Cablevision to Add TBS HD to High-Definition Line-Up in Time for Start of Major League Baseball Playoffs

TBS HD will become the 41st high-definition programming service available to Cablevision's iO TV customers at no additional cost. In addition to the best HD picture and sound, iO customers receive HD channels without the fees and charges Cablevision's competitors require customers to pay for HD.

"We are pleased to have reached agreement to add TBS HD to our line-up of more than 40 high-definition programming services in time for the MLB playoffs," said John Trierweiler, Cablevision's senior vice president of product management. "This is great news for local baseball fans, and for our growing base of more than 800,000 HD customers."

TBS HD will become available to some iO TV customers with HD-capable set- top boxes on channel 739 beginning on Monday, Oct. 1, and the channel will be available to customers across the company's entire service area by Wednesday.

Source: CNN, 9/27/07

Stylish Green Kitchen Gear

The kitchen is a hotbed of environmental no-nos. Nearly everything runs on electricity. Some things run almost constantly. And of course, there are the careless mishaps. How many times have you left that coffee pot plugged in, or that refrigerator door open?

We're guessing more than you can count.

You might want to start--the typical refrigerator uses 4.6 million Btu per year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That's nearly 5% of total household annual electricity consumption. The bill? On average, $126 per year is spent on powering one's refrigerator.

Now think about fridges that run on less. The Sub Zero 601R is one such model. It requires less energy than a 100-watt light bulb and is expected to cost owners $37 per year to run.

Products like this represent the future of high-end appliances, says Robert Passikoff, founder and president of Brand Keys, Inc., a New York City brand and customer loyalty consultancy. Machines like ovens, coffee makers and fridges already have all the bells and whistles they can handle. Now it's time to improve their efficiency.

"There are only so many things you can do with an oven or a fridge," says Passikoff. "Some sense of added value is what consumers are responding to."

One example: The NatureMill Automatic Indoor Composter allows you to efficiently transform biodegradable items and paper into fertilizer. It uses only 10w of power, which totals about .50 per month, or $6 per year.

High design, not just efficiency, characterizes other green appliances. The stainless steel Smeg FU67-5 Oven features clean lines that will fit in to even the most minimalist kitchen and boasts an energy-saving, quick preheat option.

Who is behind these ecological improvements? Consumers, Passikoff says, are the ones demanding changes from manufacturers. But industrial designers are responsible as well.

Designer Joey Roth created his new teapot, available this fall, with sustainability in mind. All parts are recyclable, and pigment and paint free. The packaging on which instructions for use are printed is made of unbleached, recycled cardboard.

Will Roth's customer appreciate such touches as much as they appreciate the product’s utility? He thinks so.

"As the situation with the environment becomes more serious," he says, "I see a trend toward small and mindful products."

Source: Forbes, 9/12/07

Vizio emerges from flat-panel TV shadows

Upstart American TV maker Vizio Inc. has been nipping for three years at the heels of household names such as Sony and Samsung.

Quietly selling its affordable line of flat-panel sets in wholesale club stores instead of electronics retailers, it knocked its foreign competitors from the top spot in the second quarter to become the largest seller of flat-panel TVs in North America.

It is too early to say the company will bring an American brand back to the top ranks of TV makers for good. But Irvine, Calif.-based Vizio is poised to benefit from a variety of trends, including the rising popularity of flat-panel sets and the need for all Americans to upgrade to a digital TV by the federal government's February 2009 deadline.

And CEO William Wang's experience as a supplier and then consultant to PC maker Gateway Inc. convinced him that consumers who might spend big for a feature-laden set for the living room would want a more affordable alternative to replace sets in other rooms.

Aided by a few one-time boosts in retailer inventories, Vizio grabbed 12 percent of the flat-panel market in the second quarter. That was more than four times its share in the year-ago quarter and enough to propel the private company, which had been the nation's 15th-largest flat-panel TV supplier in the second quarter of 2005, past rivals such as Sony Corp., Samsung and Sharp Corp., according to market researcher DisplaySearch.

