Skip to Content

Autoblog reviews all the hottest cars
AOL Tech

layoffs posts

Pioneer officially leaving the TV biz by March 2010, focusing on audio

by Richard Lawler posted Feb 12th 2009 at 3:31AM Breaking News

Bad news Kuro fans, the rumors were true and Pioneer is leaving the TV manufacturing business. On the upside, the restructuring deadline is March 2010, so a predicted net 130 billion yen ($1.44 billion) loss shouldn't be enough to get between you and the plasma HDTV of your dreams. The company's U.S. and U.K. plants are shutting down by April and February of this year, respectively, and product development for TVs beyond what's currently on the market is ending, seeing no prospects for improving profitability even after combining plasma efforts with Panasonic and LCDs with Sharp. Overall, there will be 10,000 fewer full time and temporary Pioneer employees than there were at the end of last year, while pay and bonuses for execs have been cut. The future for Pioneer? Mostly car audio, including in-car Blu-ray players and networked electronics, while its home electronics business focus on audio, DJ equipment and cable TV boxes, with a focus on using its expertise in improving sound. All other ugly details are contained in the press release, mourning the passing of another plasma supplier is in the comments.

[Via Bloomberg and AV Watch, thanks Carl H.]

Pioneer reportedly ending TV production, spinning off DVD business

by Richard Lawler posted Feb 6th 2009 at 6:23PM Breaking News

Say it ain't so (again) Pioneer, Japan's Nikkei is reporting that despite planning a return to profitability by sourcing Panasonic plasma panels, facing a consolidated loss of 100 billion yen ($1.08 billion U.S.) it will end TV development and production entirely. The DVD business will be spun off into a new venture with Sharp as part of a plan to shed several thousand employees over the next year, including a shutdown of its Shizuoka plant, along with already planned closings in the U.S. and Europe. Honestly, we should have seen things were going badly when it let LaserDisc die, but the worsening economy may have proved too tough for the idea that its Kuro and Elite line of products would not be subject to the ups and downs of the economy.

[Via Gearlog, registration required on read link]

VUDU looks to integrate with TVs, DVD players

by Darren Murph posted Jan 27th 2009 at 3:17PM


VUDU's been doing its darnedest of late to keep up with the slew of rivals looking to steal away every piece of market share they can, and a recent report over at CEPro sheds a little light onto how the company plans to both stay afloat and take off. As with most every other outfit, VUDU has also suffered through a few rounds of layoffs. Currently, the company employs about 50, which is down from a high of around 110. Co-founder Tony Miranz seems pretty optimistic about the future, though, noting that the outfit is being "bombarded with inquiries" from potential partners. Speaking of which, he also asserted that VUDU was -- at its heart -- a software company, and thus it was currently looking to integrate its top-shelf UI and movie delivery network into HDTVs, DVD / Blu-ray players and other standalone boxes. It's tough to say how such a shift would affect the firm. On one hand, you've got CinemaNow barely breathing, while Netflix has managed to execute this plan to perfection. Go on VUDU, roll the dice -- we'll be watching.

[Thanks, Ben]

Sony to shutter Japanese TV plant as part of restructuring efforts

by Darren Murph posted Jan 21st 2009 at 10:44PM


Hey Sony -- we know that experiencing your first annual operating loss in 14 years calls for drastic measures, but this is bordering on downright rash. Barely a month after announcing that 16,000 employees would be axed, Sony has now revealed plans to close one of its two television plants in Japan and rid itself of 2,000 domestic full-time jobs as it attempts to "revive its electronics business." Of note, it's stated that those 2,000 -- which seem to be a part of the previously mentioned 16,000 figure -- will be shed via "early retirement and other programs." Just think what a 40-inch XEL-1 would do for business. No, seriously Sony, just think.

[Image courtesy of DigitalWorldTokyo]

Sharp closing down two LCD panel production lines, hacking 380 jobs

by Darren Murph posted Dec 19th 2008 at 1:38PM


It's not pulling a Sony or anything, but even Sharp has been unable to absorb the downturn in flat-panel demand. We already knew that the firm was looking to scale back production by as much as 10% from the middle of this month, and our deductive reasoning skills are leading us to believe that this is the cutback we've been expecting. The outfit will be closing down two LCD panel production lines in Japan in order to "move production to a newer and more cost-efficient plant as the global downturn hits demand for electronic goods." Along with the closings will come 380 job cuts -- all temporary workers -- which will presumably be sent home when the lines halt for the final time in January.

