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strat-GEE.com’s CES Survey Delivers One HUGE Shock

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Photo of CEA/CES logoAs most strata-GEE.com readers know, we conduct two short but insightful surveys every year. One survey is on readers’ intentions and plans for attending September’s CEDIA Expo. And the other covers the industry’s largest trade show – the International Consumer Electronics Show held every January in Las Vegas, NV – set to kick off next week on January 8th.

Conducted every year in December, our CES Survey has fallen into a fairly predictable response pattern. But this year something changed…something big…delivering us a huge SHOCK! [Read more…] about strat-GEE.com’s CES Survey Delivers One HUGE Shock

DDG Scrambles to Rebuild in Wake of Member Defections

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Digital Delivery LogoThe world of national distributor groups often resembles the ever-shifting sands of the desert – members change, vendors change, and its relative market position often changes. So it is a radically changed world in which the Digital Delivery Group (DDG) finds itself in the wake of last week’s announcement of the formation of a new national distributor group – Catalyst AV –  an announcement that prominently featured the names of four DDG distributors who apparently defected to the new competitor.

But DDG denies that these defections spell its doom… [Read more…] about DDG Scrambles to Rebuild in Wake of Member Defections

Wally Whinna’s New Catalyst AV Distributor Group: AVAD Part Two?

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Catalyst AV LogoThe industry is abuzz about the recently announced launch of a new national distributor group known as Catalyst AV. While the emergence of a new distributor group has been rumored for months, the formal announcement came out just last week. The genesis of the group, according to our sources, was a triumvirate of Wally Whinna (Chicago’s Allnet Distributing), Glen O’Brien (California’s Electronic Stockroom), and Mike Hench (Florida & Southeast’s Electronics Source).

Wally Whinna was one of the original partners of the Alliance of Value Added Distributors (AVAD), the most successful of the national distributor groups that was ultimately purchased by Ingram Micro several years ago. We spoke to Whinna about his latest venture.

Is Catalyst AV really just AVAD, part two?… [Read more…] about Wally Whinna’s New Catalyst AV Distributor Group: AVAD Part Two?

Reps: Are They On the Right Track? Or Have They Run Off the Rails?

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Photo of Railroad TracksOn Tuesday last week, much like any other day, after arriving at my office I powered up my computer and began wading through the usual 100-150 emails that greet me every morning. Some of these are client-related emails, some are personal, but most are press releases or announcements. On that day, however, one in particular caught my attention – it was from Richard Glikes of Azione and it included a link to a video which was…remarkable.

This press release caught my attention not because it was from Azione, that is an common occurrence. Rather it caught my attention because it was from Azione on a topic that I am not used to dealer buying groups concerning themselves with – sales representative companies.

Little did I suspect that this would be the beginning of a strange turn of events… [Read more…] about Reps: Are They On the Right Track? Or Have They Run Off the Rails?

Sharp Spike in Sharp’s Prospects – Said to Working with Hon Hai on Apple iTV

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Apple iTV Idea #3The Wall Street Journal is reporting today that unnamed sources are telling it that Apple has built and is testing a large screen, high definition television that it has worked closely with Asian suppliers to create. Most notably, these sources say that Apple worked closely with Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (Foxconn) – it’s leading iPhone/iPad supplier – and Sharp Corp. – the troubled Japanese television company.

Will Apple’s iTV save Sharp?… [Read more…] about Sharp Spike in Sharp’s Prospects – Said to Working with Hon Hai on Apple iTV

Qualcomm Agrees to $120M Investment in Sharp; Is Sharp Saved?

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Graphic of Sharp's LogoQualcomm, Inc. announced today that it has reached an agreement with Japan’s Sharp Corp. on the expansion of a technology agreement with its Pixtronix, Inc. division to create high quality color, low-power MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) displays based on Sharp’s IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) technology. The agreement also provides for Sharp to utilize existing LCD factories to provide manufacturing…and most importantly for the struggling Japanese manufacturer…for Qualcomm to invest $120 million to become a minority shareholder in Sharp.

Does this deal save Sharp?… [Read more…] about Qualcomm Agrees to $120M Investment in Sharp; Is Sharp Saved?

Moody’s Cuts Panasonic’s Credit Rating for the Third Time This Year – Now Near Junk

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Photo of Panasonic signPanasonic Corp., once one of the most powerful electronics companies in the world, now finds that its credit rating has been lowered by Moody’s Investors Service to the lowest level still considered investment grade – only one step above junk.  Moody’s, one of the largest credit rating agencies, has revised Panasonic’s rating twice before this year – and this third revision dropped the company’s credit rating two grades to Baa3…the lowest level considered investment grade.

What prompted Moody’s to make this huge downgrade of Panasonic’s credit?… [Read more…] about Moody’s Cuts Panasonic’s Credit Rating for the Third Time This Year – Now Near Junk

Sharp Asks 2,000 Employees to Leave – 3,000 Raise Their Hands

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Image of Sharp logoSharp Corp., the struggling Japanese manufacturer that is widely reported to be scrambling to survive, recently offered buyout packages to employees hoping that 2,000 would agree to leave the company. To their surprise, almost 3,000 employees volunteered to leave – good for the company, but a sign of their lack of confidence in the company’s ability to return to profit anytime soon.

See more on this latest indicator of the company’s struggles…

[Read more…] about Sharp Asks 2,000 Employees to Leave – 3,000 Raise Their Hands

Nortek Consolidation Continues; Creates New ‘ProAV Group’

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BREAKING NEWS

Nortek LogoNortek Inc. announced this morning that it has consolidated several of its brands into a new organization that they call the “ProAV Group.” Consisting of several Nortek brands that were conspicuously missing from their recently formed “Core Brands” group, the ProAV Group combines Gefen, TVOne, and Magenta Research into one consolidated group.

See more on this latest round of Nortek consolidation… [Read more…] about Nortek Consolidation Continues; Creates New ‘ProAV Group’

France’s Legrand Buys NuVo Technologies

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Graphic of Legrand websiteThe French conglomerate Legrand’s North American subsidiary announced today that it has purchased Hebron, Kentucky-based NuVo Technologies, LLC. NuVo, a whole house audio solutions provider will continue to run as a freestanding, independent company focusing on the home audio market according to the Legrade announcement. While the products will continue to feature the NuVo brand, the company will now operate under the auspices of Legrand’s Home Systems division.

See more about this unexpected announcement… [Read more…] about France’s Legrand Buys NuVo Technologies