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Bloomberg Reporter Asks ‘Why is Sharp Still With Us?’

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Photo of Sharp solar panelWe’ve been reporting for a while now on the epic survival struggles of some of this industry’s biggest brand names in Japan…most recently Sharp Corp. Some of the changes we’re seeing now were unforeseeable even 24-36 months ago – Sony spinning off divisions, JVC Kenwood pulling out of the consumer business, Pioneer first shutting down A/V, then selling that division to Onkyo, Toshiba pulling out of TV biz, Panasonic dropping consumer business, and on and on…

Now a reporter for the respected Bloomberg View asks, “…why Sharp should still be in business?”

See more on this surprising declaration and criticism of the practices of Japan, Inc… [Read more…] about Bloomberg Reporter Asks ‘Why is Sharp Still With Us?’

With AVC Sales Declining & Losses Increasing, Did Nortek’s CEO Signal a Change?

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BREAKING NEWS

Nortek LogoNortek, Inc. on Tuesday released their fourth quarter and full year results for fiscal year 2014. The company showed sales & profit growth for the quarter – although they booked a net loss for the year. But in a conference call with analysts to discuss the Q4 results, Nortek President and CEO Michael Clarke was questioned specifically about the Audio, Video & Control Solutions (AVC) segment – and he struggled to explain why the company stays committed to the business.

See more on Nortek’s results…and on AVC’s struggles… [Read more…] about With AVC Sales Declining & Losses Increasing, Did Nortek’s CEO Signal a Change?

Sharp to Launch Major, and Painful, Restructuring

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Photo of Sharp facility in JapanOut of Osaka, Japan we learn that Sharp Corp. is about to embark on a major restructuring of its business that will likely change the company in fundamental ways. Plans call for closing domestic factories – a first for Sharp – staff cuts, and a possible exit from a major business segment for the company. Sharp is also seeking to raise capital, something that is not easy for a struggling company.

See more on this new announcement from Sharp… [Read more…] about Sharp to Launch Major, and Painful, Restructuring

AudioControl Unveils Completely Redesigned Website

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AudioControl website home sectionSeattle, WA-based AudioControl announced this week that it has completely redesigned its website seen at www.audiocontrol.com. Much more than just a new color scheme or updated fonts – AudioControl rebuilt the entire site from the ground up with all new graphics, navigation, and in-depth information.

See more on the AudioControl website upgrade… [Read more…] about AudioControl Unveils Completely Redesigned Website

Sonos/D&M Lawsuit Takes a Surprising & Slightly Dark Turn

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BREAKING NEWS

Sonos logoEarlier this month, we reported that D&M Holdings U.S., Inc. (D&M) [and Denon Electronics] had responded to the patent infringement lawsuit filed by Sonos, Inc. (Sonos) this past October by asking the judge to dismiss or throw out the case. Now, in a surprising twist of events, D&M has followed this initial left jab with a right uppercut that may result in Sonos’ attorneys getting knocked out of the case altogether – whether the judge dismisses it or not.

See more on this surprising – and slightly unusual – turn of events… [Read more…] about Sonos/D&M Lawsuit Takes a Surprising & Slightly Dark Turn

Major Changes at Tivoli Audio – DeVesto’s Out; Interim CEO Announced

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Tivoli logoBig changes are afoot at Tivoli, the quirky audio products manufacturer that had a goal of providing nicely designed, easy-to-use, high quality audio products sold largely direct-to-consumers at reasonable prices. Founded by well-known industry personality Tom DeVesto, Tivoli had, for some time, remarkable success selling an almost retro-designed table radio…at a time when most companies had abandoned that category.

Now, big changes are at play – with DeVesto out and a new Interim CEO appointed by the Tivoli board.

See more on these dramatic changes at niche-player Tivoli… [Read more…] about Major Changes at Tivoli Audio – DeVesto’s Out; Interim CEO Announced

NAD Offers Buyers of Select AVR & Pre/Pro Models a Free 4K Ultra HD Upgrade

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NAD logoNAD Electronics announced today that purchasers of select NAD audio/video receivers (AVRs) and preamp/processors (Pre/Pros) will receive a certificate for a free 4K upgrade module expected to be delivered later this year. The company says this is a $600 value and will ensure that customers can buy these products now with confidence that they won’t be left out of the latest technology revolution, 4K Ultra HD performance.

See more on this new program and learn about the upcoming module… [Read more…] about NAD Offers Buyers of Select AVR & Pre/Pro Models a Free 4K Ultra HD Upgrade

SpringDeck Adds More Rep Firms to National Salesforce

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Spring Deck logoSpringDeck, LLC announced today that it has expanded its national sales force with the addition of five more sales representative firms. The company had previously announced last month their first representative appointment of Aim High Audio.

See more on SpringDeck moving rapidly to set up their national sales network… [Read more…] about SpringDeck Adds More Rep Firms to National Salesforce

Despite Scary Sales Slide, JVC Kenwood Posts Big Profit Gains

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JVC Kenwood logoJVC Kenwood Corp. released their financial results for the first 9-months of the current fiscal year (ending March 31st) and the company points to a tremendous swing in profits as proof of the positive impact of their painful, multi-year business restructuring efforts. The company completely turned around a negative profit trend – booking an operating profit, an ordinary profit…and a ¥500 million ($4.2 million) improvement to a modest net loss.

See more on these results which occurred despite a continuing sales decline… [Read more…] about Despite Scary Sales Slide, JVC Kenwood Posts Big Profit Gains

After Fighting Idea for Years, Sony is Ready to Dump TV, A/V, & Smartphone Businesses

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Kazuo Hirai/Reuters
Kazuo Hirai/Reuters

In a revealing presentation with the press yesterday in Japan, embattled Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai told the media that the company is finally ready to consider alternatives for its TV, A/V, and smartphone businesses, including exiting them. This is a stunning turnaround in strategy, not just for the inventor of the Trinitron picture tube, but for Hirai himself who had previously identified their TV and smartphone businesses as a core categories when he first took over as CEO in 2012.

See more on Sony’s strategy to turn around their business…which has many skeptics… [Read more…] about After Fighting Idea for Years, Sony is Ready to Dump TV, A/V, & Smartphone Businesses