LATEST ADDITIONS

Internet traffic doubles every 100 days, according to some statistics. This growth has been accompanied by an increase in the amount of online shopping---a phenomenon that has had a significant impact on retailers. Independent bookstores, for example, have been squeezed not only by the expansion of large-scale operations like <A HREF="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/">Barnes & Noble</A>, but also by the popularity of Internet discounters like <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/">Amazon.com</A&gt; and <A HREF="http://www.borders.com/">Borders.com</A&gt;. Online sales of recorded music by both record clubs and start-up resellers have put a dent in the bottom lines of many mass-market music stores---although not a huge one yet. The trend will certainly continue.

Convergence has come to the automotive market. <A HREF="http://www.autopc.com/">Clarion Corporation of America</A> announced December 4 that it has developed the the world's first product that integrates car audio, computing functions, navigation, and wireless communications through hands-free voice activation. The Clarion AutoPC is a DIN unit that fits in the dash of an automobile, and is powered by the Microsoft Windows CE operating system.

Many audiophiles have substantially improved the sound of their systems by experimenting with vibration control. How about you?

Back in January of this year, we <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/news/10073/">reported</A&gt; that loudspeaker manufacturer <A HREF="http://www.polkaudio.com">Polk Audio</A> had purchased an interest in <A HREF="http://www.gen-tech.com">Genesis Technologies</A>, a loudspeaker and digital electronics manufacturer, with an option to buy the company in three years. Last week, however, Polk announced that it has decided to pass the company on to new investors.

Over three quarters of a million readers served! With several million "page views" and dozens of millions of "hits" in the past 365 days, the <I>Stereophile</I> website has continued to grow steadily, with a record number of folks visiting practically every week. We've also dished out over <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/showoldnews.cgi">300 news articles</A>---practically an article each day---covering everything audio, from important new-technology announcements to the demise and then rebirth of several legendary brands.

Four years after its first unsuccessful foray into the American consumer marketplace, <A HREF="http://www.sel.cony.com/">Sony</A>'s MiniDisc appears finally to be winning serious numbers of converts. Several large-scale retailers, including Best Buy, Circuit City, Service Merchandise, and (soon) Sears department stores, have dedicated MiniDisc displays, with home recorders, portable players, and blank discs available individually or as a package deal. The displays were built with Sony's support, according to Mike Viken, senior VP for Sony's personal audio/video marketing division.