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July 29, 2010 — HomePlug Powerline Alliance
"The TWG made significant progress toward our goal of deploying a truly next-generation HomePlug powerline specification to address future market demands, and that is built on the excellent powerline products readily available and in use" "Powerline networking between modems and set-top boxes is being used today by many broadband service providers to reduce capital expenses and support costs associated with delivering new triple play and IPTV services," said Kurt Scherf, vice president, principal analyst, Parks Associates. "More than 50 operator/service providers have deployed HomePlug AV powerline networking solutions as a means to expand services. These providers require a migration path to a much higher performance powerline technology to meet future bandwidth demands while maintaining interoperability with their current HomePlug AV installations and future IEEE1901 products."

From the press release, "HomePlug Powerline Alliance Announces Revolutionary Advancements for Next-Generation Powerline Networks"

July 28, 2010 — Connected Planet
A new report from Parks Associates, “Trends in 3DTV,” found that about 13% of households are familiar with 3D TV, up from about 10% from the previous quarter. That’s still a pretty lower number given the amount of promotional hype that has been dished out. More significantly, Parks found that up to 48% of these households might be willing to pay for some 3DTV content — specifically movies, as opposed to sporting events. The number of consumers willing to pay is far lower — one-third or less — when TV shows and sporting events constitute the bulk of 3D programming, Parks said.

However, Parks posits that all the hype over recent 3D TV telecasts, such as ESPN’s coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, still has not translated to a big boost in sales of 3D TV sets and that a wider array of available content could help drive the 3D TV evolution.

From the article, "Parks: 3D TV awareness gradually increasing" by Dan O'Shea

July 28, 2010 — MacNewsWorld
"The delay may cost Apple some back-to-school sales and delay the launch of the iPad in some international markets, but by September or October, the problem should go away," Harry Wang, director of mobile and health research at Parks Associates, told MacNewsWorld.

From the article, "The iPad's Growing Pains" by Richard Adhikari

July 26, 2010 — The Commercial Appeal
According to a recent study by Dallas-based market research firm Parks Associates, smartphone users will number more than 1 billion worldwide by 2014. Already in the United States, one in four mobile customers owns a smartphone.

"More than 60 million people in the United States have smartphones now and our research shows that 80 percent of Americans will be using smartphones within the next five years," said Harry Wang, director of health and mobile product research for Parks. "This will lead to an enormous increase in e-commerce as businesses use this technology platform to compete for customers."

From the article, "Banks race to provide smartphone apps" by James Dowd

July 23, 2010 — MediaPost Publications
With Apple's iTunes ranked third in top premium online video service behind Hulu and Netflix across all devices (TV, PC, and game console smartphones), entertainment and news producers have at least made their standard fare available to the Apple faithful, according to Parks Associates.

From the article, "iPad Disconnect Could Prove Costly For Media, Advertisers" by Diane Mermigas

July 22, 2010 — MarketWatch
Parks Associates today announced the new dates and preliminary list of speakers for CONNECTIONS(TM) Europe Summit: Monetizing Connectivity and User Experiences, an executive summit offering insights into business strategies for digital content, value-added services, mobile and connected CE, and advanced video devices and services. The event will take place November 15-16, 2010, at the Moevenpick Hotel in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

"Home network penetration in Western European countries stands at 44% of households, compared with 36% in North America," said Kurt Scherf, VP, principal analyst, Parks Associates. "CONNECTIONS(TM) Europe brings together industry leaders to discuss how the digital home landscape in Europe will evolve."

From the article, "CONNECTIONS(TM) Europe Summit: Monetizing Connectivity and User Experiences Features Insights From Technicolor, ADB, IBM, Cisco, Cable Europe Labs, Deutsche Telekom, and More"

July 22, 2010 — MacNewsWorld
Talk of Apple blessing T-Mobile as the next distributor of the iPhone is being met with a large dollop of skepticism. If Apple were to make such a move, it's unlikely that it would happen in the third quarter, noted Parks Associates' Harry Wang.

Speculation about Apple's plans for ending the agreement that makes AT&T the exclusive carrier for the iPhone in the U.S. is heating up again. The guessing game went into full gear on Wednesday when a post on the Cult of Mac blog quoted a well-placed, albeit anonymous, source within T-Mobile as saying there was an 80 percent chance that Apple would strike an iPhone distribution deal with that carrier by Q3 of this year. Making T-Mobile the second carrier to offer the iPhone would make sense from a technical perspective because T-Mobile's network operates on GSM technology, the same as AT&T, which means Apple would not have to make major modifications to the iPhone for T-Mobile. There are, however, a host reasons why an alliance between the companies doesn't make sense.

"I don't buy it, at least at this moment," Harry Wang, director of mobile products research with Parks Associates, told MacNewsWorld. "T-Mobile has craved the iPhone from the beginning, but Apple has stayed away from them. It's possible that T-Mobile has become more aggressive in courting Apple, as the exclusive contract with AT&T is expected to expire soon, but I don't think anything will happen in the third quarter." It's more likely that Apple will start awarding contracts to other vendors in 2011, and if that happens T-Mobile has a chance of landing the iPhone, though Verizon is probably a better bet to get the first non-exclusive deal, Wang added.

From the article, "Analysts Dash Cold Water on T-Mobile-iPhone Rumors" by Sidney Hill
 

July 21, 2010 — mobihealthnews
At the Healthcare Unbound conference in San Diego this week, Parks Associates Director of Health & Mobile Research Harry Wang presented topline findings from the firm’s recently published report: Uptake of Personal Health Tools & Services. Parks surveyed 1,948 U.S. “Internet heads of household” during the second and third weeks of June 2010.

