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Reports on the improvement of the quality of car audio equipment. Examples include the installation of a standard eight-speaker Concert system in Audi's cars; Biamplified Harman Kardon system in BMW cars; Introduction of a single-chassis compact disc/cassette player option in Buick Park Avenue.

Presents a selection of automobile audio equipment. Includes amplifiers; Compact disc changers; Head units; Components that combine autosound and car security.

Provides information about various digital video disc (DVD) players being readied by electronic equipment manufacturers for the upcoming launch of DVD. Manufacturers' expression of support for the launch of DVD in the United States; Thomson Consumer Electronics and Panasonic's incorporation of Dolby Digital surround decoders into selected models; Basic attributes shared by DVD players; Prices.

Features several audio equipment for automobiles. Includes Coustic DX-36 four-way active crossover; MTX Thunder 2300 stereo amplifier; Pioneer DEX-P88 source unit.

Previews the automobile audio systems of selected 1996 car models in the United States. Bose system of the Audi 90; Concert Sound System of the Buick Riviera; Digital signal processor of GM's Cadillac; Dual-format head units of Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth models; Oval-shaped audio and temperature controls of Ford.

The article reports on the decline of car electronics sales generated by the top U.S. 25 car electronics retailers in 2014. Best Buy Co. Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. were among of these retailers. Cabela's Inc., Mickey Shorr and Beach Trading Co. were among of the retailers which posted sales gains in 2014.

Information about a roundtable about the trends and future of home audio electronics. Highlights of the discussions include the growing availability of component audio, wireless-multiroom speakers, and home and portable digital-to-analog converters. Also forecasted is the growing sales of Dolby Atmos surround sound technology from Dolby Laboratories in 2015. Panelists of the event include Robert Goedken of Yamaha Corp., Blair Tripodi of Sound United, and Mike Woulfe of Sony Electronics.

Information about a roundtable of notable people in the audio industry is presented. According to Russ Johnson of Pioneer Americas, the entry-level receiver category has revealed weakness because of the expansion of speaker bars. Mark Casavant of Klipsch Group mentions that they have experienced growth in the sales of component-audio. Robert Goedken of Yamaha Corp. of America states that sales in component-audio at retail slightly decline, but the company was able to grew their business.

The article lists the top 25 car electronics retailers of 2013 on the data gathered from retail-level sales, and mentions that car electronics dealers have outperformed consumer electronics (CE) market.

The article reports on the growing market for docking speaker systems and clock radios in the U.S. It is noted that sales of this audio systems were the best compared to any other home-audio equipment during the economic slowdown. According to The NPD Group, sales of MP3-docking speakers went up by 14 percent to 3.3 million from January to October 2008. Sales include iPod-docking clock radios and tabletop radios. Suppliers mentioned that the said products will continue to perform better during the recession.

The article presents an interview with individuals in home audio market on the performance of the industry in 2015 and the outlook for 2016. Among those who are interviewed include Doug Henderson of B & W Group Ltd., Dave Rogers of Harman International Industries Inc., and Mark Casavant of Klipsch. Topics include component-audio market sales in 2015 and the outlook for 2016, sales forecast for the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X-enabled component products, and outlook for audio/video receivers (AVRs).

The article presents opinions from a panel of consumer electronics industry experts concerning the installer-level custom install revenues market. Mike Hench of The Edge Group stated that dealers focusing on entry-level and/or tract homes were the hardest hit by the decrease in housing starts. Jeff Kussard of Russound stated that 2007 will end up a descent year with 10 percent growth overall. Jay McLellan, CEA executive board member believes that the market has plenty of room for growth with interest growing in energy conservation for homes of all sizes.

An interview with several executives, Andy Mints of Philips, David Bales of Pioneer Electronics, Mieko Kusano of Sonos, Frank Sterns of Niles Audio Corp., Scott Smyers of Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA), Oleg Logvinov of Arkados, Jeff Kussard of Russound, and Alex Sadeghian of Yamaha, is presented. They predicted what will be the preferred source of music distributed throughout the house. They explain the reason network technology has not been incorporated more broadly in home audio components and systems at a cheaper price.

