Strategy in TECH...
New research shows that while a majority of internet users own some type of smart device, almost no one owns a smart appliance – even though many manufacturers like Samsung have been pushing the category for a couple of years now. If consumers believe in “smart” technology, what’s going on with smart appliances??
Gibson Brands, Inc. declared bankruptcy on May 1, 2018, thereby placing themselves in Chapter 11 protection from creditors. Now under the guidance of bankruptcy court, the company buys itself time to put a plan together to present to the judge offering a path out of bankruptcy for the company. During this time, debts are frozen until the judge determines the final disposition – a disposition that typically includes some level of payment to debtors, both secured and unsecured.
So how is Gibson doing? According to a story by the Nashville Post, Gibson posted a loss of nearly $10 million in May – its first month under bankruptcy court protection from creditors.
All the way back in 2012, Onkyo Corp. and Gibson Guitar Corp. came together to partner in what both hoped would become an entity where the whole was greater than the sum of the parts. Just months after their announcement, Onkyo forged ties to another Japanese audio brand, Teac/Tascam – just as Gibson stepped in to buy a majority share of them…and the combined entity began to grow.
Little did they know that just six short years later, Gibson, the investor in Onkyo, would implode into bankruptcy – forced to extricate itself from its Onkyo aspirations. Onkyo was hit as well, losing its Gibson investment – forcing them to reassess their direction. We now learn that Onkyo has sold off its entire European operations to an accessory distributor known as Aqipa GmbH.
Solid niche player Como Audio launched a new music system at last week’s CE Week called the SpeakEasy. Como Audio owner Tom DeVesto has practically invented the high quality small shelftop system – first at Tivoli, now at Como Audio – a category that most others fill with cheap, low-Fi junk to be sold in your local drug stores. SpeakEasy shows how DeVesto intends to retain their leadership in the arena by adding the latest and greatest technology.
In another example of a practical application of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, at CE Week last week the company B’z T showed a line of children’s clothing with hidden sensors that make your kids truly trackable – in fact they call them “Trackable Ts.” Offering a wide range of styles, colors, and designs, the company has already seen its products picked up by Amazon and other dealers, creating a bit of a buzz.
One of the more interesting conference panels that took place at CE Week last week in the Jacob Javitz Center in Manhattan was a panel called, “Listening in the Living Room: How Smart Speakers are Striving to Be the Next Great Planform.” This panel featured Gary Schultz, Director, Business & Product Development, SDI Technologies Inc, the parent company of iHome and Andrew Vloyanetes, Sonos’s sales manager. The panel was moderated by John Quain, a contributor to The New York Times.
Some of what this panel had to say was in line with what you might expect – they are both pretty high on smart speakers and the category’s conjunction with voice control.
Once again, June in New York means CE Week. I once called CE Week a “strange little show in search of meaning” and an “odd, undefined show.” I stand by those descriptions and to this day, still feel CE Week is bit of a work-in-progress.
TPVision, a principal licensor of the Philips brand of upscale TVs in Europe, announced today that is has partnered with Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) in a new multi-year agreement for a new line of products representing the finest in video and audio quality. The announcement noted the reputation both companies enjoy for excellence in engineering and suggests this partnership will set a new reference standard for visual and audio performance in televisions.
We did NOT say that Monster Money was a scam in our article. We DID say that cryptocurrencies are risky, risky investments to be approached with caution. The prevalence of several large scams in the supposedly safe world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies serve as a stark reminder of this need for extreme caution when investing in something new.
The race is heating up for global leadership in artificial intelligence, considered by many to be the next area of technology that will explode with activity. Many major players here in the U.S., both in Silicon Valley, as well as other places, seek to establish themselves as the leaders in AI.
But where in the world is the greatest amount of money going to fund startups who will drive the development – and ultimately the adoption – of AI? You might be surprised…
