The French conglomerate Legrand’s North American subsidiary announced today that it has purchased Hebron, Kentucky-based NuVo Technologies, LLC. NuVo, a whole house audio solutions provider will continue to run as a freestanding, independent company focusing on the home audio market according to the Legrade announcement. While the products will continue to feature the NuVo brand, the company will now operate under the auspices of Legrand’s Home Systems division.
Strategy
Sharp in Talks with Intel and Qualcomm to Receive Capital Investment
BREAKING NEWS
According to multiple reports from Reuters, Nikkei and others, Sharp Corp., the troubled Japanese consumer electronics manufacturer, is in negotiations with Intel Corp. and Qualcomm Inc. about a much-needed capital investment. Sources are telling the media that Sharp may receive as much as $378 million from the companies. The news was enough to send shares of Sharp stock soaring in Japan.
See more on this surprising twist in the Sharp saga… [Read more…] about Sharp in Talks with Intel and Qualcomm to Receive Capital Investment
Onkyo Forges Global ‘Strategic Collaboration’ with Imagination Technologies Group
Out of Tokyo, Japan this past Monday came word of a new global strategic collaboration between Onkyo Corporation, U.K.-based Imagination Technologies Group, and Imagination’s consumer division known as Pure. A global technology creator, Imagination Technologies Group largely focuses on multimedia, cloud, mobile, and connected audio technologies – often licensed to major consumer brands as part of their product offerings.
See more on this technology agreement…and what it portends for future Onkyo products… [Read more…] about Onkyo Forges Global ‘Strategic Collaboration’ with Imagination Technologies Group
Where Do Consumers Prefer to See Advertisements?
Think you know how the typical consumer – if there is such a thing – feels about advertising in our new digitally-enhanced world? You just might be surprised! For example, in today’s increasingly digital world…marketers are devoting more dollars to digital media such as websites, email marketing, paid search marketing, social media marketing, and more.
But how does traditional print and broadcast media fit into our new digital marketing world?… [Read more…] about Where Do Consumers Prefer to See Advertisements?
OK, 3D HDTV Flopped – Industry Turns to Next Trick in Bag: Ultra HDTV
[PHOTO: Junko Kimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Now manufacturers have dug deep into their bag of tricks to offer 4K HDTV, also known as Ultra HDTV… [Read more…] about OK, 3D HDTV Flopped – Industry Turns to Next Trick in Bag: Ultra HDTV
Can Sharp Survive? Company’s Performance ‘Raises Serious Doubts About [Our Ability] to Continue’
Last week, we reported on a rumor out of Japan that Sharp Corp. was about to report a dismal interim net loss that was much worse than anticipated. This Wednesday, Sharp confirmed those rumors announcing an interim (Apr-Sept) operating loss of ¥168.9 billion ($2.1 billion). This result was after a ¥84.4 billion ($1.1 billion) charge for costs associated with restructuring their struggling business.
But what really has the industry and investors talking is that the company affirmed that it is likely to show a “huge” net loss for the entire fiscal year of ¥450 billion ($5.6 billion), almost double a previous estimate of ¥250 billion. It is also well above analysts’ estimate of a ¥296 billion loss according to a survey of 17 analysts by Bloomberg. [Read more…] about Can Sharp Survive? Company’s Performance ‘Raises Serious Doubts About [Our Ability] to Continue’
Best Buy Warns Profits Will Be ‘Significantly Below’ Last Year, Cuts Senior Managers
BREAKING NEWS…
After the close of the market today, Best Buy warned Wall Street that its third quarter earnings and same-store sales will be significantly below the same quarter last year. The company also announced that head of U.S. business Mike Vitelli, and other executives, will leave the company at the end of this fiscal year in early February.
But the warning to Wall Street went even further… [Read more…] about Best Buy Warns Profits Will Be ‘Significantly Below’ Last Year, Cuts Senior Managers
Sharp Shocker: Company Will Report Interim Net Loss Almost Double Their Forecast
The Nikkei reported today that it has learned from unnamed sources that Sharp Corp. is about to report a surprising interim net loss of ¥400 billion (just over $5 billion). Covering the period of their April-through-September fiscal (interim) semester, this loss is 90% worse – almost double – their most recent estimate of a ¥210 billion loss…and an full ten times worse than last years interim loss of ¥39.8 billion.
How did Sharp management get their forecast so wrong?… [Read more…] about Sharp Shocker: Company Will Report Interim Net Loss Almost Double Their Forecast
How One New York Integrator Moves Customers from Low Price to High Value
Our good friends over at JD Systems – a New York-based integrator that does both commercial and residential installations – put up an excellent post on their blog on a very sensitive topic. No, not sex…not drugs…it was on PRICE! The blog discussed the results of the J.D. Power and Associates survey we reported on earlier that sought to determine the factors that motivated consumers to purchase an HDTV. [BTW, many thanks for the mention J.D.!]
How to move customers from PRICE to VALUE? See how JD Systems handles it…
[Read more…] about How One New York Integrator Moves Customers from Low Price to High Value
In Search of Beats Replacement, Monster Turns to…Tumi?
The best briefcase I have ever owned – it has literally been around the world with me – is my Tumi leather soft-side, expandable briefcase. I still own it and whenever I go anywhere for a business meeting…it goes with me. So it caught my attention today scanning the news wire services when I saw a press release that Monster (formerly Monster Cable) was partnering with Tumi to launch a new headphone – called the Tumi x Monster – based on their existing Inspirations model.
