Author Archives: Stewart Wolpin

About Stewart Wolpin

I have been writing about consumer electronics for four decades, including news, reviews, analysis and history for a wide variety of consumer, niche and trade outlets. For the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), I annually update the industry's history and write the official biographies of the CTA Hall of Fame inductees. Aside from writing about consumer technology for a variety of consumer, tech and trade publications, I write a blog and do market research for Digital Technology Consulting. In the non-tech world, I have written "Bums No More: The Championship Season of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers" and "The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle." Check out my work at www.stewartwolpin.com.

SmartTechCheck Podcast FCC robocall crackdown, Starlink, best notebook brands, device ports

Posted on 4 August 2022 by Stewart Wolpin

Mark Vena hosts this energetic podcast with myself and fellow tech journalists Rob Pegoraro and John Quain as we take on the FCC’s crackdown on car warranty robocalls, Starlink, a potential U.S. government directive on smartphone port standards, and the … Continue reading →

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Back-To-School 2022: What Gear Will Students Be Buying?

Posted on 1 August 2022 by Stewart Wolpin

Will college-bound students be buying new PCs? Will supply chain or inflation concerns dampen inventories or demand? What other back-to-school gear will be hot this season? Read the rest of this report here at TWICE.com.

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Consumer Tech 2022: The State of the Industry

Posted on 28 July 2022 by Stewart Wolpin

How are manufacturers and retailers holding up under multiple supply chain, product and component shortages, the Great Resignation, distribution backlogs, fuel prices, and inflation/recession pressures? Read the rest of this report here are TWICE.com.

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SmartTechCheck Podcast Ring privacy, DIY PC upgrades, Samsung foldable phones, Boom Supersonic

Posted on 22 July 2022 by Stewart Wolpin

Mark Vena hosts myself and fellow tech journalist Rob Pegoraro as we discuss Ring’s video privacy, performing DIY upgrades to your PC, growing foldable smartphone shipments and the Boom supersonic plane design.

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SmartTechCheck Podcast Twitter, Elon Musk, Jony Ive and Apple, network TV, car subscriptions

Posted on 14 July 2022 by Stewart Wolpin

Host Mark Vena, Rob Pegoraro, John Quain, and I discuss Elon Musk’s decision to walk away from his Twitter offer, Apple and Jony Ivie go their separate ways, the death of traditional network TV and whether future cars will require … Continue reading →

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SmartTechCheck Podcast: Smart Home Hacking, Netflix customer satisfaction, TikTok, Grubhub

Posted on 7 July 2022 by Stewart Wolpin

Host Mark Vena, Rob Pegoraro, John Quain, and I discuss disturbing hacking reports in smart homes, Netflix customer satisfaction woes, Amazon’s investment in Grubhub, and China’s access of TikTok data. Watch this podcast here at YouTube.com.

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Buying Groups: Why – And Why Not – To Join One

Posted on 28 June 2022 by Stewart Wolpin

Groucho Marx refused to join any club that would have him as a member. For stubbornly independent-minded consumer tech retailers and dealers now facing troubling times as lone wolves, is joining a buyers group a good idea? Read the rest of this … Continue reading →

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SmartTechCheck Podcast: Inflation’s impact on CE, Google LaMDA, Twitter’s new Note feature

Posted on 24 June 2022 by Stewart Wolpin

Host Mark Vena, John Quain and I discuss inflation’s potential impact on consumer electronics sales this year, Google’s scary LaMDA sentiment and Twitter’s new Note feature that allows 2,500-word blogs. Watch the discussion here on YouTube.

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Buying Groups 2022: Overview And Outlook

Posted on 24 June 2022 by Stewart Wolpin

How did buying groups and their members fare during, how are they managing post-Covid, and how will they provide for the always uncertain consumer tech selling future? Find out here at TWICE.com.

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SmartTechCheck Podcast: CarPlay, Apple deal wit MLS, laws aimed at Facebook/Amazon/Google/Apple

Posted on 16 June 2022 by Stewart Wolpin

Host Mark Vena and and I opine on the new version of CarPlay announced at WWDC, Apple’s streaming deal with MLS and potential Federal legislation aimed at curbing anti-competitive practices by Facebook, Apple, Google and Amazon. Watch this podcast here … Continue reading →

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