The article presents forecasts and trends for the modern home audio industry. Industry experts discussed how audio, component speakers and flat panel technologies can stay relevant in the first decade of the 21st century. The experts included in this discussion are Denon President Steve Baker, Pioneer audio marketing manager David Bales, Philips entertainment solutions director Wieger Deknatel, Boston Acoustics product development director David Kroll and Onkyo product and marketing manager Don Milks. INSETS: Key Points;The Participants.

The article focuses on the popularity of MP3 players to be highlighted at the CEDIA Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana. At least five companies will join SpeakerCraft and Sonance in offering iPod docks that let consumers play back their iPod's music from any room in the house. Companies planning to show their first iPod-controlling receivers are Denon, Harman Kardon and Pioneer. Music-server advocates also point out that their dedicated home models have the capacity to store a far greater selection of songs than iPods, particularly in the high-quality uncompressed WAVformat whose enhanced sound quality is more likely to be heard through high quality architectural and box speakers.

Reports on the trend of installing 2.5G and 3G networks, with general packet radio services (GPRS) and code division multiple access 2000 1X handsets for use in those networks. Display of United States-targeted GSM handsets incorporating 2.5G GPRS packet-data technology by Ericsson, Motorola and Sendo; Emergence of handsets equipped with location technology. INSET: Finding Location-Capable Handsets At The Show.

Information about a roundtable from executives of car electronics industry is presented. According to Keith Lehmann of Kenwood, they experienced an industry decline in overall unit volume together with lower revenue. Tom Malone of Audiovox Electronics mentions that unit and dollar volume declined and their multimedia category declined. Ted Cardenas of Pioneer Electronics states that 2013 has seen gains in mobile categories, such as smartphone- and Bluetooth-compatible products.

The article explores the condition of American multinational corporation Apple Inc. following the launch of iPhone 5s touchscreen smartphone. It states that the launch of the touchscreen smartphone with new iOS 7 mobile operating system (OS) has been anticipated to help the company in keeping its market share in the smartphone sales, particularly in the U.S. Pessimists Chris Ambrosio and Mark Lowenstein foresee the struggle of the company to gain the lead in the industry. INSET: Tablet Market Gains Newcomer, Niche Models.

This article offers information on wireless docking-speakers launched at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) including products from Accessory Power, Braven and Coby.

The article presents a roundtable discussion among automotive audiovisual (AV) system suppliers about the market's performance in 2012 and the prospects for 2013. Mike Anderson of Alpine Electronics of America discusses the performance of the combined mobile audio, mobile-AV and navigation aftermarkets at the retail level in terms of unit and dollar volume. Keith Lehmann of Kenwood USA names amplifiers, speakers and other audio add-on solutions as the product segments with the greatest gains.

The article previews several products that will be featured in the CEDIA Expo in September 2011 including Krell in-room speakers, SpeakerCraft bezel-less custom speakers, and Niles ceiling speaker lines.

The article previews tablet personal computers (PCs) launched at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which include the Streak 7 from Dell, the LePad Slate from Lenovo and the T-Mobile G-Slate from LG and T-Mobile.

The article reports on the possible introduction of more cellphone and tablet computers at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Such expectation is due to the number of vendors entering the market as a result of rising sales. One example is ViewSonic which will participate in the how as a cellphone vendor. New smartphones and other portable devices are expected to be introduced by Verizon Wireless. Creative Labs and Augen are among the companies that will introduce new tablet products at the show. INSET: PMP, PND Categories Remain Active At CES.

This article focuses on an online survey by MarketSource which expects demand for subscription-based mobile digital television (DTV) among U.S. consumers. According to the survey, 24% of respondents who do not own a mobile DTV product plan to buy a mobile DTV that receives free content from local TV stations. The survey found that there was a 2.4 interest level among consumers to buy mobile DTV products. It also found that portable handheld solutions are in higher demand than installed in-vehicle tuners.

