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Black Friday ads leaking all over town, we've rounded them up

by Laura June Nov 11th 2009 @ 6:02PM


The holiday shopping season is really creeping up on us quickly this year... wasn't it just Halloween the other day? Regardless, Black Friday ads revealing the deals to come are leaking all over the internet, so we thought we'd round up a few of the less monotonous-looking bargains. So what's on offer? It looks like Sam's Club has an Acer Aspire One 10.1-inch netbook going for $197, and an HP G71 17-inch laptop with a Blu-ray player for $499, an Olympus FE-4000 12 megapixel digicam for $98, and a few other odds and ends. Meanwhile, over at Staples you can snag a 500GB Western Digital My Passport portable hard drive for $70 and a 23-inch Acer widescreen LCD for $140. If you're still up to it, you can head over to Target and grab a Nikon Coolpix S203 for $88 or a TomTom XL340S for $97. Finally, it looks like Kmart's going to have a 42-inch Panasonic 720p Plasma HDTV for $550 and a 10.1 megapixel Sony Cyber-shot W180 for $99. While you're there, don't forget to pick up a Jaclyn Smith cashmere sweater set for $30, too! Hit the read links for full ads.

Read - Sam's Club Black Friday Ad Leaked
Read - Staples Black Friday Ad
Read - Target Black Friday Ad
Read - Kmart Black Friday Ad

Blu-ray Disc theft becoming an issue, some retailers taking action

by Darren Murph Jan 22nd 2009 @ 3:53PM


If the shrink -- that measure of lost sales that typically go unaccounted for -- gets to growing at a faster pace than sales, you just might have a problem on your hands. According to Mark Fisher, EMA VP of strategic initiatives, that's exactly what's happening in some retail locations, though he does point out that having to tackle a theft issue is, at least in some way, a sign of heightened demand. Undisclosed sources have indicated that some retailers are facing Blu-ray theft rates in the double-digits, compared to around 1.5% for standard DVDs. EMA is already evaluating one possible solution from Aequitas Innovation, which places an RFID lock within the package that can only be unlocked upon being scanned at the register. In theory, at least, the theft deterrent should only add around $0.20 per unit, but whether or not this is more convenient than one of those "keeper cases" is totally up for debate.

Olevia's BD-100 Blu-ray player dropping to $149.99 at Target

by Darren Murph Dec 19th 2008 @ 12:48PM


Missed your opportunity to score a low-cost Blu-ray player on Black Friday? Worried senseless about how you're ever going to get a BD deck for that special someone at a price you can stomach? Chill, please -- you're making us all anxious around here. As you can see above, Target is planning to slash the price on the Olevia BD-100 starting Sunday to a totally delicious $149.99. Granted, the cut is slated to be for "a limited time" only, but that's all the time you need to get in, right?

Vizio caves on patent dispute and joins MPEG-LA licensees, gobble gobble

by Richard Lawler Nov 18th 2008 @ 5:32AM


Chalk another one up for MPEG-LA, as the licensing group's members have dropped lawsuits against Vizio stemming from the one-time value HDTV company's refusal to license MPEG-2 technology, claiming it's suppliers had already paid the necessary fees. Despite Amtran's pleas, just like Target's TruTech brand televisions and DVD players, that argument appears to have quickly folded, . It remains to be seen what direct effect this will have on price, but between this and Vizio's notable Black Friday absence they must be serious about changing to a more upscale image, we wonder if Sony will invite them to a special reception. (Warning: PDF read link)

Target agrees to pay MPEG-2 licensing fee for Trutech store brand displays, is Vizio next?

by Richard Lawler Oct 21st 2008 @ 11:41AM

Target has apparently come around to MPEG-LA's way of thinking, agreeing to pay royalties to the licensing consortium for its store-brand TruTech HDTVs and DVD players that contain MPEG-2 technology, in return for dropping their pending patent enforcement action. How this affects Vizio's claim that it doesn't have to pay royalties because its suppliers already do remains to be seen, but the delta between the cheaper and cheapest displays could be narrower than ever soon. Check out the admittedly scant details beyond the read link (warning: PDF).