The most interesting slide from Wang’s presentation gauged the respondents’ interest level in various types of mobile health app-enabled services. Some 30 percent of those surveyed were interested in “an app that alerts you when a loved one needs help or attention.” Sounds like Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) is the frontrunner.

Other apps pitched by Parks include calories burned, fat burn rate, vital sign monitoring, health records access and more.

From the article, "Survey: 24 percent want calorie counter apps" by Brian Dolan

July 20, 2010 — Bloomberg.com
A group including Hollywood studios and technology and cable companies is close to approving technical specifications for an online library where consumers can store and retrieve movies and TV shows. The service, to be called UltraViolet, would let consumers buy and access the material through smartphones, Web-connected televisions, tablet computers, PCs and game consoles...

Companies that license the UltraViolet platform would compete to manage consumers’ online libraries.

The number of Web-enabled devices that will be able to access such content will grow to 780 million units by 2014 from more than 350 million this year, according to Parks Associates, a Dallas-based researcher. 

From the article, "Studios, Tech Companies Move Closer to Universal Content Access" by Cliff Edwards

July 16, 2010 — E-Commerce Times
Gaming software sales were down in June, although hardware saw a boost...

It is unusual for software sales to drop while hardware sales increase, said Pietro Macchiarella, an analyst with Parks Associates. "That discrepancy tells us this is not because of the recession," he told the E-Commerce Times. "Otherwise, they both would be moving in the same direction -- down."

Rather, the drop in software sales is due in large part to other trends in the gaming sector, said Macchiarella. These include a trend toward games that have become more complex and involved, and that take longer to play -- which means consumers are inclined to buy fewer of them. That, coupled with fewer releases, accounts for much of the drop in sales, he said.

Also, the hardware figures might have been goosed by new consoles coming to market. Last month, for example, Microsoft released an updated Xbox with a larger hard drive, Macchiarella noted.

Total industry sales for the year through the end of June reached $6.66 billion -- a 9 percent drop compared with the same six-month period last year, according to NPD. However, the year could close out having posted some $20 billion in sales, the research firm projects -- an assessment with which Macchiarella agrees. "This is a seasonal industry, so I think the second half of the year will definitely see some improvement," he said, adding that new product releases such as PlayStation Move and Microsoft Kinect will attract more sales.

From the article, "Gaming Industry Likely to Pick Up Following Weak June" by Erika Morphy
 

July 12, 2010 — The Buffalo News
In a series of TV ads in 1993, AT&T pitched a vision of a near-future absolutely brimming with live video communication.

From a busy mom tucking her kids in bed from a video phone booth and a barefoot exec participating in a business meeting from the beach to a student quizzing a professor about the history of jazz from across the country, narrator Tom Selleck confidently promised that “You will!” soon be doing all those Jetsonian tricks.

Kurt Scherf, principal analyst with Dallas-based market research firm Parks Associates, said a study done by his firm in March found that 20 percent of households with broadband Internet connections use computer-based webcams on a regular basis.

“That would be a mass-market phenomenon right there,” he said.

Scherf said the new wave of mobile devices—as well as more sophisticated systems such as telepresence—could well boost video communication’s popularity.

Much of that could be generational.

Scherf said teenagers might be quick to adopt mobile video chat.

“Frankly, I think that’s how dating may start,” he said. “Folks are getting together and breaking up over text messages, so maybe video chat is the next phase.”

At the other end of the age spectrum, simple-to-use HD videoconferencing is ideal for adults who want to check on elderly parents who live far away.

“You can physically see the parent,” Scherf said. “You can see the color of their skin. You can ask them if they’re taking their pills and have them hold up the little pill holders.”

From the article, "Video chat gets closer to mainstream" by Victor Godinez
 

July 10, 2010 — Daily News
In a series of TV ads in 1993, AT&T pitched a vision of a near-future absolutely brimming with live video communication.

From a busy mom tucking her kids in bed from a video phone booth to a student quizzing a professor about the history of jazz from across the country, narrator Tom Selleck confidently promised that "You will!" soon be doing all those Jetsonian tricks.

Kurt Scherf, principal analyst with market research firm Parks Associates, said a study done by his firm in March found that 20 percent of households with broadband Internet connections use computer-based webcams on a regular basis.

From the article, "Video use on phones still trails forecasts" by Victor Godinez


July 9, 2010 — Toys and Gadget
The leader manufacturer of hard drives and storage solutions, Seagate, announced the first three Terabyte external desktop drive in the world.

“As the definition quality of digital cameras increases, playback devices such as digital photo frames and MP3 players proliferate and the use of the Internet for downloading music and video continues to grow, more files accumulate in the home,” said Kurt Scherf, vice president and principle analyst of Parks Associates. “Consumers who are active in digital media creation and consumption will witness their digital media storage needs grow nine-fold by 2014, driving the demand for higher capacity, easy-to-use storage solutions.”

From the blog, "The First 3 Terabyte External Desktop Drive in the World by Seagate"
 

July 8, 2010 — MacNewsWorld
YouTube's decision to make its mobile Web site compatible with HTML5 may one day be viewed as a turning point in what is shaping up as an epic battle for control of the mobile device landscape.

"There is a real battle between Apple and Google, not around devices, but around software and the ecosystem surrounding it," Harry Wang, research director of mobile devices with Parks Associates, told TechNewsWorld. "With this new site, YouTube is sending a message to developers that instead of working on multiple applications for different operating environments, it makes more sense to create browser-accessible applications with a more Web-like experience and richer features."

From the article, "Google May Steer Devs Web-Ward With Mobile YouTube Refresh" by Sidney Hill

July 8, 2010 — TechNewsWorld
YouTube's decision to make its mobile Web site compatible with HTML5 may one day be viewed as a turning point in what is shaping up as an epic battle for control of the mobile device landscape.

