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2012 Latest News archive from April 2012
| Linsar takes bigger stand at Euronics trade show
Hailed as a great success for Linsar, this year’s Euronics show saw the British TV company unveil its largest stand to date. | |
| Beko take a quantum leap in dishwashing
Promising to make life easier for mums, Beko and dishwashing powder brand Finish are joining forces to deliver a series of promotional activities that highlight their latest dishwashing solutions. | |
| Ruark plans to help music charity transform lives
British audio manufacturer Ruark Audio has announced a partnership with specialist UK music charity Nordoff Robbins, which is dedicated to transforming the lives of vulnerable adults and children through music. | |
| Smart TV sales set to soar
The UK is on course this year to be the fourth biggest market in the world for smart TV. | |
| Samsung profits soar as it takes top mobile spot from Nokia
Samsung Electronics saw its net profits nearly double in the quarter to the end of March – a period that also saw it overtake Nokia as the world’s top handset maker. | |
| Switchover and iPads drive electricals at John Lewis
Yet again, electricals turned out to be the star performer for department store group John Lewis in the week to April 21. | |
| Kenwood recipe app a first
An app for iPhones and iPads is not only a first for Kenwood but, said the company, is also a first for a small domestic appliance manufacturer in the UK and Ireland. | |
| Rock band embraces PMC speakers
Chester-based retailer Adventures in Hi-Fi helped rock band Embrace record their latest album by arranging for a pair of new PMC IB1SA active monitors to be installed in the studio. | |
| Knowhow to repair white goods
Dixons Retail’s Knowhow repair service is expanding into white goods. | |
| Euronics Showcase hailed success
“This year’s show is now the benchmark for the Euronics Showcase moving forward.” | |
| Samsung 2012 Smart TVs arrive in UK
Samsung’s 2012 LED and plasma Smart TV series are now available in the UK. | |
| Major DAB transmitter boost for London
Digital radio cut down
London is given a major digital radio boost today with the switching on of landmark new digital radio transmitters on the BT Tower. | |
| GDHA wins Queen's Award
An 880 per cent increase in overseas sales of British-made products won Glen Dimplex Home Appliances (GDHA) a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade. | |
| Philips sees profits jump 80 per cent
A steep jump in first-quarter sales and profits was reported by Philips, which saw net profits soar by 80 per cent year-on-year to Euro 249 million (around £203m) on sales that grew by four per cent to Euro 5.61 billion. | |
| Queen's Award goes to Linn
Linn has received a Queen's Award for Enterprise (in the innovation category) following the success of its new generation music systems based on its digital streaming technology - Linn DS. | |
| Sky chief to speak at Future of Entertainment Summit
BSkyB’s chief operating officer Mike Darcey is to speak at the Future of Entertainment Summit to be held in London on June 20. | |
| Switchover gives big boost to London TV sales
Sales of set-top boxes in the London TV region were more than six times higher in the week starting April 1 (week 14) than in the same week a year ago. | |
| People buy from people
“People buy from People” was the key message to independent retailers from Big Red Sales director John Reddington. | |
| Orbitsound reports Gadget Show boost
Audio technology company Orbitsound reported sales of its soundbar at the recent Gadget Show Live were 50 per cent up on last year’s show. | |
| Electricals still leading at John Lewis
Electricals and home technology products easily kept their place as John Lewis’s top performing buying group in the week to April 14. | |
| Sony names new UK chief
Sony UK has a new chief. Chris Bowen, currently UK sales director, has been appointed Sony's country head in the UK and Ireland. | |
| Mobile shopping takes off
UK shoppers spent £5.8 billion online in March, the equivalent of £114 per person, producing a year-on-year growth rate for e-retail of 14 per cent. | |
| Non-food dragged us down, says Tesco
Even Tesco is feeling the pinch. The supermarket giant admitted non-food categories had been a drag on its performance throughout the recession, particularly in terms of like-for-like sales. | |
| Retra celebrates 70th anniversary at annual industry conference
Almost 300 delegates attended this year’s Retra Annual Industry Conference (April 16-17, Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Hotel), which saw the trade association for electrical retailers celebrating its 70th anniversary. | |
| Samsung wins four TIPA awards
Samsung has won four 2012 Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) Awards. | |
| TV viewers want more control
Catch-up TV came top in a list of TV technologies most wanted by consumers. | |
| Ikea moves into electricals
