2013 ends today and it is fun to look back on the top stories of the last year. Many times, this yields surprises as stories from early in the year are easy to forget. In this post, we are revealing the top Strata-gee.com stories from 2013 based on which stories generated the most page views…therefore, those stories that you – the reader – found most interesting.
Manufacturers
Major OLED Production Problems Force Panasonic & Sony to Refocus on 4K
In a report that appeared in the Nikkei on Christmas Day, it appears that Sony Corp. and Panasonic Corp. have dissolved a joint OLED production initiative and will instead seek new methods individually. As a result, both companies will back-burner OLED and redouble their efforts on building their 4K UHDTV businesses.
This decision – along with poor sales of OLED sets from Samsung & others, calls it’s future into question… [Read more…] about Major OLED Production Problems Force Panasonic & Sony to Refocus on 4K
Azione Unlimited Adds Thorens Turntables
Azione Unlimited, a national dealer buying group, announced earlier this week that it has added Thorens turntables to its vendor lineup. Thorens is distributed in the United States by Vancouver, BC-based Rutherford Audio, who also has outlets in Seattle, WA and Denver, CO.
See why Azione is excited about adding Thorens, one of the oldest names in audio… [Read more…] about Azione Unlimited Adds Thorens Turntables
Toshiba Tries to Turnaround Its Troubled TV Division
Toshiba Corp. has launched an aggressive strategy aimed at turning around its troubled, money-losing television manufacturing business. We wrote last week about their decision to close a manufacturing plant in China in a bid to restructure their production base – one part of a larger TV turnaround strategy. Now word comes of additional aggressive moves by the company attempting to return their once vaunted TV business to profitability.
Toshiba plans to cut factories, jobs, and even countries as it tries for a turnaround… [Read more…] about Toshiba Tries to Turnaround Its Troubled TV Division
Redbox, Once a Blockbuster Buzzsaw, Finds It Must Now Cut Itself
Outerwall, Inc. (f/k/a Coinstar), owner of Redbox – the national video rental kiosk powerhouse – made several surprising announcements on Tuesday that suggest the company is dealing with some serious business issues. First, the company announced that Redbox division president, Anne Saunders, has left the company. And second, the company said that it would make significant cuts to its staff…and to other projects.
How significant did Outerwall say the staff and project cuts would be? See more below… [Read more…] about Redbox, Once a Blockbuster Buzzsaw, Finds It Must Now Cut Itself
Clare Controls Appoints the New York Marketing Team as Its Metro NY Rep
Clare Controls, a mid-level manufacturer of home automation products, announced on Tuesday that it has appointed the New York Marketing Team as its sales representative for the New York Metropolitan market. The appointment is effective immediately.
See more about Clare Controls and this appointment… [Read more…] about Clare Controls Appoints the New York Marketing Team as Its Metro NY Rep
Toshiba Stops Manufacturing TVs in China
In an announcement earlier this month that could be characterized as counter-intuitive, Toshiba Corp. said it will stop manufacturing LCD televisions at its plant in Dalian, China by the end of December. The company says the move is aimed at helping improve profitability – even though most companies opened plants in China to take advantage of the lower labor costs to help their profitability.
See how Toshiba plans to improve its TV division profits by closing a China factory… [Read more…] about Toshiba Stops Manufacturing TVs in China
Yamaha Wants to Help You Wake Up & Smell the Coffee; Literally
Yamaha Corp. announced on Tuesday a clock radio – something new from them – to help you wake up and smell the coffee…oh and enjoy great music while you’re drinking it! Part of their growing desktop audio solutions, this is a modern take on the traditional clock radio…including premium sound, Bluetooth streaming, and even app control.
See more on this new twist on a bedside table staple… [Read more…] about Yamaha Wants to Help You Wake Up & Smell the Coffee; Literally
What’s Better Than a Warranty? The DaVinci Group Announces WarrantyPLUS
>Strata-gee SCOOP<
The DaVinci Group announced today a significant upgrade to its warranty program – already one of the best overall warranty programs available. Currently, the company offers 2-years parts and labor on all wireless products, 5-years parts and labor on all amplifiers, and an impressive Lifetime replacement warranty on all architectural speakers, volume controls, and speaker selectors. How do you improve on a solid warranty package like that?
What is The DaVinci Groups’ WarrantyPLUS™? If you’re a dealer, you’ve got to see this… [Read more…] about What’s Better Than a Warranty? The DaVinci Group Announces WarrantyPLUS
Panasonic, Cutting Costs, Halves Digital Camera Assortment
The Nikkei reported this week that Panasonic Corp. will only introduce about five new digital camera models next year – half its normal number – in a bid to take all steps necessary to return to profitability. While once a bright spot for the company which saw success for some of its higher end Lumix models – the report says that the category has come under intense pressure as smartphone cameras continue to improve.