Now the No. 1. U.S. seller of LCD TVs, Vizio is setting its sights on the smartphone and tablet computer markets. But will its low-cost business model translate to the mobile electronics market? That's not a sure bet, but it'll be interesting to watch.
By now you probably know that the surprise hit of Apple's latest earnings call was the hockey-puck-size AppleTV device. But an unexpected upside for Apple is that AppleTV could be a backdoor entry into the video-game console market. Here's how that would work.
About 4 million 3-D-capable TV sets will ship in 2010, one out of every 20 flat-screen TVs sold. That's projected to more than double next year and grow tenfold in four years. But hurdles like lack of 3-D programming and bandwith constraints could limit such rapid growth.
It's being called a breakthrough in electronics production, but Corning's made-in-the-U.S.A. Gorilla glass is actually decades old. And now it's poised to go from the face of smartphones to borderless flat-screen TVs.
A recent survey found 67.4% of Japanese consumers say they'd take a pass on purchasing a 3-D TV. They cited several reasons, but wearing special 3-D glasses tops the list. Other concerns: price and lack of 3-D programming.
Say the phrase "owning vs. renting," and you're likely to find yourself in a debate between the merits of a mortgage and a landlord. But that's thinking small -- these days, almost anything you can buy, you can also rent. This particularly makes sense when you're talking big-ticket party or home-improvement equipment, whether it's a big-screen TV, a steam carpet cleaner or a rototiller for your garden.
