Britannia has launched a three-months vehicle tour which started in Aberdeen and will be completed on 10 September in Ireland. Designed to give retailers and consumers the opportunity to explore Britannia’s full portfolio, the vehicle has a wide selection of range cookers, hobs and cooker hoods on display.

THE digital TV switchover is on track and under budget, says David Scott, chief executive officer of Digital UK. The timetable for implementation of the switchover in Britain, announced in 2005, is progressing according to plan. By end of March 2010, 20% of households in the UK had been transferred to digital terrestrial television with an access to Freeview. By 2011, 40% of homes would have undergone the switchover and by the end of 2012, 98.5% of households will have digital terrestrial TV coverage.

Glen Dimplex Home Appliances has become the exclusive UK partner of GE appliances. GDHA added the GE brand to its existing cooking and cooling brand portfolio of Stoves, Belling, New World and Lec. GE is one of the biggest companies in the world. Its consumer appliance division, worth in excess of $6bn, has a major share of the US appliance market. The brand however has struggled to consistently deliver growth in the UK.

Trade association retra has issued a warning to the government that its reticence in setting a firm date for digital radio switchover is a dangerous move.

Although good weather didn’t help Murray to win Wimbledon, it aided the recovery of a number of product sectors, including drink chillers and beer fridges, reported market analyst GfK.

PURE has invited the second year textile design students of Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design to create a limited edition version of PURE’s iconic EVOKE Mio aimed at women. Entries were submitted in three categories: innovation, commercial and packaging. The competition has produced some truly innovative designs, such as those pictured opposite.

Groupe SEB, whose portfolio of brands includes Tefal, Rowenta and Krupps, has entered the summer retail season with a host of product innovations.

Following the launch of the original desk model of Air Multiplier fan, Dyson has developed two new Dyson Air Multiplier fans: the AM02 Tower and the AM03 Pedestal. These floor standing models are designed for larger spaces as they produce a greater airflow than the previous model – the AM03 Pedestal generates 50% more airflow than the AM01 Desk fan. Both machines come with a magnetised remote control.

Volgel’s is introducing a new range of super slim mounts to the UK which will enhance customers’ enjoyment of the latest slim TV panels and help independents take a greater share of this profitable market. Anna Ryland travelled to Putten in The Netherlands to see what’s special about Vogel’s new products.

The new Belling Classic collection of range cookers combines a traditional aesthetic with the latest cooking features. Available in 90, 100 and 110cm sizes, with electric, gas and dual fuel options, it is a good choice for environmentally conscious chefs – not only are all models AA energy rated, they are also manufactured in Britain.

For its Fidelio DS9000 Philips has chosen the highest quality natural materials and top-grade components together with an acoustically designed and striking cabinet to ensure that the audio it reproduces is free from distortion.

Whirlpool’s new AMW 597 Fusion Steam Oven, with a 34-litre capacity, is ‘A’ energy rated and features additional steam programmes for jet defrosting, reheating and dough proving.

Featuring new minimalist serigraphy, the 93cm DTi1049X is the biggest and most powerful induction hob in the De Dietrich range, with four/five independent zones including the largest single induction zone at 28cm. Also featuring the Continuum zone, the hob offers the best possible cooking options using the least electricity. By simultaneously pressing the two independent touch controls, the left hand zone becomes a 40cm cooking area with power of 4.6kW

The new C2282 oven from Caple features a touch screen control panel across the lower section of the oven door. This allows users to reduce the size of the oven without affecting its internal capacity (58 litres) and accommodates a warming drawer below the oven within a 60cm cavity.

Building on the success of the award-winning SD-254 and SD-255 breadmakers, Panasonic has launched two new models, SD-256 and the SD-257. A new brioche mode is available on both of the new models. The SD-257 also features a rye bread-making option.

CoolDeluxe, the latest range of Neff built-in refrigeration appliances (two fridges, two freezers and one combination fridge freezer) excels in three areas: convenience, optimal use of space and energy efficiency.

Pure’s Oasis Flow, is the manufacturer’s first weatherproof and splash-resistant, rechargeable internet-connected digital radio, ideal for the bathroom, the beach, the garden, and any other outdoor scenario. This is all thanks to its rugged and splash resistant case, waterproof vents and durable cast aluminium framework.

Digital communications elude and excite in equal measure both consumers and industry operators. Has the Intellect CE conference managed to unravel this issue? asks Anna Ryland.

A new EU campaign has been launched to raise the profile of CE marking – something that businesses placing electrical goods on the EU market have been required to add to their products for many years. Alex Martin, Technical Officer at AMDEA, considers the aims of the campaign.

Today, many consumers are watching TV programmes on their computer screens, and accessing internet content on their televisions. The talk is of I-TV – television that offers internet access, interactivity or (BBC) iPlayer content in the living room.

Did you know the concept of the satellite was originally first proposed by Isaac Newton more than 300 years before the launch of freesat? Arthur C Clarke was more recently credited with the idea of the modern day communications satellite. He wrote an article suggesting that it was possible to create a global communication network by placing three satellites in geosynchronous orbit.

Today’s home cook wants to produce something tasty and healthy for the family. With the recent surge in consumer awareness of both the produce itself and ways of preserving and cooking it, more and more customers are looking to buy appliances that will help them create low-fat meals quickly and efficiently.

The UK’s number one cooking brand* Belling has made induction technology affordable for the consumer with the launch of its Price Busting Induction (PBI) hob.

If a customer comes into your store or contacts you they have expressed an interest in your products. They may choose not to purchase from you but a bit of persistence gives you a greater chance to get this sale. Persistence is often interpreted as ‘hounding’ a customer, however it is about being focused on helping the customer and being creative in your approach.

In the days of CRTs, tube faults were well defined and usually easy to diagnose. Sometimes they could be spectacular. Their glass, very hard, was virtually immune from faceplate damage except the abrasion and scratches caused by laying the set on its front. The same cannot be said of its solid-state successors. In this era of LCD and plasma panels fault-finding may not be easy, and failure of the panel itself leads to the whole set being written off. It's important, then, to get the diagnosis right, in the workshop or on site.