Real Networks Concedes To Hollywood With $4.5M Payout The battle between RealNetworks and Hollywood is over with the software developer scrapping their DVD Copying software. They have also agreed to pay the Hollywood Movie Association $4.5 Million dollars in costs.
New Nokia Smartphone But No Carrier Deal Nokia Australia, which is fast losing shelf space with carriers and retailers, has mounted a major marketing campaign for its new Nokia N900, with developers being urged to develop apps and content for the new phone.
Digital Radio Vendors Slam Missing GFK Data Digital Radio vendors want better GFK sales data, with several executives airing their frustrations at the lack of accurate sales data from the European research company at a recent meeting of manufacturers and retailers organised by Commercial Radio Australia.
Olive 4HD A Music Server To Kill For Occasionally, and I mean very occasionally, a piece of gear comes along that is a real standout, a must-have; a classic example is the Sonos Wireless System, which even during the recent economic downturn was walking out the door at specialist dealers.
A Bus & LeisureTech Under Threat Again Struggling Australian distributor LeisureTech is facing another challenge to its A Bus patent, with US Company Xantech admitting at the recent CES in Las Vegas that it is set to launch new multi-room audio systems incorporating similar technology to what LeisureTech is claiming is patented.
Harman & Sony Partner To Develop & Sell Sound Gear Sony, which is struggling to deliver profits across several of its product categories, is set to partner with Harman International to jointly develop and sell sound systems as well as portable docking stations.
New Digital Processors From Bel Canto Bel Canto has unveiled its new line of digital processors at CES 2010. The new DAC Control Centers claim to provide high resolution, low noise, and incredible dynamic range.
PC Company Invests In HiFi Company Onkyo A leading PC maker is set to invest millions into Japanese HiFi Company Onkyo, whose products are distributed in Australia by Amber Technology.
Pioneer Launches New AV Gear Pioneer Australia has expanded its home audio range with the launch of new AV receivers, 5.1 loudspeakers, in-wall speakers, a Blu-ray player, and two iPod docking sound stations.
Internet Radio Starts To Take Off In OZ As home networks become more popular in Australia so is the use of Internet Radio a SmartHouse study has revealed. The move could be a blow to local commercial radio stations.
OZ Phone Carriers Warned Over Speed Claims The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has warned telecommunications carriers, ISPs and retailers to stop "over-promising and under-delivering" on the speeds available on mobile and wireless Internet networks.
Akai In For Big Win Millions In Damages To Be Paid Akai, the consumer electronics maker who was declared bankrupt in 2000 owing creditors about $2.5 billion is in for a big win after Ernst & Young settled a lawsuit and suspended a partner after the accounting firm was accused of falsifying Akai documents.
iPod & Internet Radio Content Via New Rotel Gear Rotel whose gear is distributed by International Dynamics has launched two audio components that network with home PCs allow iPod and iPhone devices to be attached and stream Internet radio.
Panasonic Bags Micro System Award The SC-HC3 Stereo System from Panasonic has been awarded Best Micro System by the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA).
Pioneer Does Better Than Expected Pioneer Australia appears to be in better shape than their corporate partners who suffered a $42.7 million loss in its first quarter of 2010.
Sonos Copy iPod Touch APP For New Wireless Controller As demand for Wireless music devices takes off in Australia, consumers are demanding better and more efficient controllers, especially as Apple has set a key benchmark with their iTouch iPod player. To meet this demand Sonos a leader in the Wireless music distribution market has announced a brand new 200 Sonos controller with features similar to their iPod application.
Harman International Involved In Broker Death Scandal A Middle East Investment broker who sent out false press releases relating to Harman International to web sites like ChannelNews has been found dead in his home only days after he was sued by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Pioneer Back Making Money Sales Up After dumping their Kuro flat panel plasma TV's Pioneer Australia has returned to profitability and strong growth across all of its business divisions according to the Company.Among the big earners is Blu ray players and high end sound systems and home theatre.
New Bose Portable Wireless Music System Bose, who are struggling to get traction in the home theatre market with some CEDIA dealers reporting problems with their high end systems, has launched a new SoundLink wireless music system that uses a USB key with embedded wireless to connect with a PC.
