New residential sales data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development show a sharp rise in the sale of newly constructed homes for the month of December. This is the second month in a row when sales of new homes rose as compared to the sales the previous month and are at the highest rate of sales since March – a nine-month high.
Let’s Get Physical! Vinyl Sales Up >51%, CD Sales Up for First Time in 17-yrs
Musicians Counterattack, Gain Against the Geeks
In the latest report from the music world, we learned two surprising facts: First, for the first time in 17-years, retail sales of physical compact discs actually increased. And second, for the first time since 1991, vinyl records are the most popular physical media format. It’s big news and much of the media – even mainstream news outlets like CNN – reported on this development. It appears to be part of a surprising swing by consumers back to physical media, as sales of vinyl records in 2021 saw a stunning year-over-year increase of 51.4% – the biggest increase of ANY format, physical or streaming.
What the heck is going on here?
See more on physical media clawing its way back into the hearts of consumers
[Read more…] about Let’s Get Physical! Vinyl Sales Up >51%, CD Sales Up for First Time in 17-yrsSnap One Acquires Canadian Distributor Staub Electronics
Snap One announced on Thursday that it has acquired Staub Electronics, a distributor based in Canada who has been the Snap One distributor there for ten years as an independent entity. Snap One says this “strategic move” will “elevate [the] partner experience in Canada.”
See more on Snap One’s acquisition of Staub Electronics
[Read more…] about Snap One Acquires Canadian Distributor Staub ElectronicsKaleidescape Appoints Craig Sholder as Chief Revenue Officer
Kaleidescape announced on Wednesday that they have appointed Craig Sholder as chief revenue officer (CRO). The appointment is effective immediately.
See more on Kaleidescape’s new CRO
[Read more…] about Kaleidescape Appoints Craig Sholder as Chief Revenue OfficerCineluxe: All You Need to Know About Luxury Home Entertainment
A little more than ten miles south of Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, you come to a tiny, unincorporated area known as Murrells Inlet. Known as the Seafood Capital of South Carolina (or at least that is what they say), like many seashore areas, Murrells Inlet is a true lifestyle community where residents and visitors enjoy outdoor living, great seafood restaurants, gorgeous beaches, lots of wildlife in the natural marshlands, and more. It is also where you’ll find Custom Theater & Audio, a custom integration business co-owned and managed by John Sciacca – and just one of the many hats he wears.
Now, adding yet another hat, he is also the new owner of Cineluxe, an online media site seeking to provide lots of informative and interesting content – as well as added support – for the luxury home entertainment consumer.
Learn more about John Sciacca and Cineluxe
[Read more…] about Cineluxe: All You Need to Know About Luxury Home EntertainmentSamsung Sent Jets to Return 20 COVID-Infected Execs & Staff at CES 2022
How Many Infected at CES? CTA & NV Health Official’s Won’t Say
Multiple media outlets, including the venerable Reuters News Agency, are reporting that Samsung Electronics chartered two jets to return a total of 20 of their executives and staff who became infected with COVID-19 at CES 2022. In addition to this, South Korean health officials are reporting that a total of 70 Korean nationals – including the 20 Samsung employees – returned (or are trying to return) from CES infected by COVID.
Was CES 2022 an echo of the rumored CES 2020 super-spreader event?
[Read more…] about Samsung Sent Jets to Return 20 COVID-Infected Execs & Staff at CES 2022CEDIA CIT Certification Awarded Global Accreditation
The Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) announced today that its Cabling & Infrastructure Technician (CIT) Certification has received third-party accreditation which means that it conforms with the global ISO/IEC 17024:2012, General Requirements for Bodies Operating Certification of Persons standards. This is according to the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), a subsidiary of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which oversaw the process that determined the CIT Certification program fully conforms with ISO/IEC 17024 global standards.
See more on the CEDIA CIT accreditation…
[Read more…] about CEDIA CIT Certification Awarded Global AccreditationISE Postpones February Show Due to Rising Omicron Infections
Taking Action to Prioritize Attendee Safety
Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), a popular custom integration trade show that takes place in Barcelona, Spain, announced this week that the show managers have decided to postpone the event from its originally scheduled run of February 1-4, 2022 to now May 10-13, 2022. The reason for the postponement is due to the rapid rise of Omicron-variant COVID-19 infections in Spain as well as its impact on international travel overall.
See more on the ISE decision to postpone the show…
[Read more…] about ISE Postpones February Show Due to Rising Omicron InfectionsPortal Adds Robert Keeler as Director of Vendor Services
Portal.io, an industry-leading cloud-based proposal tool, announced this week that well-known industry veteran Robert (Rob) Keeler has joined their team as Director of Vendor Services. Rob has worked in various roles with several top industry brands, most of which are the leading brands in their respective categories.
Learn more about Robert Keeler at Portal
[Read more…] about Portal Adds Robert Keeler as Director of Vendor ServicesGoliath Has Fallen; Sonos Prevails Over Google in ITC Patent Action
But Did Google Ultimately Outsmart Them?
I don’t think it’s possible for me to overstate the significance of what just happened last week when, in a final decision from the U.S. International Trade Commission, the full panel affirmed a commission judge’s ruling that Google had in fact infringed on five patents held by Sonos. It is a real-life version of the bible story of David versus Goliath. Make no mistake, this David’s win may change our industry in fundamental ways.