Merchandise Tuesday: Accessorize Your Favorite Accessory

They didn’t exist a few years ago, but now you can’t leave home without it. It’s your iPod®/iPhone®/iPad®, and it is your most prized possession, containing all your important data, favorite songs and movies – pretty much your whole life in a lightweight, portable, stylish device.

And now your favorite electronic accessory begs for accessories of its own, and from projectors and speaker docks to cases and solar chargers, Hinda has the assortment of iAccessories you’re looking for.

Brookstone® iConvert® Scanner for iPad® Tablet

Tame the paperwork jungle in your life by getting a scanner for your iPad. The iConvert Scanner captures sharp, detailed JPEG images and saves them directly to the photos folder of your iPad or iPad 2.  Organize and prevent losing all your important documents whether at home, at the office or on the go. Preserve everything from family photos, genealogy records and children’s artwork to meeting notes, resumes, receipts and expense sheets. 

Brookstone® Pocket Projector for iPhone® 4 Devices

The Pocket Projector for iPhone 4 is perfect for on-the-go travel entertainment. Its super-bright LED projector lamp ensures clearer, more brilliant videos and iPhone Slide Shows than other pico projectors. Its 640 x 360 resolution projects up to 50" images and the integrated 0.5-watt speaker delivers the audio. Great for keeping kids entertained with their favorite videos on the road – simply dock your iPhone 4 device and project onto any surface!

Grace Digital MatchStick Kindle Fire Speaker with Charging Dock

The new Grace MatchStick is designed exclusively for the Kindle Fire. Truly enjoy the multimedia apps that the Fire has to offer, such as Netflix, Pandora® Internet radio and even audio books. The full-range stereo speakers and charging circuit unleash the power of the Kindle Fire while keeping it fully charged when you are on the go. Whether you are listening to Internet radio, streaming your favorite TV shows or movies or simply need a quick charge, the Grace MatchStick is your Kindle Fire's perfect companion.

Griffin® AirStrap Carrying Case for iPad®

AirStrap's molded frame with thick, comfortable, contoured grips surrounds your iPad, protecting the edges without getting in the way of controls, camera and ports. Slip your hand under the wide neoprene strap on the back. AirStrap hugs your hand, making your iPad easier to hold whether you're sitting or standing, reading in a coffee shop or checking out the headlines as you ride the 6:45 in to work.

iLive™ Solar Powered Charger

The solar powered charger lets you harness free power from the sun to power your mobile devices and tablets. Set the solar powered charger in direct sunlight to power your device or to store power for later use. The included USB cable and adapters provide power for a multitude of devices, and the package includes a USB charging cable with connectors. Feel good about your carbon footprint when you recharge with the sun instead of a socket.

i.Sound® Twist Bluetooth® Speaker and Speakerphone

The Twist Bluetooth Speaker and Speakerphone features a 30’ transmission range for wireless music streaming, a built-in microphone with advanced noise cancellation for crystal clear speakerphone calls and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that offers five hours of continuous playtime.  The package comes with two speakers, a subwoofer and works with any device that has a 3.5mm audio plug. Now all the great songs you enjoy on your MP3 device can be shared with the masses.

i.Sound® Universal Car Mount

The Universal Car Mount is fully adjustable to display your device at any angle. It provides 360-degree rotation for horizontal and vertical viewing and features a heavy-duty suction cup, hands-free talk, soft padded brackets and both an air vent attachment and a windshield attachment that work with your iPhone®, iPod®, Smartphone or GPS system. Don’t leave home without this handy system.

Speck MagStylus for iPad®

Designed for more responsive drawing, handwriting and gaming on your iPad or other capacitive touchscreen device, MagStylus adds something many other styluses don't: a magnet. The magnet locks your stylus on to your iPad when not in use and enables the iPad's sleep/wake function. The MagStylus features a rubberized tip for maximum control and flexibility.

It’s truly amazing all that you can do with your cell phone, MP3 player and tablet PC these days. Almost makes you wonder what you ever did without it, right? What are some of your favorite gadgety accessories? Which do you use most, and what comes in the handiest in your life? Why not use your device to leave us a comment below?

Merchandise Monday: The Road to Redemption

Wow, where does the time go? We’re already well into the third quarter of 2012, which means it’s time for an update on redemptions from Q2! As with Q1, people love their gadgets. Apple® was a huge redeemer with the launch of the New iPad®, and Nikon® wasn’t far behind with its popular Coolpix® digital camera.

Another popular redemption category that aligns with Q1 is Home and Housewares. People are still redeeming quite a bit for coffeemakers and cooking utensils. Overall, redemption categories remained relatively steady from Q1 to Q2. Let’s see how that will change as we move into the later months. What will holiday season bring? (We know, it’s waaay to early to even think about it!)

