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Everyone’s Talking About…..!

In consumer electronics, technologies lead and

accessories follow. But to succeed as an acces-

sories supplier in 2012, you need to be more

than merely a quick study on the just-released

newest gizmo. It takes a combination of pro-active

design, an instinct for where consumers’ style sense

is headed, and smart partnerships with high-profile

brands. It also doesn’t hurt to have had some retailing

experience under your belt.

Albert Mizrahi, president and CEO of Mizco

International, believes all of the above have con-

tributed to his company’s 40 percent growth over

the last two years. They are also why he is bullish

about doubling his company’s sales by 2017.

“We understand what drives our business,

and we continue to stay a little bit ahead of the

market,” he said. “We focus on the technologies

and then create, through our R&D process, all

the accessories for them.”

Mizrahi founded Mizco as a photo and

video accessories wholesaler and importer in

1990—after spending 15 years running Brothers

Cameras and Electronics in New York City—in a

6,000-square-foot Brooklyn warehouse. The com-

pany now owns a 100,000-square-foot warehouse

in Avenel, N.J., from where it ships more than

1,000 products in multiple brands, operating as

a one-stop shop for a diverse dealer base that

includes national accounts, regional drugstores,

CE and automotive chains, and CE specialists.

“Clearly, our market growth is a direct result of

the success of our multi-brand strategy,” Mizrahi

said. “We don’t look at the market as a single

consumer market, but as a series of potentially

huge segments that can be individually matched

with designs tailored to each. In effect, Mizco is

many companies in one, and each of our brands

can stand for one company,”

Mizco’s lines target varied demograph-

ics, including Apple and Android enthusi-

asts, working professionals, baby boomers,

road warriors, urban youth and, at times, a

combination of the above. The company’s

iEssentials brand, for example, focuses on

stands, cases and car and chargers for Apple

iPhones, iPads and iPods. Its DigiPower label

started out with digital camera accessories

but now includes portable power needs with

the JumpStart line. The Cellular Innovations

line offers hundreds of SKUs, including cases,

Bluetooth devices and car chargers; its new

roster of professional-grade mobile phone acces-

sories were issued under the Tough Tested label.

Mizco’s strategic partnership with Travelocity

spawned a line of travel accessories, including

“What’s Your Flavor” Neoprene tablet cases. The

Ecko Unltd. line, in partnership with apparel com-

pany Marc Ecko, uses designs from the clothing

line for earbuds and headphones.

While fashion trends drive most of Mizco’s

product designs today, the company plans to

implement more eco-conscious elements, such as

the use of recycled materials, into future lines.

Another emphasis is on developing “omni-

device” accessories, such as cases that fit many

different tablets, and universal micro connectors.

“Those types of products maximize the impact

for the dealer,” he said. “It’s easier for them to

sell an accessory that can be used on a variety of

products.”

There are also some unmet needs in the mar-

ket that Mizco calls “interactive accessories.” To

meet those needs, the company is planning to

develop another label that uses apps in concert

with accessories, such as headphones that can

monitor blood pressure and other vital signs

via an app while the music listener is working

out. Although release dates for that line have

not been set, Mizco might announce it at 2013

International CES, where the company will have

its largest booth to date, Mizrahi said.

“At this point, we pretty much cover the mar-

ket and its requirements,” he said. “But there’s

always a new phone or a new camera or tablet

coming into the market, and our intention is to

be there first with the accessory for it. We are

in position for a tremendous amount of growth

going forward.” DS

July 2012

www.dealerscope.com

Vendor View

Ecko Unltd. line

Mizco’s iEssentials

The Travelocity collection

Getting There First

Mizco fuels accessories market with multiple brands.

By NaNcy KloseK Mizco’s Albert Mizrahi

Tablet Sales

April 2012

www.dealerscope.com

leverages its vendor relationships by

posting YouTube videos that show off a

tablet’s features and beneﬁts. The retail-

ers also use Facebook and other social

media tools, but not necessarily to sell

products. “Social media isn’t about try-

ing to sell something,” Barrett said. “It’s

about getting them excited about whatever

is coming out, about sharing a piece of

knowledge with someone.”

Retailers can approach tablet sales in

the same way the approach notebooks or

gaming software, said Doug Schatz, vice

president of electronics merchandising for

the Nationwide Marketing Group. The

beneﬁt of tablets is that they can jump-start

a buying cycle.

“What they are really about is frequency

of shop because the buying cycle for a tablet

is pretty short from the time you buy your

ﬁrst to the time you buy your second. It’s the

same with notebook computers, as opposed

to bedding or furniture or a refrigerator,” he

said. “So by engaging in those shorter-cycle

businesses, dealers are getting to see their

customers more. And if you’re getting to see

the customer more, you have the best op-

portunity to have the top-of-mind awareness

with the consumer when they want to shop

for another product.”

Jim Ristow, executive vice president of

the BrandSource/HES buying group, which

has made most major Android tablet brands

available to its membership since late last

year, also stressed the term “ecosystem”

in addressing the topic of tablet sales and

margin generation. Group membership is

comprised of traditional retailers and cus-

tom integrators, and both are using tablets

in different ways.

“Some of the more promotional members

are using some of the OPP (opening price

point) product to help drive trafﬁc and/

or include it as giveaways for promotions.

But some are using them to create branded

ecosystems,” Ristow said. “When they’re

sold as part of not just video but audio and

complete solutions, the packages are very

proﬁtable. Those members understand that

they are selling not just that device but a

market basket. It’s a Trojan horse that opens

the door to opportunities to things like Con-

trol4, Sonos wireless whole-home audio and

Apple AirPlay products.” DS

IOGEAR GMP6600P

IOGEAR’s GearPower high-capacity mobile power station (Model GMP6600P; $79.95)

is a charging solution for tablets and other mobile USB and micro USB devices. Using

lithium-polymer battery technology, it can charge two devices at one time using USB

2.1A and 1A power ports. The 1A port supports most cell phones and smartphones

while the USB 2.1A port takes iPads and other tablet devices. A blue LED battery capac-

ity indicator informs the user of the station’s current power level.

Kensington K39527

Kensington’s KeyLite iPad2 Bluetooth-

enabled ultra-slim keyboard folio

($119.99) is designed with liquid- and

dust-proof keys, and features an

iPad-friendly keyboard layout with

several one-touch function keys. The

microﬁber case also doubles as a two-

position stand and an automatic wake/

sleep cover. It weighs 10.4 ounces and

will remain charged for 68 hours in

use and in standby for 45 days.

Mizco iEssentials 360 Stand

Mizco’s iEssentials 360 Stand for iPad2

($20.00) features a 360-degree rotating dis-

play that allows for the iPad2 to be viewed at

any angle. The stand folds up for easy storage

and features a black rubberized ﬁnish with an

extra grip on the bottom for stability.

Sanus VMA302

The Sanus VisionMount

VMA302 iPad2 mount adapter

($34.99) can be attached to any

VESA 100-x-100-compatible

Sanus TV mount in the kitchen

or home ofﬁce. Its custom-

molded design ensures a snug

ﬁt, while a release tab enables

easy iPad2 removal. A Virtual

Axis 3D cup-shaped faceplate

allows 360 degrees of motion

for both landscape and portrait

viewing. The Virtual Axis 3D

faceplate is compatible with

the following Sanus models:

MF202, MF209, MF215, MC1A

and MD115.

Mizco Powers Up DigiPower Line: An Interview With Mizco President Maurice Mizrahi

www.picturebusinessmag.com

Today’s Imaging News for Tomorrow’s Imaging Retailer

September 2010

DIGITALGRAPHICS

Power to the People

According to the NPD Group’s Retail Tracking Service, DigiPower recently ranked No. 1 in both unit and dollar volume for

digital camera batteries and chargers for all of 2009 as well as for the 12 months ending April 2010. Thus, we thought it

might be a good idea to catch up with this company and ﬁnd out a little more about what’s making them tick these days.

Company President, Maurice Mizrahi, was gracious enough to spend some time with us and chat about the current state of

the battery and charger market as well as what the future might hold in this ever-evolving category. Maurice Mizrahi

PB&ML: Talk to us about the interesting

evolution of Mizco. Give the readers a little

history lesson on the company.

Mizrahi: We established the company 20 years

ago and really come from photo retail tradition.

We opened with lines of bags, tripods, lenses and

such—that’s our roots. Later on we expanded into

cell phone accessories. In 1996 we were one of

ﬁrst to offer a full line of cell phone accessories.

We then quickly got into power solutions and

actually opened a factory for the manufacture of

battery packs for cell phones.

We saw a need for real power solutions for

consumers and developed a digital camera

powerpack which became the ﬁrst DigiPower

product in 1999. It was an external solution

that provided 150 shots. It solved a big problem

back then and from that point on we realized

power would always be a major need. After all,

there is only so much power you can put into a

AA battery.

DigiPower was actually responsible for several

ﬁrsts back then with the intro of the DPS 4000

powerpack and then the 8000 soon followed.

PB&ML: If you had to sum it up quickly—

the recent run of success at DigiPower in

the battery and charger categories—what is

separating you from the pack in a crowded

ﬁeld?

Mizrahi: Innovation, that’s the number one

thing that sets us apart, followed closely by value.

A product has to have value to the consumer but

it’s important that the value does not take away

any of the products’ unique features. We also

think about price and value together in the sense

of how the retailer beneﬁts. The product has to

make a margin. We keep that in mind as well

and always produce products with high margin

for dealers.

PB&ML: We are seeing a lot of solar power

chargers come to market of late. Is this the

future in this category? What else might be

in store down the road?

Mizrahi: Our view is there are limitations to so-

lar power. Currently, to charge two AA batteries

might be a 24-hour charge for a small solar pan-

el. For some of the smaller CE devices solar does

work well, sometimes offering two- to three-hour

charges.

Our plan is to go beyond that as we are join-

ing the Wireless Power Consortium (see sidebar).

We plan on working more closely with them as

manufacturers are developing these embedded

chips for mobile devices that will allow the device

to charge on charging pads, a solution that we will

develop, that brings everything together into one

solution— making it a more convenient charging

solution for consumers.

PB&ML: Lots of technology changes hap-

pening in the battery category as well. What

can retailers and consumers expect next?

Mizrahi: Lithium-ion is the dominant battery

now and we feel that will continue for a while.

I believe we will continue to see more prod-

uct that will enhance the user experience. Our

Jumpstart Slim product is a good example of this.

The device weighs only two ounces and is very

thin—shirt-pocket portability. The consumer is

provided with this extra charge whenever they

need it at a very affordable MSRP of $29.99. Very

cool looking little gadget too. I think this mar-

ket will see a lot more solutions like this moving

forward.

PB&ML: As two “must have” accessories

what tips and tricks can you offer imaging

retailers on how best to display and move

batteries and chargers?

Mizrahi: Display and placement. Retailers need

to display a full selection that shows that they are

servicing different needs. Service the consumer

properly. Set up serious displays. Signage is im-

portant too. Make it clear that you’re the place

for this solution. Also, these accessories should

be placed close to the devices that need them.

Makes a statement to the consumer that their

battery and charger accessory solutions are being

taken care of at your location.

PB&ML: This mobile lifestyle we are all liv-

ing today has been tough for imaging retail-

ers to ﬁrmly grasp. What can you tell them

about the future of the mobile life that will

help them better understand their custom-

ers’ ever-evolving needs?

Mizrahi: Come out of the darkroom! Imaging

retailers have to understand imaging today. It’s no

longer a standalone industry but is now one that

has evolved to become part of the overall con-

sumer electronics industry. The fact that consum-

ers can now take pictures, and pretty good ones,

with their mobile phones is a good thing. It is

bringing more people into imaging. Photography

is so easy today. Today’s consumer is shopping

in non-traditional stores and today’s imaging re-

tailer can’t survive as a traditional photo store

anymore.

Sell solutions that enhance this mobile life-

style. All these mobile devices and accessories

are bringing people back in the store again and

again. That’s what our product line is all about.

DigiPower Spotlight Product

The DigiPower division of Mizco International (www.mizco.

com) recently introduced its JumpStart Dual—the world’s

ﬁrst portable AC adapter with built–in rechargeable battery

back-up.

First, JumpStart Dual is a sleekly designed portable AC

adapter that features folding plugs for easy transport. Sec-

ond, JumpStart Dual is a rechargeable 1700 mAh battery

back-up that will recharge over 500 times! Designed to support mobile phones, MP3 and other

portable devices, JumpStart Dual comes with two USB ports for simultaneously charging two

devices, built-in short circuit, over-charge, and temperature protection; a two-step LED display

that shows both charge status and battery life; power on/light function, an emergency ﬂash-

light, and a 5V USB output.

Wireless Power Consortium

As DigiPower President, Maurice Miz-

rahi, mentioned in our interview, the

company plans on joining the Wire-

less Power Consortium. We thought

bringing the imaging channel up to

speed on what the WPC is all about

might be a good idea.

Among the many initiatives of the

WPC, the main goal is to essentially

make powering portable electronic

devices simpler by offering a standard

way to recharge them without wires.

As everyone knows, devices such

as phones, music players and digital

cameras all come with their own pow-

er adaptors or chargers. Each brand

or model has a different plug, often

times incompatible with the others.

Currently in place are plans to

replace all those plugs with ﬂat-charg-

ing panels based on magnetic induc-

tion (i.e., just laying a device equipped

for wireless recharging on the panel is

sufﬁcient to charge it).

The consortium’s ﬁrst goal is to

create an international standard for

magnetic induction chargers capable

of delivering up to 5 watts of power,

enough to recharge a mobile phone

in the same time as a wired charger.

Those plans will be followed with

a standard for more power-hungry

devices such as laptops, some of

which have power adapters capable

of delivering around 100 watts.

Among the growing list of members

are Olympus, LiteOn, Panasonic, Sam-

sung, Best Buy and Texas Instruments.

For more information check out www.

wirelesspowerconsortium.com.

Mizco Powers Up DigiPower Line: An Interview With Mizco President Maurice Mizrahi

Power to the People

According to the NPD Group’s Retail Tracking Service, DigiPower recently ranked No. 1 in both unit and dollar volume for

digital camera batteries and chargers for all of 2009 as well as for the 12 months ending April 2010. Thus, we thought it

might be a good idea to catch up with this company and ﬁnd out a little more about what’s making them tick these days.

Company President, Maurice Mizrahi, was gracious enough to spend some time with us and chat about the current state of

the battery and charger market as well as what the future might hold in this ever-evolving category. Maurice Mizrahi

PB&ML: Talk to us about the interesting

evolution of Mizco. Give the readers a little

history lesson on the company.

Mizrahi: We established the company 20 years

ago and really come from photo retail tradition.

We opened with lines of bags, tripods, lenses and

such—that’s our roots. Later on we expanded into

cell phone accessories. In 1996 we were one of

ﬁrst to offer a full line of cell phone accessories.

We then quickly got into power solutions and

actually opened a factory for the manufacture of

battery packs for cell phones.

We saw a need for real power solutions for

consumers and developed a digital camera

powerpack which became the ﬁrst DigiPower

product in 1999. It was an external solution

that provided 150 shots. It solved a big problem

back then and from that point on we realized

power would always be a major need. After all,

there is only so much power you can put into a

AA battery.

DigiPower was actually responsible for several

ﬁrsts back then with the intro of the DPS 4000

powerpack and then the 8000 soon followed.

PB&ML: If you had to sum it up quickly—

the recent run of success at DigiPower in

the battery and charger categories—what is

separating you from the pack in a crowded

ﬁeld?

Mizrahi: Innovation, that’s the number one

thing that sets us apart, followed closely by value.

A product has to have value to the consumer but

it’s important that the value does not take away

any of the products’ unique features. We also

think about price and value together in the sense

of how the retailer beneﬁts. The product has to

make a margin. We keep that in mind as well

and always produce products with high margin

for dealers.

PB&ML: We are seeing a lot of solar power

chargers come to market of late. Is this the

future in this category? What else might be

in store down the road?

Mizrahi: Our view is there are limitations to so-

lar power. Currently, to charge two AA batteries

might be a 24-hour charge for a small solar pan-

el. For some of the smaller CE devices solar does

work well, sometimes offering two- to three-hour

charges.

Our plan is to go beyond that as we are join-

ing the Wireless Power Consortium (see sidebar).

We plan on working more closely with them as

manufacturers are developing these embedded

chips for mobile devices that will allow the device

to charge on charging pads, a solution that we will

develop, that brings everything together into one

solution— making it a more convenient charging

solution for consumers.

PB&ML: Lots of technology changes hap-

pening in the battery category as well. What

can retailers and consumers expect next?

Mizrahi: Lithium-ion is the dominant battery

now and we feel that will continue for a while.

I believe we will continue to see more prod-

uct that will enhance the user experience. Our

Jumpstart Slim product is a good example of this.

The device weighs only two ounces and is very

thin—shirt-pocket portability. The consumer is

provided with this extra charge whenever they

need it at a very affordable MSRP of $29.99. Very

cool looking little gadget too. I think this mar-

ket will see a lot more solutions like this moving

forward.

PB&ML: As two “must have” accessories

what tips and tricks can you offer imaging

retailers on how best to display and move

batteries and chargers?

Mizrahi: Display and placement. Retailers need

to display a full selection that shows that they are

servicing different needs. Service the consumer

properly. Set up serious displays. Signage is im-

portant too. Make it clear that you’re the place

for this solution. Also, these accessories should

be placed close to the devices that need them.

Makes a statement to the consumer that their

battery and charger accessory solutions are being

taken care of at your location.

PB&ML: This mobile lifestyle we are all liv-

ing today has been tough for imaging retail-

ers to ﬁrmly grasp. What can you tell them

about the future of the mobile life that will

help them better understand their custom-

ers’ ever-evolving needs?

