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Facebook and Walmart to 'deepen' involvement, won't rollback FarmVille prices just yet
The involvement between Facebook and Walmart is about to get a lot cozier than gift cards in aisle three. Facebook says it wants to "deepen" its connection to Walmart and hopes to learn from the big-box retailer's skill in building a long-term business; that's rather important when the social network is still young enough for the ink to be wet on shares from its initial public offering. To that end, Facebook's entire executive team will meet with Walmart at its Arkansas headquarters on July 20th in the hopes the two companies will be singing kumbaya when all is said and done. Knowing that both companies have taken a bruising in their public images from time to time, we can understand why some might be apprehensive about the idea of any tighter collaboration -- not until they can buy FarmVille harvests for 88 cents, at least.
NPD monthly reports integrate Walmart data starting next month
Every month, the NPD Group releases a report on the previous month's US sales in the game industry, both consoles and software. While that monthly report is already "projected to 100% of the market," according to NPD Group's David Riley, next month, it'll get bolstered by the nation's largest retailer: Walmart. Despite being revealed this past February, the past several months of NPD reports haven't included Walmart's numbers."Our enhanced retail coverage, including the addition of several new retailers, begins with May data released on Thursday, June 14," Riley told me in an email yesterday. While he couldn't supply a list of all of the retailers involved, he told me, "Yes, it does include Walmart."With any luck, the addition of Walmart to NPD's stable of retailers reporting – which already includes America's largest game retailer, GameStop – will help to thwart claims of NPD being a "very poor indicator of the industry's performance." Then again, between the lack of digital sales accounted for in NPD's monthly report and the urge of publishers to spin poor sales numbers, those complaints likely won't stop anytime soon.
WSJ: Walmart to offer in-store disc to digital UltraViolet service
Hollywood's latest digital ecosystem offers lots of promise, but in the five months since its release, it couldn't be further from delivering on it. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Walmart will finally make use of its membership to the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem by offering in-store disc to digital UltraViolet upgrade opportunities, for a small price of course. No doubt UltraViolet can use all the help it can get, but this is far from what we were hoping for when we learned Walmart would be in the mix -- we were hoping for the ability to buy and watch UltraViolet movies via Walmart's Vudu. Beyond our personal wishes, this no where near the big revelation that most consumers would actually find interesting: the release of the Common File Format which promises universal offline playback of our movie collection.
Walmart acquires iOS development agency Small Society
There have been quite a few strange acquisitions in the world of iOS development lately, but I think this one takes the cake: Walmart, of all places, has picked up an iOS development house named Small Society, in order to strengthen its customers' experience on Apple's mobile devices. Small Society has worked on apps for Starbucks, ZipCar, and Whole Foods and will bring its expertise to the biggest retailer in the world, working on iOS apps and interfaces for the WalmartLabs incubator division. This isn't the first tech development group Walmart has picked up, though in my recollection it is the first iOS-specific purchase the company has made. But strange as it may seem, the purchase makes sense. As we've said a few times here, shopping in 2011 on mobile devices was higher than ever, and Walmart obviously wants a piece of that pie. We'll have to see what comes out of this partnership in the future. If Small Society continues its good work, Walmart may have some interesting iOS apps coming down the pipeline.
Apple.com fifth most-visited retail site on Black Friday
Black Friday was a successful day for online retailers. Customers spent more than US$816 million, a 26 percent increase over Black Friday 2010. Apple was one of the beneficiaries of this rise in online sales. The Cupertino company climbed its way into the top 5 and became the fifth most-visited retail website on Black Friday, says a report from Comscore. The company trailed only Target, Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Amazon. Analysts's reports on Apple's Black Friday sales were also favourable. Deutsche Bank's Chris Whitmore said Apple stores overseas had a hard time keeping the iPhone 4S in stock. Over 75 percent of stores he polled had sold their entire inventory of iPhone 4S handsets on Black Friday. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster's research suggests the surveyed Apple store(s) were selling iPads at a rate of 14.8 per hour. Macs also were popular and left the store(s) at a rate of 10.1 per hour.