Target devoting more shelf space to Blu-ray

by Richard Lawler Oct 16th 2008 @ 4:00PM

Been in a Target lately? According to VideoBusiness, since upping Blu-ray displays back in May, the retailer's upped BD facings again, from 90 to 150 titles. With several Blu-ray standalone players on sale -- including the store-exclusive Olevia box -- it looks like someone's feeling bullish about its potential. Reports also indicate some stores have installed a second Blu-ray demo area, with spokesman Joshua Thomas saying it is committed to creating a "fun, intuitive shopping environment", but we'd settle for a BOGO, or perhaps some more fully featured value-priced hardware before we officially add Target to the Friends of Blu list.

Olevia's BD-100 Blu-ray player spotted in Target for $229

by Darren Murph Oct 7th 2008 @ 11:42PM


While Syntax-Brillian proper is no longer with us, Olevia International Group LLC is (at last check, anyway). Semantics aside, that Olevia-branded Blu-ray deck we heard about way back in May has apparently made it out of the production plant and into Target's supply chain. The BD-100 has finally landed in Target stores, boasting full 1080p output, support for Dolby TrueHD, HDMI / component sockets, coaxial / Toslink digital audio ports and what appears to be a backlit remote. Of note, the unit was slated to launch this month at $299, but first-hand reports have already spotted an entirely more digestible $229 sticker in Target stores. Granted, we're not too sure who'd take a chance with Olevia when a Sony on closeout can be had for even less, but to each his / her own.

[Thanks, David]

Target to offer in-home installation on home theater gear

by Darren Murph Aug 4th 2008 @ 5:13AM


Target -- the big box retailer best known 'round these parts for its preferential Blu-ray treatment (back in the day, of course) and its infatuation with releasing new Xbox 360s early -- is finally diving head first into the home installation realm. Not content to just let competitors rake in all that extra cash for simply following a customer home and plugging in a few wires, the outfit has teamed up with Zip Express Installation to offer home install packages anytime a consumer makes a "large CE purchase." Furthermore, Target.com shoppers will soon be graced with a notification that their shiny new HDTV can be delivered and installed by professionals should they so choose, with services starting at $129 and ranging from TV setup, wall mounting, home theater arrangement, computer networking and furniture assembly. We have all ideas most of you will just brush this off, but don't be alarmed to hear that your grandmother just threw down some extra cash for a nice young man in a bulls eye-emblazoned uniform to setup her new gear.

[Image courtesy of JSOnline]

Best Buy accounts for most Blu-ray purchases, but Amazon and Wal-mart are catching up

by Richard Lawler Jul 10th 2008 @ 10:26AM

Looks like all those specials are paying off for Amazon and Wal-mart, as surveys done last fall and this spring indicate they're narrowing the gap with "leading Blu-ray shopping destination" Best Buy. No nifty percentage numbers this time, but according to VideoBusiness, Amazon's own findings indicate its share of the Blu-ray retail market is 3.5 times bigger than its DVD slice. That seems to jibe with NPD's finding placing it number two, followed by Wal-mart (benefiting from enhanced Blu-ray displays and sales of its own), then Target and Blockbuster, respectively, having overtaken Circuit City in the period from fall to spring. Is there anything other than deep discounts and BOGOs that decides where you buy Blu?

Mitsubishi (and the world) sue Vizio over MPEG-2 patents

by Richard Lawler Jun 5th 2008 @ 2:40PM

It's no secret the rest of the display industry hasn't been happy with Vizio shaking up the low end with its cheap HDTVs, and now Mitsubishi and others have joined in a lawsuit accusing the manufacturer of refusing to license necessary patents. The 15 patents allegedly violated are for MPEG-2 compression that Mitsu, Sony, Samsung, Philips, Thomson, JVC and Columbia University of New York claim Vizio refuses to license. Vizio says it don't need no stinking licenses, since its suppliers already have them and it believes these licenses extend to its products. MPEG-LA also filed a similar suit against Target's TruTech house brand of televisions; while we'll have to wait for a ruling on the case to see who is right, it seems if they can't compete with these lower prices, other manufacturers will make sure cheap HDTVs cost more to make. For its part, Vizio says it does not believe this suit will have a materially adverse impact on its business, so for now, let the low-price flat screens roll.

