Merchandise Monday: Trade Show Photo Bonanza!

During the past couple of weeks, the Hinda merchandise team hit the trade show floors at the International CES and PPAI Expo and they reported back with some pretty cool new stuff! For this week’s Merchandise Monday column, we thought we’d let the items speak for themselves.

The PPAI Expo was just last week – January 11-15 in Las Vegas.

Bugatti bags held all the swag given out at this year’s Golden Globes®!

Collegiate products from Dooney & Bourke

New bags for ladies (as well as backpacks) from Victorinox

An assortment of watches at the Wenger® booth

A sweet take on the Batmobile! (Disclaimer: this probably won’t be available in Hinda’s assortment.)

CES was also in Vegas on January 6-9. Be sure to check out our previous post from CES, as well!

Wall-mountable fireplaces from Bell’O®

Fitbit®’s array of fitness tracking devices and…

… Tory Burch for Fitbit 

Intel® RealSense™ Technology puts you in control – without the need for controllers!

Lenses galore at Nikon

The Parrot® Pot waters your plants so you don’t have to remember.

Trying out Samsung®’s Oculus virtual reality headset

Be sure to check out our Facebook page for even more photos from the show floor. As always, we won’t know which of these products we’ll be adding to our assortment for some time, so stay tuned to Hinda Blog for updates on these and other great new items in our continuously expanding awards collection!

CES So Far...

It’s only Day Two of the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, but Hinda’s merchandise team has already reported back with lots of great pictures and info about the cool new tech they’re seeing on the show floor. Here are just a few of the highlights – in no particular order – with more to come!

 Samsung®’s Galaxy Tab® S display featuring Marvel’s Avengers

Relatively new to the US market, TCL has been doing extremely well at Hinda. The company offers affordable price points and its line of Roku TV is hot. Here TCL is showcasing its Curved 4K TVs.

Load up your own beverages with the Chill personal soda machine from Hisense.

Not just a camera company anymore, Canon® showcases its Connected Home.

The Polaroid Fotobar offers “Instant Printification.”

Virtual Fitting Solutions from Toshiba

Headphones are big at Panasonic®!

Crosley®’s old-school booth proves vinyl is popular as ever.

Check out our Facebook  page for more images from the show floor at CES!

Consumer Electronics Show Opens in Vegas

The 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is underway in Las Vegas, where 160,000 visitors and 3,500 exhibitors will flock to check out and showcase the latest and greatest in consumer electronics. According to USA Today, anticipated highlights inlude drones, 4K TVs, app-based entertainment and high-tech cars. CES runs through Friday and Hinda is on the show floor reporting on cool new gadgets and tech trends, so stay tuned for updates this week!

Merchandise Monday: 2014 Trends in Technology

The annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) took place from January 7-10 in Las Vegas, and Hinda’s merchandising team hit the show floor to seek out the latest and greatest from the world of consumer electronics. This year, it seems innovations are cropping up in every area of tech, from digital cameras and smart TVs to mobile and sports and fitness. While it’s a little too soon for us to tell which of the newest items we’ll be adding to our ever-growing assortment, we’re excited to share what we learned about what you can look forward to in 2014 and moving forward!

A shift is taking place in the world of digital cameras and camcorders. The rise of smart phones and their superior camera quality have decreased the need for separate digital cameras. Leave it to tech manufacturers like Canon® and Samsung® to offer the features you love about your smart phone, like Internet connectivity, social media sharing capability and rear-facing cameras, right on their latest models. Along these lines, companies like GoPro®, Garmin®, Sony® and Polaroid have all developed a line of action cams – a rapidly growing camera category all its own.

Recent advances in TV technology have turned passively watching into a full-blown lifestyle. In 2014, streaming technology is offered as an embedded feature on TVs. For example, Roku has partnered with select brands to offer Roku TV, which is built-in, eliminating the need for a separate streaming device. And what better way to enjoy all your favorite TV than on the latest 4K television? Companies like Sony and Samsung are now offering the ultra-crisp, life-like picture, which is becoming more mainstream and affordable. Look for massive displays and curved or bendable screens!

We’ve all been there - you’re out with friends or on a trip and forgot your charger. Now your phone’s dead and you can’t snap great pics or check-in via social media. What to do? Never fear, mobile charging is emerging as a category all its own, with companies like Mophie and Intel® offering devices strictly for keeping your favorite gadgets fully operational, making the concept of a dead battery obsolete. In fact, CES predicts that by 2017, the market will reach $7.16 billion, making wireless charging one of the most important categories in consumer electronics. 

Have you seen the new movie “Her” starring Joaquin Phoenix and the voice of Scarlett Johansson? Did you think it was a little futuristic and far-fetched? Well, we may not be too far away from our homes talking to us. The “Internet of Things” category is starting to catch on, with companies like Nest®, Belkin, LG and Samsung jumping on the connected-home bandwagon. This year, stand-out items included a smart toothbrush and sleep monitor that can be controlled via apps, cloud-connected smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and plans for 4G-connected car models from Audi, BMW and Chevrolet.

One of the newest technologies on display this year was 3D printing. While it’s still a little too pricey for personal use, it’s becoming a bit more mainstream as businesses are finding various uses for the technology. For example, 3D printing is great for creating physical samples of products and 3D scale models of buildings and designs. Another example of using 3D printing for business? Food! CES exhibitor ChefJet showcased its ability to print using sugar and chocolate to create 3D-printed cake toppers and pastry decorations. What will they think of next?