Charles Walton, father of RFID technology, dies at 89
We have some somber news to bring you today: Charles Walton, the man who pioneered the rise of RFID technology, has died at the age of 89. The Cornell-educated entrepreneur garnered more than 50 patents over the course of his career, but it only took one to cement his legacy -- a 1973 patent for a "Portable radio frequency emitting identifier." It may not have been the first RFID-related invention, but Walton's breakthrough would prove to be foundational, spawning many similar patents, including ten from the creator himself. It all began at the Army Signal Corps, where Walton worked after studying electrical engineering at Cornell and earning a Master's degrees in electrical engineering and economics of engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology. In 1960, he accepted a position at IBM, where he conducted research on disc drives before founding his own company, Proximity Devices, in 1970. It was at Proximity where many of Walton's patents came to life, including his initial design, which he developed alongside the Schlage lock company and eventually licensed to other firms, as well. He would go on to earn millions from his technology, though as Venture Beat points out, he may have been a bit too far ahead of the curve. Many of Walton's patents expired by the time RFID devices caught on with big spenders like the Department of Defense and Wal-Mart, thereby excluding him from any subsequent windfall. But that didn't seem to bother him too much, as evidenced in a 2004 interview with Venture Beat: "I feel good about it and gratified I could make a contribution."
Vudu starts streaming movies to the iPad, chooses the web app route
Now that Vudu has started streaming movies to PCs over the web, we're not surprised that starting today, it's moving to the iPad as well but what is surprising is the decision to stream over the web and forego a dedicated app. This approach lets the Wal-mart-owned (and fully integrated) video delivery company avoid the restrictions of Apple's app store and any additional fees, but unfortunately still means that like the PC, it's restricted to standard definition resolution and due to licensing issues is missing any flicks from Disney. The company plans to keep expanding onto other platforms like Android soon (if you must, the site does work on the iPhone right now but the UI isn't optimized for it yet) but it appears accessibility is replacing high quality HDX streaming as the service's most notable trait, for better or worse.
Walmart to shutter its online music store, somewhere Steve Jobs is smiling
It seems like only yesterday that Walmart was doing its best to beat Apple at the digital music game by delivering us DRM-free digital music. Alas, the inexorable might of iTunes has, at last, become too much to bear. According to Digital Music News, Wally World's MP3 store will shut its digital doors forever on August 28th. Chin up, Walmart, we won't be coming to you for the new Kanye jam (not that we ever would), but we'll still head on down when we're in need of damn near anything else.
Sharp FX Plus for AT&T caught on Walmart brochure, shows off its Froyo side
Just as paper adds fuel to a fire, so does an official Walmart brochure with images of new phones. The latest exclusive to come out of Wally World is the Sharp FX Plus (Google lawsuit, anyone?), an Android 2.2-powered follow-up to last year's blip on the AT&T radar. The photo confirms that this is indeed identical to the puzzling Sharp Android slider that appeared in fuzzy renders two months ago, only with an AT&T logo on the bottom to make it look all the more official. The brochure indicates the FX Plus will feature Froyo pre-installed (upgradeable to Gingerbread soon enough, we assume), a 3.2-inch display, and Audience's earSmart noise cancellation technology. It's unclear when we'll see it hit store shelves or how much it'll set us back; even if we knew, the phone isn't likely to deter a lot of keyboard lovers from getting something as desirable as the Samsung i927. At least AT&T's QWERTY Android lineup is filling out fast after a lengthy drought. [Thanks, Billy]
Walmart brings Vudu into the fold, still can't stream you tube socks
Roughly 18 months after plunking down the cash for Vudu, Walmart has finally made the streaming media service an integrated part of its web store. Fans of digital video can now stop by the discount retailer's site and rent flicks for between $1 and $5.99 or purchase them $4.99 and up. The service compliments Walmart's sizable physical media library with over 20,000 titles that can be played directly from the website, as well as on Vudu-enabled devices like connected TVs, Blu-ray players, and steaming media boxes such as the Boxee Box. If you're a fan of companies tooting their own horn, check out the PR after the break.
