I'm sure you know at least one person that's bought a flat screen TV within the last 10 days or so. Two of my friends have and there are others like myself waiting for prices to come down a bit before buying one. Make no mistake about it though, I will buy one. There's no consensus on which TV is best although people seem to be choosing a Japanese brand or one that at least sounds Japanese. A new announcement yesterday linking a TV manufacturer and Internet giant is guaranteed to whet your appetite if you too are fueled by flatness...
Matsushita Electric Industrial will start selling Internet-connected TVs in the U.S. that can access Google's YouTube. This marks the first partnership between Japanese electronics and the world's leading search engine. And there's more matrimonial news. Sharp and Sony have joined forces, enabling flat-panel TV consumers to download news and other information directly onto their TVs. That announcement was also made this week. It's plain to see that TV and the Internet is about to become one big happy entertainment family for the benefit of both industries...
If you're torn between LCD or plasma, here's a clue for you: LCD leads plasma in sales. According to Toshiba, LCD TVs account for a whopping 84% of the flat panel market. "Plasma growth is stagnant," says Scott Ramirez, VP of Toshiba's TV market unit. Ramirez adds, "LCD outsells plasma at higher prices." Manufacturers are considering selling new plasma TVs in Japan or Europe if there is more of a demand for it than in the U.S...
TV manufacturers are already selling modules to existing TV sets to enable viewers to link up with the Internet. Both Sony and Sharp did so early this week to allow the viewing of Internet based content including prime time shows and other Internet features like traffic.com. Look for more nuptial news to surface as the Internet and TV look for marital bliss hand-in-hand...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1675] Something smells fishy: The first corporation in the U.S. is the New York Fishing Company. Rudy Giuliani discovers corruption and closes it down...
- 1952] Premiered on this date: Marie Wilson comes to TV as "My Friend Irma." The show has a brief two-year run after a more successful radio career. Here's a clip of one of the radio shows and the movie starring Martin and Lewis: http://youtube.com/watch?v=qFpsPKOnmcE&feature=related ...
- 1958] Chess King: 14-year old Brooklynite Bobby Fisher wins his first U.S. Chess championship...
- 1964] War is declared: President Lyndon Baines Johnson declares a 'War on poverty'...
- 1976] 'Happy Trails': Chinese premier Chou En-Lai dies of bladder cancer at 77...1996] Former French president Francois Mitterand is a victim of prostate cancer at 79...
- 1982] Ring my bell: American Telephone & Telegraph settles the Justice Department's antitrust lawsuit against it by agreeing to divest itself of the 22 Bell System companies. They were broken into 'baby' Bell's..
- 1994] Guilty as charged: Tonya Harding wins the Lady's U.S. Figure Skating Championship in Detroit but is stripped of the title for involvement in the Nancy Kerrigan knee bashing...1998] Ramzi Yousef is sentenced to life without parole for his role in masterminding the first WTC bombing in New York. Yousef is now making license plates in a Colorado maximum security prison...
- 2002] No Child Left Behind: George W. Bush signs into law the controversial NCLB Act...
- 2006] No more Delays: Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas, facing corruption charges, steps down as House majority leader...
- 2007] It's just New Jersey: An unknown stench covers Manhattan and Jersey City (NJ) resulting in the evacuation of several high-rise buildings and the temporary shutdown of PATH train service through the Hudson River...
Music Memories:
- 1935] All Elvis, all the time: Elvis is born in Tupelo (MS) making 'The King' 73...1957] Elvis celebrates his 22nd birthday by taking an Army pre-induction physical...1973] Priscilla says 'Happy Birthday Elvis' and Elvis replies 'Thank you Darlin. By the way, I'm filin' for divorce'...1993] An Elvis commemorative stamp is issued by the U.S. Postal Service. It's a likeness of the 50s, slim, King...
- 1966] Number One on this date: "Rubber Soul" LP - Beatles...1966] "We Can Work It Out" - Beatles, straight off the record: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xR3bqXR_x5A&feature=related ...
- 1966] Curtains: After a two-year run, "Shindig!" bows out with The Who, seen from an earlier appearance: http://youtube.com/watch?v=H2i_es7DDes , The Kinks (from an earlier appearance): http://youtube.com/watch?v=F4DV-5d6a5g and Dick and Dee Dee from the last show: http://youtube.com/watch?v=5ZZZEUqBzEA ...
Commentary:
The Baseball Hall of Fame announces the names of those elected today and while Goose Gossage is getting big play in the New York media, Jim Rice should be elected, even Gossage agrees. He was one of the most dominant sluggers of his era and Gossage hated facing him. If I had a vote, I'd vote for both. The NFL Player of the Year is also announced today and Tom Brady is expected to win that award, deservedly so. He would have been the unanimous MVP of the year if it weren't for one hometown vote for Bret Favre. Hey, Favre had a very good year but he didn't have a great year like Brady did. Favoritism should have no part in any voting process...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Mike Reno (Loverboy) (53), David Bowie (61), Terry Sylvester (Hollies) (61), Yvette Mimieux (66), Stephen Hawking (66), (Little) Anthony Gourdine (68), Bob Eubanks (71), Shirley Bassey (71), Charles Osgood (75), Sander Vanocur (80), Soupy Sales (82) and Larry Storch (85)...
Timeline Countdown: 4 days until the NFL Divisional Playoffs, 12 days until the Conference championships, 16 down and 3 to go for the Patriots, 26 days until the Super Bowl and 37 days until pitchers and catchers voluntarily report...
