Latest News and Info on Consumer Electronics

Consumer Electronics

Sony Corp. F1Q10 (Qtr End 6/30/10) Earnings Call Transcript
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:01:11 -0400

Sony Corp. (SNE)

F1Q10 (Qtr End 6/30/10) Earnings Call

July 29, 2010 09:00 am ET

Diebold Inc. Q2 2010 Earnings Call Transcript
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:56:12 -0400

Diebold Inc. (DBD)

Q2 2010 Earnings Conference Call

July 29, 2010 10:00 AM ET

Is RIM Finally Turning It Around?
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:59:20 -0400
Trader Mark submits:

Research in Motion (RIMM) intrigues me. For a growth-y stock it is very cheap (just over 10x 2010 earnings), but is being priced as if Apple (AAPL) is just toying with it before killing it.

Unfortunately, technology-wise RIMM has been behind the times as it lacked that "touchy feely, squeeze the screen" functionality that all the kids (and apparently parents) love on their phone screens. But they are finally coming out with one of those (in the BlackBerry 9800), not just to compete with with iPhone but the upper end Android phones like the Droids from Motorola (MOT). While offering solid products, the company has lacked the sex appeal seem from Apple and the Google (GOOG) O/S-based products.

Notes From Plantronics' 2010 Shareholder Meeting
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:30:33 -0400
Matthew Rafat submits:

Plantronics (PLT) held its 2010 annual shareholder meeting on July 27, 2010. About ten shareholders were treated to tea, Peet's coffee, and bottled water. When entering Plantronics' headquarters, you will see a small (about 50 yards) museum on your right-hand side. This museum chronicles Plantronics' accomplishments since 1960, including its work with NASA and the Apollo shuttle launches. One of the most interesting museum pieces is an autographed picture from Buzz Aldrin to Plantronics' salesperson Steve Spragens. This space-age theme seems to heavily influence Plantronics ambiance--its building sections have names like Apollo, Cosmos, and Quasar.

The first thing I noticed when I walked into Plantronics, other than the mini-museum, was the pleasant vibe. The employees seemed happy and productive, and Investor Relations personnel made me feel very welcome. I was surprised, because the previous day, when the company reported what seemed like good earnings, Wall Street still punished the stock by 10%. (Note: over the past two years, PLT stock has soundly beat the S&P 500.)

A Cocktail Napkin Estimate for Google’s Android
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:43:54 -0400
Wall Street Cheat Sheet submits:

In a recent Wall Street Journal interview, the typically tight-lipped Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) CEO, Eric Schmidt,optimistically professed that the Android line of business could easily turn into a “10-plus billion-dollar business.” When the typically cautious and modest Google CEO speaks, I like to listen. Google as a company does not offer quarterly EPS guidance, so this type of insight from CEO Schmidt provides us investors with a good gauge as to how Google’s businesses are performing.

With this $10 billion revenue number for Android in mind, I decided to put together a quick projection for what this could do to the company’s bottom line. Over the past 10 quarters, Google has an average net margin of 24.2%, which includes an incredibly low 6.71% during Q4 2008 while in the depths of the financial crisis. At no other time during this period did Google report a net margin lower than 25%, and more recently, the number has been upwards of 28%. For modesty’s sake, let’s assume a 24% net margin for this projection.

After Glimpsing New Windows Phone 7 Functionality, RIM Is Looking More Like a Short
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:31:40 -0400
Reggie Middleton submits:

About two weeks ago I warned my readers and subscribers not to count Microsoft (MSFT) out of the smart phone fray (Don’t Count Microsoft Out of the Ultra-Mobile Computing Wars Just Yet). They succumbed to big company-itis like many other monopolies, but you don’t survive two technology paradigm shifts by being a slouch. Now upon the eve of the third major paradigm shift in as many decades (an unprecedented pace of popularly accepted technological advance of which relatively few grasp the potential and staggering consequences), we finally have Microsoft taking things seriously as Google (GOOG) and Apple (AAPL) continue to eat MSFT’s lunch.

The ability to fully and functionally integrate with Office 2010 (as well as legacy versions), X-Box Live, and Zune Marketplace are levers that Microsoft should have used to take over the smart phone space years ago. They didn’t, they fumbled the ball like a butter-laden fair maiden with extra greasy finger tips. They also, apparently, have learned their lesson. Take a gander at the capabilities illustrated in the videos below…

Motorola Q2 2010 Earnings Call Transcript
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:20:43 -0400

Motorola (MOT)

Q2 2010 Earnings Call

July 29, 2010 8:00 am ET

Planar Systems, Inc. F3Q10 (Qtr End 06/25/10) Earnings Call Transcript
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:28:12 -0400

Planar Systems, Inc. (PLNR)

F3Q10 (Qtr End 06/25/10) Earnings Call

July 29, 2010 5:00 p.m. ET

Tyco International 3Q F2010 Earnings Conference Call Transcript
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:20:37 -0400

Tyco International, (TYC)

3Q F2010 Earnings Call

July 29, 2010 08:30 am ET

iRobot Corporation Q2 2010 Earnings Call Transcript
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:10:40 -0400

iRobot Corporation (IRBT)

Q2 2010 Earnings Call

July 29, 2010; 08:30 am ET

BlackBerry Announcement Breeds Bullish Option Plays
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:29:24 -0400
John Mylant submits:

Research in Motion Limited (RIMM)

Optimistic options players populated the BlackBerry maker's August contract, selling puts and buying calls to prepare for the price of the underlying stock to continue climbing ahead of expiration day next month.