Mizrahi: Come out of the darkroom! Imaging

retailers have to understand imaging today. It’s no

longer a standalone industry but is now one that

has evolved to become part of the overall con-

sumer electronics industry. The fact that consum-

ers can now take pictures, and pretty good ones,

with their mobile phones is a good thing. It is

bringing more people into imaging. Photography

is so easy today. Today’s consumer is shopping

in non-traditional stores and today’s imaging re-

tailer can’t survive as a traditional photo store

anymore.

Sell solutions that enhance this mobile life-

style. All these mobile devices and accessories

are bringing people back in the store again and

again. That’s what our product line is all about.

DigiPower Spotlight Product

The DigiPower division of Mizco International (www.mizco.

com) recently introduced its JumpStart Dual—the world’s

ﬁrst portable AC adapter with built–in rechargeable battery

back-up.

First, JumpStart Dual is a sleekly designed portable AC

adapter that features folding plugs for easy transport. Sec-

ond, JumpStart Dual is a rechargeable 1700 mAh battery

back-up that will recharge over 500 times! Designed to support mobile phones, MP3 and other

portable devices, JumpStart Dual comes with two USB ports for simultaneously charging two

devices, built-in short circuit, over-charge, and temperature protection; a two-step LED display

that shows both charge status and battery life; power on/light function, an emergency ﬂash-

light, and a 5V USB output.

Wireless Power Consortium

As DigiPower President, Maurice Miz-

rahi, mentioned in our interview, the

company plans on joining the Wire-

less Power Consortium. We thought

bringing the imaging channel up to

speed on what the WPC is all about

might be a good idea.

Among the many initiatives of the

WPC, the main goal is to essentially

make powering portable electronic

devices simpler by offering a standard

way to recharge them without wires.

As everyone knows, devices such

as phones, music players and digital

cameras all come with their own pow-

er adaptors or chargers. Each brand

or model has a different plug, often

times incompatible with the others.

Currently in place are plans to

replace all those plugs with ﬂat-charg-

ing panels based on magnetic induc-

tion (i.e., just laying a device equipped

for wireless recharging on the panel is

sufﬁcient to charge it).

The consortium’s ﬁrst goal is to

create an international standard for

magnetic induction chargers capable

of delivering up to 5 watts of power,

enough to recharge a mobile phone

in the same time as a wired charger.

Those plans will be followed with

a standard for more power-hungry

devices such as laptops, some of

which have power adapters capable

of delivering around 100 watts.

Among the growing list of members

are Olympus, LiteOn, Panasonic, Sam-

sung, Best Buy and Texas Instruments.

For more information check out www.

wirelesspowerconsortium.com.

BrandSource Debuts

Mobile App, Expanded

'Expert Warehouse II'

Amid PC Exit Chatter,

HP Still Debuting SKUs

By Steve Smith

NEW YORK

– BrandSource

introduced its own

mobile app and

Expert Warehouse

II distribution opera-

tion that, together,

could transform many of its retailers into “catalog

showrooms” presenting more products, catego-

ries and services than ever before. { PAGE 4 }

By Doug Olenick

NEW YORK — Hewlett-Packard’s decision

to ponder selling or spinning off its personal

systems group (PSG) has not slowed the flow of

new products into the channel. { PAGE 4 }

VISIT WWW.TWICE.COM/TWICESEPTEMBER8

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON

THE STORIES IN THIS ISSUE.

This Week

In Consumer

Electronics

VOLUME 26, NO. 18

Nationwide Partners

With D&H, Debuts Brand

September 8, 2011

By Alan Wolf

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS –

The Nationwide Marketing

Group (NMG) celebrated

its 40th anniversary at its

PrimeTime! buying show

with the introduction of a

Nationwide-exclusive A/V

brand, Allegra, and the

addition of D&H Distribut-

ing to its roster of fulfillment partners. { PAGE 17 }

Tablet Market Sizzles

With More Debuts

By Joseph

Palenchar &

Doug Olenick

NEW YORK –

The tablet market

refused to take

vacation time as

it headed into the

Labor Day holi-

day. AT&T unveiled an HTC-made 4G unit, Sony

debuted two SKUs, and HP planned limited

production of TouchPads. { PAGE 10 }

Fasulo: Look

For Quality

Vs. Quantity

of Sony TVs

{ Page 30 }

Analysts Down On AT&T Merger Prospects [ PAGE 4 ]

The new dVision projector from DPI (see page 32)

BY THE NUMBERS 14

RETAILING 17

PORTABLE DIGITAL DEVICES 28

CEDIA SPECIAL REPORT 30

SMALL OFFICE/HOME OFFICE 54

DIGITAL IMAGING 56

ACCESSORIES 58

MAJOR APPLIANCES 64

BUSINESS NEWS 66

SPECIAL

ISSUE

ProMount’s Superflat wall mount is designed to mount a

flat-panel TV just 0.43 inches from the wall. (see page 58) »

(From top) NAD’s new M50 Digital Music Player CD play-

er/ripper can be paired with the new M52 Digital Music

Vault hard-drive jukebox and the current M2 amplifier to

reproduce 24-bit/96kHz music. (see page 35)

Mirage’s

two-way MX

S25 and S35

spherical

satellites

(see page

34)

SpeakerCraft’s Nirv networked multi-room-A/V system

can be controlled from an OSD on any connected TV

or from an iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad. (see page 10)

Sony’s “affordably priced” VPL-HW30AES 3D projector.

(see page 44)

SPECIAL CEDIA

PRODUCT SECTION

BEGINS ON PAGE 30

twi1118p001.indd 1twi1118p001.indd 1 9/1/2011 4:35:31 PM9/1/2011 4:35:31 PM

“Retailers want to maximize

impulse sales to today’s time-

pressed consumers. The more

retailers merchandise a full range

of charging products for every

type of mobile device, complete

with self-explanatory call-outs,

the more guesswork they take

out of the consumer’s decision.

Consumers need to be prompted

to buy since they’re not always

focused on the variety of chargers

available for different applications;

they tend to think only in terms

of the device itself. It’s up to us

as manufacturers and retailers

to make consumers understand

there is no charging device that

does it all. They need a number of

chargers for different applications.

Educate the consumer and you will

be rewarded with multiple charger

sales.”

— Maurice Mizrahi, President

DIGIPOWER

DIGIPOWER, DIV. OF MIZCO 732-912-2000 www.digipowersolutions.com

4 | JULY 2012 | TWICE GUIDE TO POWER & CHARGING ELECTRONICS

UNIVERSAL TABLET/SMARTPHONE CHARGER

The Cross-Brand Tablet Charger features a 3-position Smart Switch to optimally charge all

USB-powered tablets, smartphones, and e-readers from major manufacturers. Providing up

to 2.1 amps of power, its super-compact design features a ﬂ ip-up power plug and also offers

over-voltage, over-current, and short-circuit protection.

 AC chargers

 DC/car chargers

 USB chargers

 Multi-device chargers

 Docking/syncing chargers

 Charging cases/bags

 Portable power/charging devices

 Primary cell batteries

 Rechargable standard size batteries

 Solar-powered chargers

 Wire-free chargers

 Specialty batteries (e.g. hearing aid,

watch)

 Device-speciﬁ c rechargeable

batteries

 Power inverters

POWER CATEGORIES OFFERED

PORTABLE BATTERY PACK/CHARGER

The new ChargeCard for smartphones and iPhones is a portable, high-capacity battery pack

and charger that is the size of a credit card, enabling it to be carried in a user’s wallet. Models

for both smartphones and iPhone include a fold-out USB cable and on/off button, and give

users two additional hours of talk time on their device.

18 A Special Supplement To TWICE // June 2012

//CELEBRITY//STUDIO//OVER-EAR HEADPHONES//

R Ecko Unltd.

Exhibit Series

The Ecko Unltd. Exhibit Series line

of art-infused over-the-ear head-

phones represents the best of what

can happen when art, commerce

and Marc Ecko collide. Available in

ﬁve colors (green, blue, red, gray and

Grafﬁti White), the headphones have

a speaker diameter of 40mm, fre-

quency range of 20-20kHz and a cable

length of 1.2m. www.shopekco.com

R Marley Destiny TTR Headphones

The highly-acclaimed Marley Destiny TTR over-ear noise-isolating

headphones fuse precise and realistic sound with style. Made from

earth-friendly materials including stainless steel, recyclable aluminum

and real leather, the Destiny TTR headphones are as robust as they are

beautiful. They represent the premier headphone from the House of Marley

(MSRP $299.99). www.HouseOfMarley.com

Spider PowerForce Headphone X

This Spider headphone is aimed squarely at lovers of pop, rock and hip hop.

Retailing at $129.99, it competes well with others in the category while offer-

ing a more detailed, audiophile-type presentation. Both men’s and women’s

versions come with two cords and a carrying bag. www.spidercable.com

“Our expansion into the headphone market is a natural evolution where we’ll maintain

our focus on delivering quality products that ﬁt the needs of a diverse consumer base.

Our offerings reﬂect this with products that incorporate ﬁtness, fashion, functionality

and fun as integral parts of their makeup.”

EVAN STEIN, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, iHOME AUDIO

“Bright hues and neon colors are dominating the landscape in the footwear and apparel

markets. As the headphone space continues to expand into an extension of one’s unique

style and aesthetic, these popular trends are certainly carrying over into new headphone

and audio products. We are embracing these trends and integrating them into our line

of headphones and earbuds to complement the functions of our products in an effort to

satisfy the consumer’s desire for unique products that reﬂect their fashion sensibilities.”

STEVE KOPS, EXECUTIVE VP, SALES, MIZCO’S ECKO DIVISION

34 A Special Supplement To TWICE // June 2012

//EAR BUD//SPORT FIT HEADPHONES//

iHome iB17 Noise-Isolating Earphones X

Users can enjoy great sound and a great look without distracting background

noise for undisturbed listening. Multi-colored ear tips are included in dif-

ferent sizes which provide added comfort and a secure ﬁt. The high-gloss

metallic ﬁnish and multi-color cloth cord let users listen in style. It also has an

inline volume control and travel pouch for added convenience (MSRP $24.99).

www.ihomeaudio.com

Marley Jammin and Freedom Collection X

Marley Jammin and Freedom Collection in-ear headphones and ear

buds are available in six earth-friendly styles, multiple colors and

with or without remotes with microphones. Small and compact, they

take on the heaviest bass for best-in-class sound. From colorful to

sleek and sophisticated, prices range from $29.99 to $99.99 MSRP.

www.HouseOfMarley.com

ANDREW SIVORI, VICE PRESIDENT,

SONY ELECTRONICS

“The headphone market is continuing to expand

at a breakneck pace. Consumers are demanding

more than just improved sound; they’re looking

for great style, ﬁt, and comfort. And as rising

ASPs indicate, they’re willing to pay for it.”

48 A Special Supplement To TWICE // June 2012

//EAR BUD//SPORT FIT HEADPHONES//

R Coby Attitudz Ear Buds

Coby’s spunky new Attitudz earphones with in-ear isolation design match

consumers’ changing “attitudes” with fun colors that reﬂect a range of personalities.

Eight bold styles come complete with a matching color cord and include: Flirty (pink),

Diva (red), Envy (green), Moody (blue), Stormy (black), Charming (orange), Mysterious

(purple) and Daring (silver). www.cobyusa.com

R Ecko Unltd. Blue

Chain Ear Buds

The innovative design of the Ecko Unltd. Chain Ear Buds

features a beaded dog-tag chain chord. The beaded

encasing protects wiring from ripping and damaging

which often occurs with a standard soft-plastic coat-

ing. An attractive feature is the inline microphone and

volume control compatible with iPods, iPhones and

Android smartphones. www.imce.com

JIM SANKEY, PRESIDENT AND CEO, INVUE SECURITY PRODUCTS

“With sales exploding globally, headphones have reached the status of a personal fashion accessory.

Most of this growth can be attributed to the recent inﬂux of celebrity-endorsed products, many

costing well in excess of $100 per unit. At such prices, it is important retailers give consumers

the opportunity to fully experience the design and features of these headphones by openly displaying

them in stores. InVue security solutions are designed to put merchandise in customers’ hands

while giving retailers the conﬁdence that their products are well protected. Openly display and

power up your headphones to receive the best possible advantage to increase sales.”

Paradigm E2m In-Ear Headphones X

Critically tuned to Paradigm’s reference series loudspeakers,

the audiologist-approved E2m headphones deliver deep

high-deﬁnition bass performance. Overall design includes a

built-in microphone, smartphone functionality, quality 8mm

super neodymium drivers and two-piece sealed construction.

www.paradigm.com

56 November 8, 2010 www.twice.com

Mizco Brings Marc Ecko Line To Market

By John Laposky

NEW YORK — Mizco International has inked an exclu-

sive licensing agreement with Mark Ecko Enterprises for

a line of mobile accessories products.

The first wave of products under the Ecko brand will

include headphones and earbuds, iPhone and iPad cas-

es, as well as power products for handheld devices and

cameras, all incorporating custom design accents cre-

ated by Ecko.

The first SKUs began limited shipping last week to

dealers, according to Maurice Mizrahi, president of

Mizco’s Digipower division, with a formal product launch

planned at International CES.

Ecko is best known for his *Ecko Unltd and Rhino

clothing brands, and in recent years has expanded his

fashion empire to footwear, watches and even video

games and magazine publishing. He is also currently

developing a home and lifestyle product line.

His roots are as a graffiti artist and painter, and the

designs are based on some of his paintings, which line

the walls of his spacious Manhattan office space. There

Ecko told TWICE that Mizco appealed to him for his en-

tree into the consumer electronics space based on their

“reputation and experience in bringing credible products

to market,” and “their willingness to pledge to evolve the

products, to come in and build it with the proper run-

way and make sure it’s done the right way. This is not a

one-and-done, we’re in this for the long haul. We want to

expand the brand.”

He said the time was right to try his fashion brand in

CE accessories. “It’s a space that has become democ-

ratized. Apple did an amazing job to kind of bust open

the style equation for accessories around mobile devic-

es. It’s evolved quickly. It creates a lot of areas for us to

design accessories to electronics.”

Mizrahi added, “We are thrilled to be able to bring

to market the industry’s first line of Ecko inspired and

branded products. The combination of Marc’s global

brand power and Mizco’s retail marketing power prom-

ises to bring this amazing line of products to consumers

in every part of the world. “

The Ecko line will range in retail price points from

$19.99 to $99, the sweet spot for Ecko’s brand demo-

graphics, which skew to the young and urban.

Mizco owns and manages a number of other acces-

sories brands, including iEssentials, Digipower, Cellular

Innovations and Travelocity, and they are an approved

Apple partner.

Current Marc Ecko Enterprise brands include: *Ecko

Unltd., Marc Ecko Cut & Sew, Eckored, Avirex, GUnit, Zoo

York, Complex Magazine, Complex.com and Marc Ecko

Entertainment, a video game and multimedia division.

SteelSeries Adds Online

Ordering With Local

7-Eleven Store Payment

By John Laposky

CHICAGO — Gaming accessories supplier

SteelSeries has inked a deal with PayNearMe,

which will allow gamers to order merchandise

online and pay for them in cash at the closest

7-Eleven store.

With PayNearMe, a consumer places a prod-

uct order online at SteelSeries’ web shop,

chooses PayNearMe as the payment option,

enters his ZIP code and then chooses the

closest participat-

ing 7-Eleven loca-

tion. The custom-

er is then given

directions on what

to print and where

to pay. After the

customer makes the

payment at 7-Elev-

en, SteelSeries is

notified of the pay-

ment in real time,

and the customers’

order is immediate-

ly processed and

shipped.

“With PayNearMe

we can expand our

business to serve our customers who rely pri-

marily on cash for their purchases,” said Bruce

Hawver, CEO, SteelSeries. “We’re now able to

give consumers a simple and secure way to pur-

chase gaming peripherals and accessories with

cash through the convenience of ordering online

and paying for them at a local 7-Eleven store.”

“Gamers who prefer to pay with cash now

have a convenient cash payment option,” said

Danny Shader, CEO, PayNearMe. “PayNearMe

empowers SteelSeries’ customers to take ad-

vantage of the benefits of ecommerce without

requiring them to use a credit or debit card.”

PayNearMe payments are accepted at more

than 6,000 7-Eleven locations across the country.

Marc Ecko’s presence should add some charac-

ter to the accessories market, because the man

is a character. Google his name and he shows

up, Zelig-like, everywhere: talking hip-hop with

Run DMC, shooting a documentary with Lindsey

Lohan, buying Barry Bonds’ record home run ball

and stamping it with an asterisk. He truly went

viral back in 2006 when a fuzzy video circulated

on the web of him (allegedly) tagging Air Force

One with graffiti. It turned out to be a hoax, but it

also proved to be a template for the burgeoning

business of gorilla marketing on the Internet. Go

to www.twice.com/nov8 to see the original video.

And watch for an exclusive interview with Ecko in

an upcoming issue of TWICE.

By John Laposky

Editor’s

Choice

ACCESSORIESACCESSORIES

By John Laposky

FREMONT, CALIF. — Logitech unveiled a solar-pow-

ered keyboard that can be powered by indoor light.

The wireless solar keyboard K750, the compa-

ny’s first light-powered keyboard, has an integrat-

ed solar panel and lighted power indicator.

An included solar power app, available for down-

load beginning Nov. 15 on Logitech’s website,

features a lux meter to measure illumination levels

for proper charging and offers at-a-glance infor-

mation about battery levels and power, complete

with power alerts. Logitech said a fully charged

keyboard will work for up to three months in total

darkness.