Double toil and trouble, VUDU rumor pot bubbles over

by Steven Kim posted Aug 24th 2008 at 8:06AM

VUDU cauldron
With apologies to Shakespeare, something is brewing at VUDU. With CEDIA just around the corner, the company has laid off some of its staff, most notably some of its marketing higher-ups. Additionally, rumors are swirling regarding just about every aspect of the upstart company's future. CEPro got some talk-time with the VUDU's national dealer channel manager, and a theme of decreased emphasis on the retail channel seems to run throughout the conversation, punctuated by a end-of-life status on the VUDU X100. Meanwhile, the company is making some CEDIA promises for its custom-install-targeted VUDU XL: more HD content (1,000 titles), more connectivity (HD over component) and lifetime warranties on purchased titles. It's all rumor, but we wouldn't be surprised to see VUDU move exclusively into the custom-install market where it seems to have a toe-hold. So what say ye -- is something rotten in VUDU, or should we hang up the codpiece and get back to work?

[Image courtesy Blog of Wishes]

Read - CEPro's VUDU interview
Read - VUDU CEDIA plans

Boston Acoustics gets efficient, cuts 30 employees

by Steven Kim posted Apr 23rd 2008 at 11:23PM

Boston Acoustics logoAmidst recent news about D&M Holdings being sold off, principal shareholder RHJ International has stated that 30 layoffs at Boston Acoustics are an unrelated happenstance. It's unfortunate timing, to be sure, but RHJI spokesman Gail Petersen has stated that acquisition preparation was "absolutely not a factor," and cited a decrease in new Boston Acoustics product development this year and increases in efficiency amongst companies folded into D&M holdings as reasons for trimming rolls. Whether it's coincidence or causality (if it's coincidence, it's an awfully common one), it should all get wrapped up soon -- word is that bidding between Merrill Lynch, Best Buy, Advantage Partners, and Kenwood/Bain Capital should end soon.


Read - Boston Acoustics Cuts 30 Employees
Read - Interview with RJHI's Gail Petersen

Little fish, meet big fish -- Warner laying off most of New Line staff

by Steven Kim posted Apr 16th 2008 at 12:29PM

New Line Cinema logoTime Warner has been sending out the pink slips en masse to New Line Cinema employees this week. Only about one month ago, New Line was brought under the Warner umbrella. The layoffs began on Monday, and will cut about 450 employees off the rolls across both New York and Los Angeles offices. We're sad to see the cuts, and hang on to hopes that this will not have not a negative impact on the Lord of the Rings trilogy coming to Blu-ray. New Line isn't disappearing, and will be left with a small team for production, marketing, publicity and business affairs. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family.]

Digeo lays off half of its employees, replaces CEO

by Darren Murph posted Jan 15th 2008 at 4:59PM

Merely days ago, Digeo trumpeted a number of Moxi-related partnerships and simultaneously failed to give us any additional details as to when we could expect either of its standalone HD DVRs. Now, we could have a reason why. According to a breaking report from The Wall Street Journal, the firm is axing 50-percent of its staff (leaving 80 employees) and Mike Fidler, CEO, is handing over his position to Greg Gudorf, the company's current president and chief operating officer. As if that weren't enough, the report also claims that Digeo will "not release two digital media recorders that had been planned," and rather, it will "focus on a [single] next-generation consumer model." Notably, we aren't told whether or not said model is the HD DMR that's already out in beta testers' hands, but we suppose only time will tell. [Warning: read link requires subscription]

Update: We've now learned that the oft delayed Moxi Multi-Room HD DMR and the Moxi Home Cinema Edition DMR will not be released. Additionally, we're told that details about the firm's upcoming consumer DMR (which will be released) will be "announced later in the year." Full release posted after the jump.

Continue reading Digeo lays off half of its employees, replaces CEO





    AOL News

    Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in:

    Joystiq
    Download Squad
    The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
    BloggingStocks
    Joystiq Xbox
    Autoblog
    Big Download
    Fanhouse NFL Blog