Seattle Post Intelligencer

Apple is still the leader in tablets, with 37 percent of all households owning an iPad in the first quarter, according to survey of 10,000 U.S. households by research and consulting firm Parks Associates. After Apple, about 16 percent of households had an Amazon tablet and 14 percent had a Samsung tablet, the firm said.

From the article "Apple unveils new iPads at Oct. 16 event."

A new report says usage of the Google Chromecast is declining even while adoption of other streaming media players is up.

That could be a disturbing trend for Google, which made a big splash last summer when it introduced the $35 streaming media dongle.

Parks Associates said six percent of U.S. households that have broadband Internet service owned a Chromecast during the first quarter. The overall market for streaming media players, including rivals Roku and Apple TV, ha ...read more

Kurt Scherf, principal analyst at Parks Associates, called the stick “a game changer” for the smart TV market.

“By reducing the smart form-factor down to thumb drive size and having it powered by the TV itself, Roku is eliminating a couple of big hang-ups for bringing smart TV experiences to end users – cost and ease-of-connectivity,” Scherf said in an e-mail. “Plus, you get the aesthetic benefit of not having an unsightly AC adapter powering the unit.”

He said the stick ...read more

Although home networks are growing in popularity, they still are not the easiest technology to configure and manage, said Kurt Scherf, principal analyst at marketing and consulting firm Parks Associates.

"They are not easy to operate, the performance is not meeting (consumers') expectations and they don't have it secured," Scherf said. "There are a host of issues that people have."

From the article "Pure Networks gets more money -- $12.5 million -- but sheds some staff," by ...read more

Pure Networks, whose software is used to help people set up home computer networks, has raised $7 million in venture funding. The Seattle startup received the money from Mayfield and Ignition Partners. Total financing now stands at $9 million.

The number of home networks is expected to more than double to 30 million by the end of 2008, according to Parks Associates. Pure Networks employs 16 people. About 50,000 people have downloaded its Port Magic product.

From the ar ...read more