Housing starts, the measure of new home construction that many in the custom integration industry feel is a leading indicator for the sale of home-making products, such as residential technology systems, jumped nearly 10% in the month of January. This may be yet another indicator of an overall improving economy, although the monthly numbers tend to vacillate up and down on alternating months. Still, the long term trend appears to remain positive.
General Topics
My Wish for You…
It has been an amazing year for Strata-gee.com, the SYNCH, and The Stratecon Group. With the holidays upon us, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you so much for continuing to visit Strata-gee.com, read my posts, and for adding comments to stories on the site – or to me personally at shows or via phone/email. You have no idea how much your ideas, thoughts and comments mean to me.
I feel a strong sense of responsibility to make your time here worthwhile by offering interesting, thoughtful, and useful stories. When I miss the mark, it only motivates me to work harder…I never want to let you down.
So with that, I’d like to share My Wish for You [click image below to enlarge]… [Read more…] about My Wish for You…
Happy Thanksgiving from Strata-gee.com
We are thankful for oh-so-many things. But one in particular is especially important. See what that is here… [Read more…] about Happy Thanksgiving from Strata-gee.com
Amazon and Alexa Invades Japan via Echo, Echo Plus and Echo Dot
Amazon announced on Wednesday that its Alexa AI with Echo, Echo Plus and Echo Dot are all now available in Japan. The move, which the company says took a full year of development, is seen as further boosting its dominance in the Smart Speaker market globally.
See more on this exporting of Alexa to Japan… [Read more…] about Amazon and Alexa Invades Japan via Echo, Echo Plus and Echo Dot
Origin’s Big News is an Enthusiastic Embrace of Dot
As has been the case for a couple of years now, press day – the day before the show opens, was opened by an Origin Acoustics press conference. Always a good show, Dave Donald kicked it off in his own inimitable fashion, kind of a cross between a carnival barker and a faith healer…but always with a great deal of enthusiasm.
This year, Origin had a lot to talk about.
See what Donald had to talk about… [Read more…] about Origin’s Big News is an Enthusiastic Embrace of Dot
Happy New Year!
Happy Holidays!
Happy Thanksgiving
The Essential Four “Fs” of Life,
The holidays are upon us and this is a great time to take a moment and reflect on the important things in life… [Read more…] about Happy Thanksgiving
Nortek Sold to British Investment Company
BREAKING NEWS
The summer continues to heat up with the second major acquisition announcement in two days. Melrose, PLC, a UK-based investment company that buys underperforming companies, improves their operations, and then resells them, has acquired Nortek, Inc. in a deal that pays Nortek shareholders $86 per share – a 38% premium over yesterday’s closing price. The deal, an all-cash offer, is expected to close by the end of August.
See more on this acquisition… [Read more…] about Nortek Sold to British Investment Company
InfoComm 2016 Said to Break All Records, Again
InfoComm 2016 is the commercial AV technology industry trade event that just wrapped up last Friday, June 10, after an apparently very successful week at the Las Vegas Convention Center. According to the organization, the event set all-new records for: number of exhibitors, exhibit space sold, training class enrollees, and number of attendees.
