DFW Tech Blog

John Donahoe, the incoming chief executive at eBay, talked to the NY TImes about some interesting plans for improving his company. One of his main priorities will be improving the site's lackluster search function, which makes it very hard to find the needle you seek amongst the larger haystack.

But Mr. Donahoe hopes to go way beyond simply finding products easily. Using all the information the site has about regular buyers and sellers, he wants the search to return the best products, from the best sellers, for that particular customer.

“On eBay we have data about what people actually purchased and bought. As we begin to capture and use that data, we believe we can provide the most relevant search experience that takes that inventory we have and delivers it to a buyer so they have good choice.”

For example, he said, “sellers that provide reasonable and fast shipping, even free shipping, will rise to the top.”

I'm not a frequent eBay user, so I'm not sure how the company's core customers would react to such a change, but it sounds attractive to me. The current system never gives me any confidence that I'm actually getting the best product at the best price, and I'd welcome anything that changed that.

Amazon has a nice sale going on right now on a decent selection of Blu-ray movies:

Panasonic displays it's 150 inch HD plasma, which it says it is the world's largest, at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show. (AFP/Getty Images)

I'm surprised there's still this much fat left to trim off flat panel prices, but market research firm Pacific Media Associates predicts that the average price of a flat panel HD television will drop almost 16 percent this year.

That's on top of a 14.7 percent drop in prices in 2007.

But despite the big discounts, the growth rate for sales of these flat TVs is expected to cool.

Overall, 113 million flat panel television and business displays are expected to sell worldwide this year, up 41 percent from the roughly 80 million units sold in 2007.

But if that prediction comes true, it would represent a big drop from the 86 percent rise in unit sales in 2007 compared to 2006, and the 89 percent rise in 2006 compared to 2005.

Falling prices coupled with slower growth sounds like bad news for the television industry, but what do I know?

At least there should be plenty of bargains out there for consumers. Although I'm guessing that 150-incher won't fall into the "bargain" category.

HackingNetflix.com brings word that Dallas-based Blockbuster has significantly raised the prices of its online and in-store movie rental service.

The biggest jump is for subscribers to the three DVDs-at-a-time plan, who are seeing their monthly bill zoom from $24.99 to $34.99, but no one escapes unscathed.

Netflix, on the other hand, charges $16.99 a month for their three DVDs-at-a-time plan.

Granted, the Netflix plan doesn't include in-store drop off or pickup, since Netflix doesn't have any stores. But it's hard to see how Blockbuster can justify charging an additional $18 a month for that privilege.

I expect a lot of canceled Blockbuster accounts.

Just received in my e-mail today (links below):

Here's a link to the $549 Vostro laptop, a link to the $349 Vostro desktop, the $399 PowerEdge server, and the $199 laser printer.

All deals expire at midnight tonight (Thursday, December 13).

Amazon.com has started sending out weekly updates on the best-selling electronics items on its site, as well as a list of the gadgets whose sales rankings have increased the most over the last 24 hours.

This week's list is below, but a word of caution: The prices below are the official prices Amazon sent me, but when I clicked on the links, some of the prices had changed. Amazon is probably adjusting prices constantly right now for the holiday season, so just remember that your mileage may vary.

Top Sellers as of November 28, 2007

1. Kindle: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device $399.00

2. Garmin nüvi 660 Pocket Vehicle GPS Navigator - North America $493.16

3. Apple 4 GB iPod nano AAC/MP3 Player Silver (3rd Generation) $148.76

4. Canon PowerShot A570IS 7.1MP Digital Camera $157.94

5. Apple 8 GB iPod nano AAC/MP3 Player Black (3rd Generation) $189.99

*******************

Top Movers & Shakers as of November 28, 2007

1. Creative Live! Cam with Voice $14.99 - Sales Rank in Electronics: 121 (was 1,277)

2. Canon Pixma MP960 Photo All-In-One Inkjet Printer $274.99 - Sales Rank in Electronics: 184 (was 1,474)

3. Zune 80 GB Digital Media Player Black (2nd Generation) $248.99 - Sales Rank in Electronics: 52 (was 137)

4. Logitech V220 Cordless Optical Mouse $19.99 - Sales Rank in Electronics: 375 (was 912)

5. Samsung LNT4661F 46" 1080p LCD HDTV $1,644.99 - Sales Rank in Electronics: 78 (was 182)

If your holiday bonus is looking exceptionally generous this year, you might want to take a gander at the proposed "Ultimate HD Package" on Amazon.com right now.

