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More on Crestron’s New Experience Center; CEO Discusses CEC & Business

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Brad Hintze and the Crestron management team in the Event Space
[Click to enlarge]

As I reported last week, I attended the October 15, 2024, Grand Opening of the latest Crestron Experience Center (CEC), located in the prestigious New York Design Center in Manhattan. This CEC is remarkable in its own right, but as I reflected further on the Grand Opening I realized that the event itself was noteworthy. Not only did a top Crestron executive sit down with me to offer some interesting perspectives on the new CEC and business in general, but what I observed at that event itself was impressive as well.

So I have decided to augment my previous report with additional observations…and more photos.

See more on the Crestron Experience Center in NYC & find out what the CEO shared with me…

[Read more…] about More on Crestron’s New Experience Center; CEO Discusses CEC & Business

Nationwide MG Appoints a New(ish) Executive Director for Azione Unlimited

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Azione Unlimited's new Executive Director Patrick McCarthy

Nationwide Marketing Group, owner of a stable of high-performance dealer buying groups like Oasys, Ellipsys, and Azione Unlimited, announced this week that it has appointed Patrick McCarthy as the new Executive Director of Azione Unlimited. As you most likely know, McCarthy has been a long-time member of the group’s management since 2019 and has served as the Interim Director since June in the wake of Richard Glikes departing the group back in February.

Patrick’s new appointment is effective immediately, which is a good thing as the group is about to launch its Fall Conference, taking place this year in San Diego, CA from October 21st – 23rd.

See more on the appointment of Patrick McCarthy at Azione Unlimited

[Read more…] about Nationwide MG Appoints a New(ish) Executive Director for Azione Unlimited

Crestron Opens Impressive NYC Experience Center Showcasing Resi & Commercial Tech

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Crestron executives John Clancy, Dan Feldstein, and Brad Hintze toast the new Experience Center in NYC
John Clancy, Dan Feldstein, and Brad Hintze (who appears to be toasting Strata-gee readers) raise a glass of champagne to toast the launch of Crestron’s remarkable Flagship NYC Experience Center [Click to enlarge]

Crestron Electronics, a worldwide industry leader in both the commercial and residential smart technology space, has opened a dramatic and dynamic new Crestron Experience Center (CEC) in the heart of Manhattan at 200 Lexington Avenue in the renowned New York Design Center. A grand opening ceremony was held with the media, customers, integrators and other special guests on Tuesday, October 15th, previewing the space which offers visitors an expansive roster of “hands-on” experiences and even includes a “workshop” for true first-person experiences where visitors can – among other things – discover new possibilities they didn’t know existed.

See more on this all-new flagship Crestron Experience Center in Manhattan

[Read more…] about Crestron Opens Impressive NYC Experience Center Showcasing Resi & Commercial Tech

AVPro Global Announces Appointments in MXnet Systems Group & Commercial

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AVPro Global logo

AVPro Global continues its rapid expansion with two major announcements this week, one in its MXnet Systems Group and another in Commercial Sales. Yet another sign of the company’s continued growth, AVPro Global continues to build out its infrastructure to better take advantage of market opportunities the company has identified.

The company has appointed Andy Herron and Deby Jimenez to its MXnet Systems Group and Jerrie Anderson to oversee the company’s commercial business development.

Learn more on these new additions at AVPro Global…

[Read more…] about AVPro Global Announces Appointments in MXnet Systems Group & Commercial

Emerald Expo Releases Registration Data for CEDIA Expo & CIX 2024

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The Crestron booth at CEDIA Expo 2023 which is put on by Emerald Expo
CEDIA Expo 2023

Emerald Will No Longer Report Event Attendance Numbers

Once again, the industry gathered to celebrate the world of custom integration last month at the CEDIA Expo 2024 in Denver, Colorado. An annual event that is part business conference, part education/training confab, and part social get-together & party, many in the industry look forward to this one-time seminal event in anticipation of finding the seeds of future business growth in the innovation shown there.

