It’s that time of year when Abt plays host to a variety of environmentally friendly activities in honor of Earth Day!  On Earth Day, Monday April 22, Abt will help make Chicagoland a littler “greener” by helping you as well as local businesses properly dispose their unneeded electronics and appliances.

The following locations will have recycling collection sites for anyone who wants to drop off any e-waste materials.  They will even receive a free tote bag or t-shirt made from recycled materials.  Below are the locations and times.

1.     Chicago Center for Green Technology (445 N Sacramento Blvd., Chicago, IL) – 5am –11am

2.     WGN TV Studio (2501 West Bradley Place, Chicago, IL) – 6:30am –1:30pm

3.     Chicago Loop  (Michigan Ave. and  Lake St., Downtown Chicago) – 6:30am –1:30pm

4.     Abt Electronics Recycling Center (1200 N. Milwaukee, Glenview, IL) – 9am – 12pm

E-waste drop-off locations include: CPU equipment, monitors, televisions, cell phones, telephone equipment, gaming systems, printers, copiers, scanners, cameras, stereos, CD/DVD players, projectors, calculators, wire, circuit boards and cables, Vacuum cleaners, blenders, toasters, ovens and dishwashers, Batteries, HVAC and refrigeration equipment that uses freon, thermometers and thermostats that contain mercury.

Additional items accepted during drive include: Cardboard and paper, plastic (bags, saran wrap) and white Styrofoam (no peanuts)

Additionally, Abt will kick-off their Earth Day Celebration on Sunday, April 21 from 12pm-3pm with family fun activities including crafts and workshops from local organizations. We will even will be giving away EcoSmart T-Shirts made with up to 50% recycled polyester from plastic bottles and Eco-Friendly Reusable Non-Woven Shopping totes while supplies last.  For more information, check out www.abt.com/help/chicagoland-customers.  Hope to see you there!!

ASUS has introduced a very interesting combination of a tablet and computer.  ASUS Transformer AiO is perfect for productivity, but remove the 18.4-inch Full HD display and it instantly transforms into a multi-touch Android tablet. Imagine two iPads put together into one gloriously large tablet.  A bit large for convenient use, but large enough to be a portable entertainment powerhouse.

The Transformer AiO is not purely a tablet. The AiO stands for All-In-One, which is where you can get the best of both worlds for a tablet and desktop computer.  When plugged into the included base, the tablet becomes a monitor for a full-fledged computer running Windows 8. Pull the screen from the base and it automatically turns into that super-sized tablet that runs Google’s Android operating system.  This definitely is aimed at the more professional side of consumers.  This would be an exceptional item to use at a workplace where presentations are the norm.  Work and prepare your presentation while it is a desktop, and pick it up and get going with it as a tablet.

Abt Electronics is known for our excellent customer service.  We offer our patrons a unique shopping experience with a wide selection and professional advice.  People already know we offer the best appliances and electronics in the industry, however, many do not know we are also specialists in bedding. Late last year we opened up a new section in our Atrium featuring a bedding department.  Whether you need a spare bed, or a large kind size bed for yourself, we have just what you are looking for.  Including a comfortable mattress, Abt is also proud to carry all the bed sheets and bed linen you need to complete your bedroom ensemble.

Early this year at CES 2013, we got a look at the new Sony 4K TVs that the company had in the pipeline. Their flagship model, the XBR84X900, is a truly marvelous piece of technology that we’ve had for sale and on display in store since late last year. 4K imaging looks to be the future of not just the cinema, but also the home theater, and Sony is leading the charge. But customers clamored for something more affordable, and Sony billed these smaller sets as being attainable to the average video enthusiast. Well, Sony just announced pricing and availability for these new 4K TVs, and they seem to have delivered.

Sony’s new 55 and 65-inch XBR 3D 4K LED HDTVs will be available to order starting April 21st.

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“An Adventure 65 million years in the making”

Anyone who was of theater-going age in 1993 most likely saw the blockbuster Jurassic Park on the big screen.  I still remember going with my aunt and uncle to the new IMAX theater at Chicago’s Navy Pier. Being only 10 years old, I was already fascinated with everything dinosaurs, so this movie was a big thing for me.  I loved the experience and it certainly is one I will never forget.  To chase that nostalgia, I will undoubtedly be seeing Jurassic Park again on the big screen with the re-release, this time in 3D!