It's a decent roundup, but I think diligent shoppers should be able to chop about 1,000 bucks off the total $11,000 price tag.

I took a few minutes out of my turkey gorging yesterday to discuss cool gizmos and video games for the holiday season. I think I embarrassed myself only a couple of times.

Toshiba is apparently willing to basically give HD-DVD players away this holiday season in order to defeat the rival Blu-ray format.

Case in point: Amazon has a new offer where, if you buy the $197 HD-A3 1080i player, you get 10 free HD-DVD movies.

Two of the movies -- 300 and The Bourne Identity -- are packed with the player, but you get to pick the rest. And it's a solid selection to choose from, including hits like Knocked Up, The Departed, Happy Feet, Goodfellas and Hot Fuzz.

Given that these movies average about $20 apiece, you're practically making money here.

You also get the 10 free movies if you opt to buy the more expensive 1080p Toshiba players, the HD-A30 and the HD-A35.

If you're out shopping for a high-def television this holiday season, you'll need to know what your budget will get you.

Consumer Reports to the rescue.

The magazine has drafted a quick outline of what size and resolution you can expect to get for different budget levels.

Here are some of the findings:

$1,000 or Less: Consumers will find mostly 32-inch and 37-inch LCD’s with 720p resolution. These sets are perfect for bedrooms, or offices, but are a bit small for the main TV in a typical living room environment. Some of CR’s Quick Picks for excellent picture quality include the Panasonic TC-32LX700, $950, the Samsung LN-T3242H, $900, and the Toshiba Regza 32HL67, $900.

$1,000 to $1,500: The options grow significantly in this price bracket. A major-brand 720p LCD set with a 40- or 42-inch screen is a fine choice for most homes. According to CR, the 40-inch Sony Bravia KDL-40S3000, $1,500, and the 42-inch Toshiba Regza 42HL67, $1,150, a CR Best Buy, both offer excellent picture quality, for their price.

If you're planning to spend more than that, head on over to ConsumerReports.org to read the full outline.

But, as the group noted in a different report, most consumers this holiday season are looking to spend about $1,300 on a flat-panel TV, so those two price ranges are going to be the sweet spot for a lot of people.

Plano-based Electronic Data Systems passes along eight ways to keep your identity and credit cards safe while shopping on the Internet for eggnog and fruitcake this holiday season.

Most of these are basic, common-sense tips.

But a little more common sense never hurt anyone.

1. Know the online merchant.
2. Ensure you are shopping at a secure Web site.
3. Review privacy and security policies for the companies you do business with online.
4. Be proactive in protecting your security.
5. Do not use personal information for passwords.
6. Monitor online activity regularly.
7. Be aware that international security and privacy standards may be different.
8. Beware of "phishing" e-mails that appear to be from trusted merchants.

Some sobering statistics on online fraud and in-depth explanations of each tip are available at EDS's site.

HP's 1080p 42-inch LCD for $996.99 at Best Buy is one of the recommended Black Friday deals (SOURCE: BestBuy.com)

Figuring out which electronics stores have good Black Friday deals and which aren't worth wasting your time on can be a chore.

Thankfully, the tech bloggers at Gizmodo have done your homework for you, researching all the published Black Friday ads and comparing them to the best available deals online and in other retailers.

So you can check out a list of which Black Friday deals really are worth pursuing and fighting over with your fellow shoppers on Friday, and which you should ignore.