Test Your Sound System Using A Michael Jackson Beat It Mistake How good is your sound system? And what role can Michael Jackson play in giving you an answer? The secret lies in a mistake created by music legend Quincy Jones and guitar icon Eddie Van Halen who played the guitar solo on "Beat It."
Sony Set To Benefit From Michael Jacksons Death Sony is set to be a major beneficiary following the death Michael Jackson, the 13-time Grammy-winning musician and internationally known cultural icon, who died in Los Angeles last night.
Climbing Dollar Set To Help CE Vendors & Retailers Consumer electronic vendors and distributors of technology products are set to pocket millions as the Aussie dollars climbs back to nearly $0.80. Analysts a Westpac believe that the dollar will go over $0.80 next month. Currently it is trading at $0.78.
Big Growth Selling Hi Fi Online Serious Hi Fi gear is now being sold online in Australia with Eastwood Hi Fi claiming that up to 86% of their business comes from online sales.
Pioneer OZ Doing Well New Hi Fi, Blu ray Gear Coming Soon The Australian operations of Pioneer Electronics, who are one of the best performing subsidiaries of the troubled Japanese electronics group, claim that they are on track for a good year and that in the second half of 2009 they will launch several new consumer electronic products including new 2 channel speakers, receivers and home theatre kits for both the mass and specialist markets.
Bang & Olufsen Hit By Massive Losses Bang & Olufsen who tries to sell flat panel TV's for over $30,000 and a music management system for over $9,000 is set to report a $95M loss on sales of $695M.
Is Pioneer Electronics Up For Sale? A senior executive of Pioneer Electronics as admitted that the loss of Kuro branded plasma TV's has hurt the Company "pretty hard" however there are plans to retain the name and use it in other Pioneer products including Blu ray and Hi Fi. There is also speculation that a Korean CE Company is interested in buying Pioneer.
Big OZ Legal Firms Go After Leisuretech Two of Australia’s biggest legal practices Clayton Utz and Phillips Fox have been engaged by interested parties in the UK who claim that they are owed millions by Leisuretech and Andrew Goldfinch following a decision by Goldfinch to place the original Leisuretech Company into administration with debts of $1.6 million following his loss of a UK High Court appeal for an A Bus patent.
Leisuretech Bankruptcy Dodgy Claims UK Claimant EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Goldfinch the founder of Australian consumer electronics distributor Leisuretech has been accused of deliberately placing his Company into voluntary administration with debts of over $1.6 million dollars after he lost a patent court case in the UK.
JB Hi Fi Backs Sony Hi Fi Marketing Initative Hi Fi which has been ignored by consumer electronics Companies in favour of display TV marketing is set to get a big injection of dollars with Sony Australia set to promote the category in an effort to expand sales of their Hi Fi range of products.
Less People Listening To Music The Consumer Electronics Association has just released a report on the audio market that reveals that found that 67% of consumers say they believe audio is an important part of their life and that almost half (48%) report they are always listening to some form of audio content however most say they are listening to less audio than in the past.
Pioneer To Crank Up Hi Fi Offering Pioneer Australia will not be slashing jobs despite last night’s announcement that the Company is pulling out of the plasma TV market.
Bose US Takes Big Axe To OZ Operation EXCLUSIVE: Senior US Bose management have wielded a massive axe to their Australian operations by slashing senior staff, relocating their operations from the comfort of the Gold Coast back to Sydney, and stripping local management of responsibilities in Asia.
B&O Bullish About New Hero Audio Centre Bang & Olufsen's new digital audio centre can store up to 1500 CDs, with a 500GB storage capacity, and the company is bullish about it being its new hero product.
Bose Struggle 1,000 Jobs Slashed Bose who are selling their products in Australia at up to twice the price of the USA have said that they are set to cut their workforce by 1,000 people, or about 10 percent .
NAD To Roll Out New Amps, CD Players & Receiver At CES 2009 NAD Electronics, whose products are distributed in Australia by Audio Products Australia are set to announce at the 2009 CES Show in Las Vegas three new amplifiers, two CD players, a stereo preamp and a stereo receiver.
Sony Looking For Divine Intervention To Help Them Out Sony who yesterday announced price increases of their gear by up to 30% is now looking for divine intervention from 2 Irish priests in an effort to stave off massive losses.
