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Happy Independence Day!
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May New Home Sales Drop 13.7%, the Largest Drop in Three Years
The latest government data on sales of newly built residential homes in May showed a significant drop of 13.7% as compared with revised sales in April. This data is a sign of continuing struggles for the housing industry, which is grappling with material cost increases and hesitant buyers concerned about still-high mortgage rates and the future of the economy.
Learn more about May’s new home sales dropping
[Read more…] about May New Home Sales Drop 13.7%, the Largest Drop in Three YearsLatest Yelp Data Shows Q1 Interest in Home Theater Installation was Up 562%
Yelp, the social media site that was started to help you find the best local Chinese takeout, but now covers a very wide range of interests, such as home improvement, has released a comprehensive report of the latest trends in site user interest. In a report titled 2025 Summer Home & Outdoor Trends, Yelp noted a recent surge in user interest in a wide variety of home remodeling projects, including a huge leap in those making project requests for “home theater installation,” up 562% as compared to 2024.
See more on the surprising Yelp trend data for 2025…
[Read more…] about Latest Yelp Data Shows Q1 Interest in Home Theater Installation was Up 562%Josh.ai Announces It’s Partnering with SoCal Rep Firm Unified Representatives
Josh.ai (Josh) expands its market presence by partnering with Southern California-based manufacturer representative firm Unified Representatives. Josh calls Unified Representatives “a premier manufacturers’ rep firm” who will support what it says is its “rapidly growing dealer base” in Southern California.
See more on Josh.ai partnering with Unified Representatives
[Read more…] about Josh.ai Announces It’s Partnering with SoCal Rep Firm Unified RepresentativesAVPro Edge Expands Commercial Distribution in the Middle East; Partners with Keyston Dist
AVPro Edge, part of the AVPro Global group of companies, announced this week that it has expanded its commercial channel distribution in the GCC region, part of the Middle East, by partnering with Keyston Distribution Fzco. This move, which the company calls a “strategic step,” will help further extend its presence in this major world region.
Learn more about AVPro Edge & Keyston Distribution in the GCC Region
[Read more…] about AVPro Edge Expands Commercial Distribution in the Middle East; Partners with Keyston DistCambridge Audio Dispatches Summer Heat w/ Cool New Products – Evo 150 SE & Melomania A100
Cambridge Audio seems to be single-handedly attempting to dispatch the intense summer heat by introducing two new products that are pretty darn cool – the Evo 150 SE Streaming Amplifier and the Melomania A100 true wireless earbuds. Both embody the traditional strengths of Cambridge Audio products with thoughtful component selection and matching, careful engineering, and extensive listening/tuning.
Learn more about Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE and Melomania A100
[Read more…] about Cambridge Audio Dispatches Summer Heat w/ Cool New Products – Evo 150 SE & Melomania A100After Years of Member Requests, CEDIA is Finally Launching a Smart Home Consumer Campaign
The Magic of a Smart Home
The Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) announced on Tuesday that it is launching its first-ever consumer advertising campaign – something members have been asking it to do for years. The campaign is a professionally conceived, created, produced, and now distributed advertisement that includes, amongst other things, a 60-second video that educates consumers on the “magic” of a well-designed smart home and the need for a professional installer.
Learn more about the new CEDIA Magic of Smart Home consumer campaign
[Read more…] about After Years of Member Requests, CEDIA is Finally Launching a Smart Home Consumer CampaignEpic Saga of THIEL Continues as Gary Dayton Acquires Coherent Source Svc
One of the remarkable stories to emerge from the demise of high-end loudspeaker brand THIEL Audio, which went out of business in 2018, was the phoenix-like rising of THIEL Service from the ashes of the bankrupt company. Long-time head of service Rob Gillum, sensing the continuing needs of a significant installed base of THIEL owners, purchased service-connected assets out of the bankrupt company and launched the independent Coherent Source Service (CSS), a full-fledged repair center dedicated to servicing the ongoing needs of THIEL legacy model owners everywhere.
Now, in the wake of Rob Gillum’s recent retirement, CSS has been acquired by Gary Dayton, another long-time THIEL service executive (trained by Gillum), who seeks to carry on the mantle of offering THIEL owners ongoing exceptional service of THIEL legacy products.
Learn all about this latest transition of Coherent Source Service
[Read more…] about Epic Saga of THIEL Continues as Gary Dayton Acquires Coherent Source SvcStreaming Surpasses Linear TV in Viewership for the First Time in May
Beginning in 2021, Nielsen – a global leader in audience measurement – began tracking the share of viewership between legacy linear providers (broadcast and cable) and streaming services. Since the launch of that tracking, streaming has been continually gaining on linear TV. Now, the latest data from Nielsen shows that streaming has overtaken linear TV for the first time in May.
See more on streaming exceeding linear TV
[Read more…] about Streaming Surpasses Linear TV in Viewership for the First Time in MayHousing Starts Slide in May; Hits the Slowest Pace in 5 Years
Surprising news on Wednesday as we learn that the latest residential construction data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development show that overall housing starts in May dropped a substantial 9.8% compared to the reading in April, and ranks below May 2024 starts by 4.6%. This is the slowest pace in housing starts in the last five years.