Wal-Mart now sharing data on game sales
People always ask us "Joystiq, how does Wal-Mart keep prices so low?" The answer? Secrets. No, it's true, the more secrets a corporation keeps, the less it has to charge for goods and services. It would take us a while to explain, so we'll sum it up in two words: "market tectonics." However, it seems Wal-Mart will have to find something new to be hush-hush about, as it has just decided to lift a decade-long ban on sharing sales data, according to AdAge. This, of course, opens the door to fleshing out NPD with sales number from what might be the largest game retailer (we can't say for sure because, well, it doesn't share data). Even if it's not the biggest, Wal-Mart's numbers are sure to provide a more complete picture of what video games are really selling. So, let us be the first to welcome our new market overlord, "Anything with 'Cabela's' in the title." Long may he reign.
Walmart clearing off shelf space for $599 HP TouchPad?
Hey now, what's this? Looks like Walmart has made some space on its crowded shelves for the HP TouchPad. An eagle-eyed tipster sent in a shot from his local Wally World of a tag and some room just waiting to be filled up with the planet's first webOS slate. It's always possible that someone's just throwing out their latest Photoshop masterpiece, but the $599 mark certainly has an air of legitimacy (and matches what we saw, back in May). So why not swing by for a better look? And maybe pick up a few dozen iPhones while you're at it. [Thanks, Mitch]
HP TouchPad available at OfficeMax on July 17th?
Here's something to add to your long list of webOS-related rumors: OfficeMax may be getting the HP TouchPad this July. If the above document is to be believed, HP's new 9.7-inch tablet will be available at the retailer on July 17th in both 3G and 4G versions -- which is a bit puzzling, considering the company hasn't made any mention of WiMAX or LTE compatibility. As for that earlier Walmart gossip, another tipster provided PreCentral with a screenshot of the big box's database (after the break), which corroborates the $600 price tag we've been hearing about for the 32GB model. If this proves true, it'll be another month before we find out whether the slate truly lives up to HP's exceedingly high expectations. Update: We received a note from a reliable source inside Office Max that not all details in the above sheet are correct -- specifically the talk of 3G / 4G versions are a little unreliable, given the sheet currently lists a 4G version of the PlayBook that OfficeMax does not have. Our source expects the OfficeMax TouchPad to be WiFi-only, but at least that July 17th date is looking accurate.
L.A. Times sees possible competition for Netflix coming from Walmart, Best Buy, Vutopia and more
Until Amazon launched its Prime Instant Video service earlier this year Netflix was almost completely alone on the subscription video streaming mountaintop, but an article this weekend in the Los Angeles Times suggests there could be competition on the way. There's plenty of rumoring from analysts and the typical "people familiar with the matter, but their sources have been on the money in the past and indicate retailers like Walmart and Best Buy are seriously considering angling their Vudu and CinemaNow efforts in the subscription direction instead of VOD like they've done so far. Meanwhile Hulu Plus is reportedly considering expanding its movie selection, and Amazon is likely to puff up its offerings while iN Demand, the PPV baby of the cable companies, is considering expanding its 200~ title Vutopia service. Still, according to the article no one's signed any of the big checks necessary to take on the 20-million subscribers strong behemoth yet, but don't be surprised if serious competition arrives shortly.
Best Buy, Sams Club and Wal-Mart to carry the iPad 2 at launch
When the iPad 2 makes its retail debut on March 11th, customers will have a variety of retail outlets from which to purchase Apple's latest generation tablet device. In addition to online and brick and mortar Apple Stores, the iPad 2 will also be available from Best Buy and possibly Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. If you remember from last year, several big box retailers signed on with Apple to distribute the Cupertino company's popular iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Besides Wal-Mart and Sam's Club, you also have Target and wireless carriers Verizon and AT&T with the iPad lining their shelves. Keep an eye on these retailers to see if their signage switches from the iPad to the iPad 2 in the upcoming week.
