blog

With music on, people were 33 percent more likely to cook together and 85 percent more likely to invite people over. They were 15...

You’ve likely heard about the resurgence of vinyl, how music lovers old and new are ditching digital and returning to analog turntables to satisfy...

Now think about how central not only AV has become to modern household, but how critical internet access is, as well. I know that...

What can you do to ensure that your company doesn’t fall into the same patterns that prevent goals from being achieved? Here are some...

Why go back to exhibiting at a home show when business is stable and the many of the good people of western New York...

It’s human nature to feel that more is better and that the more brands and models we carry, the better we can serve our...

We talk a lot about owning the network inside the home—the routers, switches, and wireless products that shuttle the gigabytes of data that make...

While my editorial efforts no longer focus squarely on the residential sector, Bruno is one of those characters that always have enlightening perspectives to...

By now you’ve likely heard that Control4 acquired Pakedge Device & Software at the end of January for a cool $32.7 million. The only...

Crestron’s president and CEO Randy Klein emphasized that his decision was based on the realization that CEDIA has become a broader show and that Crestron...

The smart home is a luxury item to many and dreamt of by the masses. But the means of delivering that experience is quickly...

Different integrators can install the same exact equipment, with the same connectors and same rack, but for some the result will be a little...

There’s already been a lot written about Crestron’s startling decision to pull out of the CEDIA trade show this year. After maintaining the largest...

While I am close to Crestron and some executives there, I do not pretend to have insight into their decision-making process, but can only...

Similarly, I expect great service from the subcontractors that we use. When expectations are set clearly and are reinforced by repeating it and correcting...

For most markets, I don’t think CI and DIY have to be mutually exclusive. And if you can find a way to bring them...

After complaining so much about the lack of sub-$1,000 remote controls in my last blog, it seemed fitting I would try out the new...

This week a new coffee shop opened across the street from the coffee shop that has been in our village for ages. Opinions have...

Last month Pakedge sent an SX-24P switch for Mark to test, replacing his older switch. The change in his attitude about managed switches has...

Do our products cost more? Yes, of course. Do they deliver better performance when they’re up and running? Absolutely. But it’s when they are...

So, what's so special about this new line of entertainment and automation controllers? The first thing to come out of one of those boxes...

From entertainment to power management, client control to security, vendors are...

Cutting the cord is more feasible than ever before, but will still require some hoops to jump through to get all of the stations...

The key is to have the services of a larger company, without incurring the in-house expense. And here is where the new economy is...

As a film, Rogue Nation is very entertaining with a story that moves the series forward with steady twists and turns, while keeping us...

I don’t feel hypocritical, but am cognizant of the fact that no matter how much our core customer may not look as hard at...

While at a networking event recently, after being introduced as the...

On the day I began my holiday vacation last month, I attended the grand opening of a local rep/distributor located only 10 minutes from...

The client is a Millennial and a cord cutter—employing just a smart TV and a Playbar—so only one remote control for the TV and...

I reserve my final day at International CES to wander through the Venetian where you can enjoy some of the finest collection of ultra-high-end...

When it came to video technology-related news, the year’s CES didn’t disappoint in this regard, and the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention...

Truly we are living in the future, and Eureka Park at the International Consumer Electronics Show features more than 500 startup companies displaying many...

Attending the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas every January begins as a gauntlet of press conferences for tech journalists.

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking through my Twitter feed and noticed a tweet from Chris Hardwick (Talking Dead, Singled Out—yes, the...

The end of 2015 burned me out. I took time off between Christmas and New Year’s Day and tried my best to not think...

I’ve seen every Star Wars film in the cinema dating back to A New Hope when I was seven. So, suffice to say, like...

A business is more than a Federal Tax ID number. Businesses take on a life of their own, beyond what is made or sold....

With Spotify Connect, Spotify has basically turned its back on our industry as a whole. The technology’s “integration” consists of being bounced out of...

Lutron introduced Caseta, a kinder, gentler, more affordable lighting solution about a year ago, and it is currently offering a promotion through January 3...

As the holidays continues to creep closer and 2015 comes to an end, I wanted to take a look back at what worked this...

It’s important to do what’s right for you business, even if it means losing a job here or there. Make sure you have a...