The keyboard boasts a 1/3-inch-thick profile

with rounded edges, and Logitech’s Incurve keys,

which are concave to support the shape of a us-

er’s fingertips.

“The keyboard is still the best input device for

typing emails and IMs, updating your Facebook

page or posting responses to your favorite blogs

— and the Logitech wireless solar keyboard K750

is the next big innovation in keyboard technology,”

said Denis Pavillard, product marketing VP for

Logitech’s keyboards and desktops. “Plus, with its

PVC-free construction and fully recyclable pack-

aging, it’s designed to minimize its footprint.”

The K750 ships with Logitech’s 2.4GHz wireless

Unifying receiver that offers 128-bit AES encryption.

The keyboard is expected to be available in the

U.S. and Europe this month for a suggested retail

of $79.99.

Logitech Adds Solar Keyboard

Mizco’s Maurice Mizrahi and Mark Ecko display some of the first SKUs

of Mizco’s line of Ecko-branded accessories.

The K750 is Logitech’s first solar-powered keyboard.

PayNearMe payments are ac-

cepted at more than 6,000

7-Eleven locations across the

country.

28 April 18, 2011 www.twice.com

Conspin’s Andi-One in its cradle

Conspin Debuts Android-Based Universal Remote

By John Laposky

LAS VEGAS — Conspin unveiled a unique uni-

versal remote control, the Andi-One smart touch

URC, which merges the functionality of a tablet

PC with a universal remote control.

Running the Android 2.1 operating system,

the Andi-One allows users to control up to 50

devices via RF, IR and Wi-Fi, via a 3.5-inch, 320

by 480 scratch-proof touchscreen that also

runs Android apps.

The included cradle acts as a battery recharg-

er and a 2-watt dual-speaker stereo system for

the Andi-One, as well as for an iPod, iPhone or

iPad.

Using the My Activity starter screen, a user

can auto-discover, register and store virtually

any component on the Andi-One’s 2GB internal

memory. Once set-up is complete, the Andi-One

can: group devices by room; switch between

devices, powering them off and on together or

individually; and control TV channel selection, volume and pic-

ture functions

The most frequently used keys are available in both physical

and virtual form for immediate access.

The remote allows downloads from a service provider of

Java-based EPGs to search for movies and programs and can

send emails and browse the Internet.

Optional features allow for the Andi-One to

work as a VoIP phone with built-in echo can-

celler and noise suppressor, and once the An-

di-One is in its cradle it can display time and

weather, news and stock quotes, for instance,

when connected to a Wi-FI network.

The Andi-One can also serve as a wireless

mouse and virtual keyboard to navigate Netflix

and other video streaming services viewed on a

PC, set-top box or connected TV.

It runs more than 100,000 available Android

applications.

The Conspin Andi-One URC is immediately

available through distribution from Tech Data

and D&H Distributing with a suggested retail of

$349.99.

Conspin also debuted last week its Smart

Qwerty CRU 200TQ, a hybrid dual-sided univer-

sal remote control that controls both traditional

consumer media, as well as web-connected Smart TV devices

that require onscreen keyboard entering to perform such tasks

as searching for movies and programs, browsing the Internet,

writing emails, downloading apps, or posting on Facebook and

Twitter.

The Smart Qwerty CRU-200TQ will retail for $ 129.99.

By Lisa Johnston

SALT LAKE CITY — Zagg announced it has signed a

license and distribution agreement with Logitech for the

Zaggmate case with keyboard.

“This new relationship with Logitech allows us to dra-

matically expand our global market presence and scale

manufacturing capabilities to meet future demand, while

continuing to provide creative and superior solutions for

consumers of mobile devices,” said Robert G. Pedersen II,

president and CEO of Zagg. “Working together, our com-

panies combine strong brand awareness and intelligent

product design with manufacturing and logistics expertise,

and worldwide distribution under the umbrella of the glob-

ally recognized Logitech name.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Logitech will manu-

facture and distribute the Zaggmate case with keyboard,

an iPad case with a Bluetooth keyboard, to their worldwide

distribution channels under the name Logitech Keyboard

Case. Zagg will retain the right to sell the Zaggmate for

both first- and second-generation iPad products on its

website, the company said.

According to Zagg, this will enable the company to pro-

vide more products to the global market since keyboard

configurations vary by country. The agreement provides

rights to manufacture and sell the products.

The Logitech Keyboard Case will be available this month

for $99.99. It is constructed of aircraft-grade aluminum

and has a flexible, folding hinge.

Zagg Inks License Agreement With Logitech

Mizco Unveils Platform-Specific Chargers For Smartphones

AVENEL, N.J. — Mizco International’s Digipower division intro-

duced a new generation of platform-specific charging devices

for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry smartphones.

Maurice Mizrahi, president of Digipower, said the products

are the first of their kind to address the specific power require-

ments of each major smartphone platform.

“Until today, virtually every universal charging device was de-

signed to perform optimally for one smartphone platform and

that’s the iPhone,” Mizrahi said in a release. “These devices

will charge Android and Blackberry phones but not optimally.

In fact, the new Digipower portable chargers we are introduc-

ing today will charge Android and BlackBerry smartphones

faster than conventional universal chargers -- and that’s a fact.”

The line includes a home and car kit ($29.99), a home char-

ger ($24.99), a car charger ($19.99), and a combination Pow-

er & Sound kit that comes with a set of ear buds ($39.99). The

chargers are offered in black with green for the Android plat-

form, black with white for the BlackBerry platform, and black

with silver for the iPhone platform. All four models are currently

available. Digipower’s Android home and car chargers

twi1109p028.indd 28twi1109p028.indd 28 4/14/2011 5:15:19 PM4/14/2011 5:15:19 PM

44 | THE OFFICIAL TWICE/CEA GUIDE TO ACCESSORIES

WHEN SELLING THIS >> SELL THESE TOO

CELLPHONE

ACCESSORY GUIDE

Sales of smartphones are expected to be over

450 units worldwide, according to research firm

IDC. Android, Blackberry and the Apple platforms

will dominate in 2011. Accessories go hand-in-

hand with every purchase.

CASES

FLASH MEMORY

BATTERIES

BLUETOOTH HEADSETS

HANDS-FREE HEADSETS

CAR CHARGERS

HOME CHARGERS

TRAVEL CHARGERS

CAR MOUNTS

FACEPLATES

STYLI

CABLES

WI-FI CARDS

WIRELESS KEYBOARDS

SCREEN PROTECTORS

WARRANTIES AND

EXTENDED SERVICE

PLANS

Cellular Innovations Tough Tested Rugged Mobile

Phone Cases

Cellular Innovations will be introducing an expanded

Tough Tested Line of Mobile Accessories in May. The

rugged and durable padded canvas cases, available

for $14.99, feature multiple options for securing smart-

phones with a Velcro-secured flap and snap buckle

closure. In Black, Camouflage or Khaki, the cases

feature a steel belt buckle, complete with karabiner clip

for securing cases to belts. www.mizco.com

iSound Portable Power Max USB Charging Device

The Portable Power Max from iSound is a rechargeable 16,000

milliamp backup battery that charges up to five USB-powered

devices simultaneously. With up to 480 hours of power, it

provides a huge backup capacity for your smartphone and

most other USB-charged devices. Weighing 14 ounces, it

travels easily in a purse, briefcase or glove compartment. It

includes a mini/micro USB cable, AC adapter, LED battery

meter, flashlight and travel bag. www.isound.net

Plantronics Savor M1100 Bluetooth Headset

The Plantronics Savor M1100 Bluetooth ($99.95) combines

three-mic audio performance and a new online voice service,

Plantronics Vocalyst, to deliver quality audio experiences for con-

versations, text-to-speech, audio streaming and more. Vocalyst

is a cloud-based voice service integrated with the headset that

enhances the user experience with convenient features and capa-

bilities. By pressing Savor’s dedicated voice button and speaking

commands, users may send and listen to emails and text-to-

speech messages, record and listen to reminders, post messages

to Twitter and listen to their streams and listen to the latest news,

finance, sports and weather reports. The Plantronics Vocalyst ser-

vice is free for a full year (a $24.99 value) for Savor customers.

www.plantronics.com

50 | THE OFFICIAL TWICE/CEA GUIDE TO ACCESSORIES

DESKTOP & NOTEBOOK COMPUTERS

The SwissGear Pegasus Notebook Backpack

This backpack fits most 17-inch notebooks. It contains a SwissGuard com-

puter pocket to protect your notebook and a number of comfort features

including air-flow back padding, shock-absorbing shoulder straps, quick

pocket and case-base stabilizer platform. www.imce.com

DigiPower 4-Port

USB Travel Charger

The DigiPower 4-Port USB

Travel Charger can power

and charge up to four devices

simultaneously. Each port can

provide a charge based on the

need of the device plugged into

the port. Available for $29.99,

the 4-Port USB Travel Charger is

designed for the needs of

connected travelers.

www.mizco.com

Maxell’s Touch Scroll Mouse

This 2.4GHz Wireless Optical Mouse offers con-

sumers the latest in technology with a buttonless

touch scrolling design. The Maxell Touch Scroll

Mouse features a flat, slim and portable design in

four colors: blue, black, white and raspberry. This

ambidextrous mouse is compatible with both PC

and Mac operating systems and includes a USB

nano receiver that is so small it can be left in your

notebook with no interference.

www.maxell.com

62 September 8, 2011 www.twice.com

Mizco Int'l Expands Ecko Headphones Line

By Lisa Johnston

AVENEL, N.J. — Marc Ecko and partner Mizco Interna-

tional announced they are expanding their headphones

offering with the introduction of six ear buds in the Ecko

Unltd. line.

Ecko and Mizco first teamed up together late last year,

and have introduced

a variety of CE

products, includ-

ing iPhone and iPad

cases and charging

products. The new

ear buds will ship

next month under an

exclusive licensing

agreement with Miz-

co’s Digipower divi-

sion, the company said.

Six models were announced:

The Zone ($12.99) ear buds have Ecko’s trademark

Rhino logo on the earpieces and come in red, green, pink,

yellow, blue and white. Three ear pieces are included.

The Chaos II ($14.99) also have the Rhino design and

come in pink, purple, blue, red and black. These feature an

in-line mic and controls for the Apple devices.

Also sporting the Rhino are the Stomp ear buds

($19.99), which comes with an in-line mic and controls for

use with Apple devices and Android smartphones, as well

as a travel bag. Six colors are offered.

The Lace ear buds ($24.99) feature a nylon, shoelace-

style cord with an in-line mic and controls for use with

Apple devices. They come in six colors with a travel bag:

white, red, blue, black, pink and purple.

Finally, the Chain ($39.99) and Zip ($29.99) models are

designed to “merge Ecko’s reputation for street-conscious

fashion with utilitarian function,” Mizco said. The Chain ear

buds have a beaded, dog-tag chain cord design and come

in four colors, while the Zip have a zipper cord and come in

six colors. Both have in-line mics and volume controls that

are compatible with Apple and Android devices.

All of the ear buds have 10mm drivers and silicone ear

tips. All but the Chaos II have frequency ranges of 20Hz

to 20,000Hz. The Chaos II’s frequency range is 10Hz to

22,000Hz. The Chain, Zip. Lace and Stomp have imped-

ances of 32 ohms; the Zone is 16 ohms and the Chaos II

is 18 ohms.

Mizco and Ecko hinted in a release that a major product

lineup will be announced at the 2012 International CES.

From left to right: Stomp, Lace, Chain, Zone and Chaos II

By Lisa Johnston

NEW YORK — More news has emerged

from the ever-popular musician-meets-head-

phones category.

SMS Audio, which has rapper 50 Cent

as its CEO, announced it has acquired the

assets of headphones designer KoNoAudio.

KoNoAudio founder Brian Nohe will become

president of SMS Audio.

A line of wired and wireless headphones

and audio accessories are slated to be intro-

duced in the fall from SMS Audio. Features

will include on-board controls and the ability

for four users to listen to the same wireless

audio from a single source.

In a statement, 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson)

said, “I’m eager for my fans to hear my mu-

sic the way it was intended — the way it was

mastered in the studio. The acquisition of

KonoAudio will enhance our ability to bring

the absolute, highest-caliber audio products

to the market.”

50 Cent was made part owner of Sleek

Audio during International CES in January,

but the partnership between Sleek and his

G-Unit Brands licensing company was ter-

minated in the spring before any products

came to market.

50 Cent's SMS Audio

Acquires KoNoAudio

Accell Showing

UltraCat HD Extenders

INDIANAPOLIS — Accell will show-

case its UltraCat HD Extenders at

CEDIA Expo.

Accell’s UltraCat HD, a transmitter

and receiver set featuring HDBaseT

technology, can deliver uncompressed

FullHD digital video, audio, 100BaseT

Ethernet, RS232 and IR control sig-

als

ver

a s

ingle

AT-5e

able.

extenders are created to support HD

video applications, supporting all reso-

lutions and video formats, including

1080p, 4K and 3D.

The UltraCat HD Extenders support

cable runs of up to 328 feet and feature

a data-transfer rate of up to 10.2Gbps.

They are the HDCP compliant and com-

patible with the most recent HDMI High

Speed spec. The extenders support

CEC functionality and provide an Ether-

net 10/100BaseTx passthrough, which

is ideal for use with IP-enabled TVs and

components, the company said.

The UltraCat HD Extender featuring

HDBaseT technology is available now

with an suggested retail of $499. Ac-

cell is in booth 3204.

The company will also have on dis-

play its UltraAV 5x1 HDMI switch as

well as its AVGrip Pro Locking high-

speed HDMI cable line.

Atlona Offering Range

Of A/V Setup Devices

INDIANAPOLIS — Atlona’s Profes-

sional division will display a range of

solutions allowing integrators to create

scalable, customizable solutions for

customers in residential and commer-

cial A/V applications.

New products on display at CEDIA

Expo include the company’s AT-DVI4-

100SR and AT-HD4-V110SR DVI and

HDMI HDBaseT extender kits. The

units extend DVI and HDMI transmis-

sions up to 350 feet with resolutions

up to 4Kx2K over a single CAT-5/-6/-7

cable, while providing bidirectional RS-

232, IR and Ethernet pass-through.

tlona

ill

lso

how

T-PRO-

2HD88M-SR and AT-PRO2HD1616M-

SR HDBaseT 8x8 and 16x16 High-

peed

HDMI

Matrix

Switchers.

The

high-speed switchers feature eight or

16 HDMI 1.4 inputs and eight or 16

independently switchable twisted pair

outputs to feed eight or 16 separate re-

ceiver modules (included).

The units have the ability to equalize,

amplify and reclock the signal to ensure

HDMI-accurate signal transmission

through long cables without quality

loss. Featuring HDBaseT technology,

the switchers extend HDMI sources up

to 330 feet at 4Kx2K resolution over a

ingle

AT-5/-6-/-7

able,

ddition

to providing analog two-channel ste-

reo, bidirectional RS-232, and zone-

specific bidirectional IR passthrough

up to 60 KHz.

Both the Extender kits and the HDMI

switchers support Deep Color, HDCP

and full 3D, while preserving 7.1-chan-

nel digital audio, including DTS-HD

and Dolby TrueHD.

Panamax/Furman

Demos Power Products

INDIANAPOLIS — Panamax/Furman

will have on display a series of kiosks

highlighting the company’s line of pow-

er-management systems and solutions.

Inside booth 1321 attendees will find

a kiosk devoted to a hands-on demo

station for the company’s BlueBolt re-

mote power- and energy-management

platform.

By combining Cloud-based control

with Panamax/Furman power-manage-

ment hardware, BlueBolt integrators

can remotely reboot problem compo-

nents to address customer issues im-

mediately from their smartphone, tablet

or computer, the company said.

With a wide variety of power and en-

ergy alerts, integrators can be proactive

on service issues with email notifica-

tions when power anomalies occur, and

set up budget alerts for tracking system

energy usage. Integrators can learn

how to use advanced features such as

setting up auto-reboot to automatically

restart network equipment when an In-

ternet connection is lost, as well as how

to integrate power into control and auto-

mation systems for maximum functional-

ity, the company said.

Other kiosks will demo BlueBolt en-

ergy-management hardware, the com-

pany’s power-management audio-per-

formance systems and the company’s

in-wall power-management solutions.

CEDIA Briefs

The BlueBolt energy-management interface

twi1118p062.indd 62twi1118p062.indd 62 9/1/2011 4:25:05 PM9/1/2011 4:25:05 PM

Page 18 | EVERYTHING iPAD, iPHONE, iPOD & MP3 TOO! | A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO TWICE

WWW.MIZCO.COM

Who We Are

The DigiPower and iEssentials Divisions of Mizco

International directly address the primary needs

of iDevice users—Power and Personalization.

According to Maurice Mizrahi, DigiPower Presi-

dent, Apple’s iDevices—in all of their forms— have

become centerpieces in the lifestyles of today’s

consumers. This has created an enormous mar-

ket demand for portable power products that can

keep these devices running at full capacity, for

longer periods of time. “iPhones, iPods and iPads

are in a class of their own, and we have designed a

complete line of auxiliary battery packs and cases

that completely complement and extend the per-

formance capabilities of the devices themselves.”

Once consumers have the power to ensure

their devices keep running for as long as they

are needed, their concerns turn to personalizing

these devices to meet their distinct style aesthet-

ics—and that’s where Mizco’s iEssentials divi-

sion comes in. Sam Mizrahi, Mizco Executive Vice

President emphasizes, “The days of plain white or

black earbuds, cases or skins are over. Consum-

ers want to personalize their devices with cases

and covers that reﬂect their individual tastes.

Retailers need to embrace this movement by

offering products that meet the performance and

style expectations of their consumers.”