Read - Mitsubishi, Samsung Sue Vizio Over Video Patents
Read - VIZIO Comments on MPEG-2 Lawsuit By Electronics Competitors

Blu-ray getting larger chunk of floor space in Borders, Target

by Darren Murph May 30th 2008 @ 3:51AM


With the format war being a distant memory in the minds of high-power retail execs, it's really no shock to hear of brick-and-mortar outlets shifting floor space towards Blu-ray. Sure, the high-def format still has quite aways to go before it begins to dominate DVD, but reports are already flowing in suggesting that Borders and Target are embracing the future. Reportedly, a couple of Target stores in Los Angeles increased BD facings from 60 to 90 since January, and we're also told that each Borders location "will feature at least one bay or rack fixture full of BD titles on one side," with larger stores having up to three. We'll admit -- Blu-ray player pricing is still well above where the general public wants it to be, but getting Blu-ray out in front on consumers is a surefire way to pull attention towards the medium.

The quest for a DTV converter box

by Ben Drawbaugh Mar 18th 2008 @ 12:00PM


We've had digital TV tuners for years, but for many there's a lot of anxiety associated with trying to ensure you're ready for the analog shutoff. So to do our part in helping to make the digital transition a success -- and to get some much needed cred' with the mother-in-law -- we set out on a quest for a DTV converter box.

Finding a DTV converter box that is eligible for the $40 voucher is pretty easy, in fact, in almost every place we looked, we found 'em. The problem is that the voucher is only for $40 and since those who actually need one in the first place are too cheap frugal to pay for cable or buy a new TV, every penny counts.

Continue reading The quest for a DTV converter box

Retail CEO's react to Warner's Blu-ray shift

by Richard Lawler Jan 9th 2008 @ 12:34PM

We are now in day five of the post-Warner Bros. announcement era and CNet has word from several retailers on their response (or lack thereof) to the newly-shifted HD landscape. The CEO's of Best Buy, Circuit City and "not any more or less Blu-ray exclusive than they have ever been despite what some executives might think" Target agree that its a step towards the end of the format war, but seem reluctant to call things over by any shot, or commit to changes in the way they deal HDM. Until further changes do -- or don't -- happen, the electronics aisle will remain divided.

Is Target going Blu-ray exclusive?

by Ben Drawbaugh Jan 6th 2008 @ 5:08PM

Target Blu-ray end cap
Some rumors that just won't die eventually end up being true, and the latest to reappear is the Target is going Blu-ray exclusive one. Today at Philips' press event during CES, while Stewart Muller was introducing its new Blu-ray player he also mentioned that Target was going Blu-ray exclusive. Of course what his definition of exclusive means might be his alone, but unless Target pulls all the HD DVD movies off their shelves entirely, we're not sure we agree.

Slew of retailers to carry TV converter boxes; coupon requests open in 2008

by Darren Murph Dec 12th 2007 @ 8:06PM

Yeah, we pretty much expected every big box retailer known to man to carry these things, but just in case you were worried about locating a TV converter box in preparation for the upcoming cutover, here's some comforting news. Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City, Kmart, RadioShack, Target, Sears and Sam's Club are all on the list to carry equipment necessary for analog TV owners to receive OTA programming after February 2009, and just in case one of the aforementioned giants aren't anywhere near you, around 100 more smaller retailers have been certified to stock 'em. Also of note, you can start the new year off right by reminding your great grandparents (or other family members, too) that they can go on and apply for up to two coupons -- which should arrive around six weeks later -- worth $40 apiece to purchase the required boxes. Or, of course, you could just pick them up a new television this holiday season and be done with it.

[Via BroadcastingCable]




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