This week, Emerald Expositions released the registration numbers for CEDIA Expo & Commercial Integrator Expo 2024 (CIX), but did not disclose the verified attendance number. At first, I thought this was an oversight…

See more on data from CEDIA Expo 2024…

[Read more…] about Emerald Expo Releases Registration Data for CEDIA Expo & CIX 2024

Split Decision: A Masimo Win and an Apple Win in High Stakes Legal War

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An annotated illustration from a 2005 smartwatch patent discovered by Masimo containing technology like an Apple patent in 2021
An annotated copy of an illustration from a 2005 patent for a smartwatch (Kotanagi) containing the same or substantially similar technology that Apple was granted a patent for in 2021

While many things have changed in the wake of Joe Kiani’s exit from Masimo Corporation (Nasdaq: MASI) – and many more changes are likely still to come – one thing continues on, the many lawsuits existing between Masimo and Apple Inc (Nasdaq: AAPL). And in the last few days, we have learned of two significant developments in that regard. One is a significant win for Masimo…and the other a significant win for Apple.

However, the war between these combatants continues…

[Read more…] about Split Decision: A Masimo Win and an Apple Win in High Stakes Legal War

SVS Sets a New Reference Standard with All-New 17-Ultra R|Evolution Subwoofers

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SVS PB17-Ultra R|Evolution subwoofer

SVS, an independent manufacturer of subwoofers, speakers, wireless audio, cables, and accessories announced this week that it has outdone itself – launching a beast of a subwoofer design that raises the bar in low-frequency performance. The company tells me that the launch of this new design is “a momentous day for SVS.”

Learn about the 17-Ultra R|Evolution flagship subwoofers

[Read more…] about SVS Sets a New Reference Standard with All-New 17-Ultra R|Evolution Subwoofers

Sonos Announces ‘New Commitments’ to Consumers; Analyst Issues Double Downgrade

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Sonos Ace headphones
Is she winking at me? Or wincing in the pain of Sonos’ problems?

Sonos (Nasdaq: SONO) announced this week that it was issuing new quality and customer experience “commitments,” as it seeks to rebuild its deteriorating reputation in the wake of a disastrous app launch earlier this year that has caused many, if not most, Sonos systems to stop operating properly – if they operate at all. There has been tremendous upheaval among Sonos customers who have reacted angrily and negatively on Sonos-related message boards and other social media sites.

And now, just last week, Morgan Stanley analysts issued a rare “double downgrade” on Sonos shares – a significant ratings drop indicating that it expects the value of Sonos stock to underperform the market in the near- and mid-term future. Morgan Stanley’s analysis of why this double downgrade was necessary is pretty devastating.

See more on the Sonos slide and its attempts to turn things around

[Read more…] about Sonos Announces ‘New Commitments’ to Consumers; Analyst Issues Double Downgrade

Supply Chain Nightmares Return; Union Strikes at 36 Eastern & Gulf Ports

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The supply chain stressed by port strikes
Cargo ship loaded in New York container terminal at night viewed from Elizabeth NJ

On Tuesday this week, at precisely 12:01 a.m., 45,000 dockworkers in 36 ports up and down the East Coast and throughout the Gulf of Mexico went on strike. That sentence should send a shiver down your spine because, yes folks, a new supply chain nightmare has begun. This possibility has been on my radar screen for a couple of weeks, but I hesitated to write about it because I was hopeful that negotiations would yield a resolution that would prevent this nightmare from happening…and then I would have been accused of fear mongering.

But negotiations did not yield a solution…so here we are!

See more on a new supply chain nightmare

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Savant Announcements, Taken in Whole, Offer a Picture of a Smarter Smart Home

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A Savant smart home

Savant released several announcements at CEDIA Expo 2024, each of which was interesting on its own. Seeing these announcements reminded me of some of its past announcements – such as the acquisition of GE Lighting and J Geiger Shading – that were also interesting in their own right.

But only when you start putting these and other company developments together, like individual pieces of a mosaic, does a picture emerge of just where Savant is headed. And that picture…is truly compelling one of a smarter Smart Home.

See the Savant picture that emerges from multiple announcements

[Read more…] about Savant Announcements, Taken in Whole, Offer a Picture of a Smarter Smart Home