB DDR2 128bit DVI - Php2,510
Samsung 20x DVDRW lightscribe - Php1,440
WiFi Dongle - Php900
Bluetooth Dongle - Php250
Of course, the Asus Eee Box will have the advantage of a smaller form factor and lower power consumption. I have this idea that Asus’ Eee line of PCs and laptops want to be perceived as small and affordable. The introduction of the Asus Eee PC line showed that almost anyone can now afford to have a laptop.

New hands-free legislation boosts Bluetooth sales in California, Washington

New hands-free legislation boosts Bluetooth sales in California, Washington
From:http://www.1topsupplier.com/buy-bluetooth/
Key words: Bluetooth,electronics,consumerThe new hands-free driving legislation in California and Washington may have drivers complaining, but it has Bluetooth car-kit manufacturer Parrot singing for joy. Since the legislation took effect on July 1, Parrot has seen a three-fold increase in sales of its hands-free car kit, which it attributes to an aggressive advertising and public relations campaing it launched two months prior to the law taking effect. "The 28 million licensed drivers in California and Washington have had plenty of time to prepare for the law since the measure was adopted by the Legislature back in 2006 and I think that government agencies and manufacturers of hands-free products have done a really great job of creating awareness among consumers," says David Wenning, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Parrot.California electronics retailers also reported a large jump in sales of hands-free cell phone devices leading up to the ban. According the NPD Research Group, California consumers rushing to comply with the new law, purchased hands-free devices at nearly four times the national average in May of this year. San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento were the top four markets for hands-free devices in the country based on units per store."The July 1 deadline to go hands-free in California had a substantial effect on Parrot-branded products," says John Haynes, product manager for Al & Ed's Autosound. "We experienced over 180 percent unit sales growth in the second quarter of 2008 as compared to the first quarter. Having trained sales staff in place was extremely important as consumers struggled to understand Bluetooth and what their options were beyond headsets."According to a California Highway Patrol spokesperson, 7,182 cell phone citations were issued statewide during the month of July and fewer than 50 motorists under the age of 18 have been cited under the new law.In Washington, where the hands-free law is a secondary enforcement law, which means that drivers only receive a ticket if they have been pulled over for another driving violation, a little over 100 hands-free citations were issued in July.As part of the campaign to encourage more drivers to comply with the hands-free law, Parrot introduced a quirky but effective "Positive Parrot" campaign to build awareness for the various Bluetooth hands-free options available to consumers.