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Latest News [2008] archive from April 2008
| BBC iPlayer launches on Virgin Media TV
The BBC iPlayer has launched for the first time on a TV platform, with Virgin Media. 30 April 2008 | |
| More sign up to Sky
Sky now has nearly nine million subscribers and churn is at a four year low according to the latest set of figures from the satellite broadcaster. 30 April 2008 | |
| Supermarket expansion to be controlled
The growth of the supermarket giants is to be controlled by the Office of Fair Trading which would apply a competition test on all planning applications to build large new stores or extend existing ones. 30 April 2008 | |
| Clare calls for red tape reduction
Government attempts to reduce the regulatory burden on small businesses has been nothing more than “PR spin”, according to the former boss of DSG International. | |
| SDAs are "second class citizens of the industy", says Home-tek boss
Small appliances are “the second class citizens of the electrical industry”, according to Jamie Lennox, managing director of Home-tek International. | |
| Freesat deal agreed with Retra
A deal has been agreed between Freesat and Retra that will see independent retailers selling the free-to-air satellite service, subject to them signing a service level agreement. 29 April 2008 | |
| On-screen captions remind viewers about Switchover
From May 6, Digital UK will be showing captions on analogue channels in the Scottish Borders region to remind viewers about switchover. | |
| Positive vibes at this year's Retra Conference
In order to survive, independent retailers should become specialists in their field and not compete on price. | |
| Freesat receiver prices revealed
Four receivers for the free-to-view satellite service Freesat due to be launched next month were included in a supplement in the weekend papers for high street catalogue retailer Argos. | |
| Matsushita named as Pioneer plasma partner
Pioneer has confirmed that Panasonic parent Matsushita will be its partner in a plasma panel alliance. | |
| PlayStation joins forces with Sky
28 April 2008 | |
| Excessive parking fines will kill town centres
Town centres are being killed by local authorities who use excessive parking charges to raise revenue. | |
| Profits fall at Microsoft
Computer software giant Microsoft saw its profits fall 11 per cent to $4.4 billion (around £2.2bn) in its third quarter to March 31. 25 April 2008 | |
| Profits jump 37 per cent at Samsung
Samsung Electronics saw net profits rise 37 per cent in the first three months of the year thanks to a strong performance from mobile phones and flat-screen TVs. 25 April 2008 | |
| Profit fall at Whirlpool
White goods giant Whirlpool saw profits tumble 24 per cent to $94 million (around £47.7m) in the first quarter despite an increase in sales from $4.4bn o $4.6bn. | |
| Fall in UK retail sales
Although UK retail sales fell by 0.4 per cent last month, sales in the three months to March were two per cent higher than the previous quarter, according to official figures. | |
| Apple profits jump 36 per cent
The strongest March quarter revenue and earnings in Apple's history, is how the company described second quarter results that saw its net profits jump 36 per cent. | |
| Linear internet TV broadcasts trialled by BBC
The BBC is reported to have carried out trials on the internet re-distribution of linear TV broadcasts. | |
| Next rate cut in June?