The categories include large HDTVs, medium HDTVs, GPS systems, laptops, PCs, cameras and camcorders, home theater gear and miscellaneous goodies.

There's also a handy list of general Black Friday shopping tips.

If you're planning to brave the retail madness in a few days, this is a must-read.

You've been counting down the weeks and days, and finally the moment is here: our holiday gift guide!

Andrew, Jim and I will also be hosting an online chat at noon today to talk about the guide and any other gadget questions.

The best part about the guide is that we didn't go nuts and suggest $4,000 plasma televisions. Prices here run from a max of $300 (Toshiba HD-A3 HD-DVD player) to a mere $6.43 (six-foot HDMI cable).

And speaking of that HDMI cable, I was leafing through my weekly Fry's flyer this morning, and noticed an ad for a 10-foot HDMI cable for a rock-bottom $5.77.

The product number listed with the ad is 5406989, but I couldn't find that product on the Fry's site. Looks like the cheapest HDMI cable on Frys.com is $16.99.

So it looks like this is an in-store deal only.

Online shopping will be more popular than ever this holiday season, according to a new consumer survey by market research firm Vizu.

Among the highlights of the report:

*33 percent of those polled said they plan to do more online shopping this holiday season, while just 21 percent said they plan to do more of their holiday shopping in traditional stores.

*The two most popular reasons for shopping online: lower prices (cited by 48.5 percent) and avoiding the hassles of malls and stores (45.5 percent).

But a lot of people are still reluctant to entrust their holiday purchases to Internet retailers for reasons ranging from expensive shipping costs to fear of their order getting messed up.

*73.3 percent said they would shop more online if shipping costs were lower.

*Half of those who have shopped online said they've had at least one serious problem in the past when trying to make an online purchase (product didn't show up, etc.).

Colorful charts and graphs from Vizu after the jump.

Curious what sorts of deals you'll be able to find on gadgets on Black Friday, the post-Thanksgiving shopping blitz?

BlackFriday.info got its hands on the Black Friday flyers for both Best Buy and Circuit City ahead of their actual publication, so you can go ahead and check out the discounts right now.

A quick look suggests you won't find any stunning discounts, and in fact you can probably beat a lot of these prices right now at various online retailers like NewEgg.com and Amazon.

But there are some intriguing offers.

Best Buy, for example, will be offering a 42-inch Panasonic plasma television for $899.

Happy hunting!

I don't think Woot.com qualifies anymore as one of the best kept secrets of online shopping.

The Carrollton company took top honors in the annual ranking released this week of the fastest growing private firms in the Dallas area.

I guess those discounted Zunes were hotter than I thought.

After the jump, the official release and the full list of this year's winners.

Not content with a $198 player, the HD-DVD camp is apparently opting for a total price war with the Blu-ray folks.

Which is good news for consumers.

So if you're looking for an entry-level HD-DVD player, head over to the Wal-Mart site, enter your zip code for a local store that's participating in the sale, and have fun.

Via Engadget.

I mentioned last week that Alienware has started a program where you can send the company your old gadgets in exchange for credit towards the purchase of a new Alienware PC or other product.

Looks like discount retailer Costco has a similar program, although they'll give you a Costco Cash Card -- an in-store debit card -- loaded with the cash value of your exchanges, rather than credit toward a new PC.

Again, you're not going to get a ton of money here (a PS2 with 25+ games is worth $41?), but it's a convenient way to dispose of old gizmos that would otherwise be decomposing in the back of your closet.

Sony 32-inch Bravia LCD (SOURCE: Sony)

According to a new J.D. Power survey, Sony's line of LCD televisions got the highest marks from consumers:

The Sony LCD series ranks highest in customer satisfaction with flat-panel televisions, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Flat Panel Television Usage and Satisfaction Study released today.