Motorola Looks Poised to Double on Improving Fundamentals
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:43:08 -0400
Kris Tuttle submits:

We published a Motorola (MOT) positioning document and company analysis back in February (available here [pdf file]) that outlined how Motorola might establish some improved momentum and gain a better multiple in the market to drive the stock towards $20. Even absent a bold strategy, the valuation of the company post-split is likely to be in the $11-12 range.

Our analysis was mostly greeted by a giant yawn of mildly disgusted indifference. Motorola had been disappointing long enough (most would point to the RAZR in 1993 as their last real innovation) to be no longer worth paying attention to. The situation reminds me very much of the time that a company called Sterling Software (trading under the symbol SSW at the time) acquired the TI software business. Back then my view of the acquired business was that in the next 12 months SSW stock was likely to double as investors learned how much revenue and earnings the acquired business would add. (SSW did indeed go on to double that year but was still a failure for me as a sell-side analyst because I failed to get clients to put it into their portfolios.)

Motorola: Signs of a Turnaround?
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:57:50 -0400
Zacks.com submits:

Supported by increasing market traction of 3G Android-based smartphones, Motorola Inc. (MOT) on Thursday declared excellent results for the second quarter 2010. Net profit soars in the reported quarter.

Quarterly net income was $162 million or 7 cents per share, compared to net income of $26 million or 1 cent per share in the prior-year quarter. Second quarter 2010 adjusted (excluding special items and amortization of intangible assets) EPS was also 7 cents, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 6 cents. Improvement in net income was primarily due to the huge reduction in operating expenditures.

Logitech International SA F1Q11 (Qtr End 06/30/2010) Earnings Call Transcript
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:31:14 -0400

Logitech International SA (LOGI)

F1Q11 (Qtr End 06/30/2010) Earnings Call

July 29, 2010 8:30 am ET

Motorola Shipped 2.7 Million Smartphones in Q2
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:36:37 -0400
TechCrunch submits:

By Robin Wauters

Motorolax (MOT) has just announcedx its financial results for Q2 2010, reporting total sales of $5.4 billion, which is slightly below what it recorded in the same period last year. Earnings came in at $162 million or $0.07 per share, compared to GAAP earnings of $26 million or $0.01 per share in Q2 2009.

Amazon's New Kindle: Priced as an iPad Accessory?
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:41:40 -0400
Ravi Nagarajan submits:

Rapid price deflation in the market for dedicated e-readers continued Thursday as Amazon (AMZN) unveiled a new generation of its Kindle e-reader device. While the new Kindle features better e-ink technology and is smaller than the version it replaces, the most notable change is yet another cut in price. Amazon has introduced a Wi-Fi only device for $139 with the 3G wireless device remaining at $189. This comes only weeks after Amazon cut the price of the current Kindle version from $259 to $189 and announced that e-book unit sales now exceed hardcover sales.

Priced as an iPad Accessory?

When Closed Is Better Than Open: Apple vs. Google
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:32:40 -0400
Joel West submits:

The iPhone and Android are fighting for smartphone leadership with many similar strategies: touch screens, a good browser, an app store with thousands of apps.

Overall, however, Android is seen as more open. This is normally assumed to be a good thing, but two recent incidents suggest such openness has some disadvantages.

Is the iPhone an 'iPhone Killer' Killer?
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:18:55 -0400
TechCrunch submits:

By MG Siegler

Yesterday morning, Reuters published this article. On their site, it seems fairly innocuous, with the title “RIM stock jumps as market eyes revamped BlackBerry” but that wasn’t the original title. And it’s not the one Reuters syndication partners are picking up. That title is “RIM seen unveiling ‘iPhone killer’ next week.” Yep. Here we go again.

Bezos on iPad: 'You Are Not Going to Improve Hemingway by Adding Video Snippets'
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:07:17 -0400
TechCrunch submits:

By MG Siegler

Amazon’s Kindle has always been an interesting device to me. When I first heard about it in late 2007, I was sure I wouldn’t want one. It was awkward looking and at $399, way too expensive. But when the second iteration came in 2009 with a sleeker look, I decided to buy one to see what all the fuss was about. I quickly learned to love it.

Corning Q2 2010 Earnings Call Transcript
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:58:17 -0400

Corning (GLW)

Q2 2010 Earnings Call

July 28, 2010 8:30 am ET

A1 IT Products - Computers, Digital Cameras, Monitors, Cables, Accessories, Battery Equipment, Printers, Storage, Office Machines

Microsoft To Introduce New Windows Tablets
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:07:57 GMT
Microsoft plans to introduce new Windows-powered tablet computers and smartphopnes this fall, designed to compete with Apple's and and Android-based products.

