The Blackberry Pearl 8100  is due for an update and it’s coming soon. I don’t have specifications for the new phone, but I do know the trackball will be replaced with a touch pad. The new model will also have a Sure Type keyboard, just like its predecessor. Possibly the best feature of the long-awaited new Pearl is its faster 3G status. Will the new battery design impact the phone? I guess we have to wait until its release.

Will the new Pearl be on your holiday wish list?

-Kelly B.

Has energy efficiency become a nationwide trend? That seems to be the case. Every time I open the newspaper, go to a store and see all of the reusable bags, or read an article on the web, I see different agencies, consumers, and companies making green efforts.

Wednesday, California adopted new energy-efficiency rules for TVs smaller than 58 inches. Accounting for around 10% of the energy consumed in average homes, California was afraid that new LCD and Plasma TVs would use even more energy. California’s consumers purchase and own approximately four million of the almost 36 million TVs that have been shipped this year, according to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA).

California’s new energy standard for TVs should cut energy consumption by 33% in the year 2011 and 50% in 2013. The California Energy Commission (CEC) said its actions should help the state save enough energy to power 864,000 single-family homes over 10 years. The commission also believes that the measures will save state consumers more than $8 billion over 10 years, which works out to nearly $20 a year per television in savings.

-Kelly B.

If you could trade in your DVDs for movies in Blu-ray format, would you? Warner Bros. is betting that you will. This holiday season Warner Bros. has implemented a program allowing owners to trade in all of their Warner Bros. DVDs to exchange them for the same movie in Blu-ray format.

Warner Bros. created a website to get your Blu-ray collection jump-started. If you visit www.DVD2blu.com, you can get instructions for your DVD trade-in. Simply send in your DVD and a small fee, and then a few days later get the same movie sent back to you in Blu-ray format.

With over 50 titles to choose from currently, you may select up to 25 to trade-in per visit. The cost of the trade-in varies per movie from $7.95 to $9.95 depending on the title. The available movies range from family titles to action movies. Warner Bros. will constantly add titles to the collection, so check their website regularly.

Are you interested in any Blu-ray titles on their list?

-Kelly B.

Abt is constantly working to make Abt.com easier to navigate and more informative. Currently we are updating the buying guides, product information, and staying up-to-date with technology for our customers.

One of the latest improvements to Abt.com is the new specials category. It will effortlessly guide you to our weekly specials, new arrivals, best selling items, merchandise available for pre-order, the top-reviewed products we carry, just-reduced models, displays and returned merchandise.

Next time you are on Abt.com, click around our constantly evolving website to see all of the improvements.

-Kelly B.

Gift registries aren’t only for babies and weddings anymore; now Abt has wish list and birthday registries for their customers. How much fun would it be opening presents if they came from a list that you created? No more gaudy, holiday sweaters or another gift you will put in storage forever. You could actually get birthday, holiday or wish list gifts that you want. Abt will help you create a registry for any occasion. Plus, picking out items for your registry will make you feel like a kid in a candy store.

Sales specialists are available on the phone, in the store and on-line to assist you with your registry.

-Kelly B.

Panasonic unveiled a hybrid audio system on Thursday, combining an iPod dock and digital photo frame. Panasonic is calling it “the ultimate media solution for den, bedroom, dorm room, or living room.”

The $299.95 MW-10 has a built-in CD player, a 45 station FM/AM radio, a low-density bamboo cone speaker, and multi-media remote. This digital frame extraordinaire has a nine inch LCD screen. It can display photos from a CD, SD card, and its internal memory. MW-10 has 4GB of internal memory; it can hold 6,000 photos, music, and video files.

Along with features like USB connectivity to a PC, music transfer from CD-R/RW, and simultaneous music and slideshow, the MW-10 is Energy Star compliant too.

This could be the perfect holiday present for a collage student, friend, or family member who is short on space. To view Abt’s line of docking speaker stations and digital photo frames come in the showroom or visit Abt.com.

-Kelly B.

Lost? You won’t be for long. Dual has created a complete GPS Navigation solution for the iPod Touch. Simply insert your iPod Touch into the slim and lightweight cradle, download NavAtlas from the App Store, and you will have turn-by-turn directions at your fingertips.

The cradle is very slim; it will only add 0.37” to your iPod. It has a built-in GPS receiver with a dual-function rechargeable battery, capable of charging your iPod or the unit itself. The cradle also has built-in amplified speakers, audio output, an LED indicator, and a built-in microphone. A car mount and 12V cigarette lighter adaptor cable is included too.

According to the manufacturer, it works with iPod Touch’s previous models (1st and 2nd generation 8GB, 16 GB, 32GB, and 64GB models) and any new models.

Expect to see Dual’s GPS Navigation solution in stores and available to order by the end of November—just in time for all of the holiday driving season.

-Kelly B.

The day after Thanksgiving is synonymous with sales and shopping. Most people associate it with the start of the holiday shopping season. Black Friday isn’t for a couple weeks, that’s why I was so surprised to read a message from Shawn DuBravac this morning. The Consumer Electronics Association’s (CEA) chief economist/research director said, “Black Friday has begun early,” “Consumers are starting to go out, which is consistent with [the idea] that they’re shopping around more [this holiday season].”

DuBravac held, instead of the traditional door busters consumers are usually after, they will be looking for products with more features and the lowest price-point. Another factor will come into play, bundling. The more products that are combined for a specific price will be in high-demand; for example, buying an HDTV, Blu-ray player, and soundbar for a lower cost than buying the three individually.

Although shocking, I thought the idea of doing shopping before the day after Thanksgiving was appealing. It’s less crowded any day other than on Black Friday and the thought of shopping around is nice too. Abt is a great place to start your shopping. It’s got practically anything you need for inside your home and we price match with authorized retailers.

-Kelly B.

Start-up Company, Regen, has decided consumers need moreeco-friendly options. They are currently promoting a solar-powered iPod docking speaker system.

Solar power in consumer electronics “hasn’t progressed far beyond solar-powered calculators,” available since the 1970s, said Robert Brunner, one of the company’s founders. Many of those products, which he called “geeky science experiments,” were not useful because they took too long to charge or did not provide enough hours of usage on a charge, he said. “You can’t slap solar cells on something and expect it to work,” he explained. “You have to build the product from the ground up to be energy-efficient and useful.”

There are so many good reasons to be patient with solar-powered technology; it’s getting better everyday. Although the solar-powered speaker systems are slower charging, they are far better for the environment than conventional ones. Consumers and manufacturers alike are now considering the environment when making purchases. Abt Electronics carries many eco-friendly products, including three solar-powered iPod chargers.

-Kelly B.

Could the economy be in an upswing? Could consumers be turning to more eco-friendly electronics? Are retailers giving customers the products they want for less money? Maybe a combination of all three?

According to iSuppli, an electronics market research company, LCD TV shipments are increasing. iSuppli is forecasting a jump from 7.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2008 to 7.5 million TV shipments this fourth quarter

iSuppli found, based on their research, many consumers will be replacing some of the first-generation models for better technology, low cost, low power consumption, and because newer electronics are less toxic to the environment. Low power consumption was the most recurring reason for those giving green reasons for wanting to purchase a new LCD TV. Are you in the market for an LCD TV? If so, what is the most important factor in your decision?

-Kelly B.