Comcast’s rollout of advanced, Internet-ready X1 set-top boxes, along with a new cloud-based movie storage service and Weblike program guide, could shave video subscriber losses and boost cable TV revenue, analysts say. More than that, the new set-tops might give Comcast (CMCSA) more strategic options vs. Internet streaming services. Such competition from Intel (INTC), Google (GOOG), Sony (SNE), Apple (AAPL) and others has yet to materialize,
Consumers might be ambivalent about smartwatches, but that’s not stopping a host of consumer electronics makers from bringing products to market in the emerging category. Qualcomm (QCOM) will make its Toq smartwatch available for sale on its website starting Monday for $349.99. It will join Samsung’s Galaxy Gear and Sony ‘s (SNE) SmartWatch 2 on the market, along with devices from startups like Pebble. The Qualcomm Toq (QCOM) (pronounced “talk”) works with Google (GOOG) Android-based smartphones and displays information at a glance, with no on-off switch. It connects to phones via Bluetooth wireless and lets users view text messages, meeting alerts and other information on their wrist, as well as accept or reject incoming calls. The Toq comes preloaded with weather and stock apps from AccuWeather and E-Trade Financial (ETFC). Qualcomm is using the Toq smartwatch mainly as a technology demonstration tool. It hopes to entice other manufacturers to use its technologies, including low-power displays and wireless charging. It refers to the Toq as a “limited edition smartwatch.”
Microsoft’s (MSFT) Xbox One launch matched Sony’s (SNE) PlayStation 4 launch in fast sales and embarrassing problems. The video game consoles debuted in U.S. retail stores just a week apart. Microsoft’s Xbox One console was the latest, with sales beginning Friday. Microsoft (MSFT) reported selling more than 1 million units worldwide in less than 24 hours. A week earlier, Sony (SNE) sold more than 1 million PS4 units in its first 24 hours of availability. Sony launched the PS4 in the U.S. and Canada, while Microsoft launched the Xbox One in 13 countries. A small percentage of Xbox One owners have reported defective disc drives. The problem, which game website Kotaku dubbed the “Disc Drive of Doom,” prevents Xbox One Blu-ray drives from reading optical discs, including games and movies. Sony had its own problem with a small percentage of PS4 consoles. Its issue, called the “Blue Light of Death,” involves consoles failing to start up and showing only a pulsing blue light.