Mizco takes seriously the challenge of design-

ing, engineering and manufacturing the next

generation of power products and fashionable

accessories for all iDevices that continue to set

new standards. www.mizco.com

DigiPower Home

and Car Power Kit

The DigiPower Home and Car

Power Kit ($39.99) incorporates

a high level of built-in electronic

safety features to protect valuable

equipment from over-voltage or

short-circuit conditions. They also

feature rapid charging capability

and an extra-long two-meter cable.

Its slim design, high-gloss black

ﬁnish and metallic trim comple-

ment the design of all iDevices.

DigiPower’s Universal Charging Dock

Perfect for charging all iDevices, DigiPower’s Universal Charg-

ing Dock ($29.99) features an attached four-foot cable for con-

necting to a wall charger for charging or to a computer for

charging/syncing. The integrated blue LED on the base of the

stand indicates power status, and the wide base provides extra

stability for use with an iPad or when surﬁng the web, photo

viewing or checking e-mails.

iEssentials iPad Shell Case

The new iEssentials iPad Shell Case features a rotating stand to allow for

multiple viewing positions. Its durable clip adjusts for each user’s desired

view and allows the iPad to be mounted on a wall. The case is available in the

colors smoke, blue, clear and pink to meet the tastes of all consumers.

O CAR by Oxygen Audio

The O CAR by Oxygen Audio is the ﬁrst car stereo

speciﬁcally designed and manufactured for full-

integration with the iPhone. It lets users control

all car stereo functions—as well as music library

browsing—using the touch screen of the iPhone.

www.aampofamerica.com

Haier 20-inch Soundbar

Haier’s soundbars boost your TV’s audio perfor-

mance and enhance the home theater experience.

You can charge and play iPod, iPhone and iPad plus

view content on your TV with the component video

output. The Haier Audio App provides FM tuner,

Internet radio and weather forecasts as well as alarm

clock functionality. Available in 20- and 32-inch sizes

to pair with smaller TVs. http://haieramerica.com

Sony MDR-XB22iP Extra Bass

Earbuds for iPod/iPhone/iPad

Crank the bass and take your music to the streets.

Bringing big bass to the iPod compatibility market,

these Extra Bass earbuds accurately reproduce

powerful and dynamic deep bass sound. A full

function in-line remote provides total control with

volume, track and call controls. Coming this fall

($59.99). www.sony.com/headphones

iLuv ArtStation Pro Speaker System

Winner of a 2011 CES Innovations Award, the ArtSta-

tion Pro (iMM514, $169 MSRP) transforms the iPad

into a home entertainment center, enabling users

to easily and comfortably enjoy music, movies and

TV shows. Ideal for parties, family gatherings or

simply for personal enjoyment, the ArtStation Pro

will easily become a user’s main music system.

www.i-luv.com

DigiPower Boost Elite iPhone Case

The DigiPower Boost Elite seamlessly combines

the protection and grip beneﬁts of a silicone “skin”

case with a high-capacity rechargeable backup

battery. Available in a variety of colors, the Boost

Elite provides up to 11 hours of additional talk time,

8 hours of video playback or 8 hours of Wi-Fi time.

www.mizco.com

Scosche clipSYNC Cable

The clipSYNC features a full-sized USB charge and

sync cable with a built-in, spring-loaded carbineer.

Available in iPod/iPhone and Micro and Mini USB

models, the durable clipSYNC provides consumers

a convenient mobile sync-and-charge solution while

on the go. www.scosche.com

EVERYTHING iPAD, iPHONE, iPOD & MP3 TOO! | A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO TWICE | Page 41

Page 42 | EVERYTHING iPAD, iPHONE, iPOD & MP3 TOO! | A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO TWICE

Sony RDP-X500iP

Ultra-Premium Speaker Dock

Robust, crisp room-ﬁlling sound from a beautiful

package. A built-in subwoofer and S-MASTER digital

ampliﬁcation work in concert for an unbelievable audio

experience. The modern design includes a retracting

dock and adds to the powerful sound performance.

Available this fall ($299.95). www.sony.com/docks

iEssentials Leather Folio for iPad

The iEssentials Leather Folio is designed for the

consumer looking for a more traditional and upscale

way to cover and protect their iPad. Available in black,

blue, brown and pink, the Leather Folio features a

folding front ﬂap for vertical and horizontal viewing

angles, a soft microﬁber interior, holes for a head-

phone jack, dock connector port, on/off and volume

controls. A magnetic front ﬂap ensures the iPad stays

secure when the cover is closed. www.mizco.com

AmpliTube iRig Guitar

Amp/Effects System

The AmpliTube iRig is the ultimate mobile guitar amp

and effects rig system for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Jam anywhere with world-class guitar and bass tone

right in the palm of your hand. www.ikmultimedia.com

or contact info@navarre.com

Withings Wi-Fi Body Scale

The Withings Wi-Fi Body Scale is a high-tech, elegant

device that measures weight, fat mass and lean mass.

Using the free Withings App, you can keep track of

your health indicators, stay motivated and achieve

your ﬁtness goals faster and more smoothly. It works

with iPhone, iPad as well as Android smartphones

and computers. Visit www.withings.com or contact

info@navarre.com

SOUL SL300 Over-Ear

Noise-Canceling Headphones

The SL300 offers superior noise-cancellation technology

combined with sleek style and professional sound.

The comfortable over-ear design seals in sound and

blocks out ambient noise for a truly private listening

experience. The premium gold or black/white color

combinations add stylish and unique ﬂair ($299, avail-

able now). www.soulelectronics.com

HOT PRODUCT SHOWCASE

By John Laposky

RAHWAY, N.J. — iHome unveiled a line

of Disney-licensed audio accessories

products featuring Kermit the Frog, Min-

nie Mouse, Phineas and Ferb, and Jack

Skellington from “The Nightmare Before

Christmas.”

The new iHome lineup includes noise-

isolating earphones, over-the-ear head-

phones, portable speaker systems and

iPod docking alarm clock speaker sys-

tems. Additional products are planned

for 2012, the company said.

The noise-isolating headphone mod-

els feature detachable passive ear cush-

ions in a variety of sizes, enhanced bass

response, inline volume control and a

travel pouch. They retail for $14.99.

The over-the-ear headphones feature

padded ear cushions, a padded adjust-

able headband and in-line volume con-

trol. They retail for $24.99.

The portable speaker system con-

nects to any portable audio device with

a 3.5mm headphone jack through a

hard-wired line-in cable. Volume is con-

trolled by the player. It retails for $19.99.

A second SKU, housed in a water-resis-

tant casing with a zipper closure, retails

for $39.99.

The iPod-docking alarm clock speak-

er system is certified Made For iPod and

features gradual wake and gradual sleep

functions, two independent alarms that

allow wake to music or buzzer, an aux-in

jack and a backlit LCD display with ad-

justable dimmer. It also works with any

player with a 3.5mm headphone jack

and retails for $49.99.

“We are excited to collaborate with

Disney on a great new line of audio

products for under $50,” Evan Stein,

iHome’ marketing director, said. “From

Kermit the Frog earphones to a classic

Minnie Mouse dual alarm clock speaker

system, Disney fans will love waking up

and listening to music with some of their

66 December 19, 2011 www.twice.com

Mizco Launches iEssentials RoboBuds

By Lisa Johnston

AVENEL, N.J. — Mizco International’s

iEssentials division joined the growing

list of headphones manufacturers in the

kid-friendly business.

The RoboBuds line, offered in five

“characters” for $9.99, are designed to

protect sensitive ears from damage by

having a max volume output of 85dB.

The five characters are Phantom,

Streke, Electrika, PowerBot and Crimson-

Robo, each with a robot character on the

cord that slides up and down and serves

as the set’s cord-management system.

“Children are embracing music at

younger and younger ages than ever

before, and that requires manufacturers

to go further than ever before to design

products that can help protect against

unintended damage caused by sudden

increases in music volume,” said Mike

Mizrahi, Mizco’s creative director.

Ivee Talking Alarm Clocks At CES

By Doug Olenick

LOS ANGELES – Ivee will showcase

its latest line of voice-controlled alarm

clocks at International CES next month.

The Ivee Flex and Ivee Digit are

hands-free devices that can under-

stand and respond to 35 and 40, re-

spectively, voice-activated commands.

The Flex features an FM radio that

can be turned on by a voice command

and six sleep sounds designed to help

one relax. It also has a 5-inch LED and

can itself announce the time, date and

temperature.

The Digit has a 3-inch LCD and

three sleep sounds, and it can also an-

nounce the time, date and temperature.

Other shared features are multiple

alarm sound, snooze and timer op-

tions, and they can be upgraded via

a USB port.

The Flex carries a $59.99 suggested

retail price and the Digit is priced at

$49.99. All are now shipping to Brook-

stone, Hammacher Schlemmer, Sharp-

er Image and Helloivee.com.

The RoboBuds have a max volume output of 85dB.

Concord Debuts

Battery Pack

SUNRISE, FLA. – Concord Key-

stone Trading has introduced the

Keystone Eco Booster portable

battery pack for MicroUSB smart-

phones in the U.S.

The portable Keystone Eco Booster

charges and extends the battery pow-

er for smartphones and is the newest

addition to the line of proven power

performers from Concord Keystone, in-

cluding AmigoCase, Solar/USB Pow-

er Pak and other charging units and

accessories, the company said.

The Keystone Eco Booster has a

built-in retractable MicroUSB charg-

ing cable so no additional acces-

sory is needed. The Booster has an

adhesive gel pad hidden beneath

a removable protective cover. After

removing the protective cover, the

Booster can be attached neatly to

the back of the smart phone with-

out slippage. The protective cover

for the adhesive gel pad can be re-

located to the back of the Booster

to be used as a horizontal or vertical

viewing stand, Concord said.

The Keystone Eco Booster por-

table offers up to double the battery

life for most MicroUSB smartphones

and is fitted with a battery-check

button and LED status indicator to

show the charge level of the Booster.

The suggested retail is $49.99.

iHome, Disney Team For Audio Accessories Line

favorite characters.”

The new iHome line featuring Disney

characters can be purchased select

Toys ‘R’ Us, Bed Bath & Beyond and

Barnes & Noble stores, among other

chains. For detailed product informa-

tion, please visit www.ihomeaudio.com/

disney.

iHome’s Disney line includes earpphone, head-

phones, portable speaker systems and iPod dock-

ing alarm clocks featuring Kermit the Frog, Minnie

Mouse, Phineas and Ferb, and Jack Skellington

from “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

MXL Ships iPad Mic

EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. – MXL Micro-

phones has started shipping its Tempo

mic for the iPad.

The Tempo is a USB-powered con-

denser microphone for recording vocals

and other sounds on an iPad using the

iPad Camera Connection kit adapter. It

is also compatible with Windows and

Mac computers. The mic features an in-

tegrated headphone output so the user

can monitor a recording directly.

It is available in two color schemes, a

black body with a red grill and a silver

body with a black grill.

It retails for a suggested $79.

»»Web VideoWeb Video

Evolve

iPad En-

closures

are heavy-

duty

protec-

tive iPad

shells,

aimed at the enterprise and business

channels, that are custom-made to

incorporate a logo or promotional

message. Go to www.twice.com/

twicedec19 to watch a video on how

they work.

twi1125p066.indd 66twi1125p066.indd 66 12/15/2011 4:30:56 PM12/15/2011 4:30:56 PM

www.twice.com January 30, 2012 43

Lee Comments On

Beats Split

During and after Interna-

tional CES, the CE world

was abuzz with the news

that Monster and Beats

Electronics were ending

their winning partnership.

TWICE spoke with Noel Lee after the

show to get his take on the story and to

clear up a few rumors. See the full story at

www.twice.com/twicejan30.

By Lisa Johnston

LAS VEGAS — iLuv Creative Technology expanded its

CE accessories lines with new charging products and

sync cables, and it introduced what the company is call-

ing the first audio dock designed for Amazon’s Kindle

line.

The iMM375 features the robotic arms of the com-

pany’s MyBot OmniFit technology. This allows the dock

to adjust for the width of the Kindle Fire or Kindle Touch,

or it can be used with any de-

vice that uses a 3.5mm audio

port.

The iMM375 also charges

the Kindle while it’s plugged

in. Suggested retail is

$69.99.

Speaking of charging,

iLuv introduced several new

charging and syncing cables

as part of its MyLink line.

The retractable CuteSync

iCB12 is billed as an ultra-

portable sync and charge

cable that can fit on a

keychain. It has an Apple

connector and a MicroUSB

connector, as well as a flip-

out USB connector. iLuv said it was designed to expose

only one connector at a time, thus avoiding any potential

syncing errors incurred by connecting two devices at

once.

The Mini CuteSync iCB9 is similar to the CuteSync,

but it’s only meant for use with Apple devices.

The DualJack iCB17 is a combination sync and charge

cable that has an Apple connector and a MicroUSB

connector. The iCB27 version can be used with Galaxy

Tab and Galaxy S smartphones.

Pricing for the cables start at $19.99.

The company also launched its MyPower line of pow-

er and charging solutions meant for the “world-traveling

consumer.” Pricing for these cables start at $19.99.

The DreamTraveler iAD301 is a travel-size combina-

tion power strip with surge protection, USB charger for

Apple devices, and a slide-out charging dock. It can

power up to six devices at

once with its three grounded

outlets, two USB ports and

one USB charging dock, iLuv

said.

The RockWall iAD710 is a

dual-port USB wall charger

that can simultaneously quick-

charge an iPad and an iPhone/

iPod. It features a swiveling

base that allows it to be con-

nected to an outlet strip on the

floor, an outlet on the wall or

folded closed. It can also ac-

commodate various interna-

tional plug adapters.

The DualPin iAD610 dual-

port USB charger is meant for

use in cars. It features a total of 15.5 watts and can

quick-charge an iPad and iPhone simultaneously. It also

has a head that can swivel at a 30-degree angle.

The MobiSeal car charger comes in two versions. The

iAD530 is meant for use with MicroUSB devices, and

the iAD540 version works exclusively with Galaxy tab-

lets and smartphones.

All of iLuv’s new products will be available in May.

iLuv Intros Kindle Fire Dock, Charging Solutions

The RockWall iAD710 charger can connect to an outlet strip on the

floor or on the wall.

Mizco Int'l And Ecko

Unveil Updated

Graffiti-Inspired Lines

By Lisa Johnston

LAS VEGAS — The Ecko Unltd. division of Miz-

co International used International CES to show

off its new CE accessories products.

The Force headphones, which feature 57mm

speaker drivers, are part of the company’s Unltd.

Sound headphones. They come in gold, Graffiti

White and Camo Gray. Features include noise re-

duction, reinforced construction and frame, max

input power of 100mW, impedance of 32 ohms,

a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz and a

satin carrying bag. Suggested retail is $49.99.

The Motion headphones ($29.99) have

40mm drivers, 300mW max input power, 20Hz

to 22kHz frequency range and impedance of

32 ohms. They come in white, red and gold.

The Impact headphones ($24.99) have the

same tech specs as the Force headphones but

with a different design. They come in Graffiti,

Black and Camo Blue.

Ecko also unveiled the over-ear Link wireless

headphones ($99.99), which use Bluetooth

technology. Features include a noise-canceling

microphone; volume, track and call controls; a

rechargeable lithium-ion

battery; and a foldable

design. Play time is listed

at six hours, talk time at

eight and standby time at

100.

The Exhibit series of

headphones ($39.99)

and iPhone cases

($19.99) is the result of

a collaboration between

company founder (and

famed graffiti artist) Marc

Ecko and 11 other graffiti

artists. The cases come in five colors, while the

headphones have 40mm drivers and a frequen-

cy range of 20Hz to 20kHz.

All of these headphones (and the Exhibit

iPhone cases) will be available in April.

Beyond headphones, the company launched

its Unltd.Power line at CES. The Power Kits

come with flat tangle-free USB cables, rubber-

coated 1-amp home and car chargers, and

power-protection circuitry, according to the

company. Three different SKUs are available:

one for Apple devices, one for BlackBerrys and

Androids, and one for all three.

The Exhibit headphones

Headphones Headline International CES

By Lisa Johnston

LAS VEGAS — It was headphones in the news

and on the minds of many at the 2012 Inter-

national CES, with dozens of manufactur-

ers introducing new models and updating

their lines.

TWICE has rounded up just some of

the companies that were there. More

can be seen online at www.twice.com

and in the Jan. 10 print issue.

AfterShokz launched its “ear-free”

headphones during the show, which

are designed to rest outside of the

wearer’s ears to prevent hearing dam-

age.

Three models are available: After-

Shokz Sport, AfterShokz Mobile and

AfterShokz Game.

“Unlike conventional headphones and

ear buds that use the eardrums to transmit

sound, Aftershokz headphones rest com-

fortably in front of the ear and utilize bone

conduction technology to transmit sound

through the listener’s cheekbones to the

inner ear, bypassing the eardrum completely,” the com-

pany said.

The AfterShokz Sport headphones are designed for

active users. Since AfterShokz headphones rest outside

the ear, users are able to also hear ambient noises, such

as oncoming traffic.

The AfterShokz Mobile headphones add an in-

line microphone, so incoming calls automatically

interrupt music and simultaneously activate the

microphone.

The AfterShokz Game headphones are en-

gineered for gamers or those who use VoIP.

All three models are sweat and water resis-

tant, and have in-line controls and a lifetime

warranty. Both the Sport and Mobile head-

phones have a standard 3.5mm connector,

and the AfterShokz Game has a USB con-

nector and an extended 9-foot cord.

They are currently available for the fol-

lowing prices: AfterShokz Sport, $59.95;

AfterShokz Game, $69.95; and AfterShokz

Mobile, $69.95.

