CE Week kicked off last week with a Research Summit where the Consumer Electronics Association’s (CEA) market research experts presented the latest market data, along with their assessment of its meaning – and their prognostications for the future. In past years, this was a presentation that was included as part of the Line Show – now it has been split off as a separate day-long event including not only raw data, but various discussion panels as well.
Industry Trends
New Survey Verifies Your Suspicion: Retailers Stop Buying from Brands that Sell Direct
Results from a new survey released today verify what you may already know – or at least suspected – retailers will either stop or dramatically cut back on purchases from brands that choose to compete with them by selling directly to consumers on the Internet. And a lot of retailers feel this way…71% said they would stop or reduce spending with brands that chose to do so.
See more about this survey, including other interesting retailer insights… [Read more…] about New Survey Verifies Your Suspicion: Retailers Stop Buying from Brands that Sell Direct
Gibson and Onkyo Go Wireless
The Wireless Speaker and Audio Association (WiSA) announced on Tuesday that it has signed up several new members and a couple caught our eye – Gibson Guitar Corp. (now Gibson Brands) and Onkyo Corporation. Also joining the organization are loudspeaker manufacturer Dali and Australian distributor Amber Technology who markets a line of speakers called Accent Digital.
Who is the WiSA and why would Onkyo and Gibson join? See more below… [Read more…] about Gibson and Onkyo Go Wireless
Increasing Skepticism by Market of Tech Industry Advances
Several years ago, while driving home from my job at a leading industry electronics manufacturer, I was – as usual – listening to my favorite New York Metro-area network news radio station. Since the commute took an hour or more (depending on New Jersey traffic), I got to listen to a lot of news. Sometimes, I was only half listening, as traffic concerns – or boredom – draws my attention away from the news.
But I snapped to rapt attention that day when I heard one of the show’s co-anchors promote an upcoming segment (“after the break”) on the latest technology news. Little did I realize that I was about to have my sensibilities shocked – not by the news – but by the anchors’ reaction to their own story.
What occurred that day is a cautionary tale for our industry – one that is being repeated again… [Read more…] about Increasing Skepticism by Market of Tech Industry Advances
ESPN Will Stop All 3D Productions
In a move that technology blogger Gizmodo says marks the official death of 3D, it has learned that sports network ESPN will cease all 3D productions by the end of this year. ESPN 3D, which started in 2010 on largely a test basis, never really got off the ground – and as Gizmodo wryly noted, “won’t be broadcast in any dimension soon.”
See more on what Gizmodo calls this “huge news”… [Read more…] about ESPN Will Stop All 3D Productions
Gibson Guitar Announces Name Change
Gibson Guitar announced on Tuesday that – in a bid to better reflect its growing family of products outside of the guitar category – it will be changing its corporate name from Gibson Guitar Corp. to Gibson Brands. While the move looks logical, there will likely be many who will bemoan the fact that the new name loses its ability to honor the company’s stringed-instrument heritage and still-important namesake product.
See more on why the company says this is the right move… [Read more…] about Gibson Guitar Announces Name Change
ProSource Holds E-Commerce Training for Members in Chicago
Perhaps another sign of the times, ProSource – the retail buying group that represents the combination of both Home Entertainment Source (HES) and PRO Group – held a meeting earlier this month centered on the topic of e-commerce. These meetings, held June 3-4 in Chicago, were to share trends and best practices in e-commerce for their members.
See more on this news from ProSource… [Read more…] about ProSource Holds E-Commerce Training for Members in Chicago
Kathy Gornik: Why I Sold Thiel…
*Strata-gee.com EXCLUSIVE*
Much has been written on the changes at Lexington, KY-based Thiel Audio Products Company (Thiel) in the wake of its purchase by a group of Tennessee investors that we first reported last November. Shortly after their acquisition, strata-gee.com was invited to speak with Bill Thomas – one of those Tennessee investors and now the new CEO of Thiel Audio. And a couple of months after that, we had the opportunity to speak with new Thiel interim COO and Board member Bob Brown.
But many Thiel-related reps and dealers kept asking us about co-founder and former President Kathy Gornik. Some of this curiosity was related to rumors that Gornik had been forcibly removed from the respected high-end loudspeaker company that she helped found. And some of the interest centered around an unanswered question, not covered by any of the press (including Strata-gee.com) as to why Gornik decided to sell the company.
Now, Gornik has granted Strata-gee.com an exclusive interview…to tell her side of the story… [Read more…] about Kathy Gornik: Why I Sold Thiel…
NAD – Pulling High Performance Digital Away From the MP3 Muck
Saying they want to move their traditional audiophile customers into the exciting new world of digital music – while at the same time offering higher sound quality solutions to attract the “digital native” computer music lover – NAD Electronics today in a press preview in New York launched three new digital audio products it calls “The New Digital Generation.” Staking out the high ground, NAD hopes to be able to offer affordable access to better quality digital music…while at the same time, offering an upgrade path to the ultimate digital system performance.
See more on this remarkable digital evolution by an upper mid-fi company… [Read more…] about NAD – Pulling High Performance Digital Away From the MP3 Muck
JVC Kenwood Financial Results Miss the Mark…Again
At the end of last week, JVC Kenwood Corporation released a summary of results for their fiscal year ending March 31, 2013. On the eve of this announcement, the company recast their forecasts for the year to reflect their actual results. In both cases, the news was not good as the company’s results failed to meet both their original…and revised forecasts.
