Electronics: Picking Up Their Confidence

In May, the Consumer Electronics Association-CNET's Index of Consumer Technology Expectations was at its lowest level since the all-time low in March 2009, which suggests that consumers, low on spending confidence, are holding back on electronics purchases. This potentially means that electronics merchandise awards could have an even greater engagement impact right now, as top performers and employees may have been eyeing such items but been afraid to buy. Here are five items that they may be wishing for:

Tivoli Audio Model 10 tabletop radio, $199
Tivoli Audio’s Model One radio was critically acclaimed as one of the best on the market, combining high-end sound quality and innovative industrial design, but it featured no bells or whistles.
  

Founder and CEO Tom DeVesto says that’s where the Model 10 comes in, featuring an alarm clock, a sound equalizer, a remote control, and a digital display for RDS song-title and artist information. The Model 10 has a furniture-grade wood cabinet and a 3-inch speaker that produces a bigger sound than its 7.8-inch by 4.8-inch by 4.8-inch footprint suggests. It is available in a variety of standard colors and finishes. 

Custom colors are available to the incentive market, and the Model 10 can be customized with a raised logo on the speaker grill and unique faceplates on some models. Owners can add an optional speaker to create a stereo.


ColcaSac iPad protective pouch, $34.95 

With the iPad’s debut earlier this year, ColcaSac has added a natural-fiber pouch—the company calls it a “sleeve”—for the newest Apple product. The heavily padded sleeve protects an iPad from drops, dents, and scratches, which commonly occur with portable electronics. Made of heavy-duty hemp canvas and 100 percent polyester sherpa fleece, and featuring a Velcro enclosure, the ColcaSac can serve as a theft deterrent because a natural-fiber pouch isn’t necessarily associated with electronics storage. 

The iPad sleeve comes in Original (tan burlap), ColcaSac (brown hemp), Black ColcaSac (black hemp), Red Delicious (red burlap), and Passion Vine (red print cotton) styles. Each sleeve features a pocket for storing a power adapter, flash drives, headphones, or other computer accessories. In addition to making its products from environmentally friendly materials, ColcaSac uses 1 percent of its revenues to purchase land in environmentally sensitive areas.

Let top performers enjoy sports and television programs anywhere when you add Philips’ 9-inch portable television with a digital tuner. Janet Duff, senior manager of Philips’ loyalty and incentive channel, says the portable TV marks the brand’s return to the incentive market. 

The tablet-style PVD900/37 has a 9-inch, 600-pixel by 220-pixel widescreen display; a detachable antenna that picks up free, over-the-air digital stations; built-in speakers; and a 3.5-mm headphone jack. The tuner can automatically scan for and memorize available TV stations in any given location. 

The PVD900/37’s built-in rechargeable battery lasts three hours per charge. At 1.5 pounds, the lightweight TV ensures easy portability. The unit, measuring 11.8 inches wide by 11.6 inches high by 2.4 inches deep, also has a slim remote control.

Launched last fall, the novel wireless charging device has been placed in many types of incentive programs and been used for corporate gifts, says Dan Paul, director of special markets for HoMedics Group, which is in a joint venture with PowerMat.

The charger, shaped like a mat, simultaneously powers up three devices, such as iPods, portable game players, and cell phones. When one device on the mat is fully powered, the mat stops charging that device while still powering up the others. PowerMat says charging times are the same as those of original equipment manufacturers.


The mat comes with the Universal Powercube Receiver (pictured), a device with eight plugs—PowerMat calls them “tips”—ranging from mini USB to micro USB that allow charging of various other devices.

Bose Lifestyle V-Class & T-Class home theater systems, $1,999 - $3,299
Bose’s Lifestyle V-Class and T-Class home theater systems feature 5.1 surround sound and the new Bose Unify “intelligent integration system,” which simplifies set-up and use of a TV, DVD or Blu-ray player, game console, or other equipment while streamlining the number of remote controls to one.

“Our new Lifestyle systems transform everyday use. Onscreen displays work seamlessly with just one remote,” says Doug Lankford, Bose’s director of home theater product marketing. The Lifestyle V35, V25, and T20 systems accommodate six sources each. Unlike conventional universal-remote setup methods, there are no codes to enter into the Lifestyle universal remote; for example, the user aims a Blu-ray player’s original remote at the Lifestyle system console and follows set-up instructions onscreen. 

Bose’s Adaptiq audio calibration technology adjusts the system’s sound to the size, shape, and furnishings of any room. A V-Class system includes five Jewel Cube or Direct/Reflecting speakers and a subwoofer module, plus an AM/FM tuner and an iPod dock. A T-Class system has a 5.1 Direct/Reflecting or Virtually Invisible speaker set.

Comments

blog comments powered by Disqus