Finding themselves at the crossroads of two struggling industries – consumer electronics and traditional publishing – Source Interlink Media, the owners of both Home Theater and Sound & Vision magazines, has decided to merge the two properties into one entity. The combined entity will be known as Sound & Vision – apparently leaving the Home Theater name plate to the annals of history.
Strategy
Does the Sound Pop’s Sound Really Pop? Or Is That Sound Just Their Bubble Bursting?
When I first learned about AudioSource’s new Sound Pop – a small, relatively inexpensive (around $40 street price) Bluetooth speaker – I assumed it was just like all of those thousands of other Bluetooth speakers introduced over the last couple of years. You know: convenient, portable, maybe a cutesy design and…sounds like crap. Later, I got a press release and saw some specs. They look promising but, still, I remained…shall we say…skeptical.
Then, at CE Week last month, I met AudioSource’s CEO Tom O’Mara. He gave me “the pitch” and – perhaps sensing my skepticism – beseeched me to “Just listen to it” as he handed me a little box not much larger than a Rubik’s Cube.
See what happened when I “Just listen[ed] to it”… [Read more…] about Does the Sound Pop’s Sound Really Pop? Or Is That Sound Just Their Bubble Bursting?
Can This Man Redefine A/V Specialty Retail?
It’s been quite a ride for New Jersey’s Electronics Expo over the last year or so. Once riding high as one of the fastest growing New Jersey electronics retailers, the company has struggled with the changing economy, changing industry, bankruptcy, and recovery. It’s been a wild ride and founder Leon Temiz says he is committed to crafting a new type of specialty retail business.
Now out of bankruptcy, see Temiz’s plans for a new A/V specialty retail format… [Read more…] about Can This Man Redefine A/V Specialty Retail?
AudioSource: Keeping the Foundation, But Building a Whole New Business
The theme for CEWeek this year – as far as we’re concerned – was “CHANGE.” There were very few “traditional” products shown or updated – and a plethora of new products and categories, such as wireless systems, mobile devices, innovative [predominantly mobile] accessories, new app concepts, and more. And one interview we conducted – with AudioSource CEO Tom O’Mara – seems to embody that sense of change, as he seeks to – while keeping the company’s foundation – build a whole new (and changed) company.
See the dramatic changes at AudioSource as their smallest product has the biggest impact… [Read more…] about AudioSource: Keeping the Foundation, But Building a Whole New Business
World Wide Stereo Scores Exclusive Rights to Launch Samsung 85″ 4K Ultra HDTV in Region
World Wide Stereo, a prominent audio/video specialty retailer with two locations in the greater Philadelphia metropolitan market, announced today that they have been given the exclusive rights to introduce Samsung’s new 85″ 4K Ultra HDTV into the region. The company says customers can already see the all-new set from Samsung at its new Ardmore, PA design center.
See more on the roll out of this dramatic new Ultra HDTV from Samsung at World Wide… [Read more…] about World Wide Stereo Scores Exclusive Rights to Launch Samsung 85″ 4K Ultra HDTV in Region
Seiki Shakes Up Industry, Offers Inexpensive 4K Ultra HDTV; ‘Not Helpful’ Says Major Competitor
In yet another sign of an industry in transition, Chinese manufacturer Tong Fang Global – better known by the Seiki brand of A/V products it manufactures – has turned the typical industry model for introducing the latest and greatest technology on its ear. In the same show where Sharp rolls out a 70-inch 4K Ultra HDTV for $8,000, Seiki rolls out a 39-inch 4K Ultra HDTV for $700. How do they do it? Read on…
See more on this disruptive play from relative newcomer Seiki… [Read more…] about Seiki Shakes Up Industry, Offers Inexpensive 4K Ultra HDTV; ‘Not Helpful’ Says Major Competitor
Perfect Path Says It’s on the Growth Path at CE Week
As we walked the halls of CE Week, we kept running into old friends and well-known industry personalities. We met both at once when we ran into Eric Bodley of PPC/Perfect Path who was at the show to support various partners of the company. PPC was recently purchased by cable giant Belden, Inc. and we’ve been anxiously awaiting more details on how this consolidation would be implemented.
Bodley wasn’t in a position to comment on that quite yet, but we took advantage of the meeting to ask him about a couple of other recent issues.
See Bodley’s comments on competition heating up & the Belden/PPC connection… [Read more…] about Perfect Path Says It’s on the Growth Path at CE Week
Sharp Says: This is Our Sharpest Set Yet
The next phase of the TV wars has begun in earnest now in the wake of Sharp’s (and Toshiba’s) CE Week Day 1 roll-out of 4K Ultra HD television. In a presentation full of bluster and gusto, Sharp threw down the gauntlet with its 70-inch, top of the line Aquos UHDTV selling for a cool $8,000.
Learn more about this flagship set below – and see what Sharp’s VP told us about which retailers will participate in the rapidly approaching roll-out for this new technology.
Is Sharp’s 4K sharp enough?… [Read more…] about Sharp Says: This is Our Sharpest Set Yet
New Survey Verifies Your Suspicion: Retailers Stop Buying from Brands that Sell Direct
Results from a new survey released today verify what you may already know – or at least suspected – retailers will either stop or dramatically cut back on purchases from brands that choose to compete with them by selling directly to consumers on the Internet. And a lot of retailers feel this way…71% said they would stop or reduce spending with brands that chose to do so.
See more about this survey, including other interesting retailer insights… [Read more…] about New Survey Verifies Your Suspicion: Retailers Stop Buying from Brands that Sell Direct
Gibson and Onkyo Go Wireless
The Wireless Speaker and Audio Association (WiSA) announced on Tuesday that it has signed up several new members and a couple caught our eye – Gibson Guitar Corp. (now Gibson Brands) and Onkyo Corporation. Also joining the organization are loudspeaker manufacturer Dali and Australian distributor Amber Technology who markets a line of speakers called Accent Digital.
