# News in Rewind: March



## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

Here's a quick look at electronics and entertainment industry news that you may have missed in the month of March:

*Panasonic released* the world’s first 4K/30p Wearable Camera (HX-A500). It features a separate (mountable) camera that makes for easy handsfree use. It also features Wi-Fi and NFC capabilities to allow users to easily transfer files to smart devices.

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/news/nir414a.jpg[/img] *RadioShack continued* its assault on the Manhattan (NYC) market by opening yet another concept store, this time located at Broadway and 57th. It also opened its second California-based concept store in Sun Valley. The company has now opened nearly 25 new concept stores since July 2013. This comes on the heels of a company announcement that it plans to close up to 1,100 store locations following a $400 million loss last year.

*Australian-based SONIQ TV received* the highly coveted “Appliance Prize - Most Popular Products,” awarded in Shanghai, China. SONIQ has been attempting to establish itself in the Chinese market for almost a decade. The Australian brand appears poised for more international recognition.

*Paradigm Electronics introduced* its new 2.1 Millenia CT 2 speaker system. The system was designed with networked audio devices (e.g., Apple TV, Airport Express) in mind. It features two speakers and one subwoofer.

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/news/nir414b.png[/img]* Sam’s Club and Amazon.com topped* the Temkin Experience Ratings list as providing the best customer experience for retail shoppers. RadioShack found itself near the bottom of the list.

*Apple reported *that their Apple TV device produced $1 billion dollars in revenue last year. According to TechCrunch, Apple sold nearly 10 million units during 2013.

*US consumers indicated *that 4K has their attention. Strategy Analytics conducted a study that found 19 percent say they are very likely to buy a 4K TV in the next two years, 37 percent say they are somewhat likely. Another study by Parks Associates says that 4K televisions will gain public acceptance at a slightly faster rate than HDTVs experienced over the last 15 years.

*Cable giant Comcast added* 18 new live streaming networks to its list of channels available to Xfinity customers using supported smart devices. The company now offers fifty streaming channels and tens of thousands of streaming on-demand programs.

*Chromecast added* Vudu and Crackle to it’s growing body of apps, helping the small device compete with Apple TV and Roku players.

*Netflix CEO Reed Hastings blogged* that net neutrality is essential and praised some major ISPs, like Cablevision, for practicing strong net neutrality. He said Netflix is willing to pay ISPs an internet toll for the “near term” to protect the Netflix customer experience. He argues that consumers are already paying for access to any kind of internet data, regardless of source...including Netflix.

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/news/nir414c.png[/img]*Samsung and 20th Century Fox announced* a new licensing agreement that will bring more 4K material to customers via Samsung’s Smart Hub. The two companies had a prior, limited, agreement that landed several movies (including X-Men Origins: Wolverine) on Samsung’s UHD Video Pack.

_and_

*The home automation company Crestron Technical Institute announced* it will now be offering 4K Training Courses for AV professionals. Courses are open to all Crestron dealers and partners. Current certificate holders can update their certifications by taking a free online course.






_ Image Credits: Apple, Paradigm Electronics, Panasonic_


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