MP3 players, c ameras, But, typically consumers will who has written a book on Xbox.
look for wide-screen notebooks The Xbox 360 will appeal to
with 80GB of storage, a minimum older teens and young adults with
of 512MB of RAM and a DVD- money, but not younger kids as
plasma TVs top RW optical drive, which will be not many titles are available for
available for around US$1,000 or them, Kovsky said.
more, Bhavnani said. The most anticipated Xbox
holiday gift lists Consumers also have pricey 360 titles are Microsoft’s “Perfect
plasma TVs high on their wish Dark Zero,” Tecmo Inc.’s “Dead
list, according to the CEA survey. or Alive 4” and Electronics Arts
Plasma TVs are expensive to Inc.’s “Madden NFL 06,” accord-give as gifts, so consumers might ing to a study by IGN Entertain-
BY AGAM SHAH portable video players might not are already offering a 5 megapixel treat themselves to them, said ment Inc.
attract consumers this holiday digital camera bundled with a Steve Kovsky, senior analyst at Consumers also expressed a
North American shoppers are shopping season because the photo printer for US$249, he said. Current Analysis. keen interest in acquiring DVD
expected to take advantage of technology is in its infancy and Camera phones account for “People on the higher end who recorders and home theater
lower prices and scoop up the as a result is pricey. “Stuff that’s more than half of the cell phones have money to spend will opt for speakers or systems, according
latest MP3 players, LCD (liquid US$400 to US$500 that shows sold worldwide today, but they plasma [TVs]” while the budget- to the survey. Gifts received by
crystal display) and plasma TVs, aren’t as powerful conscious may opt for 20-inch to people could include cordless
digital cameras and notebook and are better 32-inch LCD TVs, he said. Users phones, home DVD players,
computers as retailers enter the suited for situ- need to know how to differentiate portable headset CDs, game
holiday season, which lasts until ational snapshots, plasma TVs and LCD TVs while peripherals, DVD recorders or
early January’s sales. so camera phones shopping. “Nine out of 10 don’t cell phones, according to the
Shoppers are expected to spend won’t overshadow know if they are looking at a survey. 059231
US$17.1 billion on consumer digital still camera plasma or LCD,” as they look
electronics this holiday season, sales this holiday alike, Kovsky said.
according to a study conducted season, Lee said. Plasma TVs are ready for
by the Consumer Electronics As digital camera prime time as most manu-Association (CEA). Portable MP3 sales increase, facturers have addressed
players lead the list of hot-ticket the demand for the longevity issues and
items, with 28 per cent of 1,000 analogue cameras problems relating to burn-in
people surveyed by CEA inter- will continue to of images on plasma display
ested in acquiring one, an eight fall, he said. panels, Kovsky said. LG
per cent increase from the same Digital SLR Electronics Inc. earlier this
survey conducted by CEA last (single-lens reflex) year incorporated technol-year. Plasma TVs came in second cameras in the ogy in PDPs that doubled its
on wish lists, followed by digital US$800 price viewing life from 30,000 to
cameras and notebook PCs. range, like Nikon 60,000 hours, according to
Apple Computer Inc.’s iPod Corp.’s D50 and the company.
will dominate the portable MP3 Canon Inc.’s Rebel Plasma TVs supporting
player segment, said Sam Bhav- models, may the 720p HDTV (
high-defi-nani, principal analyst at Current attract photog- nition TV) resolution will
Analysis Inc. “The [iPod] Nano is raphers, though be priced between US$1,999
going to lead the charge. It’s one won’t sell in to US$3,999, compared to
of the sleekest models out there.” volume, Lee said. 42-inch lower-resolution
At US$199, iPod Nano’s 2GB Wireless cameras plasma TVs that sold for
version fits in the price threshold with proprietary US$2,000 to US$3,500 last
that consumers may set for MP3 systems to wire- holiday season, Kovsky said.
players, Bhavnani said. lessly transfer TVs supporting the 720p HD
Creative Technology Ltd.’s Zen Gamers were in their glory with the launch of Xbox 360 last month. and print pictures specification display images
MP3 players will be an alterna- could lie low at a resolution of 1280 pixels
tive to the iPod for some buyers, video still hasn’t proven itself,” this year as companies work on by 720 pixels.
Bhavnani said. Meanwhile, Bhavnani said. But at US$299 developing a standard, Lee said. Prices of 20-inch to
Sony Corp. is missing the North iPod Video is more affordable and 32-inch LCD TVs have fallen
because it is a music player with PC SURGE? by as much as US$2,000
“Consumers video capabilities that makes it While shoppers aren’t expected from last year, reaching a
more appealing, Bhavnani said. to rush to stores for expensive budget-friendly price for
will look for wide- cameras, notebook PCs are drop- those who want a flat-screen
SHARP IMAGE ping in price, with vendors like TV at home, Kovsky said.
screen notebooks Those interested in images will be HP offering laptops for less than LCD TVs will be priced from
attracted again to digital cameras US$500, and others expected to US$389 to US$1,499 for
with 80GB...(and) a with eye-catching designs, higher break the US$400 mark, Bhavna- 20-inch to 23-inch models
resolutions, bigger LCD screens ni said. Using low-end Advanced and US$999 to US$3,999 for
minimum of 512MB and more affordable prices com- Micro Devices Inc.’s Sempron or 30-inch to 32-inch models,
pared to last year, said Ed Lee, Intel Corp.’s Celeron processors, with prices dropping up to
of RAM...” director of research at Info Trends such low-priced laptops have US$799 as the holiday season — Bhavnani Research Group Inc. limited memory and storage, so progresses, Kovsky said.
Basic users may opt for 4 won’t appeal to all buyers, but The release of Microsoft
American digital audio boat as megapixel cameras in the US$100 there will be a market for them, Corp.’s next-generation
its new A-series Walkmans are to US$200 price range, a US$100 Bhavnani said. Xbox 360 gaming console
available only in Japan, he said. fall from last year’s holiday season “During holidays, people are could trigger some interest
IPod Video could be the excep- price range, Lee said. Canon Inc. always looking to spend less in high-definition and
tion to Bhavnani’s sense that and Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) money,” Bhavnani said. big-screen TVs, said Kovsky,
