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Latest News [2009] archive from September 2009
| Record breaking number of entries for ERT Industry Awards - tables almost sold out
This year’s ERT Industry Awards are set to reinforce their position as the industry event of the year. | |
| European Commission pushes for MP3 players to be made quieter
The European Commission in Brussels has proposed new rules on volumes for MP3 players in a bid to prevent users suffering from hearing problems, reports nme.com | |
| Baumatic wins Sirius Supplier of the Year award
Baumatic has been awarded the title of Supplier of the Year by the Sirius Buying Group of independent retailers, at its annual gala awards ceremony. | |
| Eight of 10 secondary sets receive digital TV
A surge in the conversion of secondary TV sets boosted the total number of UK digitally-enabled TV sets to 80 per cent by the end of June 2009, according to new research from Ofcom. | |
| National retune for Freeview takes place tomorrow
Consumers are being reminded that the national upgrade to the Freeview platform will take place tomorrow. | |
| HSBC saves Jessops
Troubled photographic retailer Jessops is undertaking a restructuring that it says will save the company. | |
| Two billion downloads from Apple's App Store
Apple has announced that more than two billion apps have been downloaded from its revolutionary App Store. | |
| BSH unveils cash back scheme
BSH has launched a cash back scheme for customers whose existing Bosch, Siemens or Neff domestic appliance is deemed to be ‘beyond economical repair’ by one of the company’s engineers. | |
| Intel to co-develop on-demand games service for HDTVs
Microprocessor giant Intel has announced a strategic alliance with computer games company TransGaming to develop a new on-demand games service for high definition televisions to launch next year, reports website Digital Spy. | |
| Jessops Dundee wins Store of the Year award
The Jessops store in Dundee, Scotland has won the coveted Store of the Year title. | |
| Electricals and consumer electronics boost sales at John Lewis
John Lewis has recorded a sales rise of 6.6 per cent across the board compared with the previous week, it announced today. | |
| Fish and meat maker wins Electrolux Design Lab 2009
A fish and meat maker that prepares genetically engineered and pre-packaged meat and fish dishes scooped the top prize at this year’s Electrolux Design Lab competition, which was held at the 100% Design London trade show yesterday (September 24). | |
| Nintendo slashes prices of Wii
Nintendo is to cut 20 per cent off the price of its Wii games console in the USA and Japan. 24 September 2009 | |
| BT Vision launches on-demand shopping channel
On-demand TV service BT Vision has launched an on-demand 24-hour shopping channel. 24 September 2009 | |
| Largest department store opens in Wales
The largest department store in Wales opens today in the £675 million St David’s 2 retail development in Cardiff. 24 September 2009 | |
| Radio industry launches Digital Radio UK
Leading players in the radio industry have joined forces to create Digital Radio UK. 23 September 2009 | |
| First-half sales tumble at Game
Entertainment retailer Game saw its first half profits tumble from £35.8 million a year ago to £14.5m before non-recurring costs and tax. 23 September 2009 | |
| End wish-list politics retail chief to warn
A retail chief is to call for “an end to wish-list politics” when he addresses an audience tonight that will include Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, pictured. 23 September 2009 | |
| ERT Industry Awards continue to gather pace
This year’s ERT Industry Awards are set to reinforce their position as the industry event of the year. | |
| Comet call centre in country's top 50
Comet’s call centre has been named as one of the UK’s top 50 for customer service. 22 September 2009 | |
| Cutting back on spending will hurt economy says Bank
Consumers who cut back on their spending will hinder the country’s economic recovery from this recession, according to a report by the Bank of England. 22 September 2009 | |
| Dell acquires Perot Systems
PC maker Dell has announced a takeover of technology services provider Perot Systems. 21 September 2009 | |
| Christmas shopping starts early
Supermarket chain Asda reports that Christmas shopping has already started. 21 September 2009 | |
| Business failures down
Business failures are at their lowest level since September 2008, according to new figures. 21 September 2009 | |
| Government borrowing hit £16bn in August
Public sector net borrowing reached £16.1 billion last month compared with £9.9bn in August 2008. 18 September 2009 | |
| Sales falter at John Lewis
Department store group John Lewis saw its year-on-year sales take a 2.8 per cent dive in the week to September 12. 18 September 2009 | |
| New SDA brand unveils Gordon Ramsay range
Small appliance brand Sensio Home has launched into the UK with a new range of products endorsed by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. | |
| Pure unveils Sensia - a touch-screen radio for the Facebook generation
Pure has unveiled a new internet, DAB and FM radio with a colour touch-screen, an iPhone-style user interface and the ability to incorporate applications (apps) for social networking sites such as Twitter. 17 September 2009 | |
| AEG-Electrolux claims world-first washer
AEG-Electrolux claims it has launched the world’s first dedicated cold-wash washing machine. 17 September 2009 | |
| Sales up but remain patchy
Retail sales were 2.1 per cent higher last month than in August 2008, according to official figures. 17 September 2009 | |
| Profits tumble at John Lewis
Pre-tax profits at the John Lewis Partnership tumbled 19.6 per cent to £86.3 million in the six months to August 1. 17 September 2009 | |
| VillaWare makes its UK debut with high-end small appliance range
Premium small kitchen appliance brand VillaWare has launched into the UK market with a new range of high-end products to be sold through independent retailers | |
| Bosch to cut 10,000 jobs by year end
Robert Bosch said it will have cut 10,000 jobs from its 270,000 workforce and put another 100,000 workers on short time by the end of this year. 16 September 2009 | |
| Freesat notches up 600,000 sales
Free-to-air satellite TV service Freesat has notched up 600,000 sales in just over a year. 16 September 2009 | |
