Sunfire SDS-12 Named Best European Home Theater Subwoofer in 2011-2012 EISA Awards

Sunfire®, a specialist in the design, manufacture and marketing of luxury home theater products for the worldwide custom specialist and retail markets, today was awarded the European Imaging and Sound Association’s 2011-2012 EISA Award for Home Theater Subwoofer for the Sunfire SDS-12 subwoofer. The award will be presented to Sunfire at the 2011-2012 EISA Awards ceremony at the Adlon Hotel on September 2 as part of IFA Berlin.

“Our new Dynamic Series builds on our history of unique design approach in bending the laws of physics, which results in premium value with unequaled performance, even within this price class,” said Mark Weisenberg, Sunfire General Manager. “We are honored that the European Imaging and Sound Association recognizes Sunfire’s design approach and commitment to selling the world’s best home audio products at all price levels.”

In June each year, the editors-in-chief from all 50 EISA member magazines meet to decide which of products analyzed in their publications during the past year deserve the coveted EISA Award. The six categories under consideration are: Audio, Video, Home Theater, Photography, In-Car Electronics and Mobile Devices.

The Sunfire Dynamic Series’ 12” Subwoofer is the perfect blend of form and function and the ideal choice for systems where small size and high output are required. Sunfire's new digital amplifier delivers 600 Watts of cool running peak output with unprecedented performance at this price point. The SDS-12 features a Sunfire-designed woofer and acoustically matched passive radiator—creating twice the bass than single driver designs at these prices. The DS family is also the first in the Sunfire line built around energy efficient Sunfire Class-D amplification, dynamically adjusting the output of the subwoofer's power supply to suit the requirements of the incoming audio signal. With the inclusion of a low-power standby mode, signal-sensing or always on power option, combined with continuously variable phase, crossover and volume controls set this Sunfire series aside from all competitors in this range.

Other products found in this price range simply focus on the quantity of output over a limited frequency range, and as their power output increases, so does their distortion, limiting the quality of performance to only a few kinds of material. Today’s consumer watches and listens to a wide variety of content – TV, movies, music, games, etc. – using the same system, which demands both quality and quantity. Sunfire engineers designed these subwoofers with the company’s proprietary Frequency Filtration Design™ (FFD), preserving a spectral balance across the entire bass frequency range to deliver superior balance and definition PLUS high output no matter what source material is being used. In subwoofer terms, music demands definition over a wider range of bass frequencies, while movies are equalized for optimum performance at slightly different frequencies to accentuate the special effects— the Sunfire Dynamic Series achieves both. Limited budget, small rooms, big bass - no problem!

Xantech's WIPAD Used for "Light Impressions: A Celebration of iPhone Photography" Exhibit at Alys Beach, Florida-based studio b.

Studio b., located in Alys Beach, Florida, recently opened their groundbreaking exhibit Light Impressions: A Celebration of iPhone® Photography, which features the curated work of 40 iPhoneographers from around the world, showcased on 40 Apple iPad 2® units. “Never before has iPhone photography been exhibited on this scale and with this level of deference,” states studio b. founder/owner and world-renowned photographer Colleen Duffley. With an iPad 2 assigned to each artist, each unit features 13 photos from the artist’s collection, shown in a slide show configuration, looping at different intervals. Another iPad 2 is used to stream the entire show online at studio b.’s Web site. The iPad used as the live feed camera is mounted with a WIPAD Control Interface from Xantech, a leader in the field of audio/video remote control and distribution for 40 years.

Light Impressions was conceived out of Duffley’s enthusiasm for iPhone photography and the belief that this new artistic medium positions everyone with a desire to express their creativity on a level playing field. “iPhone photography is still an emerging art form,” adds Duffley. “I know people are going to be astounded when they see what is being done in the movement. And all on an iPhone – from capturing the image through post-processing. It is really mind-blowing and wonderful. Several attendees have commented that they feel like they’re seeing the future right here at studio b. And it’s a very pure art form – far more about the creativity than about expensive gear or intricate techniques.”

Duffley adds, “It was important to us that we were able to stream the exhibit online to viewers all around the world. The iPad that we were using as the camera needed a secure mounting solution, and Xantech’s WIPAD was the perfect choice.”

Rick Seegull, Xantech Director of Business Development, stated, “We are very proud that studio b. and Ms. Duffley have chosen Xantech’s WIPAD to be employed as part of the Light Impressions exhibit. Colleen points out that the art in this exhibit is not about technical know-how or complicated techniques, and the user-friendliness and high levels of integration of the iPhone and iPad make this new sort of approach possible. That is similar to how we want our users to think of us – user-friendly products that make things work and happen through integration. The technology should be airtight enough to be invisible, and that is part of our philosophy.” With the WIPAD, Colleen was able to securely install the iPad into a public area making sure it will be visually attractive, secure and tamper-proof.

