Strategy in TECH...
Russound announced this week that it is partnering with Jetbuilt, a project management software tool that is popular with custom integrators. Separately, the company announced the new products it will be focusing on during the upcoming CEDIA Expo 2022 event.
Lithe Audio, a London, U.K.-based designer and manufacturer of unique, all-in-one, wireless streaming music solutions announced on Wednesday that it is entering the U.S. market for the first time at CEDIA Expo 2022. The company is experienced in supplying products to European commercial and residential channels since its founding in 2014 and is now expanding its distribution here in America. With a unique line of products, such as all-in-one powered in-ceiling/in-wall, surface mount, and outdoor speaker solutions, the company offers a new approach to system configurations.
Back in August 2020, I told you about Koss Corporation filing patent infringement claims against Apple Inc, Bose Corporation, PEAG LLC (JLAB Audio), Plantronics, and Skullcandy. It seemed like an improbable journey for the relatively small specialty headphone maker, but they plunged ahead anyway confident that their wireless audio patents had been unfairly infringed.
This week, after two years of legal battles that had intensified in 2022 and on the eve of a jury trial with mighty Apple, Inc. the two parties reached an agreement settling all disputes in a deal that looks really sweet for Koss.
Crestron Electronics, Inc. (Crestron) announced today a firmware update that adds Spotify Connect to its growing selection of streaming music services available through its recently-launched DM NAX 8-Zone Network Streaming Amplifier. With Spotify Connect in the DM NAX’s firmware, users get “an elevated music experience” the company says, with control available directly through the Spotify music service or via any Crestron interface.
In a world where many brands are building “planned obsolescence” into their products such that after some period of time customers are forced to buy new versions of their products to replace the old, Bryston takes the opposite approach. Instead of forcing you into NEW models, the company wants to help keep past purchasers of Bryston gear in wedded bliss with their OLD “vintage” gear via a new Back to the Future product restoration service.
Today Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) launched the all-new Px7 S2 wireless noise-canceling headphones, designed to replace the previous PX7 that the company says was an “award-winning” product. A premium grade set of headphones, B&W says the new Px7 S2 will “deliver the most detailed, natural and immersive sound available – the True Sound of the artist’s intent.”
Autonomic Controls, Inc. (Autonomic) announced Wednesday the launch of the all-new Mirage OS 7.0 operating system and the Advanced Music Bridge (AMB), both of which add exciting new features and capabilities to the company’s existing installed base of eSeries Mirage Media Streamers. The company touts the AMB as a clever way to add value to their products already in the field by providing new features now, rather than forcing users to wait for future, more extensive hardware launches.
Allterco Robotics Shelly line of smart devices for residential and commercial applications appears to be gaining momentum as more and more integrators discover the line’s unique problem-solving capabilities. At least part of what is driving additional pickup by integrators is the collaboration between Allterco Robotics and URC for deep integration of Shelly devices as part of its Total Control line of home automation solutions.
Russound, a designer/developer/manufacturer of innovative audio products for the integration channel, launched an array of new products for 2022 at ISE (Integrated Systems Europe) 2022 earlier this month at the Gran Via in Barcelona, Spain. These interesting new products include a new series of landscape and rock speakers; a new, next-generation Bluetooth source kit; and a new “ultimate” Android touchscreen.
Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM), part of the Asahi Kasei Corporation, and one of the world’s most significant providers of integrated circuits, particularly digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), launched a new flagship stereo DAC at the IPS/High End 2022 Show last week in Munich, Germany. It is yet another notable milestone in the company’s long journey to recovery after the horrific impact of the signal event of the pandemic supply chain disaster in 2020 – a massive factory fire that destroyed a key production fab, first reported in our industry by Strata-gee.
But…can the company recover quickly enough to make a difference?
