Vanco International, a brand historically known largely for cables and accessories, continues their recent-history expansion of mission-critical integration solutions and overall A/V products. The company is displaying an uncommon level of savvy in design and in solution targeting, as management clearly has designs on expanding their impact in the industry.
Manufacturers
Judge Sends Samsung CEO Back to Prison for 2½ Years

Who Will Run the Company with Lee Incarcerated?
On Monday, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong – also known as JY Lee, J. Y. Lee or Jay Y. Lee – was sentenced to 2½ years in prison for his role in a bribery and embezzlement scheme to influence the President of South Korea in order to increase his share and power in the company. This development is big news in Korea. Samsung Electronics, part of the Samsung family of companies that is the largest conglomerate in South Korea, by itself represents almost 20% of the entire value of all exports from Korea.
See this sensational Samsung…ah…stuff!
[Read more…] about Judge Sends Samsung CEO Back to Prison for 2½ YearsCES 2021: Sony Evolves From Hardware Maker to Experience Creator

“Please join us in looking forward as we continue to evolve as a ‘creative entertainment company,'” said Kenichiro Yoshida, Sony Chairman, CEO and President to kick off Sony’s presentation to the media on CES 2021’s press day this past Monday. It was a carefully crafted opening, with words of particular significance that contrasts strongly with previous company characterizations. Sony is changing.
Has the train jumped the tracks? Or has Sony hit the hyper-drive taking us to a new and exciting unexplored planet?
See more from Sony’s press presentation…
[Read more…] about CES 2021: Sony Evolves From Hardware Maker to Experience CreatorAudioControl Names New Head of Customer & Technical Services

AudioControl announced this week that it has named Ashley Kay as its new Director of Customer and Technical Services. This is a newly created role at the company and represents a meaningful upgrade in customer and technical support capabilities at the specialty mobile and residential electronics manufacturer.
See more on Kay’s role at AudioControl…
[Read more…] about AudioControl Names New Head of Customer & Technical ServicesAKM Fire Update: Sony Admits It Faces ‘Severe Shortage’ of Key Imaging Models

Most manufacturers in Tech have been reluctant to discuss the impact on the supply chain – and on the availability of their key models – as a result of the recent Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) factory fire in Japan. However, Sony – especially Sony Europe – has admitted to customers that it’s camera and video division, is “facing a severe shortage of key parts” for its compact cameras and video cameras. Although Sony did not specifically correlate their problem to the AKM situation, a large number of camera and photography media are saying that this is most likely the cause of the shortage to which Sony is referring.
See what Sony & other brands say about the AKM fire fallout…
[Read more…] about AKM Fire Update: Sony Admits It Faces ‘Severe Shortage’ of Key Imaging ModelsImpressive Savant Experience Center Tour Reveals Smart Home Possibilities

Savant Integrators Should Sign Up Clients & Prospects for a Tour Now
Just last week I was an invited guest to an event that I wasn’t entirely sure would be all that exciting – yet another Zoom meeting in a year full of Zoom meetings. Or so I thought. My invitation came from industry powerhouse Savant, who wanted to host me on a virtual tour of their new Experience Center in Manhattan. Boy!…am I glad I agreed to participate….
What a delightful surprise that tour delivered…
[Read more…] about Impressive Savant Experience Center Tour Reveals Smart Home Possibilities2020 Intros Continue w/Crestron Home Audio Conferencing & Control Solution

An Optimal Mix of Quality, Utility & Ease-of-Use for the Residential User
Just about seven weeks ago, Strata-gee told you about Crestron’s cool new TS-70R touch screen which was solidly built, exceptionally attractive for either a residential or small office setting, and provided a great control solution for the Crestron Home operating system. Now, Crestron continues their Crestron Home-specific product launches with another new product – the MM30-R Crestron Home Audio Conferencing and Control Solution.
You’re going to want to know about this new Crestron solution…
[Read more…] about 2020 Intros Continue w/Crestron Home Audio Conferencing & Control SolutionSony to Close Major Malaysia Audio Factory; Begins Refocus Away from A/V

Closing a Separate Audio & TV Factory in Brazil as Well
Sony Corporation has two large factories in Malaysia – one manufacturing audio products, and the other manufacturing predominantly video products. A new report out of Japan indicates that the company plans to close its audio factory in Malaysia by no later than the beginning of 2022 – or in other words, during the upcoming year of 2021. This move is likely a result of a previously announced strategic refocusing on businesses other than a/v electronics at the major consumer electronics manufacturer.
See more on this expected/shocking move by Sony…
[Read more…] about Sony to Close Major Malaysia Audio Factory; Begins Refocus Away from A/VSonos & Google Patent War Gets Ugly, Each Accuses the Other of Bad Faith

A hearing before a California federal judge brought an ugly exchange between attorneys for both Sonos and Google – with each side pointing their finger at the other and accusing them of bad faith. That attorneys got ugly against their counterparts is not in itself surprising. However, the speed with which this dispute devolved to that point was a surprise.
Learn more about this escalating battle between Sonos & Google…
[Read more…] about Sonos & Google Patent War Gets Ugly, Each Accuses the Other of Bad FaithRega Appoints The Sound Organisation as Its Canadian Distributor

High end audio manufacturer Rega Research has appointed The Sound Organisation as its authorized distributor for Canada. Based in Arlington, Texas, The Sound Organisation is a well-known distributor of fine high-end, high-performance specialty audio brands and has been Rega’s U.S. distributor for two decades.