While Americans have always enjoyed television, high definition (HD) TVs are opening a new chapter in that historic love affair. Not since color TV was introduced more than 50 years ago has a new TV technology been so rapidly adopted. And despite the recession, Americans seem willing to continue to spend their hard-earned money on this new technology.
As of February 2009, slightly more than one-third of American TV homes had at least one HDTV, a marked increase from November 2008, when 29.2 percent of homes had one, and …

Old-fashioned paper coupons have enjoyed a resurgence of interest in these difficult economic times, with manufacturer coupon redemption surging nearly 10 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to Nielsen.  More than one-third of dollar sales at food, drug and mass merchandiser stores – or $133 billion not including coupons – were sold on promotion.
At the same time, technology is having a measurable impact on retail sales.  In a recent U.S. study, Nielsen measured more than 200 digital ad campaigns and found the following:

Average …

From printable online specials to cell phone downloads to 3D-projected in-store promotions. It’s a brave new digital world at retail, where human interaction now serves as a point of differentiation. Technology is changing the rules at retail.

The 2009 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas provided another exciting look into the future of electronics.  Two prevailing themes were that convergence – the long talked-about concept of uniting entertainment and information, and media with Internet – has truly and finally arrived, and that sleekness and multi-function capability is the new industry mantra.
HDTV flat screen televisions dominated, with 3D, Internet-enabled and ultra-thin and flexible screens on display.  New sets with on-screen interactive “widgets” to click to additional information and services were demonstrated by Yahoo!, Intel and Samsung.  Using this …

Sue McDonald, Nielsen Online
Leading up to the Jan. 8 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, buzz from online boards, forums and blogs increased nearly tenfold from post-2008 holiday levels, according to Nielsen Online.
Key products created much of the excitement, including super-thin, bendable TV screens (using organic light-emitting diode, or OLED technology), new digital cameras and camcorders, smarter-than-ever-smartphones such as the Palm Pre, and tinier, more powerful computers, some of which are being called “netbooks.” Also big: the concept of “convergence,” which means that many electronics devices are now interchangeably converging …

Are you consistently obsessed with the newest technological gadgets hitting store shelves? An online study, conducted by internet ad network firm Mindset Media in partnership with Nielsen Online, has found that early adopters of new technology often display personality traits such as strong leadership skills, dynamism and assertiveness….but some traits, such as modesty, appear to be lacking.  
“A lot of previous research points to wealthy young males as early adopters of technology,” said Sarah Welch, lead researcher at Mindset Media.  “But this study tells us that there are characteristics beyond age …

Melissa Davies
In the category of letting the customer tell you what the customer needs, Dell this week launched its new IdeaStorm for Healthcare and Life Sciences, an online community where users can share their best ideas for how technology can help improve the field of healthcare. Visitors to the site can vote on others’ ideas, bringing the best ones to the top for possible action by Dell. The idea list is sortable by most recent ideas, most popular ideas, and “Ideas in Action” that are being implemented as a result …