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Strata-gee Spotlights Select CEDIA 2026 Smart Home Awards Winners

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CEDIA 2026 Smart Home Awards winners

The Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA), in connection with the CEDIA Expo 2026 (now owned by Apollo Global Management and managed by Forge), announced a series of Smart Home Awards for 2026. The tagline or theme for this contest was “Beyond What You See,” which was intended to suggest that these awards “captured the outstanding achievements in innovation, technical excellence, and design.”

A panel of judges assembled by the association considered all candidates’ entries and rendered their decision, with awards presented at a ceremony that took place at CEDIA Expo 2026 in Denver last week. In this post, I will highlight those winners I feel deserve even greater recognition.

See more on my picks from the 2026 Smart Home Awards…

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Russound Appoints Michael Everett as VP of Sales

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Russound announced this week that it has selected and appointed Michael Everett as Vice President of Sales. With more than 20 years of industry experience, Everett brings extensive market intelligence and a vast skill set to help advance Russound’s business to the next level.

Learn more about Russound’s appointment of Michael Everett…

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Sony Quarterly Profit Jumps 32%; Company Raises Full-Year Forecast

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Sony graphic showing business divisions

In an overall challenging global economy, Sony Group recently released financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2026. The company reported a solid 8% or ¥216.2 billion of revenue growth for a total revenue in the quarter of ¥2.83 trillion. Even more impressive, the company reported that net income grew 32%. While operations did improve, the lion’s share of these overall gains was due to a favorable foreign exchange rates and the return of tariffs after the Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s “reciprocal tariffs” program as illegal.

Still, Sony Group had a lot of positives to talk about.

Read more on Sony Group’s fiscal 2026/Q1 results…

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AVPro Global is Again Recognized by Inc. 5000 as One of the Fastest-Growing Companies in America

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Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based AVPro Global Holdings, parent company of AVPro Edge, AudioControl, RTI, Bullet Train, Murideo, ProControl, and ThenAudio, is a leading house of brands in custom integration for both the residential and commercial markets. And now we’ve learned that the AVPro Global train just keeps rolling down the track, picking up momentum at every turn, based on the announcement this month that it has once again qualified for, and been recognized by, Inc. (which owns Inc. Magazine) as one of the 5000 fastest-growing privately owned companies in America.

Learn more about AVPro Global’s Inc 5000 recognition…

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With Wavecrest, Integrators Learn the Best Way to Solve Power Problems is by Preventing Them Upfront

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Two Wavecrest power conditioning devices

As our industry has transitioned from the retail consumer electronics trade to the more sophisticated, professionally installed home automation and smart home systems based on IP networks with sophisticated and sensitive control systems, the game has changed. Sensitive equipment like the electronics being installed today can be susceptible to power supply quality issues. This can lead to system performance problems, equipment failures, reduced system lifespans, unhappy clients, and profit-robbing additional truck rolls to try to solve often vexing, intermittent conditions.

Now integrators can offer an affordable and effective solution called Wavecrest that prevents these problems from occurring in the first place.

Learn all about Wavecrest…

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Remote Control Maker UEI Reveals: Fiscal ’26 2nd Qtr Results, Management Upheaval, and Amazon Lawsuit

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A UEI graphic

Universal Electronics Inc. (Nasdaq: UEIC) – one of the industry’s leading manufacturers of remote controls – made several consequential announcements at the end of last week, including its second quarter of Fiscal 2026 financial results, a significant management shakeup, the launch of an infringement lawsuit against Amazon, and the issuance of a special dividend for investors.

That’s a lot of change for one company…

Learn more about UEI’s impactful business announcements…

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In the Wake of Good Earnings, Sonos Stock Soars Wednesday; Then Sinks 17.6% on Thursday

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A cover image of a Sonos investor presentation

A Preliminary Look at Sonos’ Fiscal 2026, 3rd Quarter Results

On Wednesday, Sonos, Inc (Nasdaq: SONO) released the results for the third quarter of Fiscal 2026 and, on the face of it, things looked pretty good. The company reported revenues in the quarter increased by 9% and net income was $29.9 million versus a loss in the quarter last year of $3.4 million. Investors reacted strongly, driving up the value of the stock by, 8% at one point – and that was on a down day on Wall Street. Shares of SONO closed up 4.3% after flying higher earlier in the day.

Then on Thursday, the value of Sonos stock reversed course and sank by a startling 17.6%!

Read more on the latest twists and turns at Sonos…

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Savant Selected as Exclusive Smart Home Tech Provider for Two Luxury Residential Complexes

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This ultra-luxury residential complex uses Savant smart home systems exclusively

Savant Systems, Inc. (Savant), a leading smart home and smart energy solutions provider, has been selected by real estate developer U.S. Development to be the exclusive smart home technology provider for two of its ultra-luxury residential complexes. These two complexes are both based in Florida, and they are Salato Pompano Beach and Viceroy Residences Clearwater Beach.

See more about U.S. Development partnering with Savant…

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TSMC, the World’s Largest Contract Chipmaker, to Increase Prices by 10% or More

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A graphic image showing a TSMC chip and logo

The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the largest contract manufacturer in the world of chips used in a wide variety of tech products, including for data centers for AI solutions, has informed clients that it will be raising prices for both advanced and mature chip production services by as much as 10% or more in 2027. The reason for the increase is to offset rising costs for materials, manufacturing equipment, and construction of new overseas chip plants, multiple sources told Nikkei Asia.

Learn more about this increase and its impact on inflation around the world…

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Judge Sets Final Judgment in Masimo v. Apple, Affirming Masimo’s $634 Million Win; It Appeals

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Masimo homepage. It wins against Apple in court

In a case filed back in January of 2020 in the United States District Court, Central District of California before the Honorable James V. Selna, Masimo accused Apple, Inc. of patent infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, and more. After almost six years of wrangling, a jury found in Masimo’s favor in November 2025. Since that time, Apple has used every means possible to try and convince the court to dismiss the jury’s findings, or otherwise order a new trial.

Now we have the court’s final judgment, finding for Masimo on four patent infringement claims. Yet even though an apparent win for Masimo, it has appealed the judge’s ruling. Read on to see why.

See more on this latest twist of events in Masimo v. Apple…

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