Thursday, May 31, 2012

Hot Industry News: Sony Unveils Two "Rugged" Smartphones

What do you look for when shopping for a smartphone? Screen size? Device weight? Operating system? Available apps? How about water resistance?

Well daredevils, if durability tops your list, Sony Mobile has unveiled two new phones for you! Sony Mobile's new Xperia go and Xperia arc S are made to hold up in the elements.

Meeting industry standard IP ratings to withstand dust and the effects of being submerged in water, the phones are ready for adventure. Both devices feature a scratch resistant mineral glass display with wet finger tracking.

The Xperia go has the highest level of dust and water resistance in a smartphone, receiving a rating of IP67. So what does that mean? That it has total dust ingress protection and is protected against immersion between 15cm and 1m in depth.

The Xperia arc S has received IP55 and IP57 ratings, meaning it has limited dust ingress protection and can handle low pressure water jets from any direction, as well as immersion between 15cm and 1m in depth.

So while neither phone will have you texting while scuba diving, they can handle being dropped in a stream while hiking or getting squirted by a water gun at the pool.

From cameras to cases to binoculars & more, you can find a bevy of other adventure-ready waterproof products on the Petra site!

Source: TechnologyTell

Petra 5-in-5 Week 22, 2012

http://www.petra.com. Congratulations are in order, “gaming season” to change, forget iPhone news, let’s talk iPod, legalizing self-driving cars, and Google & Apple take over the world! It’s time for the Petra 5-in-5 … We’ve returned from the long weekend amped up to bring you the five hottest stories of the week, all in just five minutes.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application.



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Web Special Spotlight: the Coby 10.2” Portable DVD Player with Swivel Screen

School has let out for summer across the country, and with summer vacation comes road trips. Whether your customers are taking to the skies or hitting the highway, the Coby 10.2” Portable DVD Player with Swivel Screen keeps travelers entertained on long journeys.

With a swivel display that offers 180° rotation, viewers are able to adjust the player’s screen to achieve the best viewing angle. Anti-skip circuitry ensures that not a moment is missed on even the bumpiest ride.

The DVD, DVD±R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, JPEG & MP3 compatible player has an A/V input jack for video games, VCRs or other A/V sources, as well as a headphone jack for private listening.

On sale this week, the Coby 10.2” Portable DVD Player with Swivel Screen can be found as a featured special on the Petra home page.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Product Spotlight: the iSound Twist Wireless Speaker & Bluetooth Speakerphone, Red

Named the “Best Bluetooth Accessory” in CNET's “Best of CTIA 2012” wrap-up, the iSound Twist Wireless Speaker & Bluetooth Speakerphone, Red, is a poolside essential. Lauded by CNET for its cool shape, "fun colors" and speakerphone, the Twist is a standout at its price point.

Whether your customers are pairing to their smartphone or wanting to blast music from their MP3 player, this speaker handles it all. A2DP Bluetooth with a 30-ft transmission range allows for wireless music streaming, while the piece's 3.5mm jack allows users to hook up non-bluetooth devices with a 3.5 mm audio plug.

2 speakers and one passive radiator subwoofer give the device awesome sound, while a built-in microphone with advanced noise cancellation allows the user to make and take crystal-clear calls over the speaker.

With its rechargeable Li-Ion battery, the speaker offers 5 hours of continuous playtime - no power source required - taking the speaker from the campsite to poolside to backyard barbecues.

You can find the iSound Twist Wireless Speaker & Bluetooth Speakerphone, Red on the Petra website.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Hot Industry News - Evo 4G LTE Reported to Have Cleared Customs

The HTC customs saga appears to be drawing to a close, with reports surfacing that the HTC Evo 4G LTE has received approval from U.S. customs and is on its way to Sprint stores now.

The phones were scheduled to be available to Sprint customers May 18th, but were held-up at the border due to an order issued by the International Trade Commission in December that took effect April 19th. The ruling followed a patent dispute with Apple that left HTC promising to remove all questionable features from their phones, with customs inspecting them on import to confirm compliance.

According to Dow Jones, "HTC said last week it had worked around the design of the new phone to avoid the disputed technology that was ruled to be in violation of a patent held by Apple." Customs found HTC to be true to their word, and according to a blog post by Sprint, "Your wait is almost over! Sprint expects to begin shipping HTC Evo 4G LTE for arrival on or around Thursday, May 24 to customers who preordered the device online from Sprint!"

The release of this hot new device opens up new add-on sale opportunities for your store. Check out Petra's selection of HTC Evo 4G LTE Cases, as well as all of the hottest wireless accessories on the Petra site in the Wireless HQ by Petra.

What's Happening @ Petra: Petra’s Spring 2012 Catalog Drops To More Than 90,000 Dealers Nationwide

Petra Industries, the nation’s leading wholesale distributor of consumer electronics, custom installation products, mobile audio/video accessories and appliance connection supplies recently mailed its spring 2012 catalog to more than 90,000 independent retailers, e-tailers and custom installers and integrators across the U.S.

