Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

Chromecast at year 1: Why it's more than just an impulse buy (Q&A)

The Chromecast wasn't the first wireless streaming-media dongle to come along -- Roku had one long before -- but the $35 price and the initial offer of three months of free Netflix sparked a flurry of interest. The Netflix promotion sold out in four hours on Amazon and 24 hours on Google Play, and the Chromecast itself was out of stock online within two days. Even now, the Chromecast remains on top of Amazon's electronics best-seller list.

While Chromecast's runaway sales leave no doubt about its popularity in stores, some suggest that it may not translate to popularity in the living room. A study by market researcher Parks Associates last month found Chromecast usage appeared to be slipping.

From the article "Chromecast at year 1: Why it's more than just an impulse buy (Q&A)" by Joan E. Solsman.

Previously In The News

Study: Consumers Don't Know What AdChoices Privacy Icon Is

Research from Parks Associates comparing consumer awareness in 2011 to 2013 of the Digital Ad Alliance's AdChoices icon -- the little blue triangle seen primarily in targeted display advertising --...

Apple’s Siri: Loved, But Underused

Parks Associates, a research firm, has released the results from its Apple iPhone Siri Users study, which finds that Siri is primarily used to make phone calls and send text messages. The report fo...

Roku Tees Up $12M Holiday Campaign to Compete With Apple TV, Xbox One

Roku need not look far to see the danger. TiVo once had the best brand and best technology in the space, but was reduced to also-ran status by a glut of good-enough DVRs distributed by cable and sa...

Cable, Wireless Players Try to Snare Piece of $4.2B Connected-Home Business

As one of the segment's most-established players, ADT is taking on fresh competition from players like AT&T and Comcast. "Broadband was a growth engine [for cable and telecom companies] for a long...