"There is a real battle between Apple and Google, not around devices, but around software and the ecosystem surrounding it," Harry Wang, research director of mobile devices with Parks Associates, told TechNewsWorld. "With this new site, YouTube is sending a message to developers that instead of working on multiple applications for different operating environments, it makes more sense to create browser-accessible applications with a more Web-like experience and richer features."

From the article, "Google May Steer Devs Web-Ward With Mobile YouTube Refresh" by Sidney Hill

July 8, 2010 — Yahoo! Finance
International research firm Parks Associates forecasts consumer demand for ubiquitous wireless access will make mobile broadband a common feature in portable CE, with 55% of the more than 100 million mobile Internet devices (MIDs) sold worldwide in 2014 containing embedded mobile 3G or faster connectivity.

The firm's new report Mobile Internet Devices: Uptake and Trends finds the majority of consumers consider wireless connectivity a necessity for devices such as e-readers, iPads, and portable game players. As a result, OEMs will incorporate mobile broadband into more devices, and to drive end-user adoption further, they could start to forge partnerships with mobile operators to develop innovative pricing models for mobile data services.

"The marriage of mobility and the Internet is creating excellent market opportunities," said Harry Wang, director, mobile research, Parks Associates. "Connected PMPs, e-book readers, and Internet tablets account for the majority of sales through 2014. These devices fit perfectly with the growing demand for mobility among today's consumers."

Mobile broadband won't replace Wi-Fi completely, however. "Wi-Fi's advantages as a low-cost, traffic-offloading solution for mobile carriers are well established," Wang said. "Its use on MIDs in homes and at hotspots will increase in the next few years until mobile carriers fully migrate to their next-generation LTE network."

From the article, "Parks Associates Forecasts Over 50% of Mobile Internet Devices Sold in 2014 Will Have Embedded Mobile Broadband"
 

July 8, 2010 — Hardware Zone
A recent report by Parks Associates indicates the average consumer household will see its digital media storage needs grow to nearly 900GB by year-end 2014, driven in large part by video downloads, managed copies of Blu-ray Disc, and increasing use of DVR recording capabilities. The GoFlex Desk external drive delivers unconstrained, high-capacity storage and automatic, continuous backup with software file encryption to help keep all data safe and secure. The standard USB 2.0 interface can be upgraded to USB 3.0 or FireWire 800 by coupling the drive with the appropriate GoFlex desktop adapter to increase file transfer performance by up to 10x for easier copying or sharing of files.

“As the definition quality of digital cameras increases, playback devices such as digital photo frames and MP3 players proliferate and the use of the Internet for downloading music and video continues to grow, more files accumulate in the home,” said Kurt Scherf, vice president and principle analyst of Parks Associates. “Consumers who are active in digital media creation and consumption will witness their digital media storage needs grow nine-fold by 2014, driving the demand for higher capacity, easy-to-use storage solutions.”

From the article, "Seagate Breaks Capacity Ceiling with World's First 3TB External Desktop Drive"

July 7, 2010 — Charlotte Observer
In a series of TV ads in 1993, AT&T pitched a vision of a near-future absolutely brimming with live video communication.

From a busy mom tucking her kids in bed from a video phone booth to a student quizzing a professor about the history of jazz from across the country, narrator Tom Selleck confidently promised that "You will!" soon be doing all those Jetsonian tricks.

Kurt Scherf, principal analyst with market research firm Parks Associates, said a study done by his firm in March found that 20 percent of households with broadband Internet connections use computer-based webcams on a regular basis.

“That would be a mass-market phenomenon right there,” he said.

Scherf said the new wave of mobile devices—as well as more sophisticated systems such as telepresence—could well boost video communication’s popularity.

Much of that could be generational.

Scherf said teenagers might be quick to adopt mobile video chat.

“Frankly, I think that’s how dating may start,” he said. “Folks are getting together and breaking up over text messages, so maybe video chat is the next phase.”

At the other end of the age spectrum, simple-to-use HD videoconferencing is ideal for adults who want to check on elderly parents who live far away.

“You can physically see the parent,” Scherf said. “You can see the color of their skin. You can ask them if they’re taking their pills and have them hold up the little pill holders.”

From the article, "With new video chats, you can definitely hear me now" by Victor Godinez

July 7, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
Paul Gagnon, an analyst with market research and consulting firm DisplaySearch, calculated that based on the NPD figures, about 20,000 of the flat-panel sets were sold by those major retailers.

That's a tiny number compared with the approximately 7 million TV sets overall that were shipped to retailers around that time frame, according to the Consumer Electronics Association trade group.

And a study last month by research firm Parks Associates showed that despite the success of several recent 3-D movies, awareness of the home technology is middling.

"We don't see a large percentage of people going out of their way to go buy a new TV just because of 3-D," said Parks analyst Pietro Macchiarella.

He and other analysts say the slow going was to be expected, especially considering that the only major manufacturers with the 3-D sets available in the period were Samsung and Panasonic. Parks forecasts that sales will shoot upward as more manufacturers send sets to market. In 2014, the firm estimated, 80 percent of TVs sold will be 3-D capable.

But Macchiarella had not expected only 13 percent of the people surveyed to describe themselves as "familiar" with 3-D TV.

"I think it's a little bit of a surprise," he said.

From the article, "Future of 3-D TV remains hazy" by Kristena Hansen
 

July 6, 2010 — Broadband Breakfast.com
A survey conducted by researcher Parks Associates on behalf of the Femto Forum, which represents mobile operators and vendors of wireless systems, also found that femtocell services could reduce churn and improve customer satisfaction. Although the study was commissioned by a group with a vested interest in the success of femtocells, similar sentiments are emerging from Europe. Vodafone, which launched one of the world’s first major commercial femtocell services in the United Kingdom in July 2009, has reported a significant drop in churn and is now deploying the technology in other European countries.