Bell’O announced just prior to CES that it

was entering the headphones market with a line

of in-ear models under its new Bell’O Digital brand.

Six models will be available: BDH220,

BDH440, BDH640, BDH643, BDH650

and BDH653. The ear buds will feature

tangle-free cords, three sizes of ear cush-

ions, and in-line volume control and microphone. They’ll

be available this spring at prices ranging from $9.99 to

$39.99.

Fanny Wang used CES to show off its updated

The Street by 50 DJ headphones

from SMS Audio

(continued on page 44)

twi1203p043p044.indd 43twi1203p043p044.indd 43 1/26/2012 3:17:27 PM1/26/2012 3:17:27 PM

PAGE 10 | A TWICE RETAIL GUIDE TO EVERYTHING “i”

WWW.MIZCO.COM

WHO WE ARE

Mizco International fulﬁlls the needs of

every consumer with its ﬁve strong and

clearly differentiated brands—DIGIPOWER,

iEssentials, Cellular Innovations, *ecko

unltd. and Travelocity. With a wide range

of mobile device accessories available in

virtually every style, Mizco has the perfect

product for every consumer, whether they

want to express their own unique style or

need super-rugged, heavy-duty device

cases and headphones that can withstand

anything thrown at them. While other man-

ufacturers create products for one type

of consumer, Mizco designs products for

at least ﬁve different types of consumers,

which are addressed through each of the

various brands.

According to Mizco President/CEO Albert

Mizrahi, “The iPad 2 wasn’t made for one

type of consumer and neither are Mizco’s

iPad 2 accessories. By offering consumers

multiple brands that feature highly-individ-

ualized accessories, we provide our retailers

the opportunity to sell the most personal-

ized solutions to their consumers — to the

beneﬁt of all of us.” www.mizco.com

iEssentials 360 Stand

The new iEssentials 360 Stand for iPad 2, available for $20, features a 360-degree

rotating display that allows the iPad 2 to be displayed at any angle. The compact

stand folds up for easy storage and features a black rubberized ﬁnish with extra

grip on the bottom for security and stability.

iEssentials Universal Neoprene Tablet Cases

The Universal Neoprene Tablet Cases are available in zipper and

sleeve models. The Zipper Case features a zipper pocket for storage

of cables and other accessories while the Sleeve Case (pictured)

features a fold-over closure and is reversible. Both are available in

7- and 10-inch sizes, for $9.99 and $14.99 respectively.

DIGIPOWER Cross-Brand Charger

DIGIPOWER’s Cross-Brand Tablet and Smart Phone Charger fea-

tures a simple three-position Smart Switch that allows it to opti-

mally charge USB-powered tablets from major manufacturers

such as Apple, Samsung, HTC and BlackBerry. The ultra-compact

charger also charges USB-powered smart phones with maximum

charging efﬁciency and is available at retailers and online for $29.99.

PAGE 30 | A TWICE RETAIL GUIDE TO EVERYTHING “i”

COOL PRODUCT SHOWCASE

iHome iD50 App-enhanced Bluetooth Dual Alarm Clock

Radio Speakerphone for iPad/iPhone/iPod

The iD50 is a dual alarm AM/FM clock radio for iPad/iPhone/ iPod that

charges those devices and lets users wake and sleep to either one.

Consumers can also pair Bluetooth-enabled devices to stream audio.

The iD50 features EQ controls, SRS TruBass and Reson8 sound tech-

nology for an exceptional audio experience. www.ihomeaudio.com

Klipsch Mode M40 Headphones

As the company’s ﬁrst-ever active noise-cancelling (ANC) headphone

model, the Klipsch Mode M40 employs only the best in personal audio

technology. The headphone provides listeners upwards of 45 hours of

ANC on a single AAA battery. Available in a bourbon ﬁnish with blazed

copper accents, the Klipsch Mode M40 is a statement product exuding

nothing but fashion and luxury. www.klipsch.com

JBL OnBeat Xtreme

The OnBeat Xtreme is a complete high-performance audio system that

pairs with virtually any Bluetooth-enabled smart phone or tablet for high-

quality wireless playback of your music, movies and games. www.jbl.com

iLuv Vibro II

The Vibro II is a high-ﬁdelity alarm clock dock that lets consumers wake

to their iPhone or iPod, radio, the Shaker or any combination with the

Shaker. When placed under a pillow, the Shaker’s smooth, rhythmic

vibrations are guaranteed to wake even the heaviest sleeper or the

hearing impaired. www.i-luv.com

Ion Audio iLP Turntable Conversion System

for iPad/iPhone/iPod touch

Bring your customer’s vinyl music back to life with Ion Audio’s turntable

conversion system. Using a built-in dock, your customers can transfer

music directly from their records to an iPad/iPhone/iPod using the

included EZ Vinyl and Tape Converter app. www.petra.com

Veridian Healthcare iHealth Monitoring Solution

A solution of innovative, mobile personal healthcare products that make

it simple and easy to test, track, graph and securely share health infor-

mation utilizing the Apple iOS mobile platform. Blood Pressure Monitor

(BP3) and Digital Scale (HS3) are sold separately. www.dandh.com

Ecko *UNLTD.ESSENTIALS iPad 2 FOLIO

Ecko’s *UNLTD.ESSENTIALS new line of sleek, stylish iPad 2 FOLIO

cases—designed speciﬁcally for the iPad 2—are available for $39.99 in

shiny and matte textures. Both models feature a secure magnetic cover

with auto-sleep and wake features, a soft, scratch-resistant nano-ﬁber

lining, a dual FaceTime and keyboard stand, interior pockets for business

cards and cutouts for full access to all ports and buttons.

www.mizco.com

WHEN SELLING THIS >> SELL THESE TOO

APPLE iPOD/iPHONE

ACCESSORY GUIDE

Apple’s iPhone remains the gold standard in the

smartphone space and the company holds a commanding

share of digital media player sales. Your customers want

the latest accessories to complement the Apple lifestyle.

CASES

HEADPHONES

SPEAKER DOCKS

BOOMBOXES

CABLES

BATTERY PACKS

SONIC ENHANCEMENTS

SPORTS BANDS

FM RECEIVERS

FM TRANSMITTERS

REMOTES

BLUETOOTH

TRANSMITTERS

WRAPS

iHome iP76 LED Color-Changing Tower

Stereo Speaker System with Bluetooth

The world’s first color-changing Bluetooth

tower speaker system delivers three feet of

pure excitement, color and rocking sound.

Charges and plays iPhone or docking iPod.

Adjustable LED cabinet color features color

fade, favorite color, pulse to music and

strobe effect. Auto-pairing and -linking fea-

ture makes Bluetooth setup simple and fast.

www.ihomeaudio.com

iEssentials’ iPhone Cases

The new iEssentials cases for the iPhone 4/4S feature a

hard outer shell for extra protection and allow full access

to all controls and ports. The Kick-It Case features a

sturdy built-in kickstand that allows the phone to stand

in the vertical or horizontal position. The Wallet Case is

designed with a built-in slot that holds up to three credit-

card sized items. The Shell-Holster Combo combines the

protection of a fitted case with the convenience of a hol-

ster. www.mizco.com

Fanny Wang 3000 Series Over-Ear Wangs

These headphones are specially engineered to actively

eliminate over 95% of ambient noise. Two microphones

measure noise levels from inside the ear cup; an addi-

tional two microphones are used to measure ambient

outside noise. Using these measurements, a canceling

signal is generated so you can listen to your music in

complete isolation. www.dandh.com

18 | THE OFFICIAL TWICE/CEA GUIDE TO ACCESSORIES

COMPUTERS

Netgear Powerline 500 Nano

Netgear’s Powerline 500 Nano converts any electrical outlet in your customers’ homes into a

high-speed network connection. It offers plug-and-play setup and top speeds, all in a small form

factor. It’s geared for connecting a single device such as game console, Blu-ray player, Smart

TV, HD set-top box, network DVR, PC, and other devices to the home network router and the

Internet. www.netgear.com

Manhattan Stealth Touch Mouse

It’s the first mouse that features all “touch” technology—no buttons to click or

wheels to scroll. Exclusive Curve-Touch technology recognizes preprogrammed

fingertip movements when it’s used as a desktop or presenter mouse, allow-

ing everything to be controlled with a simple tap, swipe or slide of a fingertip.

www.mahattan-products.com

42 | THE OFFICIAL TWICE/CEA GUIDE TO ACCESSORIES

iEssentials’ Cables To-Go

iEssentials’ Cables To-Go are made with a

tangle-free, braided nylon cord, and allow you to

get the most out of your digital devices without

forcing you to spend your valuable time untying

knots. The 3.3-foot cords also come with a cable

clip that prevents the cord from falling off your

desktop. The cables are available in 3.5mm to

RCA, 3.5mm AUX, Micro USB, Mini USB, iPhone/

iPod, and Mini HDMI. www.mizco.com

CODi Mobile Max Notebook Carrying Case

Designed for 17-inch notebooks, the Mobile Max is

spacious enough to accommodate business tools

while doubling as an overnight bag. Weighing in

at a mere 7.85 pounds, with four distinct, spacious

compartments, this case is compact enough to fit

in overhead compartments and under the seats of

most regional airplanes. www.dandh.com

Einstein MIMOBOT

The first in a brand-new series of

MIMOBOT flash drives from Mimoco

honoring iconic figures in history, “The

Legends of MIMOBOT Series,” is none

other than the most influential physicist

of the 20th Century—Albert Einstein!

Navarre 1-800-728-4000

www.groceryheadquarters.com

march 2012

The answer, according to many suppliers attending

this month’s International Home + Housewares Show

in Chicago, is a deﬁnite maybe. A large number of

suppliers say that the improving economy is helping to

spur demand in the more expensive end of the house-

wares market. At the same time, many note that the less

expensive end of the category, including many of the

products that sell at supermarkets, have always fared

relatively well, despite the rough economic conditions.

Optimism is high. According to Perry Reynolds,

vice president of marketing and trade development for

the International Housewares Association, exhibition

space at the upcoming show at McCormick Place is

sold out for most categories, and the number of regis-

tered buyers will be higher this year than last year. The

show, which will take place March 10 to 13 will attract

an estimated 60,000 attendees and 2,000 exhibitors.

Reynolds says those ﬁgures point to the fact that con-

HOUSEWARES nonfoods for proﬁt

COULD IT FINALLY BE TRUE? Is the worst over for the much-maligned housewares

category and can retailers look forward to an uptick in sales on everything from kitchen

gadgets to microwaves and refrigerators?

Heading for

By Nora Caley

The annual Housewares Show promises a wide

selection of new merchandise. Here is a sample

of what may ﬁt in supermarkets.

march 2012

www.groceryheadquarters.com

nonfoods for proﬁt HOUSEWARES

sumers are ready to spend on updating their

homes, a positive thought that he acknowledg-

es sounds familiar. “There were probably false

dawns, false excitement to some degree over

the past couple of years,” he says. “Suppliers

were cautiously optimistic last year, yet they

are very optimistic this year.”

He points to what he calls a free ﬂow of new

products as another example of overall op-

timism. This year’s show will feature 30,000

new items, including merchandise from 400

new exhibitors. “If we ﬁnd room for them that

number will grow some more,” Reynolds says.

“Entrepreneurs are ﬁnding access to capital

and bringing products to market.” Also new

this year, the IHA will present awards for in-

novation.

Among the attendees will be approximate-

ly 15,000 U.S. buyers and 6,000 international

buyers. All hope to ﬁnd decorative items,

kitchen accessories, and other products that

will update their housewares assortments.

Here is a look at what some housewares com-

panies plan to showcase at this year’s event.

Wahl Clipper Corp.

One trend that is helping

boost sales in personal

care items is the fact that

people are cutting their

hair at home, and not just to

save money, says Steven Yde,

director of marketing for Wahl

Clipper Corp., based in Sterling,

Ill. “We see a marked increase in

haircut bonding, which is moms

and dads cutting their children’s

hair, even adult children,” he says. “It provides

a way for families to share an intimate bond-

ing experience while feeling good about sav-

ing money and interacting, as opposed to non-

interacting activities such as watching TV or

going to a sporting event together.”

Wahl Clipper will highlight the Fade

Pro, a combined fading and balding clip-

per. Wahl also has a new Total Care oil

for conditioning personal care appliances,

such as clippers, trimmers and shavers. The

company will also feature its new Complete

Hair Cutting Book.

Mizco International

People want to take their smartphones and

tablets with them when they travel and

sometimes that travel involves being around

pools and beaches. To protect those devices,

Mizco International, based in Avenel, N.J., is

extending its Travelocity line with the Water-

proof Series of cases. The cases are available

in sizes for tablets, smartphones, cameras

and e-readers.

David Strumeier, executive vice president

of sales and marketing of the Travelocity

division of Mizco, says grocery retailers are

merchandising the cases on clip strips near

the sun block and sun protection items. “It’s

a very easy sale to create in a grocery store,”

he says. “They are impulse items and they

are priced in Travelocity brand

prices, and Travelocity

screams value.”

Cool Gear

International

Cool Gear International will feature 25 new

hydration products, including barware, single

and double wall water bottles, glass bottles,

coffee mugs, food storage, travel accessories,

lunch bags and ﬁltration products.

“During these challenging economic

times, consumers are value and quality con-

scious, both in hydration and food storage,”

says Hank Roth, executive vice president for

the Plymouth, Mass.-based company. “Ease

of function, design, quality and brand name

are important.”

Bradshaw

International

Bradshaw International

will highlight four Good

Cook products at the show.

First is the 3-D series in the Sweet Cre-

ations by Good Cook line. The 3-D cookie

cutters can make cookies to be assembled

into a gingerbread house or a standing

Christmas tree, say ofﬁcials for the Rancho

Cucamunga, Calif.-based company. The

3-D bakeware is a two-piece baking mold

that turns a cake mix into a solid edible

Christmas ornament. Also in the Sweet Cre-

ations line is a collection of holiday cookie

and cake pop molds, clamshell type molds

that form cake batter into cake pops that the

home baker can decorate.

Also new from Good Cook is the Peanut

Butter and Jelly Tool, which features a soft

silicone, angled tip to scoop and spread jam

or jelly. The opposite end has a serrated blade

shape to scrape the peanut butter and then

cut the sandwich in half.

The newest addition to Good Cook’s

TOUCH kitchen helpers is a baster with

built-in functions. There is a cleaning wand

that uses a squeegee concept instead of a

bristle brush, a silicone basting brush tip, and

parts designed to ﬁt neatly into the baster it-

self for storage.

Candle-lite

The newest candles

from Candle-lite re-

ﬂect various themes,

says Mark Cunning-

ham, vice president

of sales and marketing for the Cincinnati-

based company. What they have in common,

though, is the ﬁlled jar format. “The ﬁlled

glass product segment is the best vehicle to

deliver fragrance,” he says.

Among the candles the company will pres-

ent at the show are the Fresh Fruit collection,

10 colors and fragrances designed to conjure

the smells of a farmers market. The scents

include Apple, Lime, Mango, Plum, and oth-

ers, and are available in 18-ounce jars with

decorative lids.

The Escape collection offers six fragrances

that offer a spa feel. “It’s somewhat inspired

by the aromatherapy category,” Cunningham

says. “It’s geared to appeal to a broader audi-

ence, to capture some of the under 35 con-

sumer group.” The Escape candles are avail-

www.groceryheadquarters.com

may 2012

125

Industry observers say many grocers

have already made inroads within GM.

“For those that continue to make a com-

mitment to GM, and that doesn’t always

mean space, but an intelligent approach

to the category, they are faring very well,”

says Mark Deuschle, vice president, busi-

ness development, chief marketing ofﬁcer

for Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Global

Market Development Center (GMDC).

In today’s environment, a retailer can-

not be everything to every shopper. To get

the most out of GM sales, there are some

categories that grocers should pay closer

attention to than others. Products that

pertain to food are a perfect ﬁt, say ob-

servers. “Why would a grocer give up on

household kitchen gadgets or cookware,”

says Deuschle. “If there ever was a more

natural ﬁt… food storage, food prepara-

tion, those are all categories where grocery

should dominate.”

Products that satisfy a trip mission, such

as those geared toward baby and pet are

also areas that should garner grocers’ at-

tention. For categories not quite as logical,

it is often incumbent on manufacturers to

generate consumer interest, because most

retailers likely will not. Observers say al-

most any category can provide value and

be a trafﬁc driver if managed properly—

but retailers have to want it to work.

“I am absolutely convinced that for su-

permarkets, with the right category, and

with the right attention from the retailer

and the manufacturer, with that many

GM REPORT nonfoods for proﬁt

volve or perish.

It is a basic business tenet. No longer can a retailer be

deﬁned as a food store, mass merchant or drugstore. As

the lines of retail continue to blur, traditional grocers have

the opportunity to regain a former stronghold—general

merchandise (GM) sales.

With dedicated focus,

supermarkets can regain

lost market share from

the proﬁtable general

merchandise category.

By Craig Levitt

Reclaiming

GENERAL

MERCHANDISE

-2

file:///Users/eric/Desktop/_-hh2.html[5/3/12 6:18:11 PM]

162

May 2012

www.groceryheadquarters.co

nonfoods for proﬁt NONFOODS NEWS

MIZCO IS INTRODUCING A

LINE OF IPHONE CASES UNDER

ITS IESSENTIALS BRAND. Of-

ﬁcials at the Avenel, N.J.-based

company say the new products

are compatible with the iPhone

4/4s, and features products with

hard outer shells that provide

extra protection and complete

access to all ports and controls.

