Momentum Building in Emerging IoT Market

Strategy in TECH...

by Ted 3 Comments
In a development that, depending on your viewpoint, is either very shocking – or not surprising at all – we learned on Wednesday that Kaleidescape Vice President of Sales Mark Weisenberg has left the company. Even in a company known for turmoil at the Sales VP position – this is an unusually quick turnaround. We originally announced Weisenberg’s appointment as Kaleidescape VP of Sales in an exclusive SYNCH newsletter at the end of January…just eight weeks ago.
Garner, NC-based 21st Century Distributing, a consumer electronics distributor based in the Southeast, announced this week that it has reconfigured its usual dealer show, converting it into a roadshow with an all-new mobile demo display. Scheduled to hit six major markets throughout the Southeast, the event is now called the Integration Innovation Roadshow.
Is the pendulum swinging back? The mayor of Yokohama, Japan, Ms. Fumiko Hayashi, said today that Apple, Inc. has purchased an empty Panasonic factory and will turn it into a state-of-the-art research and development center. For many Japanese, this is likely a highly ironic turn of events, as for decades, Panasonic was the leading edge technology developer.
by Ted 10 Comments
The Stratecon Group, Inc. (parent company to, and publisher of, the Strata-gee.com website) and NewBay Media, LLC have reached an agreement on a content supply program. Under this agreement, Stratecon will create a series of in-depth articles and analyses on a variety of key topics for the technology industry – and for electronic systems integrators – to be published by one or more NewBay Media properties.
by Ted 8 Comments

Apple, Inc. announced the coming availability of the Watch, its first major product in years, at a presentation earlier this month. Since that announcement, we’ve been struck by the lack of enthusiasm for the product amongst members of the TECH press. In conversations with colleagues, we heard many predict that the Watch is doomed to failure, in part because of this tepid response.
In an announcement that is a bit unusual for a manufacturer, Autonomic announced on Tuesday that it is reducing the MSRP on its popular Mirage Audio System (MAS). Not only that, but the company says it will actually increase the dealer margin at the same time. Normally, a price reduction is a sign of a slow selling product – but Autonomic says that is not the case here.
by Ted 4 Comments

In a new report out of Japan, Sony’s TV business is said to be expected to report an operating profit this fiscal year – its first after ten years of losing money. Due to an improved situation in the U.S. market, the report credits the turnaround in Sony’s U.S. results largely as a function of its tightened partnership with retailer Best Buy.
Canadian tech industry website WiFiHiFi (wifihifi.ca) announced today that it has confirmed that Sharp Corp. will exit the Canadian TV market. Much in line with our recent reporting on the troubled brand, this is probably just the first shoe to drop…there will most likely be more.
We reported to you in January that Monster, LLC and Noel Lee had filed what appears to be a major lawsuit against Beats Electronics, LLC, Andre Young (Beats founder, aka Dr. Dre), Paul D. Wachter (a Beats director), Jimmy Iovine (Beats founder) and HTC (a Taiwanese cell phone manufacturer). The wide ranging suit alleged all sorts of nefarious business practices by the Beats parties – but especially alleged that Beats and HTC engaged in a “sham transaction” solely for the purpose of triggering a “change of control” provision to defraud Monster and Lee out of their rightful interests.
A former dealer, manufacturer, distributor & more. Focusing on business strategy, my goal is to help you make better decisions for greater success.