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Economists Predict Rapid Ramp-Up in Residential Construction

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NAHB LogoWe were fortunate enough to receive an invitation from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) allowing us to participate in their annual Fall Construction Forecast presentation, a webinar put on for the benefit of  their members last week. Boy! Are we glad we attended! Not only did the organization offer up a roster of world-class economists with really interesting insight into what’s going on in the economy – they also offered reams of really valuable data delineating the latest trends in construction.

Their predictions were – to put it mildly – shocking! Read below to find out why…

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You Knew It Was Dying, But LG Makes It Official – Plasma is Dead

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LGs logoYesterday in South Korea, LG Electronics made formal what we all knew was coming – they are ending production of all plasma display panel products. Even though we knew it was coming, somehow…it still hurts. We’ve had many an engineer tell us the plasma was the most accurate picture available – many saying they own it themselves. Certainly, they are sure to be ruing this day.

See more on this dramatic – and somewhat sad – announcement from LG… [Read more…] about You Knew It Was Dying, But LG Makes It Official – Plasma is Dead

In First Step of Transformation, Thiel Terminates Reps

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New Thiel logo black backgroundIn a notice emailed to dealers last Thursday sporting a spiffy new corporate logo, Thiel took what appears to be the first step in what is promised to be a stream of “regular communications from us” regarding the company’s transformation from a legendary audiophile loudspeaker brand to a…well to what, we just don’t know yet. But what we do know is that the company has begun this transformation by terminating its entire national independent sales representative sales force.

See what Thiel told dealers was the reason for terminating their local sales rep…

[Read more…] about In First Step of Transformation, Thiel Terminates Reps

D+M Group Issues Response to Sonos Lawsuit

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BREAKING NEWS

Earlier today, we reported that wireless music system powerhouse Sonos had filed a lawsuit against Denon in regards to its HEOS line of wireless music systems. The lawsuit alleged, among other things, infringement on four of their patents and asked the court for an injunction to stop HEOS products from being sold.

Today, we received a statement from D+M Group, the parent of Denon, in response to this lawsuit.

See the D+M Group’s statement on the Sonos lawsuit… [Read more…] about D+M Group Issues Response to Sonos Lawsuit

D-Tools & Spring Deck Announce Strategic Partnership

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Spring Deck logoD-Tools, Inc., one of the industry’s largest proposal generation software companies, and Spring Deck, LLC, a new and rapidly growing app-based sales presentation software company, have joined forces to offer a virtual end-to-end sales and proposal solution for the custom integration industry. The two companies plan to integrate their respective software platforms, offering integrators a streamlined solution that will facilitate everything from the initial sales presentation to an efficiently created proposal to final installation illustrations and materials.

See more about this partnership offering an all-new unique solution…

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Sonos Sues to Halt HEOS

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Photo of HEOS product line
HEOS product line

Congratulations Denon, your new HEOS system is so successful that wireless music monster Sonos has taken notice…and filed a lawsuit to stop it. It has been a open secret since we first learned of HEOS this past June that HEOS is meant to attack the same wireless music player market that Sonos essentially invented. Many have tried to take on Sonos…but none have come close to replicating the features and performance Sonos introduced to consumers. Until HEOS…

See more on this development. Will Denon fight? Or license?… [Read more…] about Sonos Sues to Halt HEOS

Amazon’s Mysterious Lab126 – Poised to Take Over Home Automation?

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Amazon logoOnline retail behemoth Amazon.com, Inc. has always been pretty secretive about their internal projects and initiatives. Especially so about their Lab126 hardware design division, the group responsible for the popular Kindle e-book reader…and the not-so-popular Fire phone. But a report by Reuters at the end of last month blew the tent cover back enough to get a glimpse of just what this secret lab is working on now – and home automation appears to be in their sights.

See more on Amazon’s Lab126 and what it may mean for home automation… [Read more…] about Amazon’s Mysterious Lab126 – Poised to Take Over Home Automation?

What Do Homeowners Really Want from a ‘Smart Home’ System?

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52% of Americans Say Having a Smart Home is at Least Somewhat Important to Them

Photo of Cover of Lowe's SurveyIn an new study on consumer attitudes about smart home technology, we find some interesting insights. Some seem logical…while others are a bit of a surprise. We were surprised to find out that more than half of all Americans feel that having a smart home is at least somewhat important to them. And 21% – more than one in five Americans – said having a smart home is very or fairly important to them.

Do consumers want a pro to install their smart home tech? Or will they DIY it?… [Read more…] about What Do Homeowners Really Want from a ‘Smart Home’ System?

Center of Planet Panasonic Since 1970, AV Headquarters to be Closed, Demolished & Sold

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Photo of Panasonic signIn what is surely a demonstration of a conclusive shift in its business strategy – not to mention a bit of heavy symbolism in hometown Osaka, Japan – Panasonic Corp. has announced its intentions to close, demolish and sell off the real estate of its existing AV headquarters building that served as the home of its TV and AV business since the 1970s. The center of the universe for tech-heavy Panasonic, many in Japan look to this development as a sign of the end of an era as this 160,000-sq.-meter (1.7 million-sq.-ft.) building was where the company’s TV business and digital electronics businesses were created and managed.

See more on this dramatic example of industrial change in Japan… [Read more…] about Center of Planet Panasonic Since 1970, AV Headquarters to be Closed, Demolished & Sold

Sharp Says They’ll Be First to Market with 8K TVs – Plans 2015 Start

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Image of large UHDTV Screen

Sharp Corporation has announced in Japan that it intends to be the first company in the world to bring 8K LCD TVs to market – and says it will begin making them in 2015. Sharp made the comments at CEATEC, a major trade show for the IT and CE industries taking place right now in Japan.

Are you ready for 8K?… [Read more…] about Sharp Says They’ll Be First to Market with 8K TVs – Plans 2015 Start