Digital TV shipments are expected to reach near 140 million units this year, up from 117.7 units seen in the previous year. Game console OEM manufacturing revenue grew by 85% from 2006 to 2007, increasing another 19% in the first quarter of 2008.
But are electronics purchases replacing vacations? iSuppli seems to think so. They attribute the steady growth in consumer purchases to an unpredictable economy, which they say has resulted in less travel and more spending on home entertainment and CE products. Other growth factors suggested include falling TV prices, the analog broadcast turn down, improved TV picture quality, an increased amount of high definition content and the flat panel form factor.
With gas and travel prices soaring this year, I can understand why some consumers would opt for a 'stay-cation' rather than packing their bags. Whatever the reasons are, the CE companies are certainly benefiting from this increased spending.
I have an HDTV, a blu-ray player and complete set of soundsystem. But I went on vacation twice in the past two month. 
You know, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if better home entertainment systems are replacing at least weekend trips that many of us would take. I'll still go to L.A., Lake Tahoe, etc. when I want to get away, but sitting around with the family, or with your significant other, can be cheaper, less stressful, and sometimes even more entertaining.
Watching other people eat bugs in the jungles of Borneo will not replace eating them yourself. Although, I guess you could go out in your back yard and eat grasshoppers. So maybe this stay-cation thing is not such a bad idea after all. (Pouring Hershey's syrup on the grasshoppers makes them taste better, by the way.)
"But are electronics purchases replacing vacations? iSuppli seems to think so."
If anyone at iSuppli could think, they would have come up with a better name for their company, rather than like sheep, adding a small "i" to a misspelled word they coughed up in a half baked focus group, hoping to ride Apples coattails.
People are not taking a vacation, because they can't afford one.
They also have an "iLibrary Login" button on their website. Man, are they chic, or what?
iSuppli founder and chief strategist headshot with babe...
http://concentratedawesome.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/popped-collars.jpg
Wow! I have a different Despair.com-type wallpaper that has the headline "Popped Collars", with a picture of a guy wearing a pink shirt with a popped collar. The caption below reads, "Stop being a f*g and fix your g*dd*m collar."
LOL...I jsut got back from vactaion and wish I had stayed home and watched BluRay's instead....New England sucks!!!!!!!
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