Furniture retailer Ikea is moving into electricals. The firm is to launch a range of living room furniture with TV and sound already built in. | |
| De'Longhi gains Braun brand for kitchen smalls
De’Longhi has acquired the right to use the Braun brand name on small household appliances. | |
| Sanus wins Plus X Award
AV furniture maker Sanus has received an international Plux X Award for its Super-Slim series of TV mounts. | |
| Miele guarantees dishwashers for five years
Miele is offering a free five-year warranty on all its dishwashers bought in April and May. | |
| Belling wheels in van as prize
Belling is giving independents the chance to win a £22,000 Ford Transit van, fully branded with the retailer’s company name and logo. | |
| Linsar promises biggest ever stand at CIH show
British TV brand Linsar is to build its largest ever stand to launch its 2012 collection of TVs at the CIH trade show at Birmingham’s NEC from April 22-23. | |
| LG signs TV sports deal
LG has signed a deal with sports media company Perform to deliver thousands of hours of live and on-demand sports content by integrating Perform’s Livesport TV platform into LG’s cinema 3D smart TV. | |
| S-AV Distribution's choice is simple
Audio system manufacturer, Simple Audio, has today announced a distribution deal with S-AV Distribution, in partnership with Sound Design Distribution. | |
| Kef offers special 50th anniversary promotion
To mark its 50th anniversary, loudspeaker manufacturer Kef has announced a “mouth-watering 50-day trade-in promotion on the T Series, T105 system” | |
| Electricals 60 per cent up at John Lewis
A nearly 60 per cent jump in sales of electricals and home technology products was reported by department store group John Lewis in the week to April 7. | |
| New boss says Sony will change
New Sony chief executive Kazuo Hirai today revealed his strategy for pushing the Japanese consumer electronics giant back into profit. | |
| March sun warms retail sales but April rain washes them away
Retail sales may have warmed up in March, said the BRC, but they cooled down again in April thanks to the bad weather seen in most of the country, according to a survey from retail research firm Springboard. | |
| Iconic Lecson audio to feature in V&A design exhibition
Meridian Audio’s iconic Lecson audio system is to be displayed at the V&A museum at its spring exhibition: ‘British Design 1948-2012: Innovation in the Modern Age’, timed to coincide with the Olympics. | |
| Inmans to close
The administrators appointed to Inman & Company Electrical have decided to close the business. | |
| Peats World of Electronics closes
Dublin retailer Peats ‘World of Electronics’ has ceased trading and is seeking a liquidator in a voluntary creditor’s liquidation. | |
| Sony to axe 10,000 jobs
Electronics giant Sony is to axe 10,000 jobs in an effort to save costs and turn a profit. | |
| Inmans in administration
Distributor Inman & Company Electrical has gone into administration after more than 50 years in business. | |
| Today launches cover design contest for digital radio
Listeners to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme were this morning asked to take part in a competition to design an outer cover for a digital radio. | |
| Freeview technical standard gets ready for YouView
New features being introduced ahead of the launch of IPTV service YouView, have been added to the D-Book 7 technical standard for Freeview and Freeview HD equipment published last year by the Digital TV Group (DTG). | |
| Electricals still best performer for John Lewis
Electricals was the only category to show any growth for department store group John Lewis in the week to March 31. | |
| LG uses new showroom to launch 'strongest ever range'
LG chose its refurbished showroom to launch to the independent trade a new range of TVs, media and kitchen appliances described as its strongest ever product launch. | |
| TV spectrum auction could pull in £4bn
UK operators will pay in the region of £3-£4 billion for the analogue TV frequencies that have been freed by digital switchover. | |
| Fastest fall in non-food prices for two years
Non-food prices experienced their fastest fall for more than two years with electricals one of the sectors to suffer most. | |
| Grant for two empty shops 'beggars belief'
A town centre with just two vacant shops has been given £100,000 by the High Street Innovation Fund set up by the Government in response to the Mary Portas review. | |
| James Murdoch resigns as chair of BSkyB
James Murdoch has stepped down as chairman of BSkyB but will continue as a non-executive director of the satellite broadcaster. | |
| Best Buy to close 50 US stores
Best Buy is to close 50 of its 1,100 “big box” stores and 400 jobs in the USA in a bid to save $800 million in the next three years. | |
| OpCapita to the rescue for Game
It has been confirmed that investment group and Comet owner OpCapita is to buy the 333 shops of the Game Group that are still trading out of administration, safeguarding the jobs of 3,200 employees. | |
