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Days After an Array of New Amazon Devices Debut, A Devices VP is Leaving the Company

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Amazon product launch in New York City on September 30, 2025
Panos Panay presenting at the Amazon product launch in New York City on September 30, 2025 [Click to enlarge]

Just days after Amazon put on its glitzy annual devices and services showcase for the media in New York City, employees were surprised to learn that a Vice President who helps oversee the devices division is leaving the company. In an internal memo circulated to employees, and viewed by Reuters News Agency, it was announced that Rob Williams, Vice President of Device Software and Services – and part of a small elite group of executives with direct access to CEO Andy Jassy known as the S-team – stepped down from his post…and furthermore, will leave the company entirely at year-end.

See more on the turmoil in Amazon’s money-losing devices division…

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AVPro Global Launches Expert Advisory Board; Names Wally Whinna as 1st Member

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AVPro Global Holdings logo

Here is a really smart idea: AVPro Global, one of the industry’s fastest-growing manufacturers of a wide range of products designed specifically for the residential and commercial custom integration spaces, is creating an “Expert Advisory Board.” Why is that smart? Because a well-selected advisory board can be a great sounding board (no pun intended) on strategies and tactics, and an almost limitless source of fresh ideas and perspectives for driving above-average growth.

The first expert appointed to this board is well-known industry executive Wally Whinna, formerly of ADI/Snap One, AVAD, Tandem Marketing, and Allnet.

See more on the new AVPro Global Expert Advisory Board

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At CEDIA Expo 2025, Attendance Continued Its Multi-Year Decline

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A sparse crowd gathered for the CEDIA Town Hall at CEDIA Expo 2025

Emerald Expositions, part of Emerald Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EEX) and owners of CEDIA Expo and CEPro, has reported that final attendance at CEDIA Expo 2025, “the premier event for the custom systems integration industry,” establishes it was yet another year of declining participation. This rather sobering news is consistent with feedback I received from several exhibitors at the event this year – almost all of whom told me that attendance was noticeably off, with several saying it was significantly down from last year.

Now we know with certainty, even with Emerald’s attempt to hide the real attendance figures, that attendance at Expo 2025 was in fact appreciably below attendance at Expo 2024 last year.

See more on the decline in attendance at CEDIA Expo 2025

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Masimo Completes Sale of Sound United to Harman International

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Sound United presentation at CEDIA Expo 2025
Sound United presentation to media at CEDIA Expo 2025 [Click to enlarge]

The long-awaited closing of Masimo Corp.’s (NASDAQ: MASI) sale of Sound United (formerly Masimo Consumer) to Harman International, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, has been formally completed. Both parties of the transaction put out their own separate announcements, with Masimo’s version quite short and perfunctory, while Harman’s gave little more than an inkling of what is to become of Sound United.

Learn all about the completion of the sale of Sound United…

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Some of My Favorite Stories from CEDIA Expo 2025

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Another CEDIA Expo has come and gone, and the version this year, Expo 2025, had its share of disappointments, minor advances, AND pleasant surprises from several companies. In this post, I will share a brief synopsis of the items I saw that caught my attention. Many of these will be the subject of a more extensive article later, but this gives you an overview of some of the items I found interesting.

See some of my favorite items from CEDIA Expo 2025

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New Crestron Configure Pro Brings New Power, Approachability & Efficiency to System Setup

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New Crestron Home Configure Pro Start Page

See Configure Pro at CEDIA Expo 2025 in Crestron Booth #1901

Crestron Electronics, a leading smart home and automation brand in residential and commercial custom integration, is introducing several exciting new products at CEDIA Expo 2025, such as new Cameo keypads, Horizon keypads, and the very cool-looking Cevo Mini Remote. But by far, my favorite launch is the Crestron Home Configure Pro system configuration tool.

Learn more about Crestron Home Configure Pro…

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Mystery Solved! Former Masimo Director Now at Medtronic, a Major Competitor

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Medtronic, a major Masimo competitor
Medtronic Headquarters, Galway Ireland – [Photo: By Bobak Ha’Eri – Own work, CC BY 3.0]

I wrote last week about the sudden announcement from Masimo Corporation (Nasdaq: MASI) that director Bill Jellison had resigned his position on the board, a position he had held for less than a year. What was remarkable about the Masimo announcement was not so much because of what it said – rather, even more mysterious was what it didn’t say – with no clue offered as to why or under what circumstances this resignation occurred.

Now we know more…and it is big! Former director William “Bill” Jellison is one of two new directors at Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT), one of Masimo’s biggest competitors in the pulse oximetry segment.

See more on Jellison moving from Masimo to Medtronic

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It’s Official, AVPro Global is One of the Fastest Growing Companies in America, Says Inc. 5000

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AVPro Global logo

AVPro Global Holdings, LLC – parent company of AVPro Edge, AudioControl Pro, RTI, Murideo, Bullet Train, and ThenAudio – has been officially recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The magazine has officially placed AVPro Global on its annual list of fast-growing companies known as – the Inc. 5000.

Learn more about AVPro Global joining the Inc. 5000…

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8K Association Goes Big at CEDIA Expo 2025 with Exhibits, Presentations & Panels

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8K Association at CEDIA Expo 2025

The 8K Association (8KA) is pulling out all of the stops to brightly project awareness of the growing 8K resolution ecosystem to all corners of the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado, during CEDIA Expo 2025 running from September 4-6, 2025. To do this, the association will employ a multi-faceted presentation and communication strategy that promotes the entire ecosystem from content creation and production to distribution, integration and viewing in the home.

Learn more about the 8K Association’s presentations at CEDIA Expo

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Masimo Loses Another Board Member in an Unexpected Resignation; Motive is a Mystery

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Masimo headquarters building

On Monday, in an 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Masimo Corporation (Nasdaq: MASI) informed regulators that William Jellison, a member of the Masimo Board of Directors, has resigned his position as of that same day. No reason was offered as to why Jellison chose to leave his relatively new role with the company, presenting us all with a bit of a mystery.

See more on Jellison’s resignation from the Masimo Board

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