The exhibition will be on display through August and will be open for viewing Thursdays through Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and by appointment all other times.

About Xantech’s WIPAD Control Interface
The WIPAD is a secure and easy-to-install solution that enables an iPad to be permanently flush wall-mounted for use as a touchscreen A/V control interface or standalone iPad use in commercial and residential applications. The unit is designed not only to securely protect the device but also to allow easy access to power, audio output and other connectivity. The WIPAD presents an ideal way to securely mount an iPad so it may be used in a permanent installation. The WIPAD protects the device from unauthorized removal and is designed so power, audio output and other connectivity are preserved. The result: a secure touchscreen interface for any application including single-zone or multi-zone control.

The Xantech WIPAD measures 12 inches (L) x 9.81 inches (H) x 0.875 inches. (D). The WIPAD cover is secured with four chrome security screws and a slot is also provided for securing the frame with a standard PC locking cable. The design includes speaker vents for the iPad speaker, standard paperclip-sized slots on the top and side for accessing the power and volume control buttons without having to open the frame, and wire management grooves for the synch/power and audio output cables. On the WIPAD rear panel, VESA standard mounting hole patterns allow an easy fit with VESA swivel mounting brackets. Hole patterns on the panel also support mating with North American and European standard metal dual-gang electrical junction boxes for convenient wall mounting.

For more information, please visit www.xantechcommercial.com.

The Travelocity® Roaming Gnome® Now Brings Music to Your Ears

For years the Travelocity® Roaming Gnome® has been recognized far and wide as being synonymous with authentic travel and value. Now the iconic Roaming Gnome takes a giant leap forward into the age of mobile technology with the introduction of the first line of Travelocity Travel Comfort Buds headphones!

Available exclusively from Mizco International under a licensing agreement, the new Travelocity Travel Comfort Buds, which come with a Travelocity Roaming Gnome cord manager and “comfort fit” earbuds, are available at leading retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of only $9.99. The headphones are available in four versions of the Roaming Gnome: the original Roaming Gnome®, Swimmer Gnome, Saxophone Gnome and a Travel for Good® Gnome. Travelers can easily afford to purchase the entire collection and wear each gnome as their mood changes!

The headphones feature new comfort fit technology, as well as a clip fastener for hassle-free enjoyment and easy storage. The Travelocity Travel Comfort Buds can be used on the go and are compatible with smartphones, laptops, and any device with a headphone connection. Travelocity fans are sure to delight in these collectable, well-designed travel earphones, and will love showing them off on their next adventure.

The Roaming Gnome cord manager is made of flexible rubber and conveniently holds excess cord, while the clip fastener secures the cord and clips to shirts or bags. The comfort fit technology and cord management system are designed with travelers of all ages in mind, to ensure safe, comfortable and hassle-free enjoyment of their music.

"Only Travelocity could offer consumers a complete series of collectable, high performance earbud headphones that feature the world famous Roaming Gnome in a variety of styles," explained David Strumeier, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Travelocity Accessories at Mizco International. "The result is a new concept for the headphone category — a true collector's series that is certain to prove to be hugely popular among travelers in general and Travelocity fans in particular."

Mizco Now Delivering Expanded Line of Travelocity® Travel and Mobile Tech Accessories

Marking the second year of its category licensing agreement with Travelocity, Mizco International today announced the immediate market availability of a new Platinum Series of Travelocity branded travel and mobile technology accessories that prominently feature the famous Roaming Gnome®. Mizco Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing, David Strumeier, introduced the newly expanded line of premium travel products.

“When Travelocity joined forces with Mizco in January 2010 it marked the first time this iconic travel brand had ever joined forces with a marketer of high quality mobile technology and travel accessory products,” explained Strumeier. “The product line has proven itself in a retail environment with many of our partners. Today, we are expanding our business partnership with the introduction of a new premium line of Travelocity products, the Travelocity Platinum Series. This product line features a wider array of both technology and non-technology related accessory products.“

Available for immediate delivery, the new Travelocity Platinum Series includes Roaming Gnome Travel Comfort Bud headphones, Travel Book Mark and Book Lights, Travel Tech Kit and International Travel Tech Kits, each in two versions for iPhone/iPod or Smartphone users, and Travel Tech Accessory Bags, among others.

“The new Travelocity Platinum Series really fills out the Travelocity line from Mizco,” Strumeier emphasized. “It provides our dealers with a completely integrated range of travel products, from low tech to high tech, at price points that will make them stand-out as impulse buys with all of their travel loving customers. For millions of traveling enthusiasts, the association with Travelocity has become a badge of honor. They simply love to show off their Travelocity Roaming Gnome. Our expanded line of Travelocity products allows them to do that in a wide variety of ways.”

