THE FUTURE:
I saw the Panasonic 5" DVD player on sale at Costco last week for $725. If I ever saw an item that every teenager in the world wants, it is this. You can watch the latest movies in brilliant color, wide screen, with digital sound. On a plane, at the beach, anywhere. You have up to 3 hours play time with the battery, and an excellent 5" LCD screen, This player was selling for $2200 last year. If they can get it down to under $300, and they will, I am sure, it will be in everyone's Christmas stocking next year.
When I looked at it, the obvious cost had to be the LCD display. The DVD player is a $10 cost item to them, because it has been manufactured for years as a portable CD player. Once the LCD screen cost is down, this should be the hottest consumer item on the market.
Cab we profit from it? Probably not. Panasonic is a major Prince in consumer electronics already, and, while this will make them even more money, the additional profits will probably get lost in the overall mix.
The possible play would be if someone came up with a breakthrough in LCD screen costs, and could corner the market for them. So if any of you know of a company working on a LCD screen with a really new low cost approach, let us know!
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