Another up-and-coming category is wearable technology. By now everyone has seen Google Glass, the wearable computer concept worn on the face like a pair of glasses. It seems the wearable tech trend is only getting stronger with the idea that anything we can put on our bodies can have a wired version. From smart watches and contact lenses to smart onesies for babies, IMS Research expects the wearables market to ship out 171 million units by 2016, up from just 14 million in 2011, according to CES.

Last but not least, sports and fitness are two categories where technology is really starting to make waves. Devices like swing monitors for golf, tennis and baseball and GPS systems for cyclist are being manufactured by Sony, Reebok, Schwinn and other companies to help improve performance and maintain safety. In the fitness realm, heart rate and activity tracker wrist bands from companies like Garmin, Fitbit® and Polar® and sweat-friendly earbuds from Sol Republic and other brands are just two of the recent developments in fitness that are making it easier and more fun to be fit!

There’s nothing like fresh, new technology to kick off the New Year! Of course, this is just a sample of the many brands and exhibitors present at this year’s CES. And as we mentioned, we’re not sure yet which of these new gadgets we’ll add to our assortment in the coming months. However, we can say with confidence that we’re just as excited as you to see what new technology 2014 brings. So be sure to stay tuned to Hinda Blog for all the latest updates and merchandise news!

Merchandising Minute Newsletter - February 2013

 

Welcome to the latest edition of Hinda's "Merchandising Minute" newsletter!

"Merchandising Minute" brings you the latest news on merchandise and award trends.

This issue includes:

• Emerging Trends from the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show
• Handy Tips to Organize Your Jewelry
• Recap of the PPAI Expo

If you know someone who would benefit from receiving communications like this from Hinda, have them e-mail Alisa Schafer (aschafer@hinda.com) and ask to be added to the distribution list.

Also be sure to check out and subscribe to the Hinda Blog. 

Click here for the current issue of Merchandising Minute.

Merchandise Midweek: Trends from the Trade Shows

PART 1 - CES

This year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas drew 165,000 attendees from 150 countries to browse the latest and greatest from 15 product categories, including audio, automotive electronics, connected home technologies, digital imaging and photography, electronic gaming, entertainment and content. Hinda’s director of merchandising, LeeAnn Schumacher, was on the show floor and reported back with the trends for the coming year.

Tablets, Super-Sized

Last year, mini tablets were all the rage. Now, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction and new larger “slates” are coming to the forefront. Companies such as Panasonic®, Sony® and Lenovo® are introducing tablets that are being billed as multi-user table-top devices that can be used for collaboration in the workplace. These are scheduled to launch in summer of 2013.

In related news, notebooks are appearing lighter, thinner and available at lower price points. Touch will be a big feature for Windows® 8 notebooks. PCs are being developed with tablet flexibility and removable keyboards, and PC gaming is looking to make a comeback in 2013.

Apps, Apps Everywhere

At CES, Apple® announced it had topped 40 billion downloads during the show. But that’s just the beginning. Everywhere you turned, apps were being used for everything from voice-controlling a car to organizing your kitchen.

For example, Ford®’s Fiesta and Focus let drivers manage the Ford app through voice and 16 various radio controls. Samsung®’s T9000 – which is a refrigerator – has an LCD front and comes with pre-loaded, kitchen-friendly app Evernote.

TVs: Smarter, Brighter, Larger

These aren’t your grandparents’ black-and-white-and-rabbit-eared sets. HDTVs are a big business that’s continually evolving. For example, tech giant LG® will be launching a 55-inch OLED screen in March. OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode and represents the latest in thin, power-efficient and bright displays. Samsung countered with 85- and 110-inch TVs.

Another trend among TVs is the doing-away with the traditional remote control by making TVs compatible with smartphones and letting users operate their TVs using their phones. We’re also going to see a rise in ultra-HD 4K, OLED, smart integration and large screen displays of 60-inches or more.

Talking Tech Becomes the New Norm

Voice-activated products are making a big splash, especially in automotive technology and developments in television. Software company Nuance will bring more speech-recognition solutions to the near future. Dragon dictation, taking verbal notes on the iPhone® 5 and other solutions prove that it’s all about getting a lot more work done without lifting a finger.

Other News from the Show Floor

Health and fitness is one of the fastest growing product categories in the consumer electronics industry. Wireless technology and portable devices are two major drivers in this market. “Wearable technology“ is hot, and over 60 million sports, fitness and health monitoring devices with Bluetooth® technology will ship by 2015.

Cameras remain a popular category, and 2013 will see an increase in long zooms, Android™ and Wi-Fi® connectivity, larger image sensors, sports/action cameras and camcorders, mirrorless (or compact system cameras) and retro-looking cameras. 

…Stay tuned for Part 2 of our trade show wrap-up, where we’ll be focusing on trends from the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Expo.

Hindastry News - January 2013

Welcome to the latest issue of "Hindastry News" - Hinda's corporate newsletter.

"Hindastry News" brings you the latest on the happenings at Hinda.

This issue includes:

• Hinda Hits the Trade Show Scene! 
• Dave Peer talks about the IMA with Premium Incentive Products magazine
• Incentives to Encourage Employee Wellness
• Introducing our Newest Hinda Hires 

If you know someone who would benefit from receiving communications like this from Hinda, have them e-mail Alisa Schafer (aschafer@hinda.com) and ask to be added to the distribution list.

Also be sure to check out and subscribe to the Hinda Blog. 

Click here for the current issue of Hindastry News.