Strategy in TECH...
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.
Starting off press day at CES 2015 with a bang, LG Electronics, Inc. seemed to us to convey a decidedly cool confidence. In the past, LG could be defensive…often struggling to emerge from the shadows of its larger rival – Samsung.
Like a carefully scripted political debate, Day 0 of CES (Day 1 for most of the press) opened with great fanfare…but offered no real surprises. Day 0 – officially known as Press Day – is an endless series of press conferences in which major manufacturers make their significant announcements and present their plans for 2015. And this year these press conferences, for the most part, followed their expected path – not even a Michael Bay meltdown emerged to spice it up a bit like last year!
Turn It On (TiO), a division of Anuva Automation, announced this week that it is now shipping their TouchLite 4 Lighting Control pad. The announcement is significant for multiple reasons – not the least of which, the TL 4 is its first device that expands the TiO system beyond its original audio foundation.
Dish Network Corp. announced today that it is the first major pay-TV provider in the U.S. to integrate the Netflix app into its set-top box. With this system, available on their second generation Hopper, users can access their favorite Netflix movies and shows, such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black. And this Netflix content resides side-by-side with “linear” TV channels.
As you likely know, the tag line for The Stratecon Group is Strategic Concepts in Marketing. Strategy is a big part of what we do. In fact, if you were to view Stratecon founder Ted Green’s LinkedIn profile, you would see that 2 of the top 5 endorsements are for strategy (#1 Marketing Strategy and #4 Strategy). Because of that, at cocktail parties…at the grocery store…on tradeshow floors…I am often asked how a company can come up with a great strategy.
We’ve learned today that the long running legal battle between automation giants Savant Systems and Crestron Electronics has been settled on the eve of the case going to trial. The suit was originally filed in September 2010 by Savant Systems, LLC, which alleged that Crestron Electronics, Inc. had – amongst other things – engaged in a variety of anti-competitive and unfair trade practices. Crestron denied Savant’s allegations and launched their own countersuit alleging that Savant had – amongst other things – engaged in tortious interference with contractual relations; and, unfair & deceptive acts in the conduct of trade.
Apple, Inc. has announced that it will open its first research and development facility outside of the United States and it has chosen Japan as the location for the center. The announcement was reported by the Nikkei and has been met with a combination of national pride…and corporate concerns.
Thiel Audio announced this week that it will introduce a new loudspeaker system – the TT1 – at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January. Calling it an “ultimate performance three-way loudspeaker,” the announcement is the first major launch since the current management team was put in place earlier this year.
