If you were watching Good Morning America (GMA) this morning, as you munched on your Wheaties you likely saw investigative journalist Brian Ross in a story reporting on an ABC News investigation into the sales practices of security supplier Vivint. The investigation was launched when ABC News learned of military families who claimed the company was lying to them and engaging in unfair sales practices.
Brands
The Revolving Door for Managers at Kaleidescape… Spins Again
Imagine, if you will, working at a company serving a channel in which yours is the only significant participant with no major competitors – you own the segment. Not only that, but dealers love your product, the press sings holy hosannas over the quality and performance of your line, a major [legal] black cloud is behind you, and the future appears to be bright. Must be an idyllic existence…right?
At Kaleidescape, Inc., the industry’s most prominent brand of media servers, it appears to be an idyllic existence only if you are one of the two founders – Michael Malcolm and Cheena Srinivasan. For other top managers, the pressure must be constant, as there appears to be a spinning revolving door – or so it would seem as we learn again this week of more top managers exiting the company.
See more on this newest round of managers exiting Kaleidescape… [Read more…] about The Revolving Door for Managers at Kaleidescape… Spins Again
ProSource Adds Origin Acoustics to Its Mix
ProSource, a retail buying group that describes themselves as the biggest integration, audio, and video buying group in the country, said this week that it has added Origin Acoustics – an all-new company – to its product line-up. According to ProSource, Origin has chosen them as its “exclusive buying group.”
See why ProSource hails this relationship… [Read more…] about ProSource Adds Origin Acoustics to Its Mix
ICE Cable Selects EMI to Represent Brand in Michigan
Specialty cable manufacturer ICE Cable Systems announced this week that it has selected veteran Michigan sales representative company Electrical Materials, Inc. (EMI) to represent its line in Michigan, the Great Lakes State. EMI, a unique mixture of electrical component distribution and custom integration AV sales representative company, is well known throughout the region.
See more on this new partnership… [Read more…] about ICE Cable Selects EMI to Represent Brand in Michigan
SVS Hires Director of Global Sales
SVS, a brand that markets its line of speakers and subwoofers both direct-to-consumers and through retailers, announced today that it has hired Walter R. Schofield as its new Director of Global Sales. The company says the appointment is effective immediately.
See more on Schofield and SVS… [Read more…] about SVS Hires Director of Global Sales
Dow Electronics to Sell Harmony Remote Nationwide
We have learned that DOW Electronics, a Florida-based satellite and electronics distributor, is adding Logitech’s Harmony remote control line to its expanding custom integration (CI) assortment. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, we are told that the company will be distributing the line on a national basis.
See more on this new new CI line for the expanding Dow… [Read more…] about Dow Electronics to Sell Harmony Remote Nationwide
Audio Control Puts You in Control of Long-Run HDMI Installations
Audio Control announced this week the availability of its new high performance HDBaseT extenders that allow installers and integrators the ability to safely and successfully run HDMI signals over long distances reliably. The company has been in the audio/video extender (baluns) business for some time now, with these new models – the HDBT-S1 and HDBT-R1 – pushing the performance edge.
Learn more about these interesting new models from systems specialist Audio Control… [Read more…] about Audio Control Puts You in Control of Long-Run HDMI Installations
Spring Deck Partners with Azione Unlimited Buying Group
Spring Deck LLC, a start-up company that offers a new sales presentation solution for integrators, announced this week that it has cut an exclusive partnership deal with Azione Unlimited, a national buying group of dealers and integrators. According to Spring Deck, the deal makes its app and service instantly available Azione members…and at a specially discounted price.
See more on the Spring Deck/Azione Unlimited partnership… [Read more…] about Spring Deck Partners with Azione Unlimited Buying Group
Integration Industry Mourns the Passing of Crestron’s Founder
We learned this week that the Chairman and Founder of Crestron, Mr. George Feldstein, passed away after a long illness. The news hit many in the custom integration industry particularly hard, as Mr. Feldstein is widely credited with helping not just build a company…but with also fueling the growth of the entire industry.
See more on this notable passing… [Read more…] about Integration Industry Mourns the Passing of Crestron’s Founder
Nortek Releases Q3 Results; Has AV Turned a Corner?
Nortek, Inc., a diversified manufacturer of commercial and residential products largely targeted towards the new construction business, announced on Monday the financial results of the third quarter of their current fiscal year. Overall, the results were mostly positive, although two of their business units saw revenues decline in the quarter. Surprise…surprise…neither of them were the newly designated AVC (Audio Video Control) segment, as you (and we) might have suspected.