Ecko Unltd. Named As CES Innovations 2012 Design And Engineering Award Honoree

MIZCO International’s EckoUNLTD. product marketing division today announced that it has been named an International CES Innovations 2012 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree for its new Spray™ Bluetooth speaker. Products entered in this prestigious program are judged by a preeminent panel of independent industrial designers, engineers and members of the media to honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting edge consumer electronics products across 32 product categories.

The Spray is the newest addition to the Ecko UNLTD.SOUND line of powerful, stylish mobile audio products from MIZCO International. It is the ultimate Bluetooth speaker for use with iPods, iPhones, iPads, laptops and PCs, and all Android, BlackBerry and Windows smartphones. With two full-range high-output 40mm drivers delivering 3W each and two 45mm passive radiators, it can fill a room with high-fidelity audio or bring music to the outdoors thanks to the high-capacity Li-Ion battery that provides up to 10 hours of play time.

Utilizing Bluetooth 2.1 technology the Spray pairs with any Bluetooth device up to a maximum range of 30 feet, includes a built-in microphone that enables hands-free calling with any Bluetooth cell phone and has a 3.5mm line input for direct connection to any music player or smartphone. The Spray’s dome twists to control volume and skip to the next or previous song, and the Spray’s nozzle is a button that controls the play/pause and call functions.

The Spray has a high gloss black finish and includes a high-density metal grille. The high capacity Li-Ion rechargeable battery is user-replaceable, so owners can carry spare batteries to provide virtually unlimited playtime.

Graffiti has played an important role in Marc’s creative vision ever since he first glimpsed the vibrantly painted subway trains rumbling through New York City. In designing a Bluetooth speaker that looks and feels like a Spray paint can, he is sharing a part of his history and paying homage to those artists who came before him.

“Marc Ecko and Mizco have brought a new level of fashion, function and features to the consumer electronics industry with the Spray, giving consumers the chance to hear the colors sound can make, and we are proud to have that recognized by the CEA,” said Steve Kops, Executive Vice President of Sales for the EckoUNLTD. line at MIZCO. “The EckoUNLTD. line of mobile device accessories will continue to grow and introduce today’s consumers to Marc’s unique fashion style.”

The prestigious Innovations Design and Engineering Awards are sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, the producer of the International CES, the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow, and have been recognizing achievements in product design and engineering since 1976. The Best of Innovations honor is awarded to the products with the highest judges’ scores and will be featured in the Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase at the 2012 International CES.

EckoUNLTD.’s Spray will be displayed at the 2012 International CES, which runs January 10-13, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Honorees will also be displayed at CES Unveiled: the Official Press Event of the International CES from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, January 8 in the Venetian Ballroom of the Venetian.

The Innovations entries are judged based on the following criteria:

• Engineering qualities, based on technical specs and materials used
• Aesthetic and design qualities
• The product’s intended use/function and user value
• Unique/novel features that consumers would find attractive
• How the design and innovation of the product compares to other products in the marketplace

Products chosen as an Innovations honoree reflect innovative design and engineering of the entries. Examples may include the first time various technologies are combined in a single product or dramatic enhancements to previous product designs.

Innovations 2012 Design and Engineering honoree products are featured on www.CESweb.org/Innovations, which lists product categories, as well as each product name, manufacturer information, designer, description, photo and URL.