| Profits likely to rise despite sales fall at Debenhams
Department store group Debenhams reported a 3.6 per cent drop in like-for-like sales in the year to August 29. 15 September 2009 | |
| Inflation still falling
The annual rate of inflation fell to 1.6 per cent in August, down from 1.8 per cent in June and July, according to official figures. 15 September 2009 | |
| Banks to be forced to make living wills
Living wills are to be forced on Britain’s banks to allow them to be dismantled more easily should another financial crisis arise, according to the Financial Times. 15 September 2009 | |
| VOD to be regulated for first time
Video-on-demand (VOD) services, including those provided on the open internet, will be regulated for the first time from the end of this year. 14 September 2009 | |
| Pace demonstrates DVB-T2 HD box
Pace has unveiled a set-top box that can receive the DVB-T2 transmission standard for high-definition services on Freeview. 14 September 2009 | |
| London sales suffer first fall of the year
Like-for-like sales in central London fell for the first time this year with a drop of 5.9 per cent in August. 14 September 2009 | |
| BBC considers London 2012 3D coverage
The BBC is considering screening part of its coverage of the London 2012 Olympic Games in 3D as an experiment in the validity of emerging broadcast technology. | |
| ERTV at IFA 2009 - see our video coverage
ERTV was at this year’s IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin to bring you all of the latest developments in the industry. | |
| Asda to create 10,000 seasonal jobs
Supermarket chain Asda has announced it will create an extra 10,000 seasonal jobs for Christmas and the New Year. | |
| Pace to unveil new 3D set top box today
Pace will showcase a new set top box with a 3D-enabled user interface (UI) at IBC 2009, which gets under way today (Friday) in Amsterdam. | |
| Comet reports like-for-like growth
Comet has recorded like-for-like growth of 0.3 per cent in the three months to July 31, its parent company Kesa has announced. | |
| ERT unveils shortlists for Industry Awards 2009
After a record-breaking number of entries, judges met last week to decide the winners and shortlists for the ERT Industry Awards 2009. | |
| New senior spectrum and technology appointments at Ofcom
Ofcom announced today that it has appointed Hyacinth ‘H’ Nwana to lead the Spectrum Policy Group and Steve Unger as its new chief technology cfficer (CTO). | |
| Digital switchover hits million home milestone
The digital switchover has reached the millionth home, as the head of Digital UK pays tribute to “vital” role of retailers. | |
| BT to open broadband demonstration stores
BT is to open two outlets in the UK where consumers will be able to pop in and watch demonstrations of its broadband internet services. | |
| Deflation kicks in for shop prices
For the first time in two and a half years, shop prices have fallen below the levels of a year ago. 08 September 2009 | |
| John Lewis adds basics range
Next Monday, department store group John Lewis is to launch a value range to shore up its message that it is “never knowingly undersold”. 08 September 2009 | |
| Retail sales fall in August
UK like-for-like retail sales fell 0.1 per cent in August failing to sustain the growth experienced in June and July. 08 September 2009 | |
| £1m campaign to boost Blu-ray
The British Video Association (BVA) is set to launch a £1 million campaign for Blu-ray, spearheaded by a run on TV screens from November and through December. | |
| Daily Mail offers 'free' digibox
The Daily Mail has decided to fit out its customers with digital set-top boxes, and increase its circulation at the same time. 07 September 2009 | |
| Testing on Freeview HD receivers to start next month
Product testing on Freeview HD and Freeview+HD receivers will begin next month, the Digital TV Group (DTG) has revealed. 07 September 2009 | |
| Virgin Media launches online on-demand listings
Virgin Media has launched a new online search and listings function for users to more easily browse its on-demand content. | |
| Britain 'To be slowest out of recession'
The global economy may recover earlier than first thought, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has said. | |
| IFA 2009: Toshiba launches its first LCD TV to feature LED-backlighting
Toshiba today launched what it describes as its most advanced LCD TV model launched in the UK market to date. | |
| IFA 2009: LG unveils 'borderless' LED TV
LG has announced details of its flat-screen TV strategy for the next 12 months, including the launch of a new ultra-slim ‘borderless’ edge LED model called the SL9000 ( available in 42in and 47in), and the introduction of both wireless HD TVs and wireless broadband TVs in the near future. | |
| IFA 2009: Sony to introduce 3D TVs in 2010
Sony has revealed that it will launch a 3D-compatible Bravia LCD TV in 2010. | |
| ERT Industry Awards 2009: the judges have deliberated
After a record-breaking number of entries, judges met this week to decide the winners and shortlists for the ERT Industry Awards 2009. | |
| LG launches 11kg washer
LG Electronics unveiled its new 11Kg washing machine today at Wembley Stadium, at the Portway Domestic Appliances trade show. | |
| Have your say in the largest-ever UK small business survey
Companies have been invited to give their take on the issues they are facing as a landmark small business survey gets underway. | |
| Sales slip at Currys and PC World
DSG international has today reported that sales at its Currys and PC World stores were down 16 per cent and 15 per cent respectively for the 16 weeks ended August 22. | |
| Common standard for internet radio to be announced at IFA
At IFA 2009, (Sept 4-9, Berlin) the Internet Media Device Alliance (IMDA) will announce a baseline certification standard to future-proof standalone internet radio players. | |
| Freeview launches new £4 million TV ad campaign
Digital TV service Freeview today (September 1) unveiled its latest £4 million national and regional television advertising campaign featuring a host of British TV stars from across the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 schedules. | |
| LG to launch 15in OLED TV at IFA
LG will launch a 15in OLED TV - the largest commercial model so far - at this year’s IFA (Berlin, September 4-9), according to a report from Reuters. | |