“This new line of iPhone

cases builds upon Mizco’s

core belief that the mobile

device is only the beginning of

a long term consumer experi-

ence. With this new line, the

case itself is only the begin-

ning, as each new design offers

users added functionality, be

it a way to easily store credit

or business cards with their

device, or added protection, or

a stand to easily view photos

or videos,” says Mizco Interna-

tional president and CEO Albert

Mizrahi. “The team at iEssentials

is wholly dedicated to ensuring

that every mobile device user

can personalize their device in

any way conceivable, by making

sure all of our products feature

not only colorful, stylish designs

but unique features that expand

the purpose of something as

simple as a case.”

The new iEssentials Wallet-

Case is designed with a built-in

slot that holds up to 3 credit-

card sized items, giving mobile

device users the opportunity

to carry their most important

cards and iPhone in one slim

solution. Featuring a hard outer

shell with a no-slip grip, this

multi-purpose case provides a

snug ﬁt, ensuring that the cards

will never fall out. The wallet

case is available in green, pink,

blue and black, giving consumers

a variety of colorful choices.

The Kick-It Case is designed

with a sturdy built-in kickstand

that folds in and out, allowing

users to stand their phone in

the vertical or horizontal posi-

tion. Available in black, red, grey

and blue, the Kick-It Case allows

complete access to the camera,

in addition to all ports and con-

trols, letting users take pictures

without having to remove the

slim and compact case.

The Shell and Holster Combo

is available in red and black,

and combines the protection of

a ﬁtted case with the conve-

nience of a holster. Featuring a

textured, impact-resistant shell,

the case also includes a durbale

holster with microﬁber lining

and a multi-directional belt clip,

making it as simple as possible

for the user to keep their phone

safe while on the go.

For more information, visit

www.mizco.com.

iPhone-atics

HOMEWORLD BUSINESS

•

STORAGE & ORGANIZATION

CHICAGO – Mizco International,

known for its electronics accessory

products, will bring to market a com-

plete line of Travelocity-licensed travel

products at the International Home +

Housewares Show, here.

“One of the reasons we were cho-

sen for licensing is that our acces-

sories are very high-quality,” said

Stephen Mannoia, vp/sales/Trav-

elocity Travel Products Division at

Mizco. The Travelocity line is mutu-

ally beneﬁcial, as it will allow Mizco

to enter travel and luggage retailers

with a “highly identiﬁable” brand,

he said. The Travelocity website re-

ceives approximately eight million

hits per week and has 10 million

participating members searching

for travel, said Mannoia, coupled

with Travelocity’s print, television

and radio ad campaigns featur-

ing the signature gnome icon,

which Mizco is utilizing on lug-

gage tags.

Mizco’s Travelocity line’s

initial launch will in-

clude 36 SKUs, with

plans to expand once

or twice annually, fol-

lowing market trends, he said. The line

is competitively priced with a suggested

$6.99 to $29.99 range, said Mannoia.

Instead of coming out with a “good,

better, best” approach with two

or three of the same item, “Mizco

came up with one quality item at

a competitive price,” he said.

The line will appeal to a wide range of

retailers that carry travel products, from

airport stores to big box chains. “Mizco

will offer very ﬂexible

merchandising solu-

tions for the retailer.

We will be offering programs to them,

such as sales discounts and promotional

funding, and a full range of point-of-

purchase displays,” said Mannoia.

Travel organization products will

include a nylon Travel Organizer, de-

signed to keep compact items such as

identiﬁcation, credit cards, money and

passport together; Three-piece Cube

Organizers, designed to keep cloth-

ing organized for easy access upon ar-

rival at the destination; a nylon Travel

Neck Wallet, designed to keep quick

access items needed for travel worn

around the neck or on the waist; Pass-

port Holder; which is featured in a

wallet style including pockets for stor-

ing money, dedicated credit card and

ID slots and an inner pocket dedi-

cated to protecting the passport;

and a Rugged Cell Phone Pouch,

engineered to ﬁt popular mod-

els of cell phones, which feature

belt and carabiner clips. Other

travel items in the line will include

Gnome and leather luggage tags,

micro bead pillows, luggage straps,

TSA-approved locks, and charger

kits for cell phones, gaming devices

and iPods, etc.

Mizco’s Travelocity line will be

available for shipping by late April/

early May, said Mannoia.

™

Mizco Organization Line Takes Off With Travelocity-Licensed Line

258 • HWB • March 15-28, 2010

Mizco’s new Travelocity-branded travel organization

line includes from far left a Travel Neck Wallet,

3-piece Cube Organizer and Cellphone Case.

By Lisa CowLey

associate eDitoR

Mizco’s Travelocity

travel assortment

will include Gnome

leather luggage

tags.

258R_HW031510.indd 258 2/24/10 4:16:15 PM

258_HW031510.indd 1 3/1/10 2:34 PM

HOMEWORLD BUSINESS

•

STORAGE & ORGANIZATION

CHICAGO – Mizco International,

known for its electronics accessory

products, will bring to market a com-

plete line of Travelocity-licensed travel

products at the International Home +

Housewares Show, here.

“One of the reasons we were cho-

sen for licensing is that our acces-

sories are very high-quality,” said

Stephen Mannoia, vp/sales/Trav-

elocity Travel Products Division at

Mizco. The Travelocity line is mutu-

ally beneﬁcial, as it will allow Mizco

to enter travel and luggage retailers

with a “highly identiﬁable” brand,

he said. The Travelocity website re-

ceives approximately eight million

hits per week and has 10 million

participating members searching

for travel, said Mannoia, coupled

with Travelocity’s print, television

and radio ad campaigns featur-

ing the signature gnome icon,

which Mizco is utilizing on lug-

gage tags.

Mizco’s Travelocity line’s

initial launch will in-

clude 36 SKUs, with

plans to expand once

or twice annually, fol-

lowing market trends, he said. The line

is competitively priced with a suggested

$6.99 to $29.99 range, said Mannoia.

Instead of coming out with a “good,

better, best” approach with two

or three of the same item, “Mizco

came up with one quality item at

a competitive price,” he said.

The line will appeal to a wide range of

retailers that carry travel products, from

airport stores to big box chains. “Mizco

will offer very ﬂexible

merchandising solu-

tions for the retailer.

We will be offering programs to them,

such as sales discounts and promotional

funding, and a full range of point-of-

purchase displays,” said Mannoia.

Travel organization products will

include a nylon Travel Organizer, de-

signed to keep compact items such as

identiﬁcation, credit cards, money and

passport together; Three-piece Cube

Organizers, designed to keep cloth-

ing organized for easy access upon ar-

rival at the destination; a nylon Travel

Neck Wallet, designed to keep quick

access items needed for travel worn

around the neck or on the waist; Pass-

port Holder; which is featured in a

wallet style including pockets for stor-

ing money, dedicated credit card and

ID slots and an inner pocket dedi-

cated to protecting the passport;

and a Rugged Cell Phone Pouch,

engineered to ﬁt popular mod-

els of cell phones, which feature

belt and carabiner clips. Other

travel items in the line will include

Gnome and leather luggage tags,

micro bead pillows, luggage straps,

TSA-approved locks, and charger

kits for cell phones, gaming devices

and iPods, etc.

Mizco’s Travelocity line will be

available for shipping by late April/

early May, said Mannoia.

™

Mizco Organization Line Takes Off With Travelocity-Licensed Line

258 • HWB • March 15-28, 2010

Mizco’s new Travelocity-branded travel organization

line includes from far left a Travel Neck Wallet,

3-piece Cube Organizer and Cellphone Case.

By Lisa CowLey

associate eDitoR

Mizco’s Travelocity

travel assortment

will include Gnome

leather luggage

tags.

258R_HW031510.indd 258 2/24/10 4:16:15 PM258_HW031510.indd 1 3/1/10 2:34 PM

hfnmag.com

84 HFN /September 2011

in home HFN



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Classiﬁed Advertising

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Seth Mendelson

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Jeffrey A. Schaeffer 

Carolyn Callahan 

Anna Blanco 

Gerard J. Cerza, Jr. 

Seth Mendelson 

Pete Lachapelle 

Craig Rexford 

WAREHOUSING SERVICES +

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For more information: Shari Levenson 646.274.3511 or slevenson@macfad.com

MIZCO INTERNATIONAL IS GOING PLACES WITH TRAV-

elocity. The Avenel, N.J.-based company recently expanded its rela-

tionship with the travel website with the introduction of a series of

accessories, including the Travelocity Roaming Gnome.

“When Travelocity joined forces with Mizco in January 2010 it

marked the ﬁrst time this iconic travel brand had ever joined forces

with a marketer of high-quality mobile technology and travel ac-

cessory products,” said David Strumeier, vice president of sales

and marketing. “The product line has proven itself in a retail en-

vironment with many of our partners. Today, we are expanding

our business partnership with the introduction of a new premium

line. This product line features a wider array of both technology

and non-technology related accessory products.”

Other products in the line include the Gnome Travel Comfort

headphones, Travel Book Mark and Book Lights,

Travel Tech Kit and International Travel Tech

Kits. Each is available in a version

for iPhones/iPods and a second for

other types of smartphones. Travel

Tech accessory bags are also being

offered.

“These products offer retailers

an opportunity to make incremen-

tal dollars,” Strumeier says. “The

Travelocity name is one of the most

highly recognized and regarded

consumer brand names in business

today. It is a brand that stands for

advocacy, innovation and fun. Our

relationship with Travelocity now

brings these attributes to the prod-

uct category.”

Strumeier says the line is being supported by in-store

signage and dedicated racks and displays. He says that a line of

Travelocity Food-to-Go products, featuring containers and storage

units, will be introduced early next year. n

No Place L ike

Gnome

Mizco’s

Travelocity

accessories

with packag-

ing featuring

the famous

gnome.

mizco.com

hfnmag.com

68 HFN /March 2012

ATTENDEES AT THE INTERNATIONAL HOME + HOUSEWARES SHOW WILL SEE the signs of a remark-

able comeback.

A featured presentation at the show will be the Japan Pavilion Tohoku, which at this year’s show will be dedi-

cated to 10 manufacturers from the three prefectures in Northeast Japan that were the hardest hit by last year’s

earthquake and tsunami: Iwate, Myagi and Fukushima. Their product categories range from wood and lacquer

creations to cast-iron cookware and glassware.

The pavilion will be sponsored by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Japanese govern-

ment’s trade arm. A coincidence about the pavilion is that March 11, the second day of the show, will be the

ﬁrst anniversary of the disaster, which killed more than 15,000 people and cost hundreds of billions of dollars in

property damage.

Atsushi Semimoto, executive director of business development and public relations with JETRO New York, said,

“Despite the scale of the disaster, all of our exhibitors have shown the courage to pick their lives back up, re-energize

their companies and look to new markets.”

Visitors to the pavilion will see much more aside from the evidence of the manufacturers’ return from the di-

saster. They will also view examples of Japanese craftsmanship in housewares. As a joint statement from JETRO

and the International Housewares Association, owner and producer of the show, stated, “Made in Japan” home

furnishings are known for their elegant simplicity, sophisticated design and detailed craftsmanship.

The Tohoku region, for which the pavilion is named, has a particularly deep history in craftsmanship. The

statement noted that Japan is known for the Mingei design movement, which focuses on Japanese folk craft and

the beauty of everyday objects. n

The Sun Rises Again

Above: Asahi Kensou’s wooden sake set is an example of

Japanese Mingei design in wood. Below: This red lacquer

glass from Wired Beans is one of the sophisticated prod-

ucts that will be seen at the Housewares Show. jetro.org

The Japan Pavilion at the International Home +

Housewares Show will spotlight manufacturers from

the earthquake region By DaviD Gill

Mizco Broadens Travelocity

Line at Housewares Show

MIZCO EXPANDED ITS TRAVELOCITY-BRANDED TRAVEL

and technology accessories at the International Home + House-

wares Show.

The new ready-to-go in-store product programs include the

Power to Go free-standing tower of portable power solutions,

the Waterproof Series of waterproof cases and bags, the Travel

Tablet Case Series of neoprene cases, and an expanded series of

Microbead Plush Travel Pillows.

Available for immediate delivery, the new Travelocity Pow-

er To Go merchandiser

display includes a 3-in-

1 charger, AC|DC

converter, USB travel

charger, USB car char-

ger, stereo hands-free

headset, three-port

travel outlet, travel tech

case, Samsung and LG

compatible car charger,

Apple-licensed iPhone car

charger and more.

The Travelocity Wa-

terproof Series includes

a universal cell phone case, an iPad case, a tablet case, and a

camera case, all featuring watertight closures, control access

through clear window, an adjustable neck or shoulder strap, and

built-in UV protection.

The Travelocity Travel Tablet Case Series features travel

friendly, form-ﬁtted neoprene cases in SKUs designed to ﬁt all

7-8 inch and 9-10 inch models of tablets and provide complete

protection against damage.

The newly expanded Travelocity Microbead Plush Travel Pil-

low line builds upon the established popularity of Travelocity’s

travel pillows. n

HOUSEWARESessentials

Mizco is expanding its

Travelocity-branded offerings.

28 HFN /March 13, 2012 hfnmag.com

housewarestuesday

Capstone

Capstone Industries’ Eco-i-Lite collection

of multi-function LED lights with induction

charging technology adds three new power

failure lights, in 3, 5

and 10 LED versions.

capstoneindustries.com

miscellaneous

Continued from page 26

Something

for Everyone

Umbra

Designer Alan Wisniewski

wanted to add an element of hu-

mor into his Take 5 clock design,

which focuses on an important

time of the day for most people:

5 o’clock, happy hour, or quitting

time. umbra.com

Mizco

Mizco is expanding its Travelocity-branded travel and mobile technology accessories with a Micro-

bead Plush Travel Pillow and numerous cases for tablets, cell phones and cameras. mizco.com

Oasis Concepts

Oasis’ line of folding

kitchen islands grows

with a country-style rect-

angular island, model#

KK-3009QP. It has a solid

hardwood butcher block

style top with two solid

hardwood shelves. oasis-

concepts.com

Leifheit

In its Art Style personal scale

collection, Leifheit debuts four

high-tech digital scales, which

include coffee and cream

colors and leather textures.

leifheitus.com

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shutterbug.com

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW! GRAHAM NASH

AUGUST 2011 TOOLS, TECHNIQUES & CREATIVITY

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PLUS

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TOP GEAR ON THE GO! PHOTO BACKPACKS & SLING BAGS

JULY 2011 TOOLS, TECHNIQUES & CREATIVITY

48 July 2011 SHUTTERBUG

ROUNDUP: C.A. Boylan

TOOLS

DIGIPOWER, a division

of Mizco International,

has introduced the highly

portable TC-55 Digital

Camera Travel Charger,

which is designed for use

with all models of Canon,

Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Fuji,

Kodak, Casio, Panasonic,

and Samsung digital

cameras. Simply glance at

the package to find the

right TC-55 unit for your

camera. It features built-in

IntelliCharge technology

that allows you to easily

insert the camera battery into the slot and begin

charging. The TC-55 can also be used to charge

other mobile devices and has a suggested retail

price of $49.95.

Contact: www.mizco.com.

Covering The

Photo Beat

Digicams, Cases, And A Travel Charger

New Nikon COOLPIX Cameras

DIGIPOWER TC-55 Digital Camera

Travel Charger

Nikon recently introduced eight new COOLPIX digital cameras.

Among them is a superzoom model, the COOLPIX P500, which offers a

12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 36x optical zoom lens, and EXPEED C2

dual image processors. Available in black or red, this model has an

MSRP of $399.95. The P300 offers 12.1 megapixels with a 4.2x

wide-angle lens, backside illumination CMOS sensor, high ISO

sensitivity, and user-controlled shooting modes. Available in black,

it has an MSRP of $329.95. For more information on these and other

new COOLPIX models, please visit the Nikon website.

Contact: www.nikonusa.com.

Pelican Micro Cases

Crafted from durable, high-impact, heat- and chemical-resistant

polymer, Pelican’s 1015 Micro Case features an internal rubber liner

that acts as both a seal and shock absorber, and its easy-open polymer

latch and stainless steel hinge ensures the case will stay closed when

dropped. Additionally, two loops at either end of the case make it easy

to secure the 1015 to a belt loop or backpack. The 1015 Micro Case

is available in clear with a black or yellow liner or solid black with a

yellow liner.

Created for iPod touch and smartphone users, the i1015 Case

features a clear lid and external headphone jack.

Contact: www.pelican.com.

More on page 50

OCTOBER 2011 sE-GEAR #/,,%'%)335%#/..%#4!4777%'%!2#/-

eBlast

SIM Cards for Unlocked

iPhone 4 Owners

Previously, you could only use an iPhone on

T-Mobile if it was an older model that sup-

ported the normal sized SIM card. In order

to use the most recent iPhone, the iPhone 4,

T-Mobile customers needed to use a micro SIM

card, which T-Mobile did not offer at the time.

Recently, T-Mobile began selling the micro SIM

card for use on any GSM (locked or unlocked) or

iPhone 4 (unlocked) phone on T-Mobile’s network.

While the micro SIM will allow you to use your

iPhone 4 on T-Mobile, we must warn you that you

will only experience 2G EDGE speeds, instead of

operating on T-Mobile’s 3G network. The micro

SIM cards retail for $9.99, but are currently avail-

able for free online.

Travelocity Branded

Mobile Accessories

If you’re one of those always on-the-go people and

you happen to also have a thing for Gnomes, Mizco

International (www.mizco.com) has a deal just for

you. The company has released their new Platinum

Series of Travelocity branded travel and mobile

technology accessories (that prominently feature

the famous Roaming Gnome) and the line includes

Roaming Gnome Travel Comfort Bud headphones,

Travel Book Mark and Book Lights, Travel Tech Kit and

International Travel Tech Kits, each in two versions

for iPhone/iPod or Smartphone users, and Travel Tech

Accessory Bags, among other items.

