LAST Factory for Sale – LAST – founded by scientists in 1979 – is the premier manufacturer of disc care products. With each resurgence in vinyl sales, LAST has aided each generation in the care of their treasured music. New vinyl sales are up 89% in 2008 and used LP sales flourish. Best Buy is now selling records in all of its 1020 stores. LAST has developed products to increase the life of all types of analog and digital media, audio and video, to preserve the recorded sights and sounds of our world. LAST president Walter Davis plans to retire and the company is for sale. Firms involved in analog playback and vinyl, audio accessory companies, and individual audiophiles interested in operating a small business will be solicited. For details contact TradeSecrets@comcast.net
Panasonic Micro System Gets European Award – The Panasonic SC-HC3 slim stereo system received the Best Micro System award from the European Imaging and Sound Association. The unit combines a CD player, FM/AM tuner, clock and iPod dock with Panasonic’s Bamboo Cone speakers and dual passive radiator. The system fits a desktop, bedside table or bookshelf is silver and black and has a motorized door. The iPod may be used as a wake-up timer.
Toshiba Media Controller for Their Laptops – Toshiba’s new Media Controller software is a graphical user interface to control devices such as media servers and audio equipment, as well as shifting digital content around a home network. To be appearing on Toshiba laptops later this year, the software is compatible with version 1.5 of the DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) specs for the home networking of consumer electronics. The ap looks first for DLNA-compatible devices on the network, sorts them into servers providing the content and the playback devices. Then it can sent content from one device to another. The data in question doesn’t have to be on the laptop and doesn’t flow thru it. The PC is merely used to run the Media Controller software, issuing instructions to other hardware devices to send content. The idea was to make potentially complex file transfers and networking operations simple and intuitive. Toshiba says the software could potentially be built into a PDA or cell phone used to coordinate an entire home network.
Wi-Fi and Powerline Merger – Atheros Networks – a maker of Wi-Fi chips – will be acquiring Intellon, a maker of chips for home powerline networking – at the heart of the HomePlug standard. Atheros plans to combine its Wi-Fi products with Intellon’s powerline gear to provide dynamic meshing of wire and wireless networks for multimedia, data and voice applications. HomePlug and other technologies claim to provide more speed and reliability than Wi-Fi. The HomePlug Alliance says it can provide speeds as fast as 200Mb per second. Intel, Comcast, Motorola and Linksys are among its members.
RadioShack Offering At-Home Tech Support – Now RadioShack reports that it is not changing its name to “The Shack” after all except as a nickname. However, the chain is launching AT&T ConnecTech support services at more than 4000 of their stores in the U.S. The personnel will help customers either at the store or at home via remote technology capabilities. They will specialize in home theater installations, computer setup and support and home networking installation.