This article reports on the increase in Wal-Mart's aggressiveness in home audio amid a renewed focus on nationally known brands. According to Stephen Baker of NPD Group, Wal-Mart intends to become a home-theater destination and grow the attachment rate of home-theater audio to televisions (TVs) in a self-service setting. In notes that interactive displays have been rolled out by the firm in a bid to boost the attachment rate for home theater in a box (HTiB) systems and sound bars. Particular focus is given to Wal-Mart's audio selection and price points.

The article deals with the emergence of Wal-Mart as a dominant player in the U.S. cellphone retail market. According to Greg Hall of Wal-Mart, the firm brought cellular back into the electronics department because they consider it as a viable business and a growth business. Particular focus is given to the steps taken by Wal-Mart in 2009 to boost its cellular profile, as well as efforts to boost its cellular commitment. Also included are information on the expansion of Wal-Mart's mobile broadband selection and smartphone assessment.

The article offers a look at the market performance of high definition (HD) Radio technology in the U.S. The authors forecast that HD Radio technology will continue to expand into home and car audio systems in 2009 in a slow but steady motion. Such expansion, according to the authors, will be aided by the iTunes Tagging technology. The forecast was based on the 2008 CES where various brands lunched their first HD Radio products. It was observed that by the end of 2008, 78 HD Radio SKU were launched to the market. Information on some HD Radio products is also offered.

The article presents opinions from a panel of consumer electronics industry executives regarding their outlook for the MP3 players and portable media players (PMPs) market in 2008. Andy Mintz of Philips sees the MP3 market as one that will continue to grow. He mentions the possibility of a price erosion in audio and video during the forecast period. Ross Rubin of The NPD Group also sees growth in the market due to its maturation. Rob Williams of RealNetworks stated that increased Wi-Fi availability in more homes and places like coffee shops and airports will improve with increased demand for Wi-Fi enabled portable devices and the services they deliver.

The article evaluates several iPod docks including the tabletop HD Radio ART 7 from Acoustic Research, the HDR-800 iPod-docking one-piece tabletop radio from Coby, and the iH9 clock radio from iHome.

The article reports the profit growth experienced by Audiovox in 2007 due to brand acquisition. The executives of the company claimed that it is positioned for continued sales and profit growth in 2008. According to the author, Audiovox is still looking for brands, particularly in the custom-installation industry. Audiovox executives said that the company's acquisition strategy helped Audiovox better manage channel conflicts in consolidated retail market. Audiovox founder and chairman John Shalam and president/chief executive officer (CEO) both said the company can command higher margins because it can leverage well-known brands.

This article reports on the development of a standardized open-source mobile operating system led by Google Inc. in 2007. Supporters contend that the system will make it easier for Goggle and third-party software developers to offer applications for a broad array of handsets, including entry-level models. They also claim that the system will encourage developers to create a variety of innovative applications unavailable to cellular telephone users. The supporters include 33 technology companies that joined Google in announcing the development of the Android platform.

The article evaluates multiroom audio installation systems including the Structured Wiring Audio Network (SWAN) from Audio Design Associates, the WHEN from Audioaccess and the S8.6AV from Elan.

The article presents an interview with Mel Karmazin, chief executive officer of Sirius Satellite Radio. When asked about the merger proposal, Karmazin said that everything has happened as they thought. He said that the National Association of Broadcasters have been aggressive on the merger battle. He also said that one of the risk factors of their business is competing with terrestrial radio.

The article provides information on the selections of flash-memory music players that will be launched by MPEG Audio Layer 3 (MP3) player suppliers at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2007, including the X2G100B MP3 headphone stereo from Audiovox.

The article predicts a growth in sales of video-centric portable media players in 2006 and build momentum by the end of the decade according to analysts and marketers. The role of Apple's anticipated entry into the category in the fourth quarter in the growth of the segment is cited. The other factors which will contribute to the increase in sales of video-centric portable players are cited. The article also offers information on several portable media players. A chart is also presented that lists U.S. sales of portables from 2005 to 2010. INSETS: Definitions Of Video MP3s, PMP Devices;Will PCs Or DVRs Drive PMP Sales?.

