Strata-gee.com

Strategy in TECH...

You are here: Home / Archives for Brands

Brands

More Thiel Turmoil – Is It Closed? Is It Open?

by 16 Comments

Significant Staff Terminations Drop Headcount

New Thiel Audio logoWe are hearing from multiple sources both public and private that Thiel Audio has ceased operations, effective November 30, 2017. If true, the news would be a sad punctuation to the end of the story of a once proud  high-end audio brand that since 2012 has endured multiple CEO’s and their changing business plans. Current CEO Elyse McKenna is, by our count, the fifth CEO at Thiel since the end of 2012 – a year which started with co-founder Kathy Gornik as the CEO who then sold the company to David B. Griffin, a wealthy farmer and landowner according to our sources.

But, apparently, the answer to the question posed in our headline is that it depends on who you ask. CEO Elyse McKenna, in a telephone interview this afternoon, denied that Thiel is closed and tells us the company remains open for business.

See more on this confusing news on Thiel… [Read more…] about More Thiel Turmoil – Is It Closed? Is It Open?

Long Simmering Sonos vs. D&M Lawsuit is Now Boiling Over

by 5 Comments

Trial is Next Week; Sonos Makes Big Mistake

Sonos logoEver since Sonos filed their patent infringement case against D&M Holdings – in reference to its then new HEOS line – things started out like the opening salvo in a boxing match. That was over three years ago in October 2014 and after an initial flurry, including the filing of a countersuit by D&M Holdings, the event went on to settle down into more of a wrestling match, as opposed to boxing. Each side jockeyed for leverage on the other, with our judgment giving a slight advantage to Sonos, whose legal team seemed just slightly better in their approach perhaps even winning over the judge in a series of mostly favorable rulings.

Now, on the eve of trial and in front of a new judge, things are really moving from its long, low simmer to a boil – in fact, boiling over in the days leading up to trial next week starting December 11.

See recent developments just days before commencement of trial… [Read more…] about Long Simmering Sonos vs. D&M Lawsuit is Now Boiling Over

Gibson Stuns the Music World, Shuts Down Cakewalk

by 5 Comments

Acquired in 2013, Cakewalk was Killed for Philips, Gibson Says

Cakewalk logoIn what many in the industry are suggesting is yet another indicator of struggles at Gibson Brands, the company announced a little over a week ago that it would wind down operations at Cakewalk Inc., a popular music creation software company it owns. Music industry-centric websites around the internet exploded with largely critical coverage of the move, and comments on Cakewalk’s website are decidedly negative – both sad and angry – as customers seek to process the shocking news.

See more on yet another move by struggling Gibson…

[Read more…] about Gibson Stuns the Music World, Shuts Down Cakewalk

Quirky Shinola Launches New Headphone Line, Made in Detroit

by Leave a Comment

Can of ShinolaQuirky Shinola, the scrappy Detroit, MI-based manufacturer of an eclectic collection of disconnected product lines, including watches, bicycles, leather goods, jewelry and, now, audio, has introduced a line of headphones, including over-ear, on-ear, and in-ear models. The company, which is owned by Bedrock Manufacturing Company, LLC, is as much an experiment in bringing manufacturing back to bankrupt Detroit, as it is a power brand.

See more on this new headphone line from Shinola… [Read more…] about Quirky Shinola Launches New Headphone Line, Made in Detroit

Gibson Brands: Putting Its Assets On the Line

by 1 Comment

Sells Warehouse & Property for $6 Million

Gibson_Bus_Fleet-1

Gibson Brands, Inc. has reached an agreement to sell its property on a half-acre in the North Gulch area of Nashville, TN to a private equity group for $6.38 million, according to a report by the Tennessean. The property includes an unused Gibson warehouse. The purchase was by Somera Road Inc., who worked in partnership with Tricera Capital, a Miami, FL private equity company.

See more on this Gibson Brands deal, which may not be done yet…

[Read more…] about Gibson Brands: Putting Its Assets On the Line

Nearly 60% of Prime Users Say No to Amazon Key

by 3 Comments

Photo of Amazon Key service deliverConsumer’s Front Door an Impenetrable Barrier to Online Delivery People

Gifted visionaries like Jeff Bezos can image amazing products and convenient services. For example, like designing the world’s easiest online shopping site…and, dreaming of having consumers purchase goods online to be delivered IN their home. Today, in 37 cities across the United States, Amazon is launching its new delivery service where deliveries are placed past your temporarily unlocked front door and placed into your home…thanks to a special $250 door lock and cloud camera packaged solution that can be temporarily opened for the delivery person, called Amazon Key.

See what Amazon Prime subscribers think of Key in a survey by Recode… [Read more…] about Nearly 60% of Prime Users Say No to Amazon Key

Lawyer Warns: Alexa is ‘Betraying You’

by 3 Comments

Smart Devices Put 1st Amendment Rights at Risk, Lawyer Says

Photo of Robert Stahl
Robert G. Stahl
Stahl Criminal Defense Lawyers

As we perused the newswire services Monday, one release, from a New Jersey criminal defense law firm, caught our eye. Titled, “Are Your Smart Devices Betraying You?” the release was written more like a poison warning label than a news release. Your smart device, Westfield, NJ-based Stahl Criminal Defense Lawyers said, are “always on and potentially recording or transmitting.”

You should be concerned Stahl says, as your First Amendment rights are at risk… [Read more…] about Lawyer Warns: Alexa is ‘Betraying You’

Gibson Brands Continues to Show Signs of Strain

by 1 Comment

Downsizing Factory & Dilution of Onkyo Ownership

Logo for Gibson BrandsRecent developments have thrust Gibson Brands back into the spotlight once again – a spot that CEO Henry Juszkiewicz doesn’t particularly enjoy, unless he’s there on his own terms. But this time, two tidbits of news have conspired to bring Gibson, and their financial challenges to the fore. And as we try to digest all of this, it’s clear that Gibson is continuing to show signs of strain due to sluggish results from its aggressive diversification into consumer electronics jeopardizing its ability to deal with looming huge debt payments on the loans used to acquire CE brands.

See the news that shines a light on Gibson’s troubled financial position… [Read more…] about Gibson Brands Continues to Show Signs of Strain

Samsung Surprises LG with Viral Video OLED Slam

by 1 Comment

12-Hour ‘Image Retention’ Test to Make OLED Look Bad

Image from Samsung videoKorean media is reporting that a nasty fight has erupted in South Korea, where Samsung has uploaded a video that compares its QLED screen versus an LG OLED screen. The slickly produced comparison video allegedly shows “image retention” (commonly called burn-in over here) on the OLED screen after gamers play on both screens for twelve hours straight. LG, understandably, cries foul…

See this ugly fight that has erupted on the eve of the big TV sales season… [Read more…] about Samsung Surprises LG with Viral Video OLED Slam

Strata-gee Interviews Emerald Expositions Executive

by Leave a Comment

Photo of Brianna MorrisWhat the Future Holds for the CEDIA Show

“Do I need to ‘prepare’ for anything?” Emerald Expositions Marketing Manager Brianna Morris asked us in a firm tone as we met to set up a date for an interview. “Prepare?,” we asked. “Yes…we’re read your stuff,” she said in a deeper tone.

I could tell right then, it was going to be an interesting interview.

See our interview with Emerald’s CEDIA show marketing manager… [Read more…] about Strata-gee Interviews Emerald Expositions Executive