Tumblr 101: Tips And Tricks To Get Started
Sebastian Thrun: Google's Driverless Car
Wal-Mart Fined $1 Million for Improperly Selling Non-Digital TVs
It's a digital age, that's for sure, and in February of next year, one of the last bastions of analog, over-the-air television, will go entirely to 1s and 0s. If you have an old TV still kicking around, you can get a converter box, but according to FCC rules, retailers are no longer allowed to sell new, non-digital televisions without some rather prominent warnings.
Faced with stockrooms full of the things it's no surprise that some retailers have been caught bending the rules a bit, with Wal-Mart being one of the worst offender, picking up a $992,000 fine.
The mega-retailer was far from the only one. Sears was hit with a $1.1 million fine and Circuit City for $712,000, while Best Buy got off relatively lightly with only a $280,000 fine. All that for apparently trying to clear out their inventory of old sets without warning shoppers about their imminent obsolescence.
No word yet on whether the fines will be paid to those shoppers who didn't get the info they were supposed to receive (unlikely), but if you were one of those unwitting buyers don't fear: The coupons the government is handing out for converter boxes should mean upgrading your set won't cost you too much.
From Reuters
16 Grammys Looks That Weren't Working
Whitney Houston Autopsy: Cause of Death Determined?
Worst Movie Mistakes: Date Night Edition (PHOTOS)
Whitney Houston, Bobbi Kristina: Late Singer's Daughter Hospitalized
Adele Five-Year Break? Singer Plans to Focus on Relationship, Write 'Happy Record'
PHOTOS: President Obama's Kissing Technique
Jennifer Hudson Whitney Tribute: Grammy President Reveals Why Singer Was Chosen for Musical Memorial
Grammy 2012 Winners' List: Adele Sweeps Music's Biggest Night
How Hattie Lost 300 Pounds: 'I Was Ready To Do Whatever It Took To Survive'
3 Economic Misconceptions That Need to Die
5-Hour Energy: A Success Equal Parts Caffeine, Chemistry and Meditation
Matt Bomer Comes Out As Gay
People With Easy-To-Pronounce Names More Likely To Succeed, Study Says
Whitney Houston Dead: Stars React to Legend's Sudden Death
Grammy Awards 2012: The Best & Worst Of The Red Carpet!
Katy Perry Grammy Performance 2012: Did the Diva Diss Her Ex-Hubby With Revealing New Song?
Photos Of Dead Lacrosse Player's Injured Body Shown To Jury
12 Grammys Stars Who Gave Good Style
The Top 10 Slacker Colleges
15 Funny Valentine's Day Cards
Mystery Disease Kills Thousands
WATCH: 25 Million Tons Of Japan Tsunami Debris Headed Directly Our Way
Oprah Under Fire For Controversial Tweet
PHOTOS: Thank God For Grown-Up Glamour
JUNGLE SURVIVAL: Marines Drink Snake Blood, Eat Insects
Remembering The People's Ballerina
New Clues, Details Emerge In Powell Case
PHOTOS: Model Falls At Dennis Basso Show
PHOTOS: Kate Spends Valentine's Day Solo!
Taylor Swift Does Great Depression Chic
PHOTOS: Beautiful Scars
15 Funny Valentine's Day Quotes
Comments
3
Subscribe to commentsSIC TR4NSITApr 11th 2008 7:53PM
What makes me mad is how these places are telling people that even though they have cable, even if they have a cable box, that they still need to get a new TV. Most of the time they dont even mention the box. I know a few elderly people that have been duped by shady salesmen. You only need a box if you get OTA stations on your non HiDef Tv. Plain and simple.
mungApr 12th 2008 2:17AM
All that for apparently trying to clear out their inventory of old sets without warning shoppers about their imminently obsolescence.
"Imminently obsolescence"?
Whoever gets paid to write this garbage should have to pay us for reading it.
ViakennyApr 13th 2008 11:02AM
here in Brazil, analog switchoff won't happen until 2016, and digital broadcasts only started last December.
but digital boxes cost, in average, 800 reais (which is just around 470 dollars), which is too much.
and there were supposed to be lots of tax incentives for those boxes (in a country where, for many products, half or more of the price are taxes)