Strategy in TECH...
Azione Unlimited, a national buying group of specialty retailers and integrators, said today it has added several lines of products from the Core Brands’ stable of brands to its mix. The Core Brands lines added include BlueBOLT, Furman, Panamax, and Xantech.
As we mentioned in our CE Week overview, the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) held a panel discussion on the current status of the high-resolution audio market (Hi-Res Audio) much like they did last year. It was conducted in much the same way, with essentially the same panel (minus any supporting hardware manufacturers) and, with a couple of exceptions, covered pretty much the same ground.
The National Association of Home Builders has completed a comprehensive survey of home builders to learn what features home buyers are asking for in homes being built today. The survey, which the association conducts every year, showed a huge shift in priorities this year and reflects a fundamental shift in consumer preferences – a shift that will also impact the custom integration industry.
The Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) announced on Monday that it is looking for a CEO to run the trade group. The organization has retained Korn/Ferry, one of the largest and most renowned executive search firms in the country, to conduct a comprehensive search for a new – and judging from the posted profile – heavyweight CEO.
In a joint release this week from both Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG) and the Home Technology Specialists Association (HTSA), the partners announced the creation of a new entity that they call the Home Technology Specialists of Nationwide (HTSN). The announcement, that surprised many in the industry…and had some scratching their heads trying to see the fit…said that this new alliance will offer new business opportunities for their respective members and vendors. It also, largely due to the size of Nationwide, creates the “largest buying and marketing collaboration” in the industry.
With many just getting their arms wrapped around the new HDMI 2.0 specification, we now learn that the HDMI Forum – parent of HDMI Licensing, LLC – has released a new HDMI 2.0a specification. This new spec update is said to add support for high dynamic range (HDR) transmissions.
Azione Unlimited, a retail buying group of custom integrators, announced today that it has partnered with Sony Corp. to offer its line to Azione’s nationwide membership. The group will carry products from Sony’s AV specialty and custom integration channel division.
Anuva Automation’s TiO division held a meeting at CES 2015 Monday evening with its national sales force to deliver an important message – they have arrived…and they can prove it. TiO (which is short for Turn It On) has had a long and, at times, troubled history – which has caused some in the industry to question its viability. And it was this question mark that the company sought to permanently erase from the doubters’ minds.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the undisputed global leader in TVs and other key products, launched its CES 2015 press conference in a pattern familiar to those of us who have attended them over the years. But there was one moment in this carefully scripted presentation this year that caught our attention…a moment unlike any other we’ve experienced before at a Samsung presentation. It was a moment when the company actually sounded a touch…defensive.