Source: Associated Press, 9/7/07

Kitchen Kaboodle- To find the right look, upgraders and remodelers look inward

What's Happening

* Just mention the words “kitchen remodel” and more obsessives come out of the plywood than you can shake a whisk at. Kitchen outfitting has never been so buzzworthy, even if the stuff is all for show. Call it the influence of open kitchens, Top Chef or the mainstreaming of foodie sophistication — kitchens aren’t just the heart of the home, they’re now the showroom.
* What are consumers looking for when choosing appliances, whether large or small? Personalization is still the driving factor, but it’s morphing from design to functionality. In other words, shoppers still like to find the look that’s right for them, but their lifestyle and lifestage are dictating decisions more.
* Under that umbrella, we’re seeing a few key trends emerge in the world of kitchen appliances, both big and tiny.
* “Smart” for techno-nerds: Is anyone buying those Internet fridges we started hearing about at the turn of the millennium? They certainly haven’t mainstreamed, but early adopters are starting to think about a totally wired or otherwise cutting-edge kitchen. For this group, smart goes without saying. What’s still considered pretty far out there? Combo fridge/ovens (leave the meat in fridge mode when you leave for work, return to roasty succulence at the end of the day), talking stoves and thermometers, nutrition-boosting fridges that use photosynthesis and cutting boards that double as scales. What’s living in the here and now? The GE Wine Vault, which syncs to the Internet for cellar tracking; “Set it and forget it” types like the GE Profile dishwasher with SmartDispense auto detergent; music networks like Sonos for rocking and cooking. What do we think is on the verge of breaking through? Millennials, setting up house for the first time, will gravitate toward “digital cookbooks” like coo.boo and Yummy Kitchen Connect. The growing number of safety-conscious consumers will go for gadgets like SensorfreshQ and hands-free faucets.
* Prosumer for plebeians: Sub-Zero used to have the lock on the double-wide fridge, but now consumers have a wide range of price options for achieving the professional, upscale look. Infrared grills have gone all affordable on us, as have induction cooktops. But affluent foodies still have ways to strut their stuff. TurboChef speed ovens, born in restaurant kitchens, will set you back about $7,000. Sharp’s Microwave Drawer opens like a big CD player with the touch of a button. Speaking of touch of a button, Gaggenau’s Lift Oven practically levitates. Many mansion dwellers dedicate a whole kitchen station to turbo espresso machines.
* Space-saving for downsizers: Empty nesters, first-time homeowners dealing with the realities of space-crunching, Boomers ditching the exurbs for urban utopias — people are needing to go Euro, and that means mini. Not enough counter space? We’re seeing the rise of appliance garages. Not enough room for a second fridge? We’ve noticed more drinks-filled minibars at kid level. Boffi caused a mini-sensation with the reintroduction of the MiniKitchen in 2006.
* Eco-friendly for everyone: All demos are getting in on the green act, and thankfully the market is teeming with stylish energy savers that actually work. Remodelers like the option of two dishwasher drawers for those times when you just have a mini-load. Bosch washers and dishwashers tout an ECOOPTION button. Williams-Sonoma’s Ecopod provides a sleek storage solution for recyclables.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

* Design has been done, so to speak. Now that everyone has access to good-looking and well-performing kitchen workhorses, consumers are taking a good hard look at how they really use their kitchens in order to make purchasing decisions.
* A new equation for kitchen design applies to today’s average shopper: Style + performance (track record, word-of-mouth) + value ÷ my daily habits = my dream kitchen.
* Think niche: Gadget geeks are searching for show-offy specs, busy parents are desperate for convenient set-and-forget options and überfoodies want artisanal-friendly features that promote a from-scratch existence.


Source: Iconoculture, 8/14/07

Best Buy partners with Liz Claiborne in style

What's Happening

* Does this PDA case go with my shoes? Alas, the perfect 21st-century ensemble now includes tech accessories. But fashionistas can sync style with gear by purchasing from the Liz Claiborne fashion line, exclusively on sale at Best Buy in October 2007.
* This geek-chic collection offers laptop bags and sleeves, cell cases, MP3 cases and camera cases, in an assortment of designs and fabrics like luxe leathers, jacquard patterns and metallic and patent finishes.
* The goods cost considerably less than haute couture: Price tags range from $25 to $200.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

* Dressing for success now includes all manner of tech to go. For women who care what they wear, an array of accessory style options is a fashion do.
* Striving for individuality isn’t gender specific — even the guys aren’t immune to preening like peacocks while carrying geek goods with a personal stamp.

Source: Iconoculture, 9/4/07