HP TouchPad Offers

Movies

Just a few weeks after the TouchPad was

released in the U.S., HP has rolled out the option

to buy and rent movies on the tablet. Going into

the App Catalog on the HP TouchPad will now give you

the option to get movies and TV shows through the HP

MovieStore without even having to get another app.

The HP MovieStore is powered by RoxioNow, and

seems to have a good sized collection. Although it’s

called the HP MovieStore, there are a few TV shows

available for purchase. Those shows include Chuck,

One Tree Hill, and Fringe, among others. We would

expect the movie selection to be a bit larger than the TV selection, but even a small TV selection is

nice to have.

The LG Optimus 3D, also known as the LG Thrill 4G in the Unit-

ed States, was one of the first glasses-free 3D smartphones to

be introduced. The device was just released last month for only

$99 on contract with AT&T. Staying true to the tradition of constant

hardware updates, LG has hinted that a follow-up to the LG Optimus

3D is already planned.

Pocket-lint reports that Dr. Henry Noh, one of the people responsible

for the original Optimus 3D, said the next Optimus 3D phone will be

about 6 or 7mm thick.

“Everyone knows that’s this [LG Optimus 3D] is now the slimmest

and sexiest phone on the street,” Noh said. “We want to make it a little

slimmer.”

“Next year, all the phones are going to be as thin as, let’s say, 6mm,”

Noh said. “You throw in 3D, and because of the thickness and stuff, it

becomes 7mm. But I bet you 90 percent of the population won’t know

the difference.”

LG’s Slimmer 3D Optimus

HEAD PHONES/EARBUDS

+ headphone/earbud mania

By Nancy Klosek

We present Part II of our look at the lat-

est headphone/earbud releases as this

market’s incredible evolution contin-

ues with models tailored to every spe-

ciﬁc need, style and trend imaginable.

Once again we’ve rounded up a very cool and

equally wide array of the latest headphones and

earbuds that also address a wide range of bud-

gets. As we explained lat month, a lineup that’s

sure to be music to anyone’s ears…so listen up!

Music

Latest HeadpHone/earbud reLeases Have you

ready to spring into tHe warmer weatHer.

MAXELL WILD THINGS

With its Wild Things line of animal print earbuds

($9.99 each), Maxell has “ﬂipped” the earbud hous-

ing and pattern colors and designed the cables using

a different coordinating color. Models include Pink and

Black Zebra; Purple and Green Leopard; Green and

Yellow Leopard; and Purple and Yellow Zebra.

MIZCO ECKO

Ecko unltd. has released the second generation of

UNLTD.SOUND over-the-ear stereo headphones with

the introduction of three models in a variety of col-

ors. The iPhone/iPod compatible FORCE is available

in Grafﬁti White, Gold and Camo Gray. The stereo

headphones feature mega bass, noise reduction,

reinforced construction and frame, and a satin carry

bag. Speciﬁcations include a 57mm speaker diam-

eter, a max input power of 100mW, impedance of 32

OHMS, frequency response of 20-20K Hz, a 3.5mm

plug, and a cable length of 1.2m.

MONSTER INSPIRATION

Inspiration is Monster’s ﬁrst over-ear noise-can-

celing headphone ($279.95). It sports an angled,

plush ear cup, and is designed with extra-wide

interchangeable headbands in a variety of colors

and materials. The headphones are available with

either a titanium or pearl white ﬁnish, as well as in

a silver limited-edition version.

PARADIGM

SHIFT E3m

Paradigm’s SHIFT E3m earbud ($129)

has been tuned to the company’s

high-end Reference Signature

loudspeakers. They are made from

one-piece CNC precision-machined

aluminum, and feature an in-line

remote/mic, 8mm super-neodymium

drivers, 105dB sensitivity and a

frequency response range of 8Hz to

19kHz. The E3m is available in black

or white with three sizes of tips, a

tangle-resistant 1.2-meter cord and

padded travel case.

SOL REPUBLIC TRACKS

SOL Republic’s on-ear Tracks headphones ($99.99) fea-

ture an interchangeable/modular design. Available in black,

white or red, these headphones offer swappable Sound

Track headbands and detachable cables with full mic/re-

mote control, as well as Sound

Engine drivers that are

detachable and upgrad-

able. The headbands

are made of a propri-

etary polymer called

FlexTech, for added

durability that will

withstand twisting,

bending and dropping.

A 90-degree-angle

plug adds to their rug-

gedness, and the ex-

tra-wide ear cushions

are also lightweight—a

design that reduces

pressure on the ear for

comfort during longer

listening sessions.

to Your

Ears

Part

Deux

WICKED

AUDIO SOLUS

WickedAudio’s Solus on-ear headphones

($100) are available in a black/red dual-

color design and have a thick, braided

cord for greater durability. They also come

with a built-in volume control and a DJ

switch that allows users to switch from

DJ to stereo sound in either or both ears.

www.technologytell.com

18 technologytell.com Spring 2012 College Guide Spring 2012 College Guide technologytell.com 19

8 technologytell.com Spring 2012 College Guide

Tech&Tell

College

Netﬂix Ready

for Amazon

Streaming

Service

Amazon already has

a steady ﬂow of

streaming video

customers, but it may be

preparing to offer another service that may

give Netﬂix a lot more competition. Currently,

Amazon Prime subscribers can get access to

Amazon’s library of streaming video content at

no extra cost. In the future, Amazon may create

a standalone streaming video service that any-

one can subscribe to.

Content executives recently told the New

York Post Amazon isn’t quite sure how much

it will charge for its new video service. Netﬂix

however has an idea on how Amazon’s new

service is going to set customers back. In a let-

ter to shareholders, Netﬂix noted Amazon may

try to undercut them.

“We expect Amazon to continue to offer their

video service as a free extra with Prime domes-

tically but also to brand their video subscription

offering as a standalone service at a price less

than ours,” the letter reads.

Netﬂix defended itself against Amazon and

Hulu Plus by praising its much larger, commer-

cial-free library of content.

Google’s Public Weather Alerts

It’s always a good idea to be

aware of severe weather con-

ditions before they hit your

area. If the local news station

doesn’t interrupt programming

to bring you up-to-the-minute

updates, you have a few other

options. Searching the internet

for weather info is the ﬁrst al-

ternative that comes to mind. Google wants to make that search

easier with a new Google Maps feature called Public Alerts.

Public Alerts is designed to pull down important weather infor-

mation from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin-

istration, the National Weather Service and the US Geological

Survey. Since there is likely some kind of severe weather event

going on at any time in the United States, Google only provides

you with alerts for the area you search for. However, Google has

set up a page that displays all the active alerts around the coun-

try. The alerts include weather events such as tornado warnings,

high wind warnings and severe thunderstorm warnings.

Travelocity Ramps Up

Mobile Accessories

Mizco Inter-

national

introduced

a series of new

mobile accessories

under their Trav-

elocity branded

product line. Their

new ‘Power To

Go’ line includes

a 3-in-1 charger,

AC|DC converter,

USB travel charger,

USB car charger,

stereo hands-free

headset, three-port

travel outlet, travel tech case, Samsung and LG compatible car charger,

Samsung and LG compatible travel charger, Apple licensed iPhone car

charger, Apple licensed iPhone travel charger, mini and micro compatible

car charger, mini and micro compatible travel charger, mini compatible

car charger, mini compatible travel charger, micro compatible car charger,

and a micro compatible travel charger.

The Travelocity “Waterproof Series” includes a universal cell phone

case, an iPad case, a tablet case, and a camera case, all featuring water-

tight closures, control access through clear window, an adjustable neck

or shoulder strap, and built-in UV protection

The Travelocity “Travel Tablet Case Series” features travel friendly,

form-ﬁtted neoprene cases designed to ﬁt all 7-8” and 9-10” models of

tablets and provide complete protection against damage.

The newly expanded Travelocity “Microbead Plush Travel Pillow” line

builds upon the established popularity of Travelocity’s travel pillows. The

line features ultra-soft ﬂeece lined pillows that provide a snug ﬁt around

the neck for maximum support, and thousands of polystyrene micro-

beads for comfort and relaxation in six colors including Black Polka-dot,

Pink Polka-dot, Houndstooth, Zebra, Cheetah, Color Hearts.

NASA: Highest Res Image of Earth

NASA has released a brand new Blue Marble

photograph, which it says is the highest

resolution photo of Earth ever taken.

The image, dubbed Blue Marble 2012, is

actually an update of a similar image that

was taken in 2002 that has been the de-

fault background for the iPhone since the

ﬁrst one. The new image was taken with

NASA’s new Suomi NPP satellite. To get

the image the satellite took multiple passes

around the planet on January 4, 2012. Those

passes were then compiled in the wonder

8000 x 8000 photo you can ﬁnd here. NASA also has other resolutions on

it’s Flicker page, like the 640 x 640 one above and the 1024 x 1024 version

that’s perfect for your iPad.

www.technologytell.com

124 | 2011 INTERNATIONAL CES DAILY | JANUARY 7/9, 2011 | ACCESSORIES

LAS VEGAS —  e  rst wave

of Marc Ecko-inspired consumer

electronics accessories made

their debut today at Internation-

al CES.

 e line, manufactured by

Mizco International’s Digipower

division, is topped by seven in-

ear and over-the ear headphones

under the Unltd. Sound label

ranging in retail price from $9.99

to $59.99.

At the top of the line, the new

Force collection of over-the-ear

headphones carry a suggested

retail of $59.99 and are avail-

able in gold, Gra ti White, and

Camo Gray.  e iPod/iPhone

compatible stereo headphones

feature noise reduction, mega

bass, reinforced construction and

frame, and a satin carry bag. Per-

formance speci cations include

a 38mm speaker diameter, impedance of 32

ohms, maximum input power of 200mW,

and frequency response of 10Hz to 22kHz.

Ecko Unltd Shares Details Of First Accessories Line

LAS VEGAS — Digital health solu-

tions are in abundance at the show,

and a variety of vendors are offering

products for the hearing impaired

and general hearing health.

Silent Call has been provid-

ing alerting devices for more than

25 years for people who are hard of

hearing, deaf, or deaf and blind. Its

line of products include smoke and

fire detectors; carbon-monoxide

detectors; and telephone, doorbell

and baby-cry alert products, among

many others.

Audiovox will showcase two

“personal sound amplifier devic-

es,” rechargeable over-the-counter

alternatives to in-ear hearing aids.

The RCA-brand Symphonix is a be-

hind-the-ear earpiece that adjusts

amplification based on frequency

and input levels. The small footprint

of the Acoustic Research Person-

al Sound Amplifier is designed to

eliminate the stigma of wearing a

hearing device. The one-size-ﬁ ts-all

earpiece has a manual volume con-

trol on its curve.

Both will ship in the spring at a

suggested retail of $299. Audiovox

is in adjoining booths in the Central

Hall, 10406 and 10418.

Etymotic Research is showing

its EB series of electronic BlastPLG

ear plugs.

The EB15 is for users who oper-

ate some or most of the time around

continuous loud noise such as ma-

chinery and military vehicles and

also need protection against gun-

ﬁ re and explosions.

The EB1 is for hunters who want

to hear naturally and be protected

from sudden firearm blasts when

there isn’t time to insert hearing pro-

tection.

“The EB15 circuitry is conﬁ gured

with adaptive attenuation to become

a 15dB earplug when noise levels put

the user at increased risk for hear-

ing damage,” said Dr. Mead Killion,

founder of Etymotic Research. Both

versions allow the user to hear nat-

urally, as though there were noth-

ing in the ears. When no loud noise

is present, the EB15s return to natu-

ral hearing levels.

Suggested retails are $449/pair for

the EB1 and $499/pair for the EB15. In-

cluded with each pair is an assortment

of ready-ﬁ t ear tips, a ﬁ lter removal tool

and extra wax ﬁ lters, a headband for

wind-noise reduction, and a six-month

supply of batteries. CES

Vendors Offer

Tech Solutions

For Hearing Help

Motion headphones from

Sound Unltd.

LAS VEGAS — Acell is introducing

a variety of audio/video and computer

accessories during International CES

at booth 20325.

The Accell HD-AV Center, a trans-

mitter and receiver set featuring HD-

BaseT technology, can send uncom-

pressed FullHD digital video, audio,

100BaseT Ethernet, power, RS232 and

infrared control signals over a single

CAT-5e cable. The HD-AV is optimized

for high-deﬁ nition video applications,

supporting all resolutions and video

formats, including 1080p, 4K and 3D.

The Center can support long cable runs

of up to 328 feet.

PowerSquid power outlet multipli-

er and surge protectors easily convert

one grounded outlet into ﬁ ve ground-

ed, adapter-ready outlets. The varying

lengths of the PowerSquid’s arms pro-

vide increased reach and ﬂ exibility and

the built-in surge protection defends

connected devices against power surg-

es, protecting sensitive electronics, and

will also stop sending power to the con-

nected devices if the surge protection

is no longer functioning, the compa-

ny said.

The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 standard

offers increased performance en-

hancements to the current high-speed

USB standard. Featuring a 5Gbps sig-

naling rate, it offers a 10 times perfor-

mance increase over high-speed USB,

as well as improved power efﬁ ciency.

USB 3.0 is backward compatible with

the USB-enabled devices currently on

the market.

The UltraRun USB 3.0 long-length

cables by Accell are available in both

USB A to B and USB A to Micro B con-

ﬁ gurations in 20-foot lengths.

Suggested retails and shipment in-

formation are available during CES. CES

Accell Debuts Varied

CE Accessory Line

Accell HD-AV Center

PowerSquid power outlet

 e headphones have a

3.5mm gold plated plug, and a

1.2-meter cable.

Next in the line is the new

Rage series of iPod/iPhone-

compatible stereo headphones

featuring built-in noise reduc-

tion. Available for a suggested

retail of $49.99 in Camo

Green, Ecko Red and silver,

these over-the-ear headphones

also come with mega bass,

reinforced construction and

frame, as well as a satin carry

bag.

Rage performance speci ca-

tions include a 38mm speaker

diameter, 32 ohms of imped-

ance, maximum input power of

200mW, 10Hz to 22kHz

frequency response, a

3.5mm gold plated plug

and a 1.2-meter cable.

Available at a suggested retail of $39.99 is

the new Motion series of over-the-ear stereo

headphones featuring passive noise reduc-

tion. Available in white, red or gold, the head-

phones have a compact foldable construction

and a lightweight frame.

Performance speci cations include a

40mm speaker diameter, 32 ohms of imped-

ance, 300mW of maximum input power, a

frequency response range of 20Hz to 20,000

Hz, a 3.5mm plug and a 1.2-meter cable.

 ey also ship with a satin carry bag.

Next up is the over-the-ear Pulse stereo

headphones, with built-in passive noise re-

duction.  ey feature enhanced bass and a

smooth, glossy  nish available in black, red,

Camo Green and gold.

Performance specs include a 40mm speak-

er, 32 ohms of impedance, 300mW of maxi-

mum input power and a 20Hz to 20,000 Hz

frequency response range.

 e economy-priced over-the-ear Impact

collection comes in Gra ti, black and Camo

Blue.  ese $24.99 iPod/iPhone compatible

stereo headphones feature a 40mm speaker

diameter, impedance of 32 ohms, 300mW

of maximum input power and a frequency

response range of 20Hz to 22kHz.

For in-ear headphone enthusiasts, the line

includes two models: Bolt and Chaos. Both

are available in white, red or black and are

iPod and iPhone compatible. For its sug-

gested retail of $19.99, Bolt headphones come

with a strong durable nylon cord, a satin carry

bag and three silicone gel caps.  ey feature

onboard volume control and passive noise

reduction, and a 3.5mm gold-plated stereo

connector.

 e $9.99 Chaos line deliver deep bass and

a clear sound, Mizco said.

 e entire headphones line is available for

immediate delivery to dealers, according to

Digipower president Maurice Mizrahi.

Today’s introduction of the new

Unltd. Sound product line is the  rst wave of

products to be introduced over the next six

months. By summer 2011, the headphones

will be joined by the Unltd. Power series of

portable power solutions for digital imaging

products and the Unltd. Essential series of

Ecko-inspired smartphone accessories. CES

Chaos in-ear headphones

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Breaks new ground for in-store merchandising

support for wireless retailers and expands line of talk

2 Bluetooth® headsets.

By: Michelle James

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+,&k00</GG<c0/G<&&

Albert Mizrahi, President & Chief Executive Ofﬁcer of Mizco International

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understands the unique challenges these companies face in

fixing and returning handsets to customers. The engineering,

manufacturing, and logistical support infrastructure we have

created now enables us to offer a two-part guarantee that should

provide our refurbishing clients with unmatched peace of mind.”

According to Mizrahi, Cellular Innovations is now guaranteeing

that every battery pack order will

be delivered within 7-10 days of

receipt of the customer purchase

order — regardless of the order’s

size or composition. “Our state-

of-the-art manufacturing center

in Shenzhen, China can produce

3-million battery packs per month.

What’s more, we can produce more

than 2,000 battery pack types, all

CE approved and all compliant

to the original manufacturer’s

standards— something no other

company can duplicate,” Mizrahi

asserted. “And 100% of the battery packs we deliver feature

fresh battery cells and private label and bar code programs

custom designed to meet the needs of each company we work

with. The combination of production capacity, exclusive

use of fresh battery cells, SKU range, CE approval, original

manufacturer compliance and customizable private labeling and

bar coding makes Cellular Innovations the high volume, low cost

leader in replacement battery packs.”

