It is now late January and the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is well into our rear-view mirror. Yes, as in other years, there has been a flood of publicity and tons of articles on gadgets introduced at the show. The show’s promoter, the CEA, has already crowed about the event being the biggest ever and all seems well. Or is it?
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In Wake of Weak iPhone 5 Sales, Apple Cuts Parts Orders by 50%
From the looks of it, Apple’s iPhone 5 launch may have been a bit of a dud. Several news services such as Bloomberg News and the Nikkei in Japan are reporting that the company has cut orders to its suppliers for parts by as much as 50%. This moves follows a report that the company quietly cut production schedules on the iPhone 5 last month by 30% and suggests that the latest incarnation of iPhone is selling poorly – or at least below expectations based on initial order levels.
See more about this dramatic turn of events for a critical product for Apple… [Read more…] about In Wake of Weak iPhone 5 Sales, Apple Cuts Parts Orders by 50%
Residential Construction Rebound Getting More Convincing Based on December Data
The U.S. Census Bureau released residential construction data for the month of December and the results provide further – and perhaps more convincing – proof that the housing market is showing consistent signs of improvement. Some analysts even call this a housing rebound as overall residential construction starts increased to 954,000 units or 12.1% over the revised November rate of 851,000 units.
There’s even more good news in this report that lends credibility to the housing rebound… [Read more…] about Residential Construction Rebound Getting More Convincing Based on December Data
In a Surprise Move – Sharp is Negotiating to Merge It’s Foundering TV Operations with China’s Lenovo
BREAKING NEWS
The Nikkei is reporting today that Sharp Corp., the struggling Japanese flat-panel TV manufacturer, is in the final stages of negotiations to merge its television division with China’s largest personal computer manufacturer – Lenovo Group, Ltd. If successful, Lenovo could leapfrog the competition to become one of the largest television manufacturers in the world.
See more on this surprise announcement out of Japan… [Read more…] about In a Surprise Move – Sharp is Negotiating to Merge It’s Foundering TV Operations with China’s Lenovo
Two Key Appointments for Core Brands Announced
Core Brands, a division of Nortek, Inc., has announced a couple of key appointments this week as it continues its restructuring in the wake of its creation late last year putting 10 separate companies under the Core Brands umbrella. The company has worked rapidly to restructure their organization and this announcement serves as part of that effort.
Joining Core Brands are Mitch Witten – most recently with Monster – and Nanci Bergman – most recently with Soul Electronics (part of Signeo).
See more on these key Core Brands appointments… [Read more…] about Two Key Appointments for Core Brands Announced
NuTech Group Sheds Light on a New Business Opportunity for Mid-Atlantic Dealers
Montgomeryville, PA-based NuTech Group, a leading independent sales representative company has partnered with Qmotion, a manufacturer of automated window shades, to offer their line to Mid-Atlantic region dealers. The partnership takes effect immediately.
Learn more about this new partnership… [Read more…] about NuTech Group Sheds Light on a New Business Opportunity for Mid-Atlantic Dealers
RIP Lawrence Klein, Former Technical Director of Stereo Review Magazine
Visiting McIntosh Labs
We learned today that the former Technical Director of Stereo Review Magazine (now Sound & Vision), Lawrence (Larry) Klein passed away on January 9th. Klein was 84 years old and lived in Dobbs Ferry, NY.
See more on Klein’s remarkable story… [Read more…] about RIP Lawrence Klein, Former Technical Director of Stereo Review Magazine
NuVo Moves Beyond Integrators with New Wireless System Launched at CES 2013
NuVo Technologies, a darling of the custom integration industry, has launched a new wireless system that it intends to market for self-installation by consumers – bypassing integrators and installers altogether. The new system is being shown at CES 2013 and the company claims its so easy to set up that “just about anyone can.”
Learn more about this surprising new system from NuVo… [Read more…] about NuVo Moves Beyond Integrators with New Wireless System Launched at CES 2013
AudioControl Offers Audio Enhancement for Wireless Systems at CES 2013
AudioControl took advantage of the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to announce their Rialto 400 Amplifer/DAC (digital-to-analog converter) system designed to allow users of the many popular wireless music systems available today to enjoy a higher quality sound experience. Popular wireless music systems, such as Sonos, can have their sound quality dramatically improved thanks to the Rialtos audio-optimized design.
Learn more about Rialto including where to find it at CES to audition… [Read more…] about AudioControl Offers Audio Enhancement for Wireless Systems at CES 2013
Ever-Optimistic, At CES 2013 the CEA Releases New Growth Estimates for Industry
Every year at the Consumer Electronics Association’s (CEA) annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, NV, the organization releases new marketing data including forecasts about the future growth of the industry. According to the trade group, revenues for the electronics industry will reach $209.6 billion in 2013 – another new record and well over last years $204 billion level.
Even among participating companies in the CEA’s long-running marketing data collection program, there are often chuckles and whispered question marks about the accuracy of the aggregated forecasts. With one exception (2009), the CEA is famous for releasing optimistic growth forecasts that only go one way – up.