From the article, "Femtocell Technology Gains Mass Appeal for Mobile Broadband" by Philip Hunter

July 6, 2010 — Lansing State Journal
Paul Gagnon, an analyst with DisplaySearch, calculated that based on parent company NPD figures, about 20,000 of the flat-panel sets were sold by those major retailers.

That's a tiny number compared with the some 7 million TVs overall that were shipped to retailers around that time frame, according to the Consumer Electronics Association trade group.

And a recent Parks Associates study showed that despite the success of several recent 3-D movies, awareness of the home technology is middling, even in the tech-savvy 18-to-34 age group.

"We don't see a large percentage of people going out of their way to go buy a new TV just because of 3-D," Parks analyst Pietro Macchiarella said.

Parks forecasts sales will shoot upward as more manufacturers get sets to market. In 2014, the firm estimated, 80 percent of all TVs sold will be 3-D capable.

But Macchiarella had not expected only 13 percent of the people surveyed this quarter to describe themselves as "familiar" with 3-D TV.

"I think it's a little bit of a surprise," Macchiarella said.

From the article, "Sales showing 3-D TVs not living up to the hype" by Kristena Hansen
 

July 6, 2010 — The Tennessean
Paul Gagnon, an analyst with DisplaySearch, calculated that based on the NPD figures, about 20,000 of the flat-panel sets were sold by those major retailers.

That's a tiny number compared with the approximately 7 million TVs overall that were shipped to retailers around that time frame, according to the Consumer Electronics Association trade group.

And a recent Parks Associates study showed that despite the success of several recent 3-D movies, awareness of the home technology is middling, even in the tech-savvy 18-to-34 age group.

"We don't see a large percentage of people going out of their way to go buy a new TV just because of 3-D," said Parks analyst Pietro Macchiarella.

Parks forecasts that sales will shoot up as more manufacturers get sets to market. In 2014, the firm estimated, 80 percent of all TVs sold will be 3-D capable.

But Macchiarella had not expected only 13 percent of the people surveyed this quarter to describe themselves as "familiar" with 3-D TV.

"I think it's a little bit of a surprise," Macchiarella said.

From the article, "3-D TVs are selling but not in huge numbers" by Kristena Hansen

July 5, 2010 — Louisville Courier Journal
Paul Gagnon, an analyst with DisplaySearch, calculated that based on parent company NPD figures, about 20,000 of the flat-panel sets were sold by those major retailers.

That's a tiny number compared with the some 7 million TVs overall that were shipped to retailers around that time frame, according to the Consumer Electronics Association trade group.

And a recent Parks Associates study showed that despite the success of several recent 3-D movies, awareness of the home technology is middling, even in the tech-savvy 18-to-34 age group.

"We don't see a large percentage of people going out of their way to go buy a new TV just because of 3-D," Parks analyst Pietro Macchiarella said.

Parks forecasts sales will shoot upward as more manufacturers get sets to market. In 2014, the firm estimated, 80 percent of all TVs sold will be 3-D capable.

But Macchiarella had not expected only 13 percent of the people surveyed this quarter to describe themselves as "familiar" with 3-D TV.

"I think it's a little bit of a surprise," Macchiarella said.

From the article, "3-D TV sells- but it's no great craze" by Kristena Hansen
 

July 2, 2010 — High-Def Digest
The research firm says market penetration could be as high as 20 percent by 2014. Most folks don't have a remote control to manage their curtains or a tablet that lets them turn on their music while dimming the lights. That sort of luxury has historically been within the realm of the super rich. According to Parks Associates, it's going to be taking off in a big way over the next few years.

'Back to the Future: The Complete Trilogy' The wait is almost over! Order your copy today! Home controls are incredibly cool, and they're actually not as expensive as one might expect. Parks says that one of the biggest issues is consumer awareness, but thanks to an upcoming push from companies like Best Buy, Radio Shack and Schlage, that issue will be a thing of the past.

The main focus, of course, will be entertainment controls like music and movie servers and the devices to manage them. These can be expanded to do lighting, windows and security, which should inspire more folks to jump on the bandwagon.

As Parks director Bill Ablondi puts it, "Consumers see the value in these areas, which, once established, can serve as the base for expanded control systems in the home."

From the article, "Home Automation is the Next Big Thing According to Parks Associates"


July 1, 2010 — MediaPost Publications
The advanced market should expand to $681 million in 2011 (out of a total $29.6 billion multichannel-provider ad spend that year) and then hit $4 billion in 2014, representing almost 12 percent of the projected multichannel haul for that year, says Heather Way, an analyst with Parks Associates, which surveyed media buyers on their advanced ad spending plans. Parks tracks multichannel video providers because their infrastructure enables advanced ads.

The money projected to flow into advanced ad formats is not new money, Way adds. Advertisers will move some of their traditional TV ad spend to the newer formats. "We are predicting there will be a major shift in advanced TV ads in the next few years, as advertisers want to shift to more targeted TV formats that are relevant and easily targeted," Way says.

From the article, "Behind the Numbers: A Bigger Boat" by Daisy Whitney

July 1, 2010 — Financial Times
External hard drives have traditionally trailed internals ones in their capacities, but Seagate has well and truly flipped that notion by announcing the world’s first 3-terabyte external desktop drive.

The average household will store around 900Gb in digital media by 2014, according to a Parks Associates report, driven by video downloads and increasing use of DVRs.

