Consumer Electronics

The connected home space is getting crowded with Staples Connect, the newest platform looking to simplify peoples’ lives by putting them in constant contact with their home or business.

Online consumer electronics retailer Newegg has begun offering its 25 million registered users the ability to pay for 10.5 million products using the bitcoin digital currency.

The new payment capability is being offered through a relationship with BitPay, a payment service provider specializing in the bitcoin digital currency.

Boston -- Swirl Networks, provider of an enterprise-class beacon marketing platform, announced that it has entered into a strategic relationship with Motorola Solutions. The two companies will work together in the areas of product, sales and services to support iBeacon technology rollouts in large-scale retail environments.

This announcement follows the recent unveiling of Motorola's MPact Platform for Mobile Marketing, which leverages Swirl to power the beacon marketing capabilities for its indoor locationing platform.

Richard Sharp, 67, the long-time CEO of Circuit City who founded used car retailer CarMax has died of Alzheimer’s disease at his home near Richmond, Virginia.

Sharp joined Circuit City in 1982 and served as CEO of the company from 1986 to 2000. Under his leadership, Circuit City enjoyed meteoric growth with sales that increased from $175 million in 1986 to more than $10 billion by 2000. Eight years after he had left the company, Circuit City filed for bankruptcy in 2008 and the following year was liquidated.

Players from 32 countries have poured into Brazil for a month-long contest of extraordinary soccer skill, known as the Copa do Mundo, the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Cheering them is expected to be a total of some 3.7 million fans and tourists, adding an astonishing $3.3 billion USD ($6.7 billion Brazilian Real) to this nation’s economy. According to Brazil’s Ministry of Tourism, the average foreign visitor will attend four Copa do Mundo matches and spend approximately $2,488 during their stay.

Betamax. Zune. Google Plus. These are just a few consumer technology applications that hit the market with a lot of hype and all failed to catch on for the same basic reason. It seems clear that the Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader tablet can now be considered part of this list, although Barnes & Noble has not yet accepted it.

New York -- Richard Sharp, the former CEO of Circuit City and driving force behind CarMax, has died due to complications from a rare type of Alzheimer’s disease. He was 67.

Minneapolis -- Tile Shop Holdings announced the appointment of Kirk Geadelmann as its new CFO.

He will transition into the role on August 12, 2014, succeeding CFO Timothy C. Clayton, who has resigned his position to accept an executive position with another company. Clayton will remain with the Tile Shop until mid-August to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities.

Prior to joining Tile Shop, Geadelmann worked for 14 years at Best Buy, most recently serving as the corporate and international controller.