ConsumerIT - For Europe's High Volume PC Retailers, Distributors & Builders

Hauppauge Digital releases StreamEez, designed as a simple- to-use, HD video streamer.

Designed to broadcast live events over internet, the StreamEez box connects to an HD video camera using HDMI or component video. It compresses the camera's video (using a built-in H.264 encoder) into a form compatible with common streaming video sites such as USTREAM and Justin.tv.

StreamEez then connects via USB to a laptop computer equipped with Hauppauge’s StreamEez control application, making a connection to the streaming Internet website for live broadcast. All encoding and formatting of the HD video signal is done inside StreamEez.

Go Hauppauge Digital StreamEez

Smart grid, smart cities, smart homes, smart roads…how do you research these mega-projects?

You build a $1 billion city in the desert. You model the fake town after a real city (Rock Hill, South Carolina in USA, population 66,000) and build it complete with highways, houses and commercial buildings—even some old buildings mixed in with new ones just like in the real city. No one will live there, but each and every house will include appliances, plumbing, and other necessities.

This built-to-order town lets researchers test new infrastructure without interfering in anyone’s everyday life…because there isn’t anyone.

It’s a research facility but it’s also an empty city, a veritable ghost town. They call this CITE project “a first-of-its kind” smart city but given its cost and mission, it may just be “a one-of-a kind.”

Thankfully it’s not taxpayer money but a private firm building this city-as-a lab, the CITE (Center for Innovation, Technology and Evaluation).

The Best Buy board forces founder Richard Schultze to resign from chairman, following his failure to report the "improper relationship" between former CEO Brian Dunn and a 29-year old female employee.

The board investigation says the Dunn's relationship "negatively impacted the work environment." However, since it didn't involve "misuse" of company resources, Dunn still receives a golden parachute worth $6.6 million.

Dunn suddenly resigned from the Best Buy board on April 10 2012, following the allegations of "personal misconduct."

On the other hand Schulze steps down to the honorary position of chairman emeritus on June 2012, and retains his board seat until June 2013-- something of a fall for the man who founded the retailer, back in 1966.

Replacing Schulze is longtime board member and Bytemobile CEO Hatim Tyabji.

Best Buy hopes to find a new CEO in 6-9 months while Mike Mikan acts as interim CEO. The replacement will find hard times at the struggling retailer, where most customers prefer to use Best Buy outlets as showrooms before making purchases online.

Go Best Buy Releases Results of Independent Investigation; New Chairman of the Board Elected

Dixons fears Greece will exit the Eurozone-- speaking to the Financial Times, Dixons CEO Seb James says the retailer has plans on which outlets to close and how to protect others against civil unrest following such a decision.

“We have to be ready,” James says. “One day to the next, sometimes it feels like they are about to leave, sometimes it feels like it’s going to be fine... What would happen day one, day two, day three?"

The contingency plans reflect nervousness (if not fears) among companies on Greece leaving the eurozone. Companies also fear turmoil will follow last week's inconclusive general elections.

Dixons president for life Lord Kalms agrees with James, telling The Telegraph it is "inevitable" Greece will withdraw from the Euro. Kalms also describes opening shops in Greece as "not a good move."

Dixons' Q1 2012 earnings slash Europe in two-- while the North shows brisk revenues for fiscal 2012 (with 8% and 10% Y-o-Y growth in the UK and N. Europe respectively), the South (Italy, Greece, Turkey) crawls backwards and sales fall by -9% Y-o-Y.

A tale of two Europes? Do not show too much surprise if Dixons withdraws from S. Europe in the not-so-far future, whether Greece decides to exit the common European currency or not...

Go Dixons Full Year and Q4 Trading Statement 2012

Go Dixons Prepares for Greek Eurozone Exit (FT.com)

Go Dixons Makes Plans to Shut Shops in Greece