Top redemptions according to units fulfilled:

Pyrex® 18-Piece Glass Storage Set with Lids Wagan® Battery Jumper With Air  Compressor Apple iPod classic® 160GB Black     Titleist® Pro VI Golf Ball Dozen        Nikon Coolpix 16MP Digital Camera with 5x Zoom Apple New iPad 64GB for Verizon Apple iPod Touch® 8GB with FaceTime Keurig® Special Edition B60 Single-Cup OXO® 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set Garmin® nüvi® 30

 Top redemptions according to dollar value:

• Apple New iPad 64GB for Verizon 
• Apple iPod classic 160GB Black    
• Apple iPod Touch 8GB with FaceTime
• Nikon Coolpix 16MP Digital Camera with 5x Zoom
• Keurig Special Edition B60 Single-Cup
• Garmin nüvi 30                   
• Bounty Hunter® Tracker IV™ Metal Detector    
• Coby® 40" LED HDTV 1080p           
• Bose® QuietComfort® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® Headphones
• Wagan Battery Jumper With Air Compressor  

Merchandise Monday: Fun for Kids!

We always use our “Merch Monday” column to talk about the great new products that have been added to Hinda’s assortment, and usually the products we focus on are geared more toward adults or groups. So today, we’d like to switch things up a bit and talk about three fun new products for kids only! After all, you can always redeem for gifts for your children, grandchildren or other youngsters in your life. In all honesty, though, you’ll probably get just as big of a kick out of these items as the kiddies do!

LunaTik® TikTok for iPod Nano®

Show some art school cool with the latest TikToks, inspired by the CMYK color model. Bright hues rock your wrist with some serious style. TikTok is a simple snap-in design that allows the user to quickly and securely snap the iPod Nano in and out of the wrist dock and transforms it into a modern, multi-functional timepiece. Show off your style and keep your tunes right at your fingertips.

Crayola® iMarker™ Stylus

Crayola ColorStudio™ HD helps young artists unlock limitless discovery and play on an iPad®, complete with pictures, color, animation, sound and music. The iMarker™ digital stylus is the key. Like a marker, crayon, pen and paintbrush in one, iMarker creates your favorite Crayola colors within the ColorStudio HD App. iMarker safely interacts with iPad's MultiTouch display, allowing the ColorStudio HD app to differentiate between the child’s input (finger taps, swipes, etc.) and the input from iMarker automatically.

With pictures, animations, sound effects and music, ColorStudio HD always has something new to discover and color. And new pictures are available through ongoing updates automatically when you sync your iPad. Parents can share the work their children (or themselves) have created by printing it or through e-mail and Facebook.

Jelly Belly™ Party Pack

Looking for a way to entertain your kids during the hot summer months? This kit contains everything you need for an ice treats party at home!  The kit includes a Jelly Belly Electric Ice Shaver, Jelly Belly Flute Pops Mold, 20 cone cups and straws and 16 servings each of Jelly Belly Berry Blue and Very Cherry Premium Flavor Syrups. Cool off this summer with this sweet treat from Jelly Belly.

Kids always need new and different ways to stay entertained, especially during those long, long breaks from school. And since there’s only so much summer reading they can handle in a day, why not pick up one of these fun options and help them stay focused and out of trouble? Your kids will be happy to have a new toy to brag about to their friends, and you’ll be Super[InsertRelationshipToChild].

And you’ll thank us, which you can feel free to do below in the “Comments” section.

To Redeem, or Not to Redeem…

Depending on how you look at it, 2012 is either one-third empty or two-thirds full. We don’t know where the time goes, either, but what we do know is that a lot has happened in the first quarter – specifically in the area of award redemption and fulfillment. Recently, Hinda had a meeting to discuss redemptions so far this year, and it’s interesting to see what people have been redeeming for since January.

As expected, many of these redemptions fall into the “Electronics” category. This shows no sign of slowing down. People love their gadgets, and with new versions and varieties coming out all the time, people like to stay up to date. Another popular redemption category is “Home,” with many people redeeming for items such as coffeemakers and cookware. As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, this is a trend we see in this particular economy, as people cut back on dining out and trips to trendy coffee bars.

Here we present the top ten redemptions according to dollar value. This is where most of the gadgety stuff comes in to play:

Apple® iPad® 2 Apple iPod® Touch Amazon Kindle Fire 7" Multi-Touch Wi-Fi Keurig® Special Edition B60 Single-Cup Home Brewing System HP® 15.6" Notebook Computer Coby® 19" Wide Screen LCD HDTV Nikon Coolpix® S6100 16MP Digital Camera with 7x Zoom Coby 32" HDTV LCD 1080p 120Hz Microsoft Xbox 360® 250GB Bundle Bose® QuietComfort® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® Headphones

This list outlines Hinda’s top redeemers according to units fulfilled. Much of this list contains the home and housewares redemptions:

World Kitchen® 18-Piece Glass Storage Set with Lids Wagan® Battery Jumper With Air Compressor Royal Consumer 10-Sheet Crosscut Paper Shredder Titleist® Pro VI Golf Ball Dozen Apple iPod Touch® 8GB with FaceTime (Black) Lipper Bamboo Thin Cutting Boards Conair® Weight Watchers® Body Analysis Scale Dirt Devil®  Swift Stick Vacuum Coby Dual USB Car Charger for iPod® And Other USB Powered Devices Black and Decker® Six-Cup Rice Cooker and Steamer

It’s kind of cool to see what people have been saving up their points for, and it will be interesting to see how these lists change – or if they change – as we move into the rest of 2012. Keep your radar tuned to Hinda Blog for more updates in the future!

