The world of consumer electronics has become one of the largest sectors of the American retail economy. Sales typically soar during the Christmas shopping season.
It's the high techonology season. Amy Adoniz, a manager at Best Buy, one of a nationwide chain of electronics outlets,looks out with satisfaction over the crowded aisles of her store, "Electronics have come such a long way.The prices have dropped so much that I think people who would have never thought to go in the direction of new technology are looking at new technology.People now are creating entertainment systems in their homes. The LCD TVs and the plasma TVs are really popular. They come down so much in price, so they are more available to more people and they are really hot." In 2006, the coolest item for many consumers continues to be Apple's "iPod," which is by far the most popular device in a range of handheld digital music players that includes Microsoft's "Zune," and others. iPods have more computer memory - and are selling at a better price - than ever. Some models can hold up to 20,000 songs, as well as movies and TV programs. Other models hold fewer songs, but are as small as postage stamps.
Steven Levy, a technology correspondent at Newsweek magazine and the author of a new book about the iPod called The Perfect Thing.
"As someone who started using computers in an era where that amount of storage costs you a few thousand dollars and was the size of a shoebox, it is really amazing to see something that smallit is really amazing to see something that small and almost weightless." Today, some mobile telephones also contain digital music players, but they have far less memory than standard mp3 players. So most consumers still opt for two devices: a mobile phone for talking and text messaging, and a separate digital player for music.
On the other hand, many mobile phones feature digital cameras that are far better than last year's models, which typically produced photographs that were grainy and out of focus. Meanwhile, mid-range digital cameras now produce professional-quality images at prices amateurs can afford.
"They can use all different high-quality lenses," says Levy. "You can set the exposure times, set the shutter speed; and you can create all sorts of effects with light with them, and do all these magical things photographers do!" Computer sales have been down this holiday season, in part because users of Windows-based PCs are waiting for Microsoft to introduce "Vista," the long-delayed upgrade to its operating system due out next month. Still, 2006 has been one of the hottest seasons for computer game systems ever, with two new models hitting the market in the past few weeks. One is a powerful virtual reality game console. "It's called 'wii' and it's from Nintendo." Customer Eduardo Calligaris, a loyal Microsoft X-Box user, which is a competitor to the other game consoles, but he loves the Wii. "You move. You don't have to sit down. You are interacting more with the game," he explains. "It's something that your girlfriend would actually come up to your house and say 'let's play some tennis.' This is the system that is bringing families together!" The other new game machine making a splash this year is Sony's PlayStation 3 console, which features the most powerful microprocessor ever used in a video console. Indeed, two young teenagers at Best Buy seem utterly absorbed in the store's PlayStation 3 demo of a basketball game. "The graphics are incredible," one says. "It makes you feel like you are right in the game," But Michael Montague, an older adult who retains an athletic physique, is not convinced.how good the game technology is, PlayStation 3 is not real basketball. "It doesn't work that way. You've got to get out there and run hard. You've got to have a good pair of sneakers on. You've got to sweat!" he says, but adds with a chuckle, that when the price comes down, he just might get it for his grandson.