Petra’s Spring 2012 catalog showcases more than 20,000 products from more than 500 industry-leading manufacturers and dealers will recognize many of Petra’s big names like Sony, Canon, Olympus, SiriusXM, JVC, Philips, Garmin, Clarion, RCA, Midland, Monster, Jensen, Belkin, Memorex, Peerless, Maxell, Motorola, Pentax, Panasonic, and many, many more. In addition, several new manufacturers have been added to Petra’s 2012 product lineup such as Magellan, Trident, SpeakerCraft, Homedics and many more, giving dealers even more choices for their product choices.  In addition, Petra’s Spring 2012 catalog boasts more than 3,500 new products and more than 1,500 new price drops.

Also back by popular demand is Petra’s Manufacturer SKU Index. The 45-page Manufacturer SKU index is organized alphabetically by manufacturer name and lists each SKU associated with the manufacturer and the page number where the SKU can be found in the Spring 2012 catalog. Petra’s Spring 2012 catalog can also be viewed online allowing any Petra dealer instant access to product and purchasing information with just a few simple clicks.

“Our merchandising and marketing teams worked really hard to make sure our Spring 2012 book contained our hottest product lineup at the best prices we could offer,” said Bill Stewart, President/CEO of Petra Industries. “Whether the dealer is a large or small volume customer for us, our Spring 2012 catalog gives them all an equal opportunity to add directly to their bottom line.   With more than 1,500 items with reduced prices combined with Petra’s lowest price guarantee, these profit opportunities are literally at their fingertips.”

About Petra
Petra is the nation’s leading wholesale distributor of consumer electronics, custom installation products, mobile audio/video accessories and appliance connection supplies. Headquartered in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area for more than 27 years, Petra carries more than 20,000 products from more than 500 manufacturers. Petra's mission is to provide the highest level of service, integrity and product value to ensure customer satisfaction. Petra's full-color catalog is mailed twice annually to more than 90,000 retailers, e-tailers, custom installers and integrators nationwide. Additionally, Petra offers same-day shipping for orders placed before 6:00 p.m. CDT, a lowest-price guarantee to beat any competitive distributor's price on an identical item, expert sales support, a no minimum order policy and 24-hour ordering from its website or from the mobile website using a system supported smart phone or Internet-enabled mobile device. Petra is a member of CEA, CEDIA, PARA and CTIA. For more information on Petra, visit www.petra.com or call 1-800-443-6975.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Petra 5-in-5 Week 21, 2012

http://www.petra.com. Holiday hours, Apple granted patent, Retina Display MacBooks?, Chrome overthrows IE and HTC held-up. It’s time for the Petra 5-in-5 … We’re ready to kick your weekend off right with the five hottest stories of the week, all in just five minutes.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application.



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Web Special Spotlight: the Oster 27-lb Portable Ice Maker

Memorial Day is right around the corner, officially launching outdoor entertaining season. Whether your customers are cranking out the frozen drinks or need to fill a cooler, the Oster 27-lb Portable Ice Maker, Petra Part Number 211507, is a summertime essential.

Compact in size, this countertop ice maker produces 27 lbs of ice in 24 hours, with 9 pieces of ice made per cycle. It's no secret that ice enthusiasts can get a little picky about their cubes - we all have that friend that can list the drive-throughs with "the best ice" - so this ice maker allows users to select from 3 different ice cube sizes.

With a see-through top window, water level and ice level light indicator, users have a birds-eye view of the progress of the machine. Featuring an exterior drain, cleanup between batches is a snap.

You can find the Oster 27-lb Portable Ice Maker on the Petra Website, where it is featured as a New at Petra web special product.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Petra Pulse Week 21, 2012: Part 4

http://www.petra.com. Hot Closeouts this week include the X Games 3-in-1 Digital Camera Accessory Kit, the Memorex Stereo Earbuds in Orange, and the Z-Line Designs Delmont Wall Furniture System with Integrated Mount.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application.



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Petra Pulse Week 21, 2012: Part 3

http://www.petra.com. Help your customers protect their iPad in style with the Lost Dog The new iPad 3rd Gen Slim Protective Case in Pink “Question Everything!” Design.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application.



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Petra Pulse Week 21, 2012: Part 2

http://www.petra.com. The SiriusXM™ Connect Vehicle Tuner allows your customers to connect, control and enjoy Satellite Radio through their compatible SiriusXM-Ready car stereo.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Petra Pulse Week 21, 2012: Part 1

http://www.petra.com. The Case Logic Universal eReader Folio offers your customers a no-brainer case to fit almost any eReader.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

The Petra Minute - May 21st, 2012

Petra Industries Wholesale Distributor - the Petra Minute for Monday, May 21st, 2012 - a quick overview of what to expect for this coming week!