From the article, "Seagate 3TB Drive is too big for the PC" by Chris Nuttall
 

July 1, 2010 — Research and Markets
CE manufacturers are betting on network connectivity to revitalize their product line and drive new revenue growth. Mobile carriers are searching for new device categories to cross-sell and up-sell mobile data services. Consumers increasingly appreciate the 'anywhere, anytime' experience, said Harry Wang, Director of Health and Mobile Product Research at Parks Associates. The time is right to bring wireless/mobile connectivity to new generation consumer electronics.

From the press release, "Mobile Internet Devices - Analysing the Emerging Market for Mobile Internet Devices, Its Uptake and Trends "
 

July 1, 2010 — Audio Video Revolution
According to the research firm Parks Associates, home control solutions are only in six percent of homes. The number is expected to increase thanks in no small part to home entertainment controls, which are seeing a nice upturn already thanks to simplified installations and less costly prices of entry.

"Consumers see the value in these areas," says Parks Associates director Bill Ablondi, speaking of energy management, entertainment systems and remote home self-monitoring. "Once established," says Ablondi, "[they] can serve as the base for expanded control systems in the home."

From the article, "Home Control Solutions to Reach 20 Percent of Homes by 2014" by Dick Ward

June 30, 2010 — Yahoo! Finance
The home controls market must focus on individual applications, such as entertainment and energy management, to overcome current inhibitors and boost its penetration beyond the present 6% of U.S. households, according to international research firm Parks Associates.

The firm's report Home Systems: Home Controls - Analysis and Forecasts finds low consumer awareness and a shortage of affordable installation services currently hinder widespread adoption. The entry of well-known players, including ADT, Best Buy, Radio Shack, and Schlage, will help grow this market, but players should focus their value proposition on specific, easily understood applications in order to build consumer awareness and lay the foundation for future expansion.

"Three applications will drive adoption of control systems over the next five years: energy management, entertainment systems and content control, and remote home self-monitoring," said Bill Ablondi, director, home systems research, Parks Associates. "Consumers see the value in these areas, which, once established, can serve as the base for expanded control systems in the home."

From the press release, "Parks Associates Forecasts Home Controls to Jump From 6% to Almost 20% of U.S. Households by 2014"
 

June 29, 2010 — Philadelphia Inquirer
Paul Gagnon, an analyst with DisplaySearch, calculated that based on parent company NPD figures, about 20,000 of the flat-panel sets were sold by those major retailers.

That's a tiny number compared with the some 7 million TVs overall that were shipped to retailers around that time frame, according to the Consumer Electronics Association trade group.

And a recent Parks Associates study showed that despite the success of several recent 3-D movies, awareness of the home technology is middling, even in the tech-savvy 18-to-34 age group.

"We don't see a large percentage of people going out of their way to go buy a new TV just because of 3-D," Parks analyst Pietro Macchiarella said.

Parks forecasts sales will shoot upward as more manufacturers get sets to market. In 2014, the firm estimated, 80 percent of all TVs sold will be 3-D capable.

But Macchiarella had not expected only 13 percent of the people surveyed this quarter to describe themselves as "familiar" with 3-D TV.

"I think it's a little bit of a surprise," Macchiarella said.

From the article, "3-D TV sets are selling, but it's no instant craze" by Kristena Hansen

June 29, 2010 — Newsweek
Turning what is essentially cell-phone-bugging software into a business model is not a bad idea, technically speaking. The smart-phone market—largely dominated by the Symbian, Research in Motion, and iPhone operating systems—has 47 million users in the United States and is expected to exceed 1 billion worldwide by 2014, according to Parks Associates, a market-research firm. In most cases, people’s lives are tethered to these handsets. It’s how we e-mail, text, search, and, on occasion, even call someone. And the dependence just continues to grow. Last year consumers paid for and downloaded more than 670 million apps that can turn a phone into everything from a book reader to a compass. Smart-phone users effectively carry a real-time snapshot of what happens in their daily lives. This is what makes the smart phone the perfect way to track someone.

From the article, "Spyware on Your Cell Phone?" by Jessica Ramirez

June 29, 2010 — TechEye
Seagate has officially announced its 3TB FreeAgent GoFlex Desk external hard drive today, nearly two months after it was first rumoured.

This comes just in time, according to Parks Associates analyst Kurt Scherf, who said: “Consumers who are active in digital media creation and consumption will witness their digital media storage needs grow nine-fold by 2014, driving the demand for higher capacity, easy-to-use storage.”

A recent Parks Associates report suggested that the average household will need 900GB of storage by 2014, so we can probably expect more substantial hard drives to surface in the near future.

From the article, "Seagate announces 3TB FreeAgent GoFlex external hard drive" by Dean Wilson

June 29, 2010 — Computer World
The drive comes with a standard USB 2.0 interface offering a 480Mbit/sec data transfer speed, but with a separate GoFlex desktop adapter it can be upgraded to USB 3.0 or FireWire 800 to increase file transfer performance by up to 10 times. USB 3.0 has data transfer rates of up to 4.8Gbit/sec and FireWire 800 supports transfer rates of up to 800Mbit/sec.

"As the definition quality of digital cameras increases, playback devices such as digital photo frames and MP3 players proliferate and the use of the Internet for downloading music and video continues to grow, more files accumulate in the home," Kurt Scherf, principle analyst for market research firm Parks Associates, said in a statement. "Consumers who are active in digital media creation and consumption will witness their digital media storage needs grow nine-fold by 2014, driving the demand for higher capacity, easy-to-use storage solutions."

From the article, "Seagate releases first 3TB external desktop hard drive" by Lucas Mearian

June 29, 2010 — CIO Today
The drive comes with a standard USB 2.0 interface offering a 480Mbit/sec data transfer speed, but with a separate GoFlex desktop adapter it can be upgraded to USB 3.0 or FireWire 800 to increase file transfer performance by up to 10 times. USB 3.0 has data transfer rates of up to 4.8Gbit/sec and FireWire 800 supports transfer rates of up to 800Mbit/sec.

