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Not Again! Another Big, Bad Surprise from Toshiba

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Loses Almost a Third of Its Total Market Value in 2 Days

Toshiba FacilityToshiba Corps. stock price plunged 30% this week as the company announced it is facing the prospect of booking a potentially multi-billion dollar writedown related to an acquisition made by its U.S. unit, Westinghouse Electric. The acquisition was related to the construction of two nuclear power plant projects being built in the U.S. as the company made a big bet on a nuclear renaissance in the U.S. power structure – a bet that is not paying off.

Toshiba President apologizes for a potentially multi-billion dollar writedown… [Read more…] about Not Again! Another Big, Bad Surprise from Toshiba

iRule & OnControls Acquired by Kramer Electronics

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iRule’s CEO Ben-Gal Talks to Strata-gee About Acquisition

Kramer logoKramer Electronics, a maker of hardware-centric control solutions for the commercial audio/visual market, has acquired Detroit, MI-based iRule, a fast rising provider of software-based home control and automation solutions – including their OnControls residential line – in a private transaction that closed last Friday, December 23rd. The terms of the deal, including valuation, were not disclosed, but iRule co-founder and CEO Itai Ben-Gal told us this deal was the logical conclusion to a now multi-year relationship between the companies.

See more on this iRule acquisition by Kramer… [Read more…] about iRule & OnControls Acquired by Kramer Electronics

Want an Amazon Echo? Sorry…All Sold Out for Christmas

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Amazon Echo
Amazon Echo

We’ve been reporting lately on the growing popularity of voice control. Driven largely by the introduction of Amazon’s Echo in 2014, which featured a dramatic improvement in performance over previous hands free systems like Siri, voice control has been picking up momentum with consumers and attracting new competitors like Google with its Home model, and soon Microsoft with Cortana.

But news services are reporting that Amazon has sold out of the Echo right in the heart of the holidays. Not good…

Amazon running out of Echo shows the difficulty in predicting inventory needs… [Read more…] about Want an Amazon Echo? Sorry…All Sold Out for Christmas

Sharp Strikes Again – Terminates LCD Panel Supply to China’s Hisense

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Sharp Parent Foxconn Appears to be Playing Global Hard Ball

Hisense logoJust days after we told you about Sharp’s decision to stop supplying LCD panels to global TV leader Samsung – a decision that shocked many in Japan – apparently, they’ve done it again. The Nikkei in Japan is reporting that panel pricing negotiations have apparently broken down between Sharp and China’s Hisense Group with the parties unable to agree on a fair price. As a result, Sharp has notified Hisense it will also stop supplying them with panels in 2017.

The industry is positively buzzing about these power moves by Sharp… [Read more…] about Sharp Strikes Again – Terminates LCD Panel Supply to China’s Hisense

Power Move: Sharp to Terminate LCD Panel Supply to Samsung

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‘Samsung Scrambling to Find New Sources’ – Looks to LG

Samsung logoThe media in Japan positively exploded this week with the shocking news that Sharp has notified Samsung it will no longer supply the world’s top seller of LCD TVs with the panels they need for their sets. Samsung was Sharp’s largest customer, but in a shocking power move, after negotiations broke down – Sharp said no deal.

Could this be a sign of a new Sharp, now that it’s part of Foxconn? [Read more…] about Power Move: Sharp to Terminate LCD Panel Supply to Samsung

Core Brands Moved Under Control of Nortek’s SCS Group

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Nortek's Core Brands LogoIn a reorganization at Nortek, Core Brands, previously a freestanding, underperforming segment of the company, has been moved under the control of Nortek’s Security and Control Solutions Group, it was announced internally this week. With this change, Core Brands President Joe Roberts will now report to SCS Group’s President Michael O’Neal.

See more on this change with Core Brands inside of Nortek… [Read more…] about Core Brands Moved Under Control of Nortek’s SCS Group

HiFiMan: Staking Out the Extreme High End of the Headphone Market

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Launches $50,000 Headphone System

HiFiMAN Shangri-La systemHiFiMan, the specialty maker of high-end headphones and portable music players, announced this week the launch of a “premium” electrostatic headphone system that they call Shangri-La. Calling it a “cost-no-object experience,” the Shangri-La system is priced to sell for $50,000 at retail. The price of paradise appears to have risen lately.

See more about what HiFiMan suggests is the ultimate listening experience… [Read more…] about HiFiMan: Staking Out the Extreme High End of the Headphone Market

SnapAV Continues Buying Spree, Acquires Autonomic

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‘If You Can Solve a Problem, You Can Sell Some Stuff’

SnapAV logoSnapAV announced Wednesday that it has acquired Autonomic, a leading music server solutions provider. This is SnapAV’s latest in a string of acquisitions, as the company continues to seek solutions that will fulfill the needs of their extensive national network of custom integrators.

See what SnapAV’s President told us about this deal… [Read more…] about SnapAV Continues Buying Spree, Acquires Autonomic

Voice Control: Time to Jump In…or Wait?

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In Wake of CEDIA, Industry Debates How Hot Voice Control Is

Scene showing Alexa voice controlOne of the keynote presentations at CEDIA 2016, was from Amazon – the monster online retailer. Amazon executive Charlie Kindel introduced the custom integration attendees to the Amazon Echo, Tap, and Dot…essentially Internet appliances that all feature their Alexa voice control technology. Then, late in the presentation, Kindel announced the company has developed a way for Alexa to interface with home systems – and even forged integration partnerships with Lutron, Crestron, Control4 and others.

And just like that, CEDIA 2016 became the voice control show… [Read more…] about Voice Control: Time to Jump In…or Wait?

After Years of Cutbacks, Sony Says It’s Time to Drive Sales

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Sony Marketing Discusses Growth Plans with Japanese Media

Sony logo on screen at CES press presentationSony told the Nikkei this week that – to paraphrase – after years of painful dieting, the company has reached its fighting weight and is ready to go to battle to grow its sales worldwide. The company has spent the last few years spinning off divisions, cutting back on employment levels, and reducing overhead – all for the express purpose of improving profits. That goal achieved, the company will now focus on sales.

But the plan that Sony’s chief marketer outlined has some concerned… [Read more…] about After Years of Cutbacks, Sony Says It’s Time to Drive Sales