The inaugural study measures customer satisfaction with liquid crystal display (LCD) flat-panel televisions measuring between 20 and 36 inches by examining four key factors that drive satisfaction (listed in order of importance): picture and sound performance; ease of operation; features; and appearance and styling. The Flat Panel Television Usage and Satisfaction Study is a complementary study to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Large Screen HDTV Usage and Satisfaction Study released earlier this month.

The Sony LCD series earns an overall satisfaction score of 792 on a 1,000 point scale and performs particularly well in the picture and sound performance and features factors. The Samsung LCD series and LG LCD series follow in the rankings, achieving scores of 786 and 776, respectively. The Samsung LCD series performs particularly well in ease of operation and appearance and styling.

Pretty cool.

From an e-mail Amazon sent me today:

As an Amazon Prime member who recently shipped an order to the Dallas/Fort Worth area, you might be interested in a new service that we've recently expanded--same-day delivery through Local Express Delivery. Thousands of items are available. Just order before 9:45 a.m. central to ship to a qualifying address, choose Local Express Delivery, and your package will be delivered by 8:00 p.m. that evening.

Looks like a decent selection of items are eligible.

(SOURCE: Alienware)

High-end computer maker Alienware has launched a new trade-in program for shoppers who lust after the company's exotic hardware but can't quite justify spending $5,000 (or more).

The new AlienExchange Trade-In Program essentially allows you to send almost any old gadget (PC, MP3 player, video game console, PDA, whatever) to Alienware as a credit towards a new Alienware PC or other product.

Just go to the AlienExchange site, enter in the details of your aging gizmos, and Alienware will give you a trade-in quote. If you decide to follow through, you can print out a free shipping label for bundling all your goods off to the company.

If you're looking to trade in an old Alienware computer, the company will give you an extra $200 credit on top of the actual value of the machine.

Granted, you're not going to get tremendous deals here (a PlayStation 2 in excellent condition with two controllers only fetches $23?), but if you have a closet full of old but still functional gadgets, don't want to bother with posting everything on eBay, and are in the market for a sexy new PC, this is a nifty service.

Market research firm iSuppli sent out an interesting e-mail today on price trends for removable Flash memory devices.

These are devices such as memory cards for digital cameras, as well as USB thumbdrives and the like.

Some of the main findings:

*Wal-Mart sold more Flash storage devices in the second quarter than any other retailer (about 20 percent), and the average memory size was one gigabyte. Best Buy was second with an 18 percent share, while Circuit City was third with seven percent.

*Despite its low-price mantra, Wal-Mart does not have the best prices for Flash memory. Online-only retailers such as Amazon.com and Buy.com have lower prices, while even brick-and-mortar retailers such as OfficeMax, Office Depot and MicroCenter have good deals available.

*The traditional retailer with the lowest average price on Flash devices is the old nerd standby: Fry's Electronics.

*Demand for these memory devices is booming, with shipments in the U.S. predicted to more than double from 118 million in 2007 to 243 million by 2011.

Everyone's favorite local online retailer, Woot, put a bunch of Zune music players up for sale today.

That's not news.

The news is that the $129 price tag was 20 bucks slimmer than it was when Woot sold the same product a month ago.

Seeking to head off an international incident, Woot posted an open letter on its site today declaring that anyone who purchased the more expensive Zune is entitled to a $10 coupon good toward any future Woot purchase.

But Woot's letter is worth a read even if you wouldn't let a Zune get within 100 miles of your precious iPod.

It's quite funny. I pasted the letter after the jump in order to preserve it for posterity.

Jim interrupted his musings on Apple last week to plug a local company called Woot, which gives Internet shoppers a great deal on one -- and only one -- item per day. Jim thinks Woot is awesome and the folks at Yahoo apparently agree. They just put a Woot-powered "Deal of the Day" on Yahoo's main shopping page.

This is good news for Woot, but perhaps bad news for Woot users like Jim. Won't each day's item sell out a lot faster now that they show up on one of the world's largest shopping sites?

Yeah, the headline pretty much says it all. Mail-in rebates are one of the worst injustices ever perpetrated on technology shoppers.