Finding themselves at the crossroads of two struggling industries – consumer electronics and traditional publishing – Source Interlink Media, the owners of both Home Theater and Sound & Vision magazines, has decided to merge the two properties into one entity. The combined entity will be known as Sound & Vision – apparently leaving the Home Theater name plate to the annals of history.
Management
RTI Selects Tyler Nelson as National Product Trainer
Remote Technologies Inc. (RTI) announced today that it has selected Tyler Nelson as its new national product trainer. Nelson will be in charge of creating and conducting product education and training for RTI’s dealers and distributor across North America.
See more on this new appointment… [Read more…] about RTI Selects Tyler Nelson as National Product Trainer
Can This Man Redefine A/V Specialty Retail?
It’s been quite a ride for New Jersey’s Electronics Expo over the last year or so. Once riding high as one of the fastest growing New Jersey electronics retailers, the company has struggled with the changing economy, changing industry, bankruptcy, and recovery. It’s been a wild ride and founder Leon Temiz says he is committed to crafting a new type of specialty retail business.
Now out of bankruptcy, see Temiz’s plans for a new A/V specialty retail format… [Read more…] about Can This Man Redefine A/V Specialty Retail?
AudioSource: Keeping the Foundation, But Building a Whole New Business
The theme for CEWeek this year – as far as we’re concerned – was “CHANGE.” There were very few “traditional” products shown or updated – and a plethora of new products and categories, such as wireless systems, mobile devices, innovative [predominantly mobile] accessories, new app concepts, and more. And one interview we conducted – with AudioSource CEO Tom O’Mara – seems to embody that sense of change, as he seeks to – while keeping the company’s foundation – build a whole new (and changed) company.
See the dramatic changes at AudioSource as their smallest product has the biggest impact… [Read more…] about AudioSource: Keeping the Foundation, But Building a Whole New Business
Seiki Shakes Up Industry, Offers Inexpensive 4K Ultra HDTV; ‘Not Helpful’ Says Major Competitor
In yet another sign of an industry in transition, Chinese manufacturer Tong Fang Global – better known by the Seiki brand of A/V products it manufactures – has turned the typical industry model for introducing the latest and greatest technology on its ear. In the same show where Sharp rolls out a 70-inch 4K Ultra HDTV for $8,000, Seiki rolls out a 39-inch 4K Ultra HDTV for $700. How do they do it? Read on…
See more on this disruptive play from relative newcomer Seiki… [Read more…] about Seiki Shakes Up Industry, Offers Inexpensive 4K Ultra HDTV; ‘Not Helpful’ Says Major Competitor
Perfect Path Says It’s on the Growth Path at CE Week
As we walked the halls of CE Week, we kept running into old friends and well-known industry personalities. We met both at once when we ran into Eric Bodley of PPC/Perfect Path who was at the show to support various partners of the company. PPC was recently purchased by cable giant Belden, Inc. and we’ve been anxiously awaiting more details on how this consolidation would be implemented.
Bodley wasn’t in a position to comment on that quite yet, but we took advantage of the meeting to ask him about a couple of other recent issues.
See Bodley’s comments on competition heating up & the Belden/PPC connection… [Read more…] about Perfect Path Says It’s on the Growth Path at CE Week
Don’t Throw the Baby Out with the Bathwater
As a marketing strategist, I am often asked to help clients come up with promotional ideas. Consumer electronics can be a very promotion-driven business, so this is a common task for tech marketers. There are no “hard and fast” rules and often I will brainstorm with the client, his/her team, or outside contractors I often work with.
But no matter what kind of idea we come up with, I try very hard to avoid something that is a bit of a common practice in the technology business – promotions that “throw the baby out with the bathwater!”
What does this mean? See an example of how marketers throw the baby out with the bathwater… [Read more…] about Don’t Throw the Baby Out with the Bathwater
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
Unusual Japan Story: 4 Panasonic Directors Given ¥1.9 Billion to Leave
In a move common in the U.S., but unusual in Japan, the Japan Times reported today that Panasonic Corp. paid ¥1.855 ($18.7 million) to four directors to leave the company in Fiscal 2012. The company broke the news of what is known in the U.S. as a golden parachute in materials circulated along with invitations sent to the shareholders meeting coming up later in the month.
See more on this generous payout from a struggling company… [Read more…] about Unusual Japan Story: 4 Panasonic Directors Given ¥1.9 Billion to Leave
To Skeptical Crowd, Apple’s Tim Cook Promises ‘Game Changers’ are Coming
Wall Street analysts are getting increasingly concerned about the ability of Apple, Inc. to sustain its historic run of innovation. Some are suggesting the company’s best days may in fact be behind it. Exacerbating the growing drumbeat of discontent…it has been eight months – since October 2012 – when Apple last announced new products. And even they were more iterative than innovative. Clearly feeling the pressure, over the last couple of months Apple CEO Tim Cook has told anyone who was willing to listen to hang on, great things are coming.
