Up and coming DIY and Pro home automation company iRule announced this week that it has appointed Adam Gold as its Vice President of Sales. Gold joins the company after leaving a position as Regional Sales Manager for Middle Atlantic Products.
Marketing
Deconstructing D&M Holdings; Company Sells Calrec Audio and Explores Other Options
Former CEO Pacor Comments on Brand Acquisition Strategy
We learned last week that D&M Holdings, also known as the D+M Group, sold off its Calrec Audio brand to Electra Partners, a London-based private equity company. D&M received £14 million ($23.1 million) for Calrec, a designer of premium audio products and live-to-air consoles for the broadcast market. The move is part of a plan to divest itself of all non-core businesses, CEO Jim Caudill has said in press reports.
See more on the company’s aggressive strategy to unload non-core businesses… [Read more…] about Deconstructing D&M Holdings; Company Sells Calrec Audio and Explores Other Options
Niche Speaker Manufacturer Cabasse Appoints Integra as U.S. Distributor
In a brief announcement today, Cabasse – a French loudspeaker manufacturer with a small niche following here in the U.S. – announced that it has appointed electronics brand Integra as its “exclusive” distributor for the United States. This new relationship takes effect retroactively to March 1, 2014.
See more on this announcement which some industry observers found strange… [Read more…] about Niche Speaker Manufacturer Cabasse Appoints Integra as U.S. Distributor
Sterns Moves Quickly to Rework Sony’s CI Business
When we first reported on the appointment of Frank Sterns as Sony’s VP of A/V Specialty/Custom Integration on the eve of the September 2013 CEDIA Expo, like many of you…we were skeptical. After all, we’ve heard encouraging announcements from Sony before…only to watch those initiatives in limited distribution, high-end products fall into disrepair through over-distribution, under-resourcing, or both.
But this time is different, Sterns tells us. And as he runs around the country setting up a whole new sales operation…we’re beginning to believe him.
See more on Sterns’ rapid ramp-up of a new Specialty A/V-CIS division for Sony… [Read more…] about Sterns Moves Quickly to Rework Sony’s CI Business
Huge Growth in Q4 Branded Video Views for Electronics; Are You Using This Tool?
In a new report from research firm Visible Measures and reported on by eMarketer, views of branded videos in the fourth quarter last year jumped an impressive 50% in the year-over-year (YoY) period and an even more impressive 60% as compared with third quarter results. In looking over the report, we couldn’t help but notice that the industry that earned the greatest share of this dramatic growth was electronics.
This made us wonder – are you using this tool? See more on the research below… [Read more…] about Huge Growth in Q4 Branded Video Views for Electronics; Are You Using This Tool?
Yamaha Updates the ‘Executive Micro-System’ Adding Streaming & Hi-Res Audio
Popular as task-specific sub-room systems especially useful in offices, dens,and home offices…the executive micro-system has been used and appreciated by millions for many years now. In fact, here at Stratecon, we listen to one in our office frequently. We used to listen to it every day, but as more and more of our listening became associated with digital music via Apps like Spotify or Pandora, or any of a host of Internet radio stations…our more traditional desktop system just didn’t have the right stuff.
Now, Yamaha seeks to change that, by introducing the MCR-N560 executive system that is today-tech savvy… [Read more…] about Yamaha Updates the ‘Executive Micro-System’ Adding Streaming & Hi-Res Audio
The DaVinci Group Adds New Sales & Distribution Partners
The DaVinci Group (TDG) announced that it has added new partners to its sales representative and distribution network, expanding its sales force backbone to help better serve dealers and integrators as the company continues to grow. The Ontario, CA-based company launched at the end of last year and says it has experienced rapid growth through the end of 2013. This growth continues to accelerate as the company brings more regions on board,
See which reps and distributors have joined TDG as well as what regions they serve… [Read more…] about The DaVinci Group Adds New Sales & Distribution Partners
CES 2014 – The Year of the…? (Insert Your Favorite Gadget Here)
When I was little, I came home from school one day, excited to tell my mother about all my new friends. One-by-one, I named each of them, calling each one “my best friend.” When I finished, I’ll never forget what she said. “If they’re ALL your best friend, then you don’t have a BEST friend.”
The Consumer Electronics industry over the last few years and continuing into this year – has fallen into a troubling state of highly fragmented technology trends. It is in this environment – the absence of any clearly defined, overall technology trend – Gary Shapiro and the CEA try to field their annual technology exposition known as the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
So what was the big tech innovation at CES?…Well, it’s complicated… [Read more…] about CES 2014 – The Year of the…? (Insert Your Favorite Gadget Here)
Gibson Brands Goes ‘Back to the Future’ to Celebrate 120 Years
Gibson Brands took advantage of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to make a bit of a show of their own to celebrate 120 years in business. The company, which serves up 23 different brands of musical instruments, professional audio products and, more recently, consumer electronics products, chose a unique way to mark the occasion by going “Back to the Future.”
See more on how Gibson chose to celebrate their 120-year anniversary… [Read more…] about Gibson Brands Goes ‘Back to the Future’ to Celebrate 120 Years
Amazing! Sony CEO Admits Company Failings – Says ‘Wow’ is Future

Sony’s CEO Kazuo Hirai gave a relatively compelling keynote presentation that was in stark contrast to their rather dry Mike Fasulo and unemotional press conference. Not only was Hirai dynamic and at times, emotional even – he competently and capably articulated a new and strong vision for the company based on the Japanese word “kando” and the English word “wow.”