Minutes from the Monetary Policy Committee's meeting earlier this month showed that the vote to cut interest rates to five per cent was split six in favour and three against. 23 April 2008 | |
| Microsoft unveils Live Mesh
Software giant Microsoft has unveiled "Live Mesh", a software-plus-services platform that uses the Internet as a data hub that allows many devices to be connected online. 23 April 2008 | |
| Samsung boss resigns from post
Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee has quit after he was indicted for tax evasion and breach of trust. | |
| Sky to launch new HD EPG
Sky is testing a new-look electronic programme guide for high definition set-top boxes, according to the Digital Spy website. | |
| Customers' data needs protecting
Companies and public bodies are not doing enough to protect customers' data, the UK's privacy watchdog and a major survey of security have said. | |
| Blears to speak at Usdaw meeting
Cabinet Minister Hazel Blears is to speak at the annual delegate meeting for for shopworkers' union Usdaw. | |
| Pure's Colin Crawford speaks out on ERTV
Pure's director of marketing, Colin Crawford, has given an exclusive Talking Shop interview to ERTV, in which he talks about the state of the DAB market and looks back at the history of the brand and the product sector. | |
| BDC joins Retra
BDC has joined Retra as an associate member. | |
| Britons want tougher rogue trader laws
Almost all Britons want tougher laws governing aggressive and unfair sales practices, according to research. | |
| BT Vision and Universal launch PictureBox on demand service
BT Vision has announced its first subscription movie package, PictureBox, a subscription on demand service which allows viewers to watch films whenever they want. | |
| Lee Sharpe gears up for Indesit Challenge Cup
Former Manchester United and England football hero, Lee Sharpe, is looking forward to his celebrity appearance at this year’s ERT Weekly/Indesit Challenge Cup five-a-side tournament. | |
| Pace approves Philips acquisition
Pace Micro Technology's general meeting has approved the acquisition of the set-top box and connectivity solutions business of Royal Philips Electronics. | |
| Game consoles buck economic downturn
Game consoles and software are defying the credit crunch in the USA with sales growing 57 per cent during the past 12 months. | |
| Electricals lead price slide
Non-food prices continued to fall in March caused by two major categories – electrical (-5 per cent) and clothing and footwear (-3.1 per cent). | |
| DAB gurus speak out on ERTV
ERTV invited a panel of experts on DAB to discuss the state of the digital radio market. | |
| Samsung chief indicted
Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, the son of the company's founder, has been indicted for tax evation and breach of trust. | |
| Unusual products at Hong Kong Electronics Fair - read our blog
ERT Weekly's reporter, Felicity Joyce, has been blogging from this year's Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition).
16 April 2008 | |
| Profits lower than expected at Carphone Warehouse
Mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse has warned that its pre-tax profits are likely to be between £215 million and £220m for the year to March 31 - around £5m lower on both figures than expected by the City. | |
| Official iPlayer for PS3?
After its launch last week of a version of iPlayer for Nintendo's Wii games console, the BBC is said to be working on a version for Sony's PlayStation 3. | |
| Tony Moretta to head DRDB
The Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB) has appointed Tony Moretta as chief executive. | |
| Gordon goes Dutch on ERTWeekly.com
Gordon Dutch, the chief executive of distributor BBG is writing an exclusive monthly column for ERTWeekly.com. | |
| CEDIA training course for independents
CEDIA, the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association, is offering a new course aimed at electrical retailers who are interested in getting involved in the custom installation industry. | |
| Read our blog from the Hong Kong Electronics Fair
ERT Weekly’s reporter, Felicity Joyce, is blogging from this year’s Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition). | |
| Neil Truckell joins Lawton
Neil Truckell has been appointed brand director of Lawton and Lawton's new Home Electronics division. | |
| Tesco to move into digital downloads
Tesco is set to take on the might of Apple with the launch of a music and film digital download service. | |
| Tesco's profits rise to £2.85bn
Tesco has reported an 11.8 per cent rise in annual profits for 2007 to £2.85 billion. | |
| Asda plays down recession fears
The UK will avoid a recession according to the boss of one of Britain's biggest supermarkets. | |
| SMEs feeling the bite of the credit crunch
SMEs operating in the retail sector are really feeling the bite of the credit crunch according to a new study. | |
| BBC to rename news channels
BBC News 24 and BBC World are to be renamed BBC News and BBC World News on April 21. | |
| BBC media boss to leave Corporation
The BBC has announced that its head of future media and technology Ashley Highfield is leaving to launch an on-demand video service for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. | |
| Blockbuster bids for Circuit City
Blockbuster, the film rental chain, has gone public with a bid to buy the US Circuit City store chain for $6 to $8 a share. | |
| Drop in TV sales hits Philips
Consumer electronics firm Philips Electronics has reported a slowdown in first quarter profits, after being hit by a slump in TV sales. | |
| DSGi issues second profit warning
The UK's largest electronics retailer DSGi has, for the second time this year, warned that it expects a drop of up to 32 per cent in annual profits on the back of 'challenging' trading conditions and increasingly promotion-led sales. | |
| BBC iPlayer moves to TV through Wii
| |
| Abramsky to leave BBC
BBC director of audio and music, Jenny Abramsky, is to leave after 39 years at the Corporation. 11 April 2008 | |
| Interest rate cut lauded by BRC
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has endorsed the Bank of England’s interest rate cut | |
| Interest rates cut to five per cent
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has cut interest rates to five per cent, from 5.25 per cent. | |
| Ofcom plans put Freeview HD at risk
Ofcom should hold off auctioning spectrum freed by digital TV switchover until it is sure its proposed technology upgrade will work. 10 April 2008 | |
| Most politicians know nothing about business
Business chiefs have called on MPs and MEPs to learn more about the issues facing smaller firms following research that showed just nine per cent of politicians have more than 10 years of business experience. | |
| BBC iPlayer ties up cable launch
The BBC's iPlayer service has been developed for Virgin Media cable customers. It will get a soft-launch in May. 09 April 2008 | |
| New finance boss for BSkyB
BSkyB has appointed Andrew Griffith as chief financial officer – he was previously the company’s director of group finance. 09 April 2008 | |
| Will Fisher & Paykel become a takeover target?