Redbox is planning a Netflix-like subscription streaming movie service, could partner with Amazon or Walmart
According to Company Town, Redbox prez Mitch Lowe informed analysts yesterday that its upcoming online movie service would be subscription-based like Netflix and Hulu Plus instead of charging per-movie like iTunes, Zune or Amazon VOD (we can guess why.) Users would pay the monthly fee to stream to various devices (perhaps to the new iPhone and Android apps) and access discs at the kiosks. Lowe mentioned Redbox would have a partner in the service and while previous rumors pointed to CinemaNow, the Seattle Times suggests Walmart / Vudu and Amazon -- rumored to be launching a subscription service of its own this month -- as possibilities. Meanwhile, in its existing disc based business, word is Disney has decided to raise the amount it charges Netflix and Redbox for each DVD to the full wholesale price, although they'll still be available the same day the DVDs go on sale.
Enter at Your Own Rift: Sightseeing in Sanctum
One of the things I love about RIFT is its smaller, more intimate feel. Don't get me wrong -- there's still plenty of space to explore and get lost in, but the space that is present is used to great effect and isn't just there to make it seem bigger for bigger's sake. This is echoed in the two capital cities of the game, Sanctum (Guardian) and Meridian (Defiant). Both are gorgeously detailed and impressive in their own way, yet they're comfortable and accessible instead of sprawling and vast. If one thinks of the quest hubs, camps and villages dotting the world as mom and pop stores, then the capital cities are the Walmarts of RIFT: one-stop shops for all your character's needs. They're both fairly compact, although I found myself preferring Sanctum's beachfront atmosphere and circular layout over Meridian's underground labyrinth. Because all players will be traveling to and extensively using capital cities during the course of their in-game careers, I figured we might as well take a look at what capital cities -- Sanctum specifically -- have to offer. Jump on our people-mover as we wind our way through the sights and sounds of civilization!
Sprint EVO Shift 4G shows up on Walmart's website, HTC teases big in Vegas
"It's not your dream phone. It's the one after that," coming January 6th. Catchy teaser from HTC, as seen displayed across the side of an entire building for all the CES attendees to see. We can't say for sure what device it's referencing, but we wouldn't be entirely surprised if it ended up being the oft-leaked sequel to its Evo 4G, aptly titled the Evo Shift 4G. Walmart's got a page up for the device, and while the listed specs are heavily contradictory (a 3.7-inch screen that's also a 4.3-inch display? Android 2.2 but no threaded messaging?), the gallery of crisp press shots are definitely a sight to see, Sprint logo and all. Enjoy those below, and stay tuned for your next dream phone (does that mean we won't want it until we sign a two-year contract for something else?) this Thursday -- picture of the teaser after the break. [Thanks, David M] %Gallery-112382%
Gibson wins Paper Jamz injunction, retailers ordered to pull stock
The Paper Jamz, they have jamz-ed their last -- at least for now. Gibson's won that injunction against WowWee for modeling its 2D toy guitars on famous axes like the Flying V and Les Paul without permission, and since retailers like Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy and Target were all named in the lawsuit, they'll have to pull PaperJamz from their shelves. Or maybe not -- the injunction was granted and immediately appealed on the 21st, and we've definitely seen PaperJamz for sale in Best Buy stores here and there since then, so it seems like there's still a chance to grab the super-thin guitars while the lawyers sort it all out. We'd guess WowWee might simply re-think some of the designs to be little less "inspired" by Gibson guitars in the meantime -- could the Flying V PaperJamz one day command the same collector attention as a 1970s lawsuit Ibanez, Tokai, or Greco? For humanity's sake, let's hope not.
Walmart and Vizio kick off Black Friday a few weeks early
We don't know what's crazier, the fact that each year the Black Friday sales get started earlier and earlier, or the fact that LCDs are down right cheap these days. Seems like just yesterday that we paid $4000 for a 30-inch LCD TV -- still in service, although very wavy -- and this weekend you can pick up a Vizo 32-inch at Walmart for $298! But yeah, these days 32-inch is small so you might as well step up and get the 55-inch version for $898 (full list of models on sale after the break). Of course if you're persuaded by the mighty Kenny Powers, then you'll get a 2D Sony TV instead -- those not offended by profanity should search YouTube for powers vizio.
