Strategy in TECH...
In what is likely another sign of the housing market downturn, and perhaps a cooling of the overall economy, sales of luxury homes in the U.S. plummeted in the three-month period that ended in April, according to an analysis by Redfin Corp. as reported by Bloomberg News. The Redfin analysis covered the top 50 metropolitan areas and revealed the largest drop in sales of luxury properties since the onset of the pandemic.
Things are changing in the economy faster now, causing a dramatic uptick in economic anxiety. The fuse was lit last Friday when the latest government data showed that inflation increased to 8.6% in May compared to last year. The reading on inflation had been widely expected by most economists to drop a point or two from the 8.3% rate of inflation reported in April. The news sent Wall Street into a tailspin as traders interpreted the increase in inflation as a heightened risk of recession.
Almost weekly now, we are regularly seeing new data showing the dramatic slowdown of the housing market. A case in point is the latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association which tracks the weekly demand for mortgages for both home purchases and for refinancing. The Association reported that its index hit its lowest level in demand for mortgages in 22-years.
Autonomic Controls, Inc. (Autonomic) announced Wednesday the launch of the all-new Mirage OS 7.0 operating system and the Advanced Music Bridge (AMB), both of which add exciting new features and capabilities to the company’s existing installed base of eSeries Mirage Media Streamers. The company touts the AMB as a clever way to add value to their products already in the field by providing new features now, rather than forcing users to wait for future, more extensive hardware launches.
Nobuyuki Idei, former chairman and group CEO of Sony Group, has died at the age of 84. The cause of death was attributed to liver failure. His passing was announced by the company on Tuesday. Idei leaves a bit of a mixed legacy, contributing greatly during the company’s formative years but leaving during a challenging time. He is a significant part of the history of the technology industry.
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the organization that owns and operates the Consumer Electronics Show, has notified members that it has “changed our [dues] structure and dues.” They weren’t kidding, depending on the membership category your company falls under, along with your annual revenues, your dues may have increased greater than five-fold, starting with your 2023 dues. Ouch!
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known as Foxconn, the world’s largest contract manufacturer, surprised many on Tuesday when they announced they were raising their outlook for the quarter and for the year based on what they say is improving supply chain stability in China. The company is one of the largest suppliers for many companies, including Apple, Inc.
Allterco Robotics Shelly line of smart devices for residential and commercial applications appears to be gaining momentum as more and more integrators discover the line’s unique problem-solving capabilities. At least part of what is driving additional pickup by integrators is the collaboration between Allterco Robotics and URC for deep integration of Shelly devices as part of its Total Control line of home automation solutions.
In a special briefing for the media, new CEDIA Vice President of Education and Training Amanda Beckner revealed the organization’s upcoming program for this year’s CEDIA Expo coming this Fall. It was instantly clear that Beckner, formerly involved with AVIXA education, completely understands both the importance of and the unique demands of education in a technical association.
It was also clear that the Association is taking a fresh look at ways to elevate CEDIA’s education to the next level. And that is a good thing.
If this is your first visit to Strata-gee, let me thank you for taking some of your valuable time to learn more about this website and to discover what I hope will become a valuable resource for you. Strata-gee was launched officially back in 2012, but unofficially it goes back even further than that – with our archives holding posts from all the way back in 2009. It’s a rich library of compelling content…all at your fingertips.