Taking the 7-10 day delivery guarantee one step further,

Cellular Innovations is also offering a blanket 100% customer

satisfaction warranty that assures customers of a 0 failure rate

on all battery packs. If for any reason a customer is dissatisfied

with their product upon delivery they can return it to Cellular

Innovations — no questions asked. “No one else in this industry

is ready or willing to back up their

assurance of quality with this kind

of guarantee and we believe our

ability and willingness to do so will

resonate loudly with our handset

repair customers.”

Mizrahi asserted that Cellular

Innovations is able to provide this

blanket guarantee because of the

quality of its on-site engineering

and sales teams. Indeed, Cellular

Innovations has just appointed

industry veteran Jay Lee to the

position of Vice President of OEM

Engineering. Mr. Lee immediately assumes responsibility

for managing all OEM engineering and support programs for

Cellular Innovations as well as overseeing manufacturing at

the Shenzhen manufacturing center. Prior to joining Cellular

Innovations, Jay Lee held senior engineering and sales positions

at Battronix Company Ltd., Universal Power Group, and

SaeHan Enertech USA.

Cellular Innovations’ Guaranteed 7-10 Day Battery

Pack Delivery Program And 100% Customer

Satisfaction Warranty Is a Smash Success With

Refurbishers

Our state-of-the-art manufacturing

center in Shenzhen, China can

produce 3-million battery packs per

month. What’s more, we can produce

more than 2,000 battery pack types,

all CE approved and all compliant to

the original manufacturer’s standards

— something no other company can

duplicate

The groundbreaking battery

pack guaranteed 7-10

day delivery program and

100% customer satisfaction

warranty introduced by Mizco

International’s (www.mizco.

com) Cellular Innovations

Division at CTIA 2010 has

generated an immediate and

powerful response from cell phone refurbishers

all across the country and, indeed, from around

the world, reports Isaac Mizrahi, Executive Vice President

of the Cellular Innovations Division, underscoring the

industry’s need for a reliable replacement battery pack

partner.

“We knew there was a tremendous market need for this

kind of a program,” Mizrahi explained, “but we had no

idea that the response would be so immediate and so

great. Frankly, our factories are firing on all cylinders to

keep up with customer demand.”

Underscoring its

commitment to raise

the bar for quality

and reliability in the

growing and expanding

cell phone handset

repair market, Mizco

International’s (www.

mizco.com) Cellular

Innovations Division introduced the

industry’s first guaranteed 7-10 day

battery pack delivery program backed by a 100% customer

satisfaction warranty at CTIA 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

When he announced the unprecedented two-part

customer guarantee program at CTIA 2010 Mizrahi

pointed to several critical components that enabled

the Cellular Innovations division to offer such a high

level of quality assurance to its customer base. “For 20

years Cellular Innovations has been meeting the needs

of handset repair companies. No other company better

BATTERY PACK

12 13

For more information please call (310) 358-1920 or email

anita@usconnections.net. Visit usconnections.net.

Mizco

The DIGIPOWER Division of Mizco International has

introduced a new generation of “platform specific” charg-

ing devices for iPhones, Android, and Blackberry smart-

phones. This all-new line up is the first of its kind to address

the specific power requirements of each major smartphone

platform, and features a Home & Car Kit that retails for

$29.99, a Home Charger that retails for $24.99, a Car Char-

ger that retails for $19.99, and a combination Power &

Sound Kit featuring a set of ear bud headphones that retails

for $39.99. Available for immediate delivery, each platform

is identified by the following color combinations: Black w/

Green for the Android platform, Black w/ White for the

Blackberry platform, and Black w/ Silver for the iPhone

platform. www.mizco.com

Global Warranty Group

Warranty Programs that Deliver

Global Warranty Group is North America’s largest dealer

based, third party administrator of insurance backed handset

replacement programs to over 8,000 independent wireless

retail locations. GWG is also a leading developer and admin-

istrator of product warranty and extended service contract

programs to the consumer electronics, consumer appliances

and computer industries throughout the United States and

Canada. The Company maintains a state of the art call and

customer support center and an extensive network of over

25,000 servicers providing in-home service, carry-in service

and depot repair. For more information, please visit

www.globalwarrantygroup.com or call 1-877-681-8244.

US Connections

Add Verizon Wireless to

your product line today

U.S. Connections is the leading master agent and national

business distributor for Verizon Wireless with specializing

in the VAD program. The company aims to provide

customers with the finest service, supported by highly

knowledgeable sales and technical personnel. U.S.

Connections utilizes a vigorous recruitment of Solution

Providers to initiate its market penetration by offering

efficient tools to assist the organization’s target for signifi-

cant growth and profitability.

Fashion designer, mulmedia arst, and

technology entrepreneur Marc Ecko has

placed his unique sense of design and

style on a groundbreaking new line of

*ECKOUNLTD. earbud headphones that fuse

together fashion and funcon in unprecedented

new ways. Through an exclusive licensing

agreement with Mizco Internaonal, this line

allows retailers a brand new opportunity to

merchandise headphones not just on their sonic

quality, but now on the fashion likes of their

consumers. Available immediately for the Holiday

season, all models in the *ECKOUNLTD. line carry

suggested retail prices of between $12.99 to

$39.99.

The “Zone” earbuds feature the iconic *ecko Rhino

on the outer surface of the earpieces. Available

for $12.99, in red, green, pink, yellow, blue and

white, the earbuds include a one-meter cable

compable with iPods, iPhones and Android

smartphones and three sizes of ear-piece gels.

“Chaos II”, available for $14.99, in purple, pink,

blue, red, and black, features the *ecko Rhino

on the outer surface of the earpieces, a 1 meter

cable, inline microphone, controls for the iPod,

iPad and iPhone, and three sizes of ear-piece gels.

Available for $19.99, the “Stomp” earbuds feature

the iconic Ecko Rhino on the outer surface of the

earpieces. Available in red, blue, white, pink, purple

and black, the earbuds feature a at 1.2-meter

cable with an inline microphone and controls

compable with iPods, iPads, iPhones and Android

smartphones. The earbuds include a convenient

travel bag, and three sizes of ear-piece gels.

The “Lace” earbuds, available for $24.99, feature

a nylon, shoelace style cord, available in white,

red, blue, black, pink and purple. The earbuds

feature an inline microphone, controls for iPods,

iPads and iPhones, three sizes of ear gels and a

convenient travel bag.

The new “Chain” and “Zip” earbuds merge Ecko’s

reputaon for street-conscious fashion with

ulitarian funcon. Featuring a beaded, dog-

tag chain cord design, the “Chain” earbuds are

available for $39.99 in blue, pink, red and black.

The “Zip” earbuds feature a funconing zipper

cord, and are available in red, gold, blue, white,

pink and purple, for $29.99. Both styles of earbuds

feature an inline microphone and volume control

compable with iPods, iPhones, and Android

smartphones, as well as a convenient travel bag

and three sizes of ear-piece gels.

Mizco offers new line, immediately available for holiday retail

MIZCO International

(www.mizco.com)

officially launched

their 2012 marketing program

with the introduction of more

than 100 new mobile technology

accessory products at CES

2012, along with a prediction

by MIZCO President and

CEO Albert Mizrahi that the

year ahead will offer nothing

but unlimited opportunities

for increased sales and profits,

both for the company and its

retail partners. “Our fortunes,

and those of our partners are

directly tied to the fortunes of

the mobile device manufacturers

and their fortunes have never

ever looked better or brighter.”

After growing by more than 40%

over the last two years, MIZCO

International expects to double

its sales by pursuing a strategy

of designing truly innovative,

high value added tech accessory

products that are distributed

through five strong and

clearly differentiated brands by

2017: DIGIPOWER®, Cellular

Innovations®, iESSENTIALS®,

Ecko Unltd.®, and Travelocity®.

In fact, the company is now one

of the fastest growing accessory

manufacturers in the industry

and its DIGIPOWER® line

of portable power solutions

remains the number one selling

line, according to NPD.

“Accessories allow consumers

to individualize their mobile

device to reflect their own

unique personality,” Mizrahi

stresses. “We believe in the

integrity of individual brands

when it comes to meeting

our customers’ needs and our

success in solidifying the power

and appeal of each of our five

brands is what is our annual

revenue growth with a multiple

that our competitors cannot

match.”

According to Mizrahi, most

accessory manufacturers pursue

a single brand marketing

strategy and miss opportunities

as a result. “An Ecko Unltd.®

consumer” is very different from

a Travelocity® consumer. They

both share a love for mobile

technology products, but their

personalities require accessory

offerings that feature different

designs, colors, and materials.

Diverse Brand Identity

are Key to MIZCO’s

Continuing Success

“We tell our retail partners that we

sell to at least five different types of

consumers and our five brands allow

them to profitably sell to each and

every one of them. When you car ry

MIZCO’s brands, you have the potential

to quintuple your base of sales and no

other accessory manufacturer can make

this promise.”

The company’s iESSENTIALS® brand appeals the millions and millions of

Apple enthusiasts looking to fully dress up their Apple computers, iPhones®,

and iPads®. The Cellular Innovations brand appeals to working professionals

seeking to expand and enhance the functionality of their technology products

at home and at the office. DIGIPOWER®, which remains the number one selling retail

line of portable power solutions, appeals to true power fanatics who demand more and

more juice to stay connected to their devices. Travelocity® is the brand for an enormous

and slightly older audience of travel enthusiasts who wear their adventures like a badge

of honor. Finally, ecko unltd®. speaks to young urban-minded creative consumers who

always want to make an edgy statement about every part of their lifestyle.

DIGIPOWER® will debut an entirely new generation of portable power

solutions, including the world’s first in-car wireless charger. Travelocity®

will introduce a high-impact, multi SKU retail merchandising concept

called ‘Power to Go.’ The iESSENTIALS® brand will unveil a whole

new series of colorful accessories for the iPad 2 and iPhone®. Cellular Innovations will

expand its extremely successful line of ToughTested™ accessories with the introduction

of new professional grade in-vehicle chargers, over-the-ear Bluetooth® headphones,

mobile phone cases, silicone cases, and a universal goose-neck in-vehicle mount for

GPS devices and smartphones.

“The purchase of a mobile device is just the

beginning of a long term sales relationship

with the consumer,” Mizrahi concluded.

“By offering consumers multiple brands

that feature highly individualized accessory

offerings we are literally providing our

retailers with the opportunity to sell

multiple solutions to their consumers — to

the benefit of all of us.”

t CES 2012, MIZCO’s commitment to innovation

and brand differentiation is evident everywhere. For

starters, recognizing the uniquely distinct character of

its Ecko Unltd.® brand, the company is spinning the

brand off into its own booth that is a complete reflection

and expression of the unique vision of Marc Ecko, who

was very involved in the design of every element of

the exhibit. At CES, Ecko Unltd.® will unveil a whole

new line of speakers and earbud headphones that fuse

together fashion and performance like never before.

The Travelocity

line of mobile

tech accessories

provide superior

protection,

storage and

charging solutions

for business and

leisure travelers.

iEssentials unveils a new series of

cases, stands and accessories for

the iPad 2 and new tablet devices.

The Ecko UNLTD.

SOUND line of

powerful, stylish

mobile audio

products delivers

the unique design

influence of

Marc Ecko.

DIGIPOWER introduces the

world’s first in-car wireless

charging solution, as well

as an at-home model.

Mobile tech accessories feature over-the-ear headphones,

chargers, and smart phone cases

New MIZCO Tough Tested™

MIZCO has expanded its award-winning “Tough

Tested™” line of heavy-duty, professional grade

mobile technology accessories to include a

new over-the-ear Bluetooth® Earpiece, a complete range

of Smartphone Cases, and a Pro Car Charger. The new

products are all designed, engineered, and manufactured

to meet the exacting usage requirements of professional

drivers and consumers looking for a line of mobile device

enhancements that feature a rugged, heavy-duty design

that can handle any abuse, from drops to dings, that

everyday use might throw at them.

According to MIZCO Executive Vice President Sam

Mizrahi, “In creating the Tough Tested product line, we

incorporated the testimonials of professional drivers and

contractors who spend long hours on the road, using their

devices in the most extreme circumstances. Over the

last year of marketing the Tough Tested series, we found

that the same approach to design and manufacturing

has a broad appeal to general consumers who push their

mobile devices to the limit in their every day use. As

a result, our newly expanded Tough Tested product line

is equally at home on the road in a professional’s rig as

they are at home in a family minivan!”

Drawing on the success and features of the over-

the-head Tough Tested LYTE COMM 737 and PRO

BOOM 747 Bluetooth headsets that were introduced

last year, the line now features a miniature, over-the-

ear Tough Tested Bluetooth Earpiece. The earpiece

features a flexible and adjustable ear clip for the user’s

comfort, as well as a rubberized, heat-retardant finish.

Perfect for life on the road, the earpiece also features

10x noise cancelling technology, which reduces

background noise by producing frequencies opposite to

any external sounds such as wind and passing traffic,

making them silent. The earpiece features the latest

2.1 Bluetooth software, seven hours of talk-time, 200

hours of standby power, and includes Home, Car and

USB charging solutions.

The new Tough Tested Pro Car Charger features a

12-foot-long, high-gauge cord, that allows drivers to

charge and use their smartphones and USB devices

from anywhere in their vehicle. The high-gauge cord

has been tested for ten pounds of weight resistance, to

ensure its strength and durability. Finished with a heat

retardant, rubberized coating, the Pro Car Charger

is available in models for the iPhone/iPod as well as

micro-USB and mini-USB, allowing for easy on-the-

go charging of all current phone models, GPS devices,

and other mobile tech products. The Pro Car Charger

features a 30-minute quick charge, and a 3-light charge

indicator (power, charging and fully charged).

Tough Tested has also recently launched a complete

range of Smartphone Cases, all made to endure the

heaviest usage. Made of rugged and durable padded

canvas, the Tough Tested Rugged Smartphone Cases

feature multiple options for ensuring phones are secure

in the case, including a Velcro-secured flap and snap

buckle closure. Offered in Black, Digital Camouflage,

Classic Camouflage or Khaki, the cases feature a steel

belt buckle, complete with karabiner clip for securing

cases to belts, pockets and more. The Workman

Holster Case features a leather case that mounts

onto a work belt and fits all smartphones. The Tough

Tested Rubberized Impact Case features extra-thick

and durable black silicone to absorb the impact for

dropped phones and fits the iPhone4 and most popular

smartphones on the market today. For the ultimate in

smartphone protection, Tough Tested has introduced

the Duro Protection Case, featuring three layers of

protection. The case is composed of an inner protective

hard plastic shell with screen protector, a rubber shock

absorbing middle layer, and an outer hard, protective

shell that has a rotating belt clip holster.

Tough Tested has also brought to market a new

Universal Gooseneck Mount windshield mount for

smartphones, GPS devices, and satellite radio devices.

The mount steadies the devices against shocks and

vibrations generated by the vehicle’s movement while

on the road.

The new products join the best-selling LYTE COMM

737 and PRO BOOM 747 Bluetooth headsets that

feature 10X noise canceling technology, DSP dual mic

technology, background noise reduction, and a 180-

degree flex boom mic. Each model also delivers up to six

hours of talk time and 250 hours of standby time. The

headsets also incorporate a boom mic, adjustable mic

stem, adjustable headband, call waiting, 3-way calling,

voice activated dialing, one-touch call answer/end, as

well as a USB Travel Charger and USB Cable.

W D MW D M

All Wireless All The Time

www.WirelessWeek.com

2012 Integrated

Media Planning

Guide

• Editorial Coverage and Reach

• Editorial Calendar

• Print Advertising Rates

• Electronic Media

• Website Rates

• Enewsletter Rates

Wireless Week’s Show Daily

•

March|25|2010

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BY ANDREW BERG

Mizco International,

a New Jersey-based

supplier of wireless

mobile phone head-

sets, accessories, as well as imag-

ing and iPhone power solutions, is

set to deliver on a game-changing

guarantee that could have impli-

cations for the refurb business.

According to Mizco, it is

introducing the industry’s first

guaranteed seven-to-10 day

battery pack delivery program,

which is backed by a 100 percent

customer satisfaction warranty.

Isaac Mizrahi, executive vice

president of Mizco’s Cellular

Innovations brand, pointed to

several critical components that

enable the division to offer such

assurances.

“The engineering, manufac-

turing and logistical support

infrastructure we have created

now enables us to offer a two-

part guarantee that should

provide our refurbishing clients

with unmatched peace of mind,”

Mizrahi said in a statement.

Effective immediately,

Cellular Innovations is guaran-

teeing that every battery pack

order will be delivered within

seven to 10 days of receipt of

the customer purchase order

— regardless of the order’s size

or composition.

“Our state-of-the-art manu-

facturing center in Shenzhen,

China, can produce 3 mil-

lion battery packs per month.

What’s more, we can produce

more than 2,000 battery pack

types, all CE approved and all

compliant to the original man-

ufacturer’s standards — some-

thing no other company can

duplicate,” Mizrahi asserted.

Taking the seven-to-10 day

delivery guarantee one step fur-

ther, Cellular Innovations is also

offering a blanket 100 percent

customer satisfaction warranty

that assures customers of a zero

failure rate on all battery packs.

If for any reason a customer is

dissatisfied with their product

upon delivery, he or she can

return it to Cellular Innovations

with no questions asked.

Additionally, Mizco has

expanded its line of Bluetooth

headsets. Mizco announced the

addition of seven new mod-

els to its 2010 line-up, some

incorporating A2DP stereo

audio streaming, remote music

controls and background noise

canceling functions as standard

features.

All of the new Mizco head-

sets are on display at Mizco’s

booth on the CTIA show floor

this week. L

Mizco Offers

Guarantee, Expands

Portfolio

Mizco has expanded its line of

Bluetoot h headsets.

Best_Of_Mizco_Editorial_Flipbook Best Of Mizco Editorial Flipbook

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