Only six months to go and word has emerged that the Consumer Technology Association – the trade group behind the annual Consumer Electronics show – has proactively taken steps to avoid repeating the mistakes that caused them to endure a plethora of embarrassing headlines last year. The controversy, a self-inflicted wound, surrounded the Association’s awarding – then rescinding – of a CES 2019 Innovation Award…and retroactive cancellation of booth space for that company. The news dominated the early headlines during the January 2019 event…mostly because the matter involved sex.
Products
LG Adds Apple AirPlay 2 & HomeKit to Select TVs
Says It’s the First Global TV Maker to Support HomeKit

LG Electronics announced today that starting tomorrow Apple AirPlay and HomeKit will be available on its 2019 Thinq AI TV line. The company says this makes them the first global television manufacturer to support HomeKit.
See more on LG offering Apple HomeKit on its TVs…
[Read more…] about LG Adds Apple AirPlay 2 & HomeKit to Select TVsJames Loudspeaker Says Size Definitely Does Matter, So Go Micro

James Loudspeaker, an innovative manufacturer of architectural speaker products for the residential and commercial custom integration industry, announced this week that they have redesigned their speaker grilles to a new Microperf-style for their small aperture product line. The new Microperf design is sure to be popular with architects, designers, integrators and end-users as it helps to more perfectly visually blend the speakers into the surrounding environment.
See more on James Loudspeaker’s new Microperf speaker grilles…
[Read more…] about James Loudspeaker Says Size Definitely Does Matter, So Go MicroFinding His Voiz

In consumer electronics, we tend to find products separated into certain ranges or categories, largely based on the intended target market. There are high-end/high-performance products targeted for audio aficionados (aka audiophiles) that tend to be better performing, but at a higher price. And then there are inexpensive items targeted to the mainstream consumer who likes the looks or features – such as a nostalgia look – but isn’t willing to pay much extra for performance…because that’s not necessarily their “thing.”
But like “East” and “West,” these two things almost never meet together in one product. Never, that is, until product design expert Hiro Ogura launched his Voiz lossless streaming smart speaker.
See why Voiz is unique…
[Read more…] about Finding His VoizMore Interesting Finds From CE Week
See Vizio, Focal & Caavo Tech

Perhaps this story will be a bit of a mirror of my experience from CE Week, some short takes on the interesting stories and technologies I uncovered there. Nothing was particularly earth-shattering…but that doesn’t mean that there weren’t many interesting items. So I encourage you to read on…
See more interesting tech found at CE Week…
[Read more…] about More Interesting Finds From CE WeekCE Week: Acoustic Innovations Wallscapes Improves Both Design & Sound of Rooms

At CE Week last month, I was prepared to see the usual crop of gadgets and doodads designed to be sold to the masses through the retail channel. However this year, I was pleased to see a few more exhibitors offering products responsive to the custom integration channel. That includes the acoustics experts from Acoustic Innovations.
See what Acoustic Innovations showed at CE Week…
[Read more…] about CE Week: Acoustic Innovations Wallscapes Improves Both Design & Sound of RoomsCE Week: Motorola Says a Smart Home Needs a Smart Safe

Smart home and security solutions were all over CE Week last month in Manhattan at the Jacob Javits Center. One solution I saw that hits both of those markets was the cleverly designed Smart Safe by Motorola. Didn’t think you needed your really dumb safe to be smart? Didn’t think you needed a safe at all? You may rethink all that when you hear Motorola’s pitch for their Flex and Bolt Smart Safe.
Why a Motorola Smart Safe…
[Read more…] about CE Week: Motorola Says a Smart Home Needs a Smart SafeCE Week: Plott AR/XR Measuring Tools May Change Everything

One of the more interesting booths I visited at CE Week earlier this month was by a company called Plott, a startup that offers very cool digital interactive measuring tools featuring augmented reality (AR) – or what they like to call extended reality (XR) – technology that interacts with an app on your smartphone in remarkable ways. This could be a game changer not only for the consumer, but for the construction, remodeling, custom integration communities as well.
See more on the very clever Plott tools…
[Read more…] about CE Week: Plott AR/XR Measuring Tools May Change EverythingLenbrook Responds to Sonos Lawsuit, It Will ‘Defend Vigorously the Claims’

Strata-gee reported yesterday that late last week Sonos had filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Lenbrook Industries Limited and Lenbrook America. This suit, which is almost identical to the one Sonos had successfully pursued with D&M Holdings and Denon over its HEOS line, was resolved in Sonos’s favor a little over a year ago.
Now we have Lenbrook’s response to this development – the company says it will “defend vigorously the claims of patent infringement made by computer audio company Sonos…”
See what else Lenbrook had to say about the Sonos suit…
[Read more…] about Lenbrook Responds to Sonos Lawsuit, It Will ‘Defend Vigorously the Claims’Music System Sales Sagging, Sonos Un-Leashes Lawyers to Raise Revenues
BREAKING NEWS

Strata-gee reported just yesterday that Sonos, Inc. has sued Lenbrook Industries Ltd. & Lenbrook America – the maker & marketer of Bluesound – for patent infringement. Undoubtedly emboldened by their near-complete victory over Denon’s HEOS brand a little over a year ago, Sonos appears to have targeted Lenbrook to be next in line.
However, Strata-gee has learned that Lenbrook is not the only company targeted for such potential actions by Sonos. There are more – perhaps many more – in our industry lined up for this “hit” parade.