Merch Monday: Must-Haves While Traveling

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With security constraints, packing can become a logisitical nightmare. And, with so many gadgets on the market, it's tough to decide what to leave behind and what you can't leave without. In order to fit all of our must-have within the confines of our suitcase, we must pick and choose the items most important to us. Luckily, Inc. Magazine recently published an article online revealing what Inc. readers can't live without during business travel. Here is a sampling of their list.

Apple® iPad®

The iPad® is even more amazing now, with two cameras for FaceTime® and HD video recording, a dual-core A5 chip and 10-hour battery life, all in a thinner, lighter design.

Apple® MacBook®

The notebook of choice for millions of users, the MacBook features a 13.3" glossy widescreen display, a 10-hour battery life, a glass multi-touch trackpad and a built-in webcam. It sports a 250GB hard disk drive and a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor.

 
Digital Camera

To ensure you never miss a moment, pack your digital camera along. Try the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8, a versatile camera with a 24mm ultra-wide angle and powerful 16x optical zoom. It features Intelligent Resolution Technology, which adds delicate detail that exceeds even optical image quality in both photo and move recording.

Neck Support Travel Pillow

By cushioning and supporting the neck and head, a travel pillow relaxes you and puts you at ease. Try the Ortho+Therapy™ Memory Foam Neck Pillow.


What are some items that you can't live without while traveling? Leave a comment. Maybe we'll use your suggestions in a future Merch Monday post!

2010: What Didn't Live Up to the Hype

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The 2011 CES kicks off soon and will help turn everyone's eyes to what new tech products will be huge in the coming year. Are all the hyped products at CES always hits?

Not necessarily.

Last year on this blog, we talked about the three biggest takeaways from the 2010 show: tablet PCs, e-readers and 3D television. Two of these product ideas really took off this year. Just taking a look at a struggling Borders bookstore or the guy sitting next to you on a flight, it's obvious that e-readers have caught on as a mechandising trend. Then look at the iPad. Sure it wasn't out at CES last year but it definitely sparked the demand for tablet computing along with other strong competitors in Samsung's Android-based Galaxy tablet and RIM's Blackberry PlayBook.

The product idea that fell short this year was 3D television. According to this article in Reuter's, the sales of 3D TVs "fell short of industry expectations." Why is that?

Much of the blame is shifted toward a lack of content. Best Buy's Chief Executive Brian Dunn is quoted saying that "there was confusion about 3D early (on). It was a little short on content." An abundance of content is what helped drive the sales of devices like e-readers, yet there wasn't enough 3D TV content out there to justify the cost of investment. Content wasn't the only barrier to purchase for many people according to Jim Valenti, the Merchandise Operations Manager here at Hinda. He says that the high cost of 3D viewing glasses hindered sales of 3D television. "Most people don't want to spend an extra $100-$200 per pair of viewing glasses," Valenti said.

So is 3D dead?

Not necessarily. Jay Vandenbree, head of home entertainment at LG Electronics USA, said in an interview:

"Just like how high-definition TV started in sports and movies, as 3D evolves, it will go with sports and movies and then become more of an everyday thing."

The release of 3D camcorders in the marketplace will allow consumers to create their own content, which in turn should raise demand for more 3D technology. Once price points lower and 3D technology improves to the point that the need for glasses is erroneous, sales will most likely see an increase.

What other products from 2010 failed to live up to the hype?

E-Books Look To Stuff Stockings This Holiday

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If you're wondering about what's going to be a hot ticket item this holiday season, you'd be making a safe bet banking on e-books.

Way back in the day, Sony had the only game in town with a huge cumbersome e-reader. Eventually Amazon stole the show with their Kindle. For the longest time, Kindle has been the go-to device for e-reading with its plethora of content and grayscale, easy-on-the-eyes screen. However, the growth of the e-reader market has exploded with competitors looking to take over Kindle's throne. A recent article from Fast Company noted that e-books are now a $1 billion industry. With that market size comes more aspiring "Kindle Killers" to take a piece of that pie.

Barnes and Noble's Nook has seen a facelift of late with the release of the Nook Color. This device not only provides a sleek 7-inch color touchscreen to enhance the reader experience but also runs on an Android platform. The Nook upgrade also has a kid-friendly feature in its "Read to Me" application, a feature that has a professional narrator reading select children's books aloud via the device. In addition, Nook Color is a social device, making sharing book discussions a seamless experience for users via Facebook, Twitter and Google.

Other e-readers look to mix things up to. Sony's e-reader provides a lightweight portable device with one redeeming feature - battery life. Sony claims that users are able to enjoy up to two weeks worth of reading enjoyment on one single battery charge (in comparison to Nook Color's eight hour lifespan). Another device that will also crash the e-reader party will be the iPad. Though it's not first and foremost an e-reader, its iBooks application provides a very interactive reading experience for its users and looks to make even more waves in the e-reader scene.

The e-reader market has grown exponentially over the last couple of years. Do you see this being over-hyped? Or will these devices really be a holiday hit?