A British electronics retailer asked 2,000 men and women what they’d give up in exchange for a 50″ plasma TV, and according to them, “47 percent of men would give up sex for half a year.” Among women, the number drops to about a third who are wiling to forgo sex. We’re not going to pretend for a second that this study is in any way scientific, but still—six months? Seriously?
tvs
Monster Cables, Monster Ripoff: 80% Markups
By 2.8.08
Ever wonder why gadget store employees push Monster cables like they’re crack? Bitchin’ markups, just like you suspected (or knew) all along. That’s what we found when a Radio Shack employee sent us his store’s entire inventory list, which included the wholesale and retail price of every item in stock.
Hi-Def TVs Cost Drops 40%, Quality Up
By 2.5.08
Looking to upgrade to a hi-def TV? Now is the time, says Consumer Reports. Price are down as much as 40% and quality is up. They tested a whole bunch of TVs and rated as Best Buys the Sony Bravia KDL-46S3000 $1900 46-inch and Toshiba Regza 42HL67 $1,150 42 inch LCD TVs. Based on their surveys, repair rates have been very low, and so they still recommend skipping the extended warranty.
Thieves Steal 42" Plasma TV From Mall During Shopping Hours
By 12.31.07
Those post-holiday TV sales just aren’t enough for some people, because somehow, a 42″ plasma set used for display in a retail store in Albany, Georgia, was stolen from the counter during business hours.
Where To Save On Flat-Screen LCD TVs This Year
By 12.7.07
Once again, patient shoppers will be rewarded with holiday price-drops on flat-screen LCDs, but the discount won’t be as steep as last year; 17% vs. 34%. WSJ says the deal-hungry should confine their searches in the 40,46, and 52 inch size categories. 42 and 47 inch won’t see much in the way of discounts as they’re mainly produced by budget TV makers who will find it difficult to cut their prices much more. They predict larger discounts on the 1080p than the 720p models as well. C’mon dad, you know the Heat Miser just isn’t the same if he’s not in high-def.
The Best And Worst Tech Gadgets Of The Year
By 11.21.07
It begins—the year end “best of” lists! If you’re gearing up for the gift buying frenzy that will begin on Friday, here’s a quick slideshow of some of the most inspiring and least impressive electronics in the marketplace right now.
FCC Fines Radio Shack For Selling Analog TVs With No Consumer Warning
By 10.23.07
CONSUMER ALERT: This television receiver has only an analog broadcast tuner and will require a converter box after February 17, 2009, to receive over-the-air broadcasts with an antenna because of the Nation’s transition to digital broadcasting. Analog-only TVs should continue to work as before with cable and satellite TV services, gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players, and similar products. For more information, call the Federal CommunicationsCommission at 1-888-225-5322 (TTY: 1-888-835-5322) or visit the Commission’s digital television website at: http://www.dtv.gov.
The FCC supposedly has undercover agents working in stores and surfing the web to make sure stores aren’t selling obsolete TVs to hapless rabbit-ear using folks. Meanwhile, Best Buy has stopped selling analog TVs outright.
Best Buy Emails To Let You Know They Won't Be Honoring A Mistake In Their Ad
By 9.21.07
Several of our readers received this email from Best Buy, explaining that they won’t be honoring a mistake in the upcoming September 23, 2007 Best Buy ad.
HOW TO: Give Your TV "Ambilight" Using Cheap Lights From IKEA
By 2.26.07
I love those Philips Amiblight HDTVs – you know, the ones with the rear backlight that projects colours onto the wall behind the TV? Not only does it look pretty, but if you’re gaming or watching a film in low-light conditions then the backlight reduces eye strain.
Man Tries To Sell Fake LCD TVs Made of Wood To Police
By 2.7.07
Buying an LCD TV from a strange man on the street is not a good idea, but it’s a better idea than selling a fake LCD TV made of wood to a couple police officers, as one Indiana man found out. What went wrong?
No Big Super Bowl Discounts on HDTVs?
By 1.22.07
- “It’s simple. No more big sales on flat-panel TVs before Super Bowl,” said Cohen [industy analyst], adding that retailers realize that if they heavily promote these items again, they’ll have a very difficult time making their same-store sale numbers for January.
Fix Stuck Pixels
By 10.31.06
We’re a little skeptical about it, but here are a few programs that claim to be able to fix stuck pixels and decrease plasma/LCD burn in. The basic idea is that the program will rejuvenate the pixels by turning them on and off 60 times a second. You can use it on your computer monitor, or hook up your computer to output to any device experiencing these malfunctions.
The News; Myspace Eats Lead
By 7.24.06
• Just make sure your kids eat the lunch, not the box. [ABC] “FDA Warns Lunch Box Makers About Lead”
DirecTV Expects Consumers to Pay to Ride in Black Hole
By 3.30.06
J.C.’s TV started flashing black every so often, like a very slow and annoying strobe. His phone calls to his cable service provider, DirecTV, earned him several unfulfilled promises but no results.
Morning Deals Round Up
By 1.23.06
• SlickDeals is reporting that the Sony DSC-S40 4.1-megapixel camera is going for a $100, in store only. Yes, that would be a good deal.
