Franklin Karp, a seasoned industry executive who has fought and won many market battles during his career has launched a full-service consulting company called, logically enough, Franklin Karp & Co. That’s right, you can gain access to his smart missiles and other superior intellectual weaponry to help you win your market battles too.
Crestron Research Center is Renamed in Honor of Founder George Feldstein
In the summer of 2019, just months before the onset of COVID-19, Crestron Electronics, Inc. (Crestron) invited me to tour several of their facilities, including the lab at the heart of almost everything they do…the Research Center. It was beyond impressive, and I’ve been in some really impressive labs in my career. At the time, I said it was “like Disneyland for geeks.” That includes geeks like me!
Now, in honor of the company’s founder, Crestron has renamed the facility the George Feldstein Technology Center. This is a fitting tribute to the man who spent his days there constantly tinkering with new products, product concepts, and technology.
See more on this Crestron announcement
[Read more…] about Crestron Research Center is Renamed in Honor of Founder George FeldsteinMore Data Emerges That Points to a Slowing Economy
I’ve put together a compendium of data that emerged this week that continues to point to the reality of a slowing economy. The picture gets clearer as more economic measures, including non-traditional measures like the Fluffy Puppy Indicator and home foreclosures reinforce the thinking of economists that more drastic action by the Fed to get inflation under control may lead us into the “R” word…recession.
See my compendium of some new, and some non-traditional data on the economy
[Read more…] about More Data Emerges That Points to a Slowing EconomyTampa Integrators Angered as Supplier Becomes Competitor
Owners of Distributor DOW Technologies Launch Integrator SMARTSolutions
For years, many Tampa, FL-area integrators relied upon distributor Dow Technologies as a valued supply partner for the technology solutions they needed to complete their system designs and installations. But not long ago, the owners of Dow Technologies acquired an integration business and merged it with their existing satellite installation business to create a new Tampa integrator they call SMARTSolutions – and now many of those same integrators say a partner…has become a competitor. And they are quite angry about it…
See more on Tampa integrators and Dow Technologies
[Read more…] about Tampa Integrators Angered as Supplier Becomes CompetitorStewart Filmscreen Acquired by Shackleton Equity Partners
BREAKING NEWS
Multiple sources report – and I have confirmed – that stalwart screen maker Stewart Filmscreen has been acquired by Shackleton Equity Partners, a private equity company. The deal is said to have gone down just days ago and Stewart now has a new chairman, Mark Schelbert, who is also a managing director at Shackleton.
See more on the acquisition of Stewart Filmscreen
[Read more…] about Stewart Filmscreen Acquired by Shackleton Equity PartnersSmart Savant 3-Point Strategy to Beat Supply Chain Shortages and Fill Orders
I’m not sure that anyone in Tech has done more than Strata-gee to report on the issue of the failing supply chain and its at times ruinous impact on our industry. My very first report on the supply chain – AKM Fire: 2020 was Almost Over, Then Disaster Struck Again – is the second most-read story I’ve ever written in my life. I had always assumed that the issue was so big that everyone was affected equally.
But then I discovered, almost by accident, that one company has a clever strategy to beat the shortages. That company is Savant, and their strategy is equal parts brilliant…and a bit insane.
See how Savant has mostly beaten the supply chain shortage that bedevils other brands…
[Read more…] about Smart Savant 3-Point Strategy to Beat Supply Chain Shortages and Fill OrdersNew Epiphan Video Service Ups Quality for Hybrid Workers w/ Microsoft Teams
Epiphan Connect Delivers a Better Conferencing Experience
Epiphan Video announced today that it is launching a new cloud-based solution known as Epiphan Connect, bringing broadcast-quality live streaming capabilities to remote workers and hybrid workforce deployments via the increasingly ubiquitous Microsoft Teams. This development brings a performance upgrade to the normally experienced quality of video conferencing – a much relied upon tool of the pandemic era…and a much-maligned experience of often disappointing quality.
But there is more than just a quality upgrade in the streaming performance, there are tools to help create even more compelling content as well.
See how Epiphan Video & Microsoft Teams delivers more
[Read more…] about New Epiphan Video Service Ups Quality for Hybrid Workers w/ Microsoft TeamsOsaka District Court Approves Onkyo Bankruptcy Petition for Two Subsidiaries
Onkyo Home Entertainment Co. Ltd. (Onkyo) has announced that its two consolidated subsidiaries – Onkyo Sound Co. Ltd. (ONS) and Onkyo Marketing Co. Ltd (OMC) – have filed for bankruptcy. The company said that it had petitioned the court to begin bankruptcy proceedings for these divisions and has received judicial approval to begin the bankruptcy process from the Osaka District Court in Osaka, Japan.
See more on the bankruptcy of these Onkyo subsidiaries
[Read more…] about Osaka District Court Approves Onkyo Bankruptcy Petition for Two SubsidiariesSnap One Says Selling to All 4 Buying Groups Shows Commitment to Integrators
Snap One announced today that they are now selling to all four major custom integration buying groups (they called them “all four major CEDIA U.S. buying groups”) and that fact shows their commitment to their “integrator partners.” The company says it is now allied with Azione Unlimited, HTSA, HTSN, and ProSource “…as a key part of its long term strategy to help dealers succeed.”
Learn more about this strategy by Snap One
[Read more…] about Snap One Says Selling to All 4 Buying Groups Shows Commitment to IntegratorsBryston BR-20 Preamp/Streamer is Now Certified as Roon Ready
High-end specialty audio products maker Bryston announced today that its BR-20 Preamplifier/Bit-Perfect High-Resolution Streamer is now Roon Ready certified. This is a move that blends some of the finest audio and streaming technology with an enhanced music catalog interface that is sure to please Bryston users.