The movie continued the time-honored tradition of “summer blockbusters”. It captivated audiences of all ages.  To this day, it is still referenced as summer movie perfection.  From the thrills, scares and overall ingenuity of the dinosaur creators, Jurassic Park stands the test of time.  You probably even find yourself randomly quoting lines.  The last time the power went out at my house during a storm, I found myself thinking, “the raptor fences aren’t out, are they?”

Jurassic Park 3D is another movie that is taking advantage of the popular 3D technology. 3D technology has been advancing so incredibly fast these past few years that you can even enjoy movie theater quality 3D right in your own home with a variety of 3D HDTVs.   The 3D re-release will give audience members a chance to experience the thrills in a brand new technology.  You can even enjoy hearing Jurassic Park, the way it was meant to be heard. From the thunderous roar of the T-Rex, to the frightening hisses and howls of a pack of Velociraptors, find yourself in the middle of it all!

Jurassic Park has had an amazing run the last 20 years (please ignore the sequels).  People’s interest in dinosaurs and paleontology exploded when that movie first arrived, but for the movie industry  it was a giant leap in technological advancements.  The dinos looked and sounded as real as the screams from the audience members who saw them.  So if you are free this weekend, head out to your local theater and share with a younger generation the sounds and sights of one of the the best dinosaur movies to walk the earth.

Check out the NBC Chicago Segment featuring Abt’s Carl Prouty as he goes over some of the best tailgating items from Abt!

Check out the showcased items below!

Weber Grill Q

Krups Beertender

Dyson Hot & Cold Fan Heater

Generac 1600 Generator

Abt Electronics Youtube Channel Hits One Million Views

We’re always trying to find new ways to connect with our customers, share our thoughts on new products in the store and get feedback on products people would like to see more of. One of the ways we do that is through the Abt Youtube Channel. Browse through our Youtube Videos and you’ll find a variety of How-To’s, product introductions and item reviews and overviews. We try to film and upload a few new videos every week, and were excited to recently get our One Millionth view! As our channel continues to grow, we’ll continue to bring our viewers new and exciting videos about the hottest consumer electronics products.

 
As we move forward, we’d love to hear from our readers and viewers about what videos they’d like to see. If there’s a particular product we carry that you’d like to see spotlighted, an informational buying guide or how-to video that you think would be helpful, please don’t hesitate to let us know! We’re always looking for new ideas, and there’s no better place to get them than our audience. If you have any suggestions, just send a message to us via our Youtube Page or right here on the blog.

Closed for Easter

One other bit of info we wanted to get out to our customers is that our store, phones and online chat will be closed tomorrow, Sunday March 31st, in observance of Easter. All of our employees will enjoy the day off, but for one hard-working fellow, the day off will be especially bittersweet: The Abt Easter Bunny. He put in his last day of work for the season today, and while he’ll miss his weekend atrium visits, he’s more than ready for some nap time. We’ll be back to normal operating hours Monday, April 1st.

Until Next Year!

Check out this video of our Mobile Installation department installing a brand new INE-Z928HD 8-inch Alpine in-dash double DIN in 7 inches of space for a customer’s Lamborghini Gallardo.  Great job guys!

This Saturday and Sunday, from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm come visit Abt Electronics and take a free picture with the Easter Bunny.  Just stop in our ATrium, follow the eggs and smell of carrots, and you can’t miss!  See you there!

Help a pair of Abt employees who have been lucky with love get even luckier! Nick Cosentino has been an Abt employee for nearly eight years, and we were happy when his fiancée Caterina recently joined our team.

Help Nick and Cathie win the wedding of a lifetime!

Both Nick and Caterina come from traditional Italian families that have known each other for over 30 years, and the pair have been dating for over two. To help pay for their dream wedding, they entered Windy City Live’s “Dream Wedding” Contest, and were overjoyed to make it to the final round. The winners will be married live on Windy City Live on May 21st, and be treated to a beautiful ceremony at the luxurious Peninsula Chicago Hotel.

Right now they need the help of every one of you Abt fans out there to win their dream wedding. To vote, you’ll need a Facebook account. Simply head over to Windy City Live’s Facebook page and click on Nick and Cathie’s photo. Voting ends soon, at 10 am Central Time on April 2, 2013. Nick & Cathie greatly appreciate anyone out there who votes for them, and we’ll be sure to update all of our fans with the results of the contest. . We’ve got our fingers crossed!

Vote for Nick and Cathie here.