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AKM Responds to Strata-gee Request for Comment on Damaged Factory

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Last week, I updated the story of the Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) factory fire that destroyed one of the world’s largest fabs producing semiconductors, particularly LSIs (large-scale integrated circuits) for digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) widely used in audio for consumer, pro, and commercial applications. [See post: AKM Fire Update: Co. Makes Progress, Interim Solution Shows Promise] At the time I was working on that report, I reached out to AKM for comment on what I was learning from my sources, but did not receive a reply by the time the story was posted.

This morning, AKM responded to my request…

See what AKM said in a statement to Strata-gee…

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Sonos Has Another Record Quarter…But Just Barely

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Revenues Up 3%, But Net Income Drops 6.7%

Sonos Inc. released the results for their fiscal 2022 first quarter on Wednesday and the results were mostly mixed. While a quarterly revenue record was set, net earnings dropped. CEO Patrick Spence called it “an excellent quarter, with record-setting revenue” but the tone of the company’s management seemed slightly more muted on a conference call with financial analysts as compared to previous such events. Perhaps this was because their financial performance was slightly more muted as compared to past quarters.

See more on the Sonos finanical results for Q1 2022

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Dave Nauber, Head of Classé for Nearly 20-Yrs, Leaves Company at End of March

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Dave Nauber - Sound United Director of Brand for Classe

BREAKING NEWS

In an internal email circulated to company employees on Monday, Joel Sietsema, Sound United’s Brand President of Marantz and Classé, announced a “change to the leadership structure of the Marantz and Classé organization.” That change is a big one – Dave Nauber, leader of the Classé brand for nearly 20-years, will be leaving the company at the end of March, “to pursue new opportunities.”

Read more about this change at the top of Classé

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Leaked Internal Amazon Docs Show Users Quickly Tire of Smart Speakers

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Amazon products

End of the Smart Speaker Era?

Amazon is widely credited with having created the entire smart speaker category with their Alexa voice-controlled Echo smart speaker and other products. The company has sold millions of them since their introduction in 2015, especially at often insane sale prices during the holiday selling season. But Bloomberg Businessweek has come into possession of leaked internal Amazon documents that paint a portrait of a category that appears to be in serious trouble, principally because it fails – often miserably – to retain consumer interest.

And, the documents show, not only do consumers lose their interest…they lose it quickly.

See more on smart speaker problems identified in Amazon internal docs

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Kaleidescape Appoints Craig Sholder as Chief Revenue Officer

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Kaleidescape CRO Craig Sholder

Kaleidescape announced on Wednesday that they have appointed Craig Sholder as chief revenue officer (CRO). The appointment is effective immediately.

See more on Kaleidescape’s new CRO

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Just Days Away, CES Can’t Catch a Break as More Major Exhibitors Pull Out

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CES in the past

Google, Microsoft, GM, Intel, and more Join the Exodus from CES

UPDATED 12/30/2021 – Scroll down for update – I reported last week that several major exhibitors, including one major event sponsor whose CEO was scheduled as a keynote presenter, had announced they would be pulling out of CES due to the meteoric rise in COVID infections resulting from the Omicron variant. Now we learn even more major exhibitors have decided to join the increasing line of brands heading for the exits from the industry’s largest tech event of the year.

See who else is out of CES now…

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Bowers & Wilkins Partners with China’s Formovie for Integrated Movie Package

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Living room setting with Formovie T1 featuring audio by Bowers & Wilkins

Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) announced today that they have partnered with Chinese laser projector brand Formovie to create an all-in-one solution that redefines home-theater-in-a-box. The partners are creating a dynamic combination of ultra-short throw high quality laser projector with loudspeakers built-in for a compact total A/V solution.

Learn more about the new Formovie T1 with Bowers & Wilkins inside

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Amazon Music Unlimited Now Available on AURALiC Streaming Models

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AURALiC Vega G2.1 streaming DAC

Specialty audio maker AURALiC, Inc. announced today that it has partnered with Amazon to offer Amazon Music Unlimited on all streaming products. A dramatic announcement that brings literally millions of songs to AURALiC end users.

Learn more about Amazon Music Unlimited and AURALiC

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Part 2 of Strata-gee Interview with New Crestron CEO Dan Feldstein

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Photo of Dan Feldstein, new CEO of Crestron

Supply Chain, CEO Role, Going Public, a Better Partner

Last week I wrote about my opportunity to attend the inaugural Creston Next Road Trip in Boston in November. One of the most interesting parts of that experience was having the opportunity to interview new Crestron CEO Dan Feldstein. Crestron, one of the biggest players in the custom integration game, was founded by Dan’s father, George Feldstein (who passed away in 2014) and I was interested in learning more about how the new CEO saw the world and his top priorities and opportunities for the company.

In this Part 2 of that interview, we learn how the company is dealing with the industry-bedeviling supply chain issues, why it will never go public, how Dan views the CEO’s role, and how the company seeks to be a better business partner.

See Part 2 of my interview with Crestron CEO Dan Feldstein

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Branding Lesson: Surprise Kit Kat Tweet Praises Twix; What Happens Next?

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Nestle Kit Kat logo used as part of a branding study

The conventional wisdom of branding says that you never mention your competitors in your marketing – it only serves to promote them. Less professional companies have sales and marketing teams that go one step further by publicly or privately criticizing their competitors!

Which is better? Complement or criticize your competitors? New research holds what might be a surprising answer!

Should you be naughty or nice to competitors? Read on…

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