Friday, May 18, 2012

Product Spotlight: the Woodees iPic Pick Stylus


With 15.43 million iPads reported sold in the first quarter of 2012, the Apple device isn’t showing signs of going anywhere. Unique accessories help to ensure that those all-important residual sales continue well after initial purchase. 
New at Petra this week is the Woodees iPic Pick Stylus, Petra Part Number 211697. Fashioned after a musical guitar pick for a natural feel, the ergonomic stylus is compatible with all touchscreen devices, including The new iPad®. The iPic works with all virtual instruments, as well as texting, drawing and gaming applications; we especially like for perfecting strumming in Garage Band. After all, if a user is going to drop $4.99 on an App, shouldn’t they maximize its features with realistic accessories?
You can find the Woodees iPic Pick Stylus, along with all of the latest and greatest new Petra products, on the New at Petra page of the Petra website.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Hot Industry News: Apple to Increase iPhone Screen Size

As much as we hate to rumor monger (hah, who are we kidding, we love some juicy electronics industry gossip!), we just can't resist this time. According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple will increase the display size of the next iPhone.

The old-reliable "people familiar with the matter" say that Apple is ordering bigger screens from its Asian suppliers, measuring at least 4 inches diagonally, as opposed to the 3.5-inch display found on the iPhone 4S (as well as every other iPhone iteration since inception).

Sources indicated that that production will begin next month, with the new phone launching in the fall. Apple, as per usual, did not comment on reports.

Of course, nothing is concrete until Apple chooses to reveal the phone. The change in display size would be a pretty dramatic step for the company. After all, while the iPod has gone through a number of facelifts and style changes, both the iPad and iPhone have only been given minor dimensional tweaks, never changing screen size.

One thing can be certain: as it is expected that a new iPhone will not launch until fall, accessories for the popular iPhone 4S will remain in high demand for the coming months. Check out all of the hottest iPhone accessories, for all of the generations, in the Accessorize Your Apple Section of the Petra Website.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Petra 5-in-5 Week 20, 2012

http://www.petra.com. New catalog hits web, consumers reveal e-retailer preferences, Xbox users love streaming, tablet releases to ramp up this summer and prepare for bridezilla. It’s time for the Petra 5-in-5 … These five stories can’t wait to be told, so let’s get going!

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Monday, May 14, 2012

Petra Pulse Week 20, 2012: Part 4

http://www.petra.com. Hot Closeouts this week include the Road Mice Mercedes SL550 Wireless Mouse in Black, the Speck iPad 2 SmartShell in Orange, and the Mobile Edge Sumo Men’s Computer Travel Pack.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Petra Pulse Week 20, 2012: Part 3

http://www.petra.com. The Magic Chef 4.9 Cubic-ft Keg Cooler holds ½ or ¼ beer kegs, making it perfect for backyard barbecues and pool parties.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Petra Pulse Week 20, 2012: Part 2

http://www.petra.com. The Swann DJ Doorbell Customizable Wireless Music Doorbell with Built-In 90MB Memory eliminates the boring old “ding-dong” doorbell and replaces it with the users favorite music in MP3 or polyphonic formats.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Petra Pulse Week 20, 2012: Part 1

http://www.petra.com. The Gumdrop The new iPad 3rd Gen Military Edition Drop Series Case is designed for civilians and inspired by the military.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

The Petra Minute - May 14th, 2012

Petra Industries Wholesale Distributor - the Petra Minute for Monday, May 14th, 2012 - a quick overview of what to expect for this coming week!



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Petra 5-in-5 Week 19, 2012

http://www.petra.com. New catalog hits web, congrats to Garmin, Samsung ups the smartphone ante, Disney takes us into the future and LG pushes us to the cloud. It’s time for the Petra 5-in-5 … we've found the five hottest electronics news stories of the week, and with  only five minutes to share them, we had better get started!

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application




Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Monday, May 7, 2012

Petra Pulse Week 19, 2012: Part 4

http://www.petra.com. Hot Closeouts this week include the Z-Line Designs Delmont Wall Furniture System with Integrated Mount, the Ion Discover DJ System and the Kodak 1.3 Megapixel W100 Web Cam 2 pack.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Petra Pulse Week 19, 2012: Part 3

http://www.petra.com. The Pioneer On-Ear Noise-Cancelling Headphones block out 90% of surrounding noise, making them perfect for air travel, on the bus or for long car rides where ambient noise can take away from entertainment.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Petra Pulse Week 19, 2012: Part 2

http://www.petra.com. The Magellan Premium Car Kit with GPS for iPhone and iPod touch features a powerful, sensitive built-in GPS receiver to provide fast and accurate directions every time.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application




Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Petra Pulse Week 19, 2012: Part 1

http://www.petra.com. The Manhattan Stealth Touch Wireless Mouse is the first mouse to be button free, click free, and scroll wheel free.

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Petra Minute - May 7th, 2012

Petra Industries Wholesale Distributor - the Petra Minute for Monday, May 7th, 2012 -  a quick overview of what to expect for this coming week!



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Petra 5-in-5 Week 18, 2012

http://www.petra.com. We’ve got some bragging to do, don’t buy those flowers just yet, Amazon’s banner week, LG steps into the cloud and cool retail product news. It’s time for the Petra 5-in-5 … we've scoured the net high and low for the five hottest stories of the week, and we're ready to share! 

Want to become a Petra Customer? Go to http://www.petra.com/application



Wholesale Distributors of Consumer Electronics and Accessories