Onkyo Corporation had a really tough fiscal 2020 – the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2020. How tough was it? So tough that the company was forced to announce that a massive drop in revenues and record losses had pushed the company into insolvency – calling into question its ability to continue as a going concern. It doesn’t get much tougher than that. And this announcement triggered a Tokyo Stock Exchange action – invoking a rule that starts a clock on a limited grace period for the company to cure the situation – their insolvency – before a forced delisting from the JASDAQ stock exchange is implemented.
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Josh.ai Offers Glitzy Launch of Interesting New Products
On Tuesday, specialty voice control supplier Josh.ai held an event they called their “keynote” which turned out to be a very professionally produced video presentation of a significant product launch for the company. In this presentation, the company Founder and CEO Alex Capecelatro shared his thoughts on smart home technologies, including the thought that smaller is better when it comes to smart home devices.
And with that, Capecelatro introduced their new Nano and Core products.
Learn more about Josh.ai Nano and Core…
[Read more…] about Josh.ai Offers Glitzy Launch of Interesting New ProductsCEDIA Propel: Member Benefit? Or Quasi-Buying Group?
Last week, CEDIA announced their CEDIA Propel initiative, said to be a new “Affinity Program” designed to offer members a new kind of benefit. The announcement caught my eye almost immediately because this program is unlike other other affinity program with which I’m familiar. Typically such programs offer members benefits such as special pricing on health insurance or discounts on UPS shipping and the like. In this case, CEDIA is recommending technology brands who offer discount programs to CEDIA members on their products.
To me, this sounded at least a little bit like the kind of service provided by a buying group.
Where is CEDIA heading with Propel?…
[Read more…] about CEDIA Propel: Member Benefit? Or Quasi-Buying Group?Let’s Get Ready to Ruummbbblllleee…Subwoofer Powerhouse Velodyne is Back
When we last visited with Velodyne, it was all the way back in 2014 when the company quietly laid off audio staff, and suddenly – without warning – fired all of their manufacturer sales representatives and their dealers. Shortly after this, the company hired a high-powered retail executive (who would go on to eventually go to prison) to launch a direct-to-consumer business. Our coverage drew the attention of then Velodyne President Marta Thoma Hall, who is wife of company founder and chief engineer David Hall, leading to an interview with her on the many dramatic changes taking place at the company. Whew! That was a lot of action in a very short period of time.
Ultimately, it appears that David Hall got bored with audio and moved on with his new prized invention – an improved Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor technology that is important to the autonomous vehicle market. According to a report by Audioholics, Ford and China’s Baidu partnered to invest $150 million in Velodyne’s Lidar technology and Elvis…er…Hall…has definitely left the audio building. Velodyne split into two companies (Velodyne Lidar is now a $100 million public company [NASDAQ:VLDR]) and for a time last year, it looked like curtains for the audio division.
But now Velodyne’s audio division is back…
[Read more…] about Let’s Get Ready to Ruummbbblllleee…Subwoofer Powerhouse Velodyne is BackIs the Thiel Audio Website Relaunch Real? Or Is It a Zombie?
A Real-Life Mystery
Strata-gee reader Jeff (see comments here…) asks, “What’s up with the revival of Thiel Audio’s website thielaudio.com?” That is a good question, as the company has been shut down, and all inventory, factory, and office goods were auctioned off just under three years ago. Shortly after the auction, Thiel Audio’s website went dark and has been that way ever since.
Ever since…that is…until recently…
[Read more…] about Is the Thiel Audio Website Relaunch Real? Or Is It a Zombie?AKM Fire: 2020 was Almost Over, Then Disaster Struck Again
Massive AKM Factory Fire in Japan to Disrupt Global Supply of Critical Digital ICs
Just when you thought 2020 was almost over and the COVID calamity and its associated disasters were mostly behind us, a source tipped Strata-gee off to a major new disaster that will almost surely cause a significant disruption in the 2021 supply of those critical A/V products we all use/sell/and install every day. You may not be aware of this AKM fire story now, but we are all facing what will likely be another major supply chain headache in the near future.
Warning – your supply of key products is now threatened…
[Read more…] about AKM Fire: 2020 was Almost Over, Then Disaster Struck AgainDespite 90 Virtual Events & $40M in Claims Income, Emerald Loses $22.3M
Emerald Holding, Inc. (NYSE:EEX), formerly Emerald Expositions, reported their fiscal 2020 third quarter results this week and despite their best efforts to shift their business to online virtual conferences, the company reported revenues of just $8.5 million and generated a net loss of $22.3 million. This loss was even deeper than their loss of $19.7 million in the same quarter in 2019 which was well before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S.
See more on the results for Emerald Holding this past fiscal quarter…
[Read more…] about Despite 90 Virtual Events & $40M in Claims Income, Emerald Loses $22.3MBluOS Announces the Expansion of Its Universe of Important Integrations
BluOS, the music management and operating system that is part of Lenbrook International, announced a couple of important integration partnerships today – and in so doing, demonstrate their growing influence as a leading premium music system user interface in the industry. The company says it has new integrations with both URC and Crestron.
Learn more about these BluOS integrations…
[Read more…] about BluOS Announces the Expansion of Its Universe of Important IntegrationsIn the Age of COVID, Savant Recasts The Showroom Experience in NYC
In what constitutes just one more sign that the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to have a lasting impact on how we do business for the near-to-medium-term future, Savant has come up with a cool way to cleverly optimize the showroom experience in this new difficult environment. The company was in the process of building an all-new Savant Experience Center in New York City when the pandemic hit. Then, when construction was completed, company managers looked at each other and said, now what?
What did Savant come up with? Read on…
[Read more…] about In the Age of COVID, Savant Recasts The Showroom Experience in NYCCrestron Intros New 70 Series Touch Screen Line That’s Both Elegant & Tough
Don’t Be Fooled by the Pretty Face, It’s a Beast
The innovation train keeps rolling down the track at Crestron who has had a string of new introductions in 2020. The company announced today a new line of touch screens in what they say is their “next generation” design known as the 70 Series Touch Screens. But if you only see photos of it, you won’t truly appreciate what it offers – a balance of both elegant design with tough, all-aluminum construction and a solid weighty feel.