For many years, European speakers-especially bookshelf models-have had the reputation for their inability to produce the quantity of bass that the majority of ears on this continent like to hear. Canton's AS subwoofer line-a range of powered subs aimed at providing affordable, yet substantial bass response to the sector of masses seeking better-than-average performance-ought to help lay that old notion to rest for good.
German speaker manufacturer, Canton, has replaced the company's popularly priced LE series with the new GLE series of full-range speakers. Canton says the new speakers utilize some of the materials and designs from the higher-end Vento, Ergo, and Karot lines. The GLE series includes a total of six models: two floorstanders, two bookshelfs, a horizontal center channel, and an on-wall version.
Canton, the 31-year-old German loudspeaker company known for stylish, high-performance products, has joined the ever growing chorus of manufacturers offering slender, wall-mountable models specifically designed to complement flat-panel TVs. Canton's new CD300 Series loudspeakers combine technology derived from the company's high-end Karat line of loudspeakers with the sleeker, brushed aluminum look (a.k.a. "lifestyle design") of the CD100 series.
Kogeto’s Dot is a super-clever add-on lens for Apple iPhone 4/4S that lets you take 360-degree videos just by holding the phone horizontally. A free app (Looker) from Kogeto let’s you view the videos. In regular mode, you can pan through the video from side to side by swiping your finger across the screen; or you can watch the entire 360-degree field of view in panorama mode. Videos can be emailed or shared via Facebook and Twitter. Dot kits are available in four different colors (black, red, pink, and green) for $79/each.
CEDIA is giving Joel Spira, founder of lighting control manufacturer Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., the organization’s 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award. The award “recognizes an individual who has exhibited outstanding, creative, innovative, and visionary leadership in the growth and advancement of the residential electronic systems industry”. What has Mr. Spira done to deserve such an honor? For starters, he invented the world’s first dimming device back in 1959, which launched Lutron as a company, as well as helped revolutionize the lighting control industry. In the years since, Lutron estimates they have made it possible for owners of the company’s lighting control devices billions of dollars in energy costs – not to mention all the personal benefits of convenience and enhanced lighting ambiance.
The background stories of most trade shows typically involve too much walking, too much drinking, and too much hyping. And there’s plenty of that to go around here at CEDIA. But one of the good parts of being in the custom installation industry is that, for the most part, the people involved are usually decent, good people. It didn’t take long for me to discover that sometimes forgotten fact on Thursday when I reached down to find my phone not snuggled close to my hip in its holster. After a brief period of panic during which several people heard me cry for my mommy, I ran into friend and past HT Mag contributor, David Birch Jones, who explained that there was such a thing as calling your own phone to see if anyone who might have found it would answer. (I was dumbfounded at the concept!) It didn’t take more than two rings before CEDIA Samaritan, Andrew Bransby of MD Central Vacuums (www.builtinvacuum.com), answered to say that he had indeed found it and was holding it safe at the MD Central Vacuums booth (right across from LG). Thanks, Andrew, you’re a lifesaver!
The last day of the CEDIA EXPO is in many ways the best. Not so much from the fact that you know you'll be going home soon - although that's certainly part of it - but more from the lack of any scheduled press conferences and formal meetings. Sure, some diehards set up meeting times until the bitter end, but I prefer to leave the final day for browsing, wandering, and stopping by the booths I missed during the previous two days.
Two things are different about this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas: the weather is nicer; and there's even more square footage - and plenty more people covering those square feet with their own feet - to walk through. But all grumbling and protestations aside, no matter what day of the Show it is, you can always find at least two cool things that make you glad you made the trip. Here are my first two.
The official opening day of CES brings more announcements - and more gawking attendees to fight your way through. Geoffrey Morrison, Home Theater Magazine's Video Editor, more than once voiced his desire for a cattle prod. Fortunately for everyone concerned, none of the exhibitors were displaying cattle prods although a quick trip through the Las Vegas Convention Center aisles will take you past vendors showing everything from telescopes to hand-held electronic Bible navigators to flying discs with LED lights inside. It's such a shame all we get to cover is home theater gear...
Darryl Wilkinson
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