Fisher & Paykel Appliances could become a takeover target according to brokers. | |
| Gates talks of Vista successor
Microsoft boss Bill Gates has dropped a hint about the next version of Windows. | |
| Electrolux drops Zanussi dual branding and Appliance of Science
The Electrolux Group has dropped the Zanussi-Electrolux dual branding for Zanussi and also ditched the famous ‘Appliance of Science’ strap line, which it reintroduced in 2006. | |
| No plans for Xbox 360 Blu-ray
Microsoft has no plans to release a Blu-ray add-on for the Xbox 360 and is instead backing digital delivery, the head of Xbox in the UK has said. | |
| Cameron claims tax regime has been "clobbered"
David Cameron has vowed to fight to reinstate the 10p tax band after a parliamentary committee attacked Gordon Brown's decision to get rid of it. | |
| Are you eligible for tax credits?
The rates of tax credits increased yesterday and, even if you don’t have children, you may be able to claim. | |
| Lenders making debt crisis "even worse'
Britain's banks and loan companies have been accused of fuelling the country's debt mountain through irresponsible lending. | |
| Business unites to fight tax on empty properties
Four major business organisations have united to fight soaring taxes on empty properties. | |
| FSB welcomes Retra support for campaign
The support of electrical retailers' association Retra for its campaign to save Britain's high streets has been welcomed by one of the UK's biggest business organisations. | |
| New site to rival iTunes
Social networking site, MySpace, has announced plans to launch a music downloading service that will rival Apple’s iTunes. | |
| Ofcom reveals HD plans
Viewers will be able to watch high-definition channels on Freeview as early as 2009, regulator Ofcom has revealed. | |
| Indesit plays it cool
Washing with cool water is now a reality thanks to a development partnership between Indesit and Procter and Gamble. | |
| UK a nation of online shoppers
Britain may no longer be a nation of shopkeepers but it is fast turning into one of e-shoppers according to analyst Mintel. | |
| Intel unveils chips for mobile internet
Chipmaker Intel is to unveil low-power Atom microprocessors and Centrino Atom chips designed for portable Internet products at its Intel Developer Forum conference in Shanghai today. | |
| Profits rise but Woolworths still cuts dividend
Despite a 30 per cent jump in pre-tax profits, the Woolworths Group has decided to cut its dividend by two-thirds to 0.17p to preserve, it said, the financial flexibility needed to develop the business. | |
| Philips has designs on the premium consumer electronics sector
Philips Consumer Lifestyle has put design at the heart of its new consumer electronics (CE) product strategy with the launch of its 2008 Design Collection. | |
| Easter shoppers down
There was a 9.2 per cent drop in shoppers during the Easter holiday fortnight – much worse than the 5.2 per cent drop predicted by analysts. | |
| Sony to launch movie channel on mobile phones
Sony has unveiled in the USA its plan for a movie channel for mobile phones. | |
| GCap accepts Global bid
GCap Media's board of directors intends to unanimously recommend Global's new £375m bid for the radio business. 01 April 2008 | |
| Make the most of a downturn
Independent specialists in electricals are vital to the success of the thriving UK retail market, according to the former boss of DSG International. | |