Acoustic Energy Set To Crank Up Audio Offering Acoustic Energy which is distributed in Australia by Kedcorp is set to launch an aggressive new assault on the two channel audio market. The company, founded in 1987 as a pro audio supplier to the music industry,claim that Australia is set to benefit from a major assault of the US market which will see the roll out of several new products.
B&O In Trouble Due To Big Losses And Poor Sales Bang & Olufsen who are fast losing traction in the consumer technologyand Hi Fi markets have announced a massive reorganisation following two quarters of net losses and a worldwide sales decline of 7%. They have also reported a $10.2 million loss before taxes compared to a $9.9 million dollar profit last year.
Velodyne Dump Wedderspoon Hi Fi distributor W D Wedderspoon has been dumped by US audio Company Velodyne, makers of one of the world's best subwoofers because of poor sales of their product in Australia.
New AV Gear Connects A new generation of AV gear including new recievers and wireless speakers have been rolled out at the CEDIA Expo in the USA with most of them now including easy to configure home network capabilities and the ability to interface with iPods and other external sources such as Internet radio, networked PCs external storage devices, and flash-memory drives.
Denon, Marantz And Boston Acoustics Sold D&M Holdings the owner of such brands as Marantz, Denon and Boston Acoustics has been sold to venture capital operation Bain Capital US $442.9 million.
Denon Looking For 10% Growth From New Product Roll Out Denon globally is targeting a minimum of 10% growth in 2008 with the Company banking on a new range of A/V receivers however in Australia local Denon distributor Audio products Australia is still refusing to do business with mass retailers where Denon is experiencing significant growth in the USA and European markets.
Shotgun Marriage For JVC & Kenwood Two struggling Japanese consumer electronic Companies JVC and Kenwood are set to merge in a desperate effort to return to profitability. The Companies said that they plan to merge on October 1 to survive fierce price competition. During the past five years as many CE Companies have grown due to the demand for consumer electronic products both JVC and Kenwood have gone backwards no more so than in Australia.
Home Networking And Hi Fi Markets Set To Grow Home networking penetration worldwide will grow nearly 50% from 2008 to 20010, according to a new Parks Associates white paper. The growth comes as telecommunication carriers like Telstra get set to role out new home gatway products that allow consumers to take advantage of central storage and content options. Parks have also said that adoption of networking technologies will make installed home theaters and multiroom audio systems more affordable, opening up this market to more consumers at low-to-medium income levels.
Retailer Bid To Buy Marantz, Denon & Boston Brands In a strange move U.S consumer electronic retailer Best Buy has joined Harmon Kardon in a battle to buy Japanese audio equipment maker D&M Holdings the maker of brands such as Marantz, Denon, Boston Acoustics, Snell and Escient. Philips has also said that they will sell down their 12% shareholding in the Japanese Company.
Move Over B&O There's A New Kid On The Block Move over B&O there’s a new luxury sound dude on the block who has a sound pedigree dating back generations. The $200,000 Steinway Lyngdorf sound system is set to be rolled out in Australia with one business magnet already ordering one ahead of the high end systems offical roll out by Sydney based distributor Audio Connection.
Harman Offers To Buy Into Marantz & Denon Brands Harman Kardon the US sound and vision Company has made a part takeover offer for D&M Holdings the maker of the Denon and Marantz brands of speakers. Japanese media sources are claiming that Harman International Industries has offered to buy 49 percent of the company for US$701 million.
The Future Looks "Nasty" For B&O Say Analysts Things are not looking good for Danish sound Company Bang & Olufsen who earlierthis year ousted its Chief Executive. Now their shares have tanked to their worst in four years. The Company has also been forced to reduce its profit forecasts for the second time in two months.
Bush To Expand Bottom End Grundig & Bush LCD TV Offerings Bush Australia is not killing off the Grundig LCD TV brand in Australia instead they plan to launch a new range of small screen HD models with integrated SD DVBT players. They also plan to launch new Bush LCD TVs as well as new sound products and Joh Baily Haircare products.
Reg Mills Stereo Shuts Shop Reg Mills Stereo in Queensland is closing its doors at the end of March after almost half a century in the sound business, representing the fourth of a slew of audio retailers closing down around the country due to increased pressure from the home theatre business.
