In a report provocatively titled “Best Buy Isn’t Dead, but It Is Dying,” top investor service The Motley Fool (TMF) suggested that number one consumer electronics chain Best Buy’s “…best days are in the past.” Written by Rick Munarriz, the report dissects Best Buy’s last financial quarter report, as well as its future forecast.
Research
New Research: Netflix is the #1 Choice for TV Viewing
Baby Boomers Finally Hop on the Streaming Bandwagon
In a new survey released today by E-Poll Market Research, Netflix is the first choice for watching a TV show among those respondents who have been exposed to streaming programming. And for the first time, this result is true for all age demographics – with Baby Boomers the last to join the party.
See more on this interesting trend in consumer preferences… [Read more…] about New Research: Netflix is the #1 Choice for TV Viewing
Hitachi Spending Nearly $1B to Launch IoT Research Center in U.S.
Hitachi announced this week that it will invest ¥100 billion ($915 million) building a state-of-the-art research center in the United States to develop Internet of Things (IoT) products and technologies. A significant commitment by the company, with the project expected to take over three years to complete – the facility will be located in Santa Clara, California.
See more on this major R&D center in the U.S. by Hitachi… [Read more…] about Hitachi Spending Nearly $1B to Launch IoT Research Center in U.S.
New Survey: Apple Watch is a Flop
In a recently released survey by advertising technology company Fluent, more than half of U.S. adults say that the Apple Watch is a failed product…a flop. The study, which surveyed 2,578 adults here in the U.S., clearly suggests that Americans agree with many in the tech industry who have given largely negative reviews of the product. Ironically, at one time, the Watch was thought to be the next big thing from Apple. It may still be…
What does this study suggest about the “wearables” market?… [Read more…] about New Survey: Apple Watch is a Flop
Sorry Siri: Research Shows Consumers Aren’t Using Voice-Controlled Assistants
There is a lot of buzz surrounding Amazon’s Echo product, a tabletop computer featuring a voice-controlled digital assistant named Alexa. Alexa will play your favorite music, get your morning news update, find out today’s weather for you, and more. All you have to do is ask Alexa.
But before Alexa, we had Siri and other voice-controlled assistants, mostly associated with our favorite smartphone. But are consumers enamored with using voice-controlled assistants? A new study from marketing company 451 Research suggests that we don’t.
See more on smartphone users embrace of voice-controlled assistants… [Read more…] about Sorry Siri: Research Shows Consumers Aren’t Using Voice-Controlled Assistants
Streaming TV to Hit Tipping Point in 2016
Eye-Popping Numbers Point to Huge Shift in Consumer Preferences
Much like the amazing growth in music streaming over the last few years, streaming TV has also seen an explosion in the number of users as well. This growth has been fueled in large part by the growing popularity of both original programming and the replay of popular shows on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon. Now new research data predicts that in 2016 streaming TV will reach the tipping point – more than half of all Americans will watch TV programming from streaming video services.
See more on this amazing milestone… [Read more…] about Streaming TV to Hit Tipping Point in 2016
Employees Treated Well by Their Companies are More Innovative
In an interesting article in the Harvard Business Review, author Walter Frick cites several studies whose results suggest that where companies treat workers better, there is more innovation. Sound crazy? Not a connection you’d usually make? Actually, the article notes a few studies where researchers directly correlated a company’s score of worker treatment against their patent filings. The results appear to hold up, across different studies in different industries in different countries.
See more on another reason why you want to treat your workers well… [Read more…] about Employees Treated Well by Their Companies are More Innovative
CEDIA Expo Attendance Disappointingly Flat
This week, the Custom Electronics Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) announced the attendance for this year’s just-completed Expo, which they say came in at 18,700 attendees with 510 exhibiting companies. This level of attendance means only 200 people more visited the 2015 Expo – or a paltry 1% over the Expo attendance last year of 18,500 – and is disappointingly flat in a year that many hoped would show growth.
See more of our analysis on Expo trends… [Read more…] about CEDIA Expo Attendance Disappointingly Flat
CEDIA Releases Key Findings of Size & Scope Survey and They are Surprising
As is their normal practice at the annual Expo, CEDIA released key results from their annual Size and Scope of the Residential Electronic Systems Market survey which is conducted in conjunction with Parks Associates. However, what is not normal is that this year we heard these results from Dave Pedigo, CEDIA’s all-around tech guy – rather than from Erica Shonkwiler, CEDIA’s Market Research Manager who has apparently left the organization. But that switcheroo was not the only surprise, as some of the results were almost shocking.
See the astounding results from this year’s survey… [Read more…] about CEDIA Releases Key Findings of Size & Scope Survey and They are Surprising
Dolby Labs Opens New Headquarters Building ‘Where Art Meets Science’
Dolby Laboratories announced the opening of their new headquarters facility in San Francisco at 1275 Market Street at a dedication ceremony on Wednesday that included CEO Kevin Yeaman and mayor Edwin Lee. The company says the facility, which is located in a part of San Francisco known as the Mid-Market District, is “a working lab, a vertical village, and a place where art meets science in inspiring ways.”