"As the definition quality of digital cameras increases, playback devices such as digital photo frames and MP3 players proliferate and the use of the Internet for downloading music and video continues to grow, more files accumulate in the home," Kurt Scherf, principle analyst for market research firm Parks Associates, said in a statement. "Consumers who are active in digital media creation and consumption will witness their digital media storage needs grow nine-fold by 2014, driving the demand for higher capacity, easy-to-use storage solutions."

From the article, "Seagate releases first 3TB external desktop hard drive" by Lucas Mearian

June 29, 2010 — InformationWeek
Quoting a recent report by Parks Associates, the vendor says digital media storage for the average consumer household will increase nine-fold to nearly 900 GB by the end of 2014. Much of that growth will be due to video downloads and managing copies of Blu-ray high-definition movies.

From the article, "Seagate Launches 3TB External Hard Drive" by Antone Gonsalves
 

June 25, 2010 — Macsimum News
International research firm Parks Associates announced the results of the most comprehensive survey to date of U.S. consumer attitudes to femtocells, conducted on behalf of the Femto Forum.

The survey found that fewer than 10% of consumers were previously familiar with femtocells. However upon exposure to a description of the femtocell and its benefits, 56% of respondents found femtocells appealing—of these, two thirds found the technology either “very” or “extremely” appealing. Additionally, 89% of those respondents who were already familiar with femtocells found them appealing, suggesting that interest will increase as awareness grows.

From the blog, "More US consumers eyeing femtocells" by Dennis Sellers
 

June 25, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
Paul Gagnon, an analyst with DisplaySearch, calculated that based on the NPD figures, about 20,000 of the flat-panel sets were sold by those major retailers.

That's a tiny number compared with the approximately 7 million TV sets overall that were shipped to retailers around that time frame, according to the Consumer Electronics Assn. trade group.

And a Parks Associates study released Thursday showed that despite the success of several recent 3-D movies, awareness of the home technology is middling, even in the tech-savvy 18-to-34 age group.

"We don't see a large percentage of people going out of their way to go buy a new TV just because of 3-D," said Parks analyst Pietro Macchiarella.

He and other analysts say the slow going was to be expected — especially considering that the only major manufacturers with the new generation of 3-D sets available in the period were Samsung and Panasonic. Parks forecasts that sales will shoot upward as more manufacturers get sets to market. In 2014, the firm estimated, 80% of all TVs sold will be 3-D capable.

But Macchiarella had not expected only 13% of the people surveyed this quarter to describe themselves as "familiar" with 3-D TV.

"I think it's a little bit of a surprise," Macchiarella said.

Despite the hype, only a tiny amount of 3-D content has been available for the home screen. That's changing, slowly — currently, World Cup soccer matches can be viewed in 3-D by DirecTV and Comcast cable subscribers.

Macchiarella said the matches could up the awareness of 3-D. "Maybe in the next study we'll get better data," he said.

From the article, "3-D TV sets are selling, but no instant craze" by Kristena Hansen
 

June 25, 2010 — TMC Net
Despite what consumers might say, it isn't clear how strong demand might be for each potential solution. T-Mobile USA, for example, cancelled its 'Hotspot at Home' service, apparently for lack of consumer interest in a service that partly was to improve indoor voice coverage, but also partly a way of stretching the value of voice calling plans. Maybe that isn't such a problem anymore.

Still, more than half of U.S. broadband households with mobile phones are interested in femtocell benefits, and are willing to pay for the devices and associated new services, a survey by Parks Associates, conducted for the Femto Forum has found.

From the article, "Femtocells Primed for Adoption, or Not?" by Gary Kim
 

June 24, 2010 — Yahoo Finance
DVRs and video downloads will push the storage needs of U.S. broadband households to almost one terabyte by 2014, creating a parallel rise in the market for file backup and storage solutions, according to international research firm Parks Associates.

The firm's new report "Consumer Storage Opportunities" finds almost 50% of households are performing regular backups, including external storage, flash drives, and online backup, up from only 35% in 2006.

"This is a classic example where growth in one area is spurring another industry," said  Pietro Macchiarella, research analyst, Parks Associates. "As people accumulate more digital content, the prospect of losing that data becomes more ominous. Companies marketing network-attached storage (NAS) and home server devices should target high-use consumers such as videophiles and music enthusiasts and demonstrate the ease with which these products protect against loss of critical data."

Macchiarella predicts that consumers' backup methods will become more sophisticated as files get larger and as people invest more time and money into their digital media collections.

 "The majority of consumers still use less-reliable media such as CDs, DVDs, and flash drives, but in the past four years, portable hard drives and direct- and networked-attached storage have become more popular," he said. "This trend will accelerate, fueled by growth in digital media and dropping storage costs. In particular, product revenues from NAS devices will nearly quadruple between 2010 and 2014."

Parks Associates' "Consumer Storage Opportunities" examines the current storage solutions on the market and highlights the growing business opportunities for CE manufacturers and service and technology providers.

From the press release, "Parks Associates Forecasts Revenues From Network-Attached Storage to Exceed $4.4 Billion in 2014"

June 24, 2010 — IT Chronicle
DVRs have become an indispensable technology for consumers by helping users time-shift their TV and recommend new shows. According to Parks Associates, 40 percent of U.S. broadband households and 38 percent of Western European broadband households have a DVR (Parks Associates: The Consumer Perspective 2009). HD programs take up several times more storage space than standard definition programs, requiring users to constantly delete old shows to make more room for new ones. Shortage of storage also prevents the DVR's recommendation engine from suggesting new shows, limiting the use of a favorite consumer feature. WD's My Book AV DVR expander addresses these issues by providing users with up to 120 additional hours of HD storage for their TiVo, DirecTV, Dish Network and other compatible DVRs.