The article provides information on the 2006 show of the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association in the U.S. During the event, which takes place from April 5-7, the big talk will focus on voice, data and mobile entertainment. The industry will discuss the impact of a growing number of mobile virtual network operators. Suppliers will also tackle and demonstrate emerging wireless technologies, including digital video broadcasting-handheld and Qualcomm's MediaFLO, designed to broadcast multiple channels digital audio and live or prerecorded video programming to handheld devices without using up cellular-network capacity.

This article focuses on a panel discussion on the growth of the U.S. custom install industry in 2005. The panelists include Sonance product strategy director Scott Sylvester, JBL consumer products president Paul Bente, Niles Audio sales and marketing vice president Mike Detmer, Klipsch Audio Technologies president T. Paul Jacobs, and Russound strategic development vice president Jeff Kussard. The topics discussed include the state of the custom market in 2005, the prospects for 2006 and the attributions to the growth. INSETS: Key Points;Participants.

This article focuses on a panel discussion on the growth of the U.S. cellular telephone industry in 2005. The panelists include Brightpoint CEO Bob Laikin, American Wireless president Michael Misuraca, Motorola GSM product operations senior director James Burke, Samsung Telecom sales and marketing senior vice president Peter Skarzynski, and Sony Ericsson product marketing vice president David Bent. The topics discussed are the key factors driving the growth, industry forecasts for 2006, and the reasons for the market penetration of mobile virtual network operators. INSETS: Key Points;Participants.

The article features several MP3 suppliers and the types of headphone-style portable digital players they will be introducing at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show. Axion's AXN-0250 with 2.5-inch thin-film-transistor liquid crystal display screen will retail for a suggested retail price of $129, and the AXN-9350 with 3.5-inch screen for $169. An audio/visual-playing flash-memory portable will be introduced by Cowon America to complement a current HDD model. Its iAudio U3 is an MPEG-4 movie and music player as well as a text and JPEG photo viewer. Dream'eo expects to be the only supplier of an audio/visual portable with built-in global positioning system navigation when it launches its second-generation device called Solo. INSET: Boombox-Style Digital Portable SKU's To Debut.

This article provides information on the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association's (CTIA) Wireless 2005 exhibition which will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana in March. Handset suppliers at the CTIA Wireless 2005 will display a feast of phones with entertainment-oriented features that will appeal to new subscribers and give current subscribers more reasons to upgrade their existing handsets. Music will play a key role in stimulating replacement sales, marketers contend. Nokia, for example, plans to put Microsoft's Windows Media Audio decoder in select handsets, and Sony Ericsson has vowed to increase its selection of handsets that double as music players. Technology companies will also get into the entertainment act at the CTIA show, with at least one company, Great Britain-based Sonaptic, demonstrating cellular surround sound over two built-in speakers. During the event, attendees will also find demonstrations of infrastructure that will deliver new entertainment options to handsets. For fast transfers of downloaded video and attachments from phone to near-by PC, semiconductor maker Freescale and Samsung might reprise their 3GSM World Congress demonstration of an ultrawide band-enabled cellphone.

This article forecasts on the cellular phone industry in the U.S. as of January 2005. Carriers and handset makers are giving subscribers more reasons to turn in their old phones for new models sporting color screens, cameras, downloadable applications, personal digital assistant functionality and the ability to stream video content. In large part through mobile virtual network operators, carriers are reaching previously underserved market segments, from youth to Hispanics, through non-traditional distribution channels. A strong replacement market driven by new designs, color screens, and camera phones in a wide range of models, combined with strong new-subscriber growth, drove handset growth in 2004. Unit growth reports vary from 12 percent to 17 percent. According to Gartner, unit and dollar sell-through in the U.S. were expected to rise 12.5 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively. A growth rate in units of 10 percent is projected for 2005 versus 2004. 2005 growth will be fueled by some of the same factors that drove 2004 growth, although in smaller numbers. The shift from black-and-white to color displays will be mostly complete by the end of 2005. In addition, the migration from Time-Division Multiple Access/analog to more advanced technologies will he mostly complete as well.

