After a tumultuous five-year period, which began in 2012 when Thiel was sold to Tennessee private investor David B. Griffin, we can now confirm that Thiel Audio has been closed for good. Failing some kind of 11th hour rescue, another great American audio brand will be relegated to the dustbin of history.
News
Recent Purchaser of Gibson Brands Properties Files Lawsuit
And They Said It Wouldn’t Last; Hearing Set for This Friday
Somera Road, Inc., a real estate investment firm that has recently purchased several properties from Gibson Brands, Inc., has filed a lawsuit against the company seeking to enforce a purchase agreement that they say Gibson has violated. The lawsuit was filed in Nashville, Tennessee in the Davidson County Chancery Court, according to a report by the Nashville Post.
See more on this eruption of war between Gibson and its new partners… [Read more…] about Recent Purchaser of Gibson Brands Properties Files Lawsuit
Whoa CES! Power Outage Plunges Show into Darkness
A News Story and a Metaphor
CTA’s marketing message for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year was “Whoa!” While this is a reference to surprising innovations, it now appears that the biggest Whoa! to emerge from CES was a power blackout that hit the Central and South Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center on Wednesday afternoon. Social media was buzzing and many show attendees posted images of the darkened halls with some of the biggest booths – Samsung, Panasonic – quite literally in the dark.
There really is nothing sadder-looking than a technology tradeshow…without power. Considering the coverage we’ve seen about CES in the general media this year, that blackout could be a metaphor about the declining power the show holds over the market these days.
See more on a darkened CES, the industry’s biggest tradeshow… [Read more…] about Whoa CES! Power Outage Plunges Show into Darkness
Gibson Stuns Again; Pulls Out of NAMM Show
A little more than a month ago, Gibson stunned the music world by abruptly shutting down Cakewalk, a music software company it had acquired in 2013. Now the music industry is abuzz again, after an announcement from Gibson Brands that it has decided to pull out of the NAMM show – the biggest music industry tradeshow, taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center January 25-28. Gibson Guitars is one of the top guitar manufacturers in the world, and the thought of a major music industry tradeshow without their representation has tongues wagging throughout the industry, with plenty of speculation about the “real” reason Gibson chose to pull out.
See more on this surprising news by Gibson… [Read more…] about Gibson Stuns Again; Pulls Out of NAMM Show
Happy New Year from Strata-gee!
With 2017 nearly over, we’ve wrapped up another year – our best ever, thanks to Strata-gee readers and SYNCH subscribers! With more readers, and more engagement in the form of reader comments, we are lucky to count the smartest readers in Tech among our regular readers. THANK YOU!
See our new year message for you here… [Read more…] about Happy New Year from Strata-gee!
Thanks to You, A Record Year for Strata-gee
Wow…what a way to wrap up our TEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY! My head is spinning! At the risk of sounding boastful, please indulge me for a few moments while I share with you what I think are some remarkable results from 2017 for Strata-gee.com. First and foremost, let me say that it is completely thanks to you…our readers…that we have just had the best year in the history of our website.
Read more about the year we had in 2017 – thanks to you, our readers… [Read more…] about Thanks to You, A Record Year for Strata-gee
Strata-gee Editor’s Pick: The Top Stories of 2017
With this being the traditional end-of-year holiday period, there is an irresistible pull for editors to review their top stories reported on in the year that is now fading fast from view. I am certainly not immune from that pull. And while every year seems remarkable, I can say with certainty that 2017 appears to earn that lofty designation as well.
So here then is our list of 2017’s most important stories… [Read more…] about Strata-gee Editor’s Pick: The Top Stories of 2017
On Its 10th Anniversary, Technology & Business Summit Adds Event
Separate CASTLE Event Directly Addresses Convergence
A couple of months ago, I visited the first New York Metro area Technology & Business Summit at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and reported to Strata-gee readers about my experience. These events, smaller local shows, are fun to attend and offer some definite advantages to attendees as compared to the large national shows, such as more face time with brand executives, more hands-on displays with local representatives who truly know your business, and perhaps most importantly, much easier and more convenient to attend. Literally, these shows are a short drive from your home base, making it easier to fit show attendance into your schedule no matter how busy you may be.
Now celebrating its 10th Anniversary, the organizer plans on offering more events this year and is launching a new show concept called the CASTLE (Converging Audio/Video Security Technology Lighting & Entertainment) Summit.
See more on these new Technology & Business Summit developments… [Read more…] about On Its 10th Anniversary, Technology & Business Summit Adds Event
Sonos to Seek Injunction to Stop HEOS Sales of ‘Infringing Technology’
BREAKING NEWS
Case May Have Major Impact on Wireless Speaker Business
As we recently reported, a federal jury gave Sonos a sweeping victory in the first “bellwether trial” in Sonos Inc. v. D&M Holdings Inc. et al, siding with Sonos on all counts and awarding them nearly $2 million in damages. Furthermore, the jury affirmed the validity of the three Sonos patents at issue, and disagreed with D&M’s assertion that the patents were not valid.
Strata-gee spoke with both sides of this case and, this decision notwithstanding, neither appears ready to back down, even as this is just the first of what will ultimately be three trials in the case – two where Sonos is the plaintiff, and a countersuit by D&M Holdings where they will be the plaintiff. Sonos won round one, but this is a multi-round fight.
Both Sonos and D&M Holdings talk to Strata-gee in wake of trial verdict… [Read more…] about Sonos to Seek Injunction to Stop HEOS Sales of ‘Infringing Technology’
Verdict: ‘Denon Directly Infringed’ on Sonos Patents
BREAKING NEWS
Jury Finds for Sonos on All Counts; Denon Claims of Invalidity Vanquished
Last Friday, after a full week of testimony, evidence, deposition playbacks, and attorney posturing, members of the jury listened closely as Judge William C. Bryson delivered instructions designed to clarify their deliberative process and their duty as “finders of fact” in the matter of Sonos, Inc. v. D&M Holdings Inc. d/b/a/The D+M Group, D&M Holdings U.S. Inc., and Denon Electronics (USA), LLC. The judges verbal instructions took a while to relay, as the reality is that patent disputes can be quite complex and the issues of intellectual property quite nuanced yet important.
In written form, which the Judge provided the jury for their easy referral, his instructions ran a full 27-pages long. After considering it all, the jury came back with a finding in favor of Sonos on all counts – and delivered an award to Sonos of just under $2 million for damages.