From the blog, "WD Debuts 1TB My Book AV DVR Expander for Heavy TV Watchers" by Admin

June 24, 2010 — Fierce Broadband Wireless
This week, Parks Associates revealed the results of a survey that found more than half of U.S. broadband households with mobile phones would be willing to pay for the devices and associated new services. "The findings also indicate femtocells can significantly improve subscriber satisfaction and lead many households to consolidate with a single provider."

Basically, once survey respondents were educated about what femtocells were (only 10 percent knew before the survey), 56 percent of them found femtocells appealing. And 72 percent said they would be interested in at least one advanced femtocell service, such as virtual home number that rings to every cell phone in the home, and would pay about $10 a month for a bundle of three advanced services.

Parks Associates also found that respondents are sensitive to the price level of the device. Demand was highest when upfront costs were in the $20 to $50 range. This demand halves when in the $50-$100 range and halves again when the cost exceeds $100.

From the article, "Femtocells are evolving, but operators aren't" by Lynnette Luna

June 24, 2010 — The Register
"The mobile data boom - and the increased demand on capacity it has led to - is the biggest challenge currently facing mobile networks," said Simon Saunders, chairman of the Femto Forum. "Femtocells represent the natural solution for offloading this data. They allow mobile operators to significantly improve the mobile broadband experience as well as their other services without incurring the costs that macro upgrades would require."

The Forum - which unlike some industry bodies focuses its research and activities firmly on real world experiences rather than technical and political debates - published its latest research, commissioned from Parks Associates, at the event. This found that awareness in the US market, where three cellcos now have femto services, remains low at only 10% of mobile consumers, but once explained, the technology and services appealed to 56%. Of those that were already aware of femtocells, a huge 89% found them appealing.

From the article, "Femto World Summit is all smiles (mostly)" by Wireless Watch

June 23, 2010 — TMC Net
Commissioned by the Femto Forum to conduct a custom consumer research in the U.S., Parks Associates, an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and service, announced the results of the most comprehensive survey ever conducted.

Regarding the impact of femtocells on consumer satisfaction and loyalty, the study revealed that 44 percent of the consumers who were likely to consider a change of operators within the coming year, indicated a preference for the current operator, if offered a femtocell. Likewise 35 percent of consumers in multi-operator households preferred to consolidate their services around a single provider, if offered a femtocell.

Although over 90 percent of those who found the technology appealing expressed willingness to pay upfront for the device, the survey found that the demand was highest when the device costs were in the $20-$50 range, and lowest when the cost exceeded $300.About 45 percent were willing to buy the device when it was in the $50-$100 range.

 “The clear message from this research is that femtocells have widespread appeal and consumers are willing to pay for them. There is a major opportunity for operators to gain new subscribers by taking over the contracts of whole families, and by better retaining their existing subscribers,” Harry Wang, director of mobile product research, Parks Associates, said.

Parks Associates’ research director John Barrett presented the results of the study at the Femtocells World Summit conference in London on 23 June at 2:10pm. A slidepack summarizing the results will be available on the Femto Forum Web site after the event.

Founded in 1986, Parks Associates creates research capital for companies ranging from Fortune 500 to small start-ups through market reports, primary studies, consumer research, custom research, workshops, executive conferences, and annual service subscriptions.

From the article, "Survey: Femtocell Technology Finds Appeal With the Masses" by Mini Swamy
 

June 22, 2010 — ConnectedPlanet
If you have a broadband connection and a mobile phone, you’re more likely than not interested in what femtocells have to offer — at least that’s what a study of U.S. consumers conducted by the Femto Forum and Parks Associates found.

From the article, "Consumers' Interest in femtocells piqued, study finds " by Kevin Fitchard
 

June 22, 2010 — Wireless Week
Less than 10 percent of U.S. consumers are familiar with femtocells, according to a survey conducted on behalf of The Femto Forum by market research firm Parks Associates.

Harry Wang, Parks Associates' director of mobile product research, said in a report that the survey indicated "widespread appeal" for femtocells.

"There is a major opportunity for operators to gain new subscribers by taking over the contracts of whole families and by better retaining their existing subscribers," Wang said. "However, operators need to build their business models on market share gains and new service revenues rather than on upfront device purchase revenues alone."

From the article, "Survey: Femtocell Awareness Low " by Maisie Ramsay


June 22, 2010 — Cellular-News
A survey on U.S. consumer attitudes on femtocells found that more than half of U.S. broadband households with mobile phones are interested in femtocell benefits, and are willing to pay for the devices and associated new services. The findings also indicate femtocells can significantly improve subscriber satisfaction and lead many households to consolidate with a single operator.

The survey was commissioned by the Femto Forum, and carried out by Parks Associates.

"The clear message from this research is that femtocells have widespread appeal and consumers are willing to pay for them. There is a major opportunity for operators to gain new subscribers by taking over the contracts of whole families, and by better retaining their existing subscribers," said Harry Wang, director of mobile product research, Parks Associates. "However, operators need to build their business models on market share gains and new service revenues rather than on upfront device purchase revenues alone."