Amazon Announces New Kindle
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:42:04 GMT
Today, Amazon.com introduced a new generation of Kindle. The all-new Kindle has a new electronic-ink screen with improved contrast, a new design with a 21 percent smaller body while still keeping the same 6-inch-size reading area, and a 15 percent lighter weight at just 8.7 ounces.

Rambus Introduces 1866MT/s DDR3 Memory Controller
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:08:48 GMT
Rambus today announced a high-performance DDR3 memory controller interface solution tailored for consumer electronics.

Parks Associates Estimates 80 Per Cent of TVs sold in U.S. in 2014 will be 3D-ready
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:43:42 GMT
International research firm Parks Associates reports a modest increase in awareness of 3DTV among U.S. broadband households in 2010, but the mainstream viability of 3D depends on availability of premium video content and not one-off events such as the World Cup.

Toshiba Unveils CELL REGZA LCD TV Series with 3D Capabilities
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:25:26 GMT
Toshiba today unveiled the latest additions in its line-up of CELL REGZA LCD TVs integrating the Cell Broadband Engine, designed for superior multimedia processing, and the advanced CELL Platform.

Panasonic Introduces World's First 3D Consumer Camcorder
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:34:33 GMT
Panasonic today announced the launch of the Panasonic HDC-SDT750, the world?s first consumer 3D camcorder, a new 3D lens system for its LUMIX G series of digital cameras as well as a new 3D Blu-ray player.

DLNA Sees Surge in Certified Blu-ray Players
Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:49:15 GMT
The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) today announced that the number of DLNA Certified Blu-ray players has nearly doubled in 2010, bringing the total to 105.

QSTARZ Released 10Hz Bluetooth GPS Receiver
Tue, 27 Jul 2010 05:43:39 GMT
QSTARZ today announced the availability of its 10Hz Bluetooth GPS Receiver, the BT-Q818XT.

Sony May Adopt LG Display's Panel Technology
Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:44:06 GMT
LG Display and Sony are reportedly in talks for a display panel contract, in which Sony would use LG's (IPS)-based panel-making technology.

IDT Launches 3-D Capable Frame Rate Conversion Processors
Fri, 23 Jul 2010 06:05:24 GMT
Integrated Device Technology, Inc. today announced the industry's first motion-compensated frame rate conversion processors with an integrated resolution-enhancement engine for use in 120Hz and 240Hz televisions and high-definition video projectors.

CE Industry to Reach Record High by 2011
Fri, 23 Jul 2010 04:55:20 GMT
The consumer electronics industry will exceed initial revenue projections for 2010, with growth of three percent over 2009 and overall shipment revenues of $174.9 billion in the United States, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) announced today.

Panasonic Introduces The World's First Full HD 3D TV With Blu-ray Recorder
Wed, 21 Jul 2010 07:13:00 GMT
Panasonic today introduced the world's first all-in-one Full HD 3D TV Line up, the RT2B series that integrates Blu-Ray Disc drive as well as a HDD.

Sharp to Enter into E-book Market
Tue, 20 Jul 2010 05:08:58 GMT
Sharp has developed XMDF, a next-generation e-book format with advanced features that allow users to enjoy video and audio content, in addition to current features such as texts and still images.

iPad Available in Nine More Countries This Friday
Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:16:52 GMT
Apple's iPad will be available in Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore this Friday, July 23.

Blu-ray Player Shipments to Exceed 62 Million in 2011
Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:14:14 GMT
Worldwide Blu-ray player shipments are expected to more than double between 2009 and the end of 2010, and the numbers from ABI Research forecast continued growth next year, for a total of more than 62.5 million shipments in 2011.

New High-end Receivers by Pioneer
Thu, 15 Jul 2010 08:45:04 GMT
Pioneer today unveilled its range-topping SC-LX83, SC-LX73 (available from August) and the VSX-LX53 and VSX-2020 (available today) AV receivers.

Warner Bros. and Netflix Expand Their Content Agreement
Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:10:37 GMT
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and Netflix, Inc. today announced an expansion of the companies' existing streaming content agreement.

Toshiba to Form Marketing JV in China with TCL
Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:07:47 GMT
Toshiba will reinforce its sales and marketing capabilities in the fast growing Chinese market for LCD TVs through collaboration with TCL Corporation, one of China's leading consumer electronics companies.

Sony Debuts First Consumer Interchangable Lens HD Camcorder
Wed, 14 Jul 2010 04:41:37 GMT
Following the 25th anniversary of its Handycam product line, Sony today announced the NEX-VG10 Interchangeable Lens HD Camcorder.

Samsung Expands its 3D Blu-ray Player Lineup
Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:15:50 GMT
Samsung has rolled new 3D capable Blu-ray players, the BD-C5900, the BD-C6800 and and BD-C7900 models.

Car Audio & Video, Car Electronics, DJ Equipment, Appliances