This article highlights the U.S. top suppliers' portable media player introductions that will take place during the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Archos' next-generation portable media player has changed into a Linux-based touch screen personal digital assistant. The 30-gigabyte Pocket Media Assistant PMA340, due in January at a suggested $799, incorporates a Web browser, 802.11b, Ethernet port, light personal information manager applications that synchronize with Microsoft Outlook, and Universal Serial Bus (USB) host for direct connection to other portable USB devices. Auvi will expand its flash-memory selection with its first two to support protected Windows Media Audio (WMA) subscription downloads at launch. Another model is firmware-upgradable to support the subscription Digital Rights Management. iRiver plans its first 5-gigabyte high-density diskette (HDD) model, which is its third HDD model to display pictures. The new H10 at a suggested $279 features a 1.6-inch color screen, 12-hour replaceable and rechargeable battery, FM tuner and USB 2.0. Other features include touch strip for scrolling and navigation, simpler Graphic User Interface, and playback of subscription WMA downloads.

This article presents the results of a survey of installers conducted by CEDIA, as of November 2004. A total of 83 percent of CEDIA members surveyed in June 2004 said their business was improving moderately or greatly over 2003, up from 71 percent who used those terms in the 2003 survey. The 2004 survey also found that installation businesses will do a tittle more hiring compared to that in 2003. In a separate July 2004 survey, installers reported that distributed audio and home theater were their two biggest sales segments in the second half of 2003 and that the two categories offered the highest profit margins per job. A majority of CEDIA members in the survey also said they expect 2004 growth in all categories but telecommunication and security. According to survey results, a total of 58 percent of respondents said their business in 2004 has improved greatly from 2003, which is an increase by 18 percent of respondents who in 2003 described their business in such terms. A total of 25 percent said their business was improving moderately in 2004, whereas 53 percent used those terms in the 2003 survey. In 2004, a fraction of a percent said their business is getting worse or much worse, compared to 8 percent who used those terms in 2003.

Rio, a manufacturer of handheld digital music players in the U.S., is planning to gain market share by upgrading products to include Microsoft's planned Janus DRM technology in August 2004. The company will also expand partnerships with download services. The Janus DRM technology is a Windows Media Audio (WMA) extension that lets consumers rent rather own downloaded WMA-encoded songs. To be Janus compatible, digital music players would likely include a clock, and they probably would have to be docked with a personal computer occasionally to confirm the status of a subscription. Like their older versions, the new Rio devices play back MP3 and protected-WMA files, but the new models are smaller, boost battery life by around 25 percent over current models and add Universal Serial Bus 2.0 ports.

Presents information on the electronic products to be featured in the international consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, Nevada in January 2004. Portable audio/video players from Archos; Joybee 120, a multipurpose player and audio encoder from BenQ; Improvement in the Nomad flash-memory music portables from Creative Labs.

Focuses on the impact of the implementation of wireless local number portability (LNP) on retail traffic and handset demand in the U.S., as of August 4, 2003. Ability of consumers to transport their cellular phone number to a phone activated on a wireless network due to the wireless LNP mandate; Impact of the increased retail traffic on the sale of step-up services.

Reports the simplification of distributing audio, video and personal computer networking by the suppliers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Development of Suite 16-zone preamp controller; Features of the processor; Use of amplified keypads.

Features wireless electronic devices for the Wireless 2002 Exhibition in the U.S. CDMA 1X and 1xEV-DO PC cards from AirPrime; CDMA 1X cellular phones from Audiovox; Bluetooth headset from Jabra.

Reports on the growth of Internet audio portable competition at the 2001 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Display of models using disc media; Companies offering headphone portables playing MP3 discs; Projected increase in unit sales.

Focuses on computer networking and broadband access in the United States. Views of custom audio/video installers on the profitability of the business; Impact of the cable modem and wireless proliferation on the demands for broadband; Connection charges for the installation of computer networks.