From the article, "Survey Finds Femtocells Appeal to 56% of US Consumers"
 

June 22, 2010 — Western Digital
DVRs have become an indispensable technology for consumers by helping users time-shift their TV and recommend new shows. According to Parks Associates, 40 percent of U.S. broadband households and 38 percent of Western European broadband households have a DVR (Parks Associates: The Consumer Perspective 2009). HD programs take up several times more storage space than standard definition programs, requiring users to constantly delete old shows to make more room for new ones. Shortage of storage also prevents the DVR's recommendation engine from suggesting new shows, limiting the use of a favorite consumer feature. WD's My Book AV DVR expander addresses these issues by providing users with up to 120 additional hours of HD storage for their TiVo, DirecTV, Dish Network and other compatible DVRs.

From the press release, "WD(R) Enables Consumers to Instantly Add More Recording Hours to DVRs With New My Book(R) AV DVR Expander"

June 21, 2010 — ADWEEK
From an expenditure standpoint, interactive advertising is still a nascent medium. According to Heather Way, analyst at Dallas-based market research firm Parks Associates, spending on interactive TV ads amounted to roughly $50 million in 2009. She sees the sector expanding exponentially over the next few years, exceeding $4 billion by 2014 -- assuming the successful rollout of Canoe Ventures' national advanced TV platforms.

From the article, "Media Vet Grubbs Signs With BrightLine iTV" by Steve McClellan

June 20, 2010 — San Francisco Chronicle
Over the next few months, Sony and its competitors will introduce a new generation of Web-connected televisions - and services that will stream movies, TV shows and music over the Internet and onto those sets. The idea is to make it easier for consumers to bypass cable and effectively create their own personal TV channels.

Web delivery of TV content won't be a huge revenue stream for years. Excluding income from video games, online video revenues may rise to $800 million by 2014, up from $180 million this year, according to researcher Parks Associates. This year cable and broadcast companies will take in $51 billion from advertising alone, forecaster Magna Global says.

From the article, "Sony, rivals to launch new Web-linked Tvs" by Cliff Edwards and Ronald Grover
 

June 17, 2010 — Bloomberg Businessweek
Over the next few months, Sony and its competitors will introduce a new generation of Web-connected televisions - and services that will stream movies, TV shows and music over the Internet and onto those sets. The idea is to make it easier for consumers to bypass cable and effectively create their own personal TV channels.

Web delivery of TV content won't be a huge revenue stream for years. Excluding income from video games, online video revenues may rise to $800 million by 2014, up from $180 million this year, according to researcher Parks Associates. This year cable and broadcast companies will take in $51 billion from advertising alone, forecaster Magna Global says.

From the article, "Sony's Move into Web TV" by Cliff Edwards and Ronald Grover
 

June 16, 2010 — PC Advisor
The HomePlug Green PHY (HomePlug GP) specification is designed for networking devices such as home air conditioners, heaters, appliances, plug-in vehicles and smart power meters. It will work with devices using the existing HomePlug AV standard, such as TVs and other consumer electronics, and with those using the emerging IEEE 1901 standard, which is based on HomePlugAV, according to the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. That compatibility will make it easier for chip manufacturers to come out with HomePlug GP chips, the group said.

"More standards do make sense in this case," said Parks Associates analyst Kurt Scherf. That's because carriers' implementations of technology are often largely custom-built and proprietary, he said. As a result, the G.hn standard is unlikely to sway many carriers from their chosen paths, he said.

"The bottom line is that MoCA and HomePlug work - and seem to work well - for the service providers that have chosen them. They'd be very reluctant to make a wholesale move to a technology that's not proven in large field deployments," Scherf said.

From the article, "HomePlug & MoCA announce new networking standards" by Stephen Lawson
 

June 15, 2010 — TVOver.net
The WD TV Live Plus HD media player fulfills consumers' growing demand for large libraries of digital videos, photos and music. According to research firm Parks Associates, the average broadband household will see its digital media storage needs grow to nearly 900 GB by year-end 2014. And users are increasingly looking for easy ways to enjoy the content on the big screen. Parks' findings reveal that the sales of connected consumer electronics devices, such as connected TVs and digital media adapters, is expected to more than double from 57 million units in 2009 to 115 million units in 2013 (Home Networks for Consumer Electronics 2009).

From the press release, "WD TV Live Plus HD Media Player Delivers Thousands of TV Episodes and Movies for Netflix Members to Watch Instantly"

June 15, 2010 — PC World
The HomePlug Green PHY (HomePlug GP) specification is designed for networking devices such as home air conditioners, heaters, appliances, plug-in vehicles and smart power meters. It will work with devices using the existing HomePlug AV standard, such as TVs and other consumer electronics, and with those using the emerging IEEE 1901 standard, which is based on HomePlugAV, according to the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. That compatibility will make it easier for chip manufacturers to come out with HomePlug GP chips, the group said.

"More standards do make sense in this case," said Parks Associates analyst Kurt Scherf. That's because carriers' implementations of technology are often largely custom-built and proprietary, he said. As a result, the G.hn standard is unlikely to sway many carriers from their chosen paths, he said.

From the article, "More Home Networking Standards Advance" by Stephen Lawson
 

June 13, 2010 — Mercury News
What if you could pay one fee to buy a digital movie online or at a retail store, and then watch it on your home computer, a friend's TV or even a smartphone? "If I buy a movie, I think of it as my movie," said Matt DiMaria of software maker Sonic Solutions, one of the companies working to create "digital rights lockers," which are online accounts that would keep track of consumers' digital video purchases so they can "buy once and play it anywhere."

DiMaria described the concept in an interview last week at Connections, an annual conference on consumer electronics and "digital living" that is sponsored by the research firm Parks Associates.

During the three-day conference, panelists and exhibitors at the Santa Clara Convention Center discussed a host of consumer tech trends, from downloadable video and 3-D television to home networks, security systems and even a low-power computer the size of a plug-in room deodorizer, which can be used to control home energy use.

From the article, "New ways to store and share digital movies" by Brandon Bailey

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