MyMove.com, a website and blog dedicated to any and all issues surrounding a homeowner’s moving, this week posted an article on home automation that featured three industry experts – Delia Hansen, Marketing Solutions Manager at Crestron; Michael Braithwaite, Chief Strategy Officer for ClearOne, manufacturer of the NetStream DigiLinx home control system; and Strata-gee.com’s very own Ted Green. Written by Dawn Allcot – principal of Allcot Media, the post was titled Whole-Home Automation: Convenience, Savings and Sustainability.
Better Late Than Never? KEF Enters Headphone Market with New M Series
Well, it’s a pretty crowded business these days, but KEF, the U.K.-based company launched in 1961 by ex-BBC electrical engineer Raymond Cooke, has chosen to enter the headphone market now with two “M” series headphone models – the M500 over-ear model and the M200 in-ear model. Now over 50-years old, KEF (Kent Engineering & Foundry) has a long history as a respected loudspeaker innovator. These are, however, their first headphone designs.
See more about these two new headphone models joining the crowded headphone market… [Read more…] about Better Late Than Never? KEF Enters Headphone Market with New M Series
Layoffs Hit Panasonic Lithium Ion Battery Plant
Panasonic Corp. has laid off 20% of their workforce – or 600 employees – in its lithium ion battery operations, according to a report by the Nikkei yesterday in Osaka, Japan. The move was made in an attempt to help turn the division profitable. The company has also decided to restructure their manufacturing processes as the layoffs alone won’t likely be enough to achieve profitability.
See more on this dramatic restructuring from the struggling Japanese giant… [Read more…] about Layoffs Hit Panasonic Lithium Ion Battery Plant
WAVE Continues National Expansion with New Full Service Florida Location
WAVE Electronics (WAVE) announced this week that it has opened a new full service warehouse location in Dania Beach, FL, which is located in the more populous southern part of the state – just north of Miami between Hollywood and Ft. Lauderdale. Part of WAVE’s continuing national roll-out, just one month ago the company opened a new full service warehouse in New Jersey. This new Florida location brings their total to 10 locations.
Learn more about the success strategy for this rapidly growing CE distributor… [Read more…] about WAVE Continues National Expansion with New Full Service Florida Location
Toshiba to Acquire R&D Assets of American LED Lighting Start-Up
Toshiba Corp., in a bid to drive its LED lighting business, said today it will acquire LED technology research and development (R&D) assets from American start-up company Bridgelux, Inc. The assets Toshiba seeks to acquire are related specifically to the R&D of the company’s white LED chips.
See more on this acquisition including how much Toshiba has agreed to pay… [Read more…] about Toshiba to Acquire R&D Assets of American LED Lighting Start-Up
Core Brands to Significantly Downsize Their Sales Rep Network
BREAKING NEWS *EXCLUSIVE*
Just three weeks ago, we had the opportunity to speak with Core Brands Senior Vice President of Marketing Paul Starkey, who confirmed information we had received from multiple sources about an impending announcement of significant changes in the way the company planned to go to market. Starkey confirmed much of the information we had uncovered, especially changes to systems and processes.
But regarding one major initiative we asked Starkey about – that of an extensive restructuring of its sales representative network – he was not able to confirm…at that time.
But that changed last Friday when the company told reps of a major sales force restructuring… [Read more…] about Core Brands to Significantly Downsize Their Sales Rep Network
Caught! Samsung Investigated for Placing Fake Reviews on the Web
Samsung Electronics Co., one of the fastest growing and most popular electronics brands in the world, is the subject of an investigation by the Taiwan Fair Trade Commission that is acting on tips it received that the company’s marketing department has allegedly been placing, or contracting for, fake reviews on the web. These reviews, which were said to be positive on Samsung products and negative on Samsung competitors, were not visibly identified as paid or sponsored reviews.
See what Samsung meant when it said this was a simple case of “insufficient understanding”… [Read more…] about Caught! Samsung Investigated for Placing Fake Reviews on the Web
More Bad News Bruises Apple – Stock Hits Worst Level in a Year
The AP is reporting that Apple, Inc. saw its stock price hit hard in trading today on Wall Street, dropping 23.44 points or 5.5%, to close at $402.80 per share – well below yesterday’s close of $426.24. During today’s session the stock traded as low as $398.11, setting a new 52-week low and triggering analysts to buzz about trouble in Cupertino. What happened? Another Apple supplier, Cirrus Logic, Inc., released a disappointing financial report that hinted that the real problem lays with Apple.
What’s the connection between Cirrus Logic and Apple? See below… [Read more…] about More Bad News Bruises Apple – Stock Hits Worst Level in a Year
Sharp-Foxconn Joint Venture LCD Factory Falls into Sea of Red Ink
The giant LCD panel manufacturing plant built by Sharp Corp. and now a joint venture between Sharp and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Foxconn’s parent company, has reported that it generated a net loss of ¥7.4 billion ($75.7 million) for the April-December fiscal period. The news is another indicator of the degree of desperation that Sharp is facing in trying to turn around its financial condition which, like many Japanese manufacturers has struggled as a result of the global slowdown and declining profitability.
See why Sharp suggests that the situation is improving… [Read more…] about Sharp-Foxconn Joint Venture LCD Factory Falls into Sea of Red Ink
5 Reasons Why You Should Love the Competition
Amanda Dai loves competition. In an excellent blog post on Huffington Post, she talks about competition in a way that sets her apart from a large number of people, including many of my tech industry colleagues. For many of us, competition is the enemy…and we are at war. For others, the competition is someone to be (too) closely watched…so much so that they dictate our actions. “Price Shack has the Mega 456 on sale?!? Drop our price immediately!”