According to Strumeier, Mizco retailers who carry the Travelocity line will benefit immediately from the power of the Travelocity brand name. “The Travelocity name is one of the most highly recognized and regarded consumer brand names in business today. It is a brand that stands for advocacy, innovation and fun. Our relationship with Travelocity now brings these attributes to the product category. When consumers purchase our Travelocity branded products, they travel with the Roaming Gnome prominently featured on both the product and/or the product packaging. This adds tremendous power to the sell-through potential of our products at retail.”

Celebrity Baker Buddy Valastro Installs ELAN® g! Control System in New 35,000 Square Foot Commercial Production Center

America’s favorite baker, celebrity chef, and television star Buddy Valastro is taking his world famous brand to the next level with the opening of Carlo’s Bakery Lackawanna, a new, custom designed state-of-the-art 35,000 square foot bakery production center in Jersey City, New Jersey.  The facility is certain to be an employee’s dream, offering Buddy’s staff of professionals brand new appliances and equipment, and giving them full control of their environment through an ELAN® g! Control System installed by 360 Media Innovations.

With up to 100 employees at a time designing, baking, and building custom confections from $2 cupcakes and cookies to $20,000 life-sized designer cakes, there are sure to be different personalities and tastes. That’s why the facility utilizes the ELAN g! Control System to control 65 speakers distributed across 11 audio zones, allowing employees to choose what music plays in their area from two Sirius satellite radio receivers, two AM/FM radio receivers and four iPod docks.

“I work hard, but I also love what I do,” Valastro said today. “And I want our entire working family to enjoy their work, too.  Giving them a cool way to listen to whatever type of music they like will help to build camaraderie and make the workplace a much more comfortable environment.  I love that I’ll be able to address the entire staff at once through the audio system and the emergency safety alerts.”

That’s right, when the boss needs to make an announcement he can use ELAN’s COMM2 phone system to page specific zones or the whole building, automatically muting the current audio source and giving him a quick way to address his team. The ELAN g! system is also integrated with the fire alarm and sprinkler system, so if a fire is detected the system will send an audio alert through all 65 speakers to warn and inform the employees.  To access the ELAN g! controls there are eight ELAN TS7 7-inch touch screens located throughout the building, an ELAN TS10 10-inch touch screen in Valastro’s office, two ELAN HR2 remotes, with up to 22 more HR2s planned for controlling the 24 flat screen HDTVs, and of course he will be able to control it all from his iPhone and iPad, from anywhere in the world.

One of the major benefits of the ELAN g! system is that as soon as he wants to, Valastro can have 360 Media Innovations incorporate additional subsystems to be controlled by g!

“Soon we will integrate the 24 flat screen TVs located throughout the building and as we get used to the new space and evaluate our needs, we may add control for the lights, heating, air conditioning, security system and surveillance cameras,” said Valastro.

According to Chima Gale, President of 360 Media Innovations, the ELAN g! Control System was the best choice for Carlo’s Bakery Lackawanna. “Because the ELAN g! graphical user interface is so easy to use, it’s perfect for this type of commercial installation where a lot of people will be using the touch screens to adjust system settings. It will be simple to integrate additional subsystems in the future, and the already installed paging and safety features add so much value to the audio system that it would have been a waste to use any other product,” he said.

In addition to the bakery floor there is a receptionist area, a conference room, a client consultation room, an office for Valastro and two classrooms where he, his decorators and other guest bakers will offer paid baking classes to the public. Carlo’s Bakery Lackawanna has been shown on “The Cake Boss” several times and will become a regular shoot location for future seasons.

Available starting at under $2,000 for a single-room, four sub-system control solution, the ELAN g! Series Control System can be expanded quickly and cost-effectively to enable whole-home control of every room appliance.  ELAN g! provides users with the most uniform and intuitive icon-based control from their favorite devices, including TVs, touch screens, touchpads, PCs, iPhones, and iPads. The standardized interface works across platforms, so that the trendy g!Mobile app users love on the iPhone appears and works similarly on ELAN touch screens, valets and handheld remotes as well as users' televisions and mobile devices. And the system's IP backbone makes it just as easy to control the system from across the room - or across the globe.

NanoLumens' Flex Display Technology Named 2011 Breakthrough Technology of The Year By TechAmerica Foundation

Following on the heels of the market introduction of an expanded line of its NanoLumens Flex LED displays, NanoLumens today announced that it has received the 2011 American Technology Award in the category of Breakthrough Technology from the TechAmerica Foundation, handily defeating Microsoft’s Kinect device. The awards were presented in June at the ninth annual TechAmerica Foundation Technology and Government Dinner, which continued its legacy as a premier Washington, D.C. networking event bringing hundreds of industry, congressional and government leaders together at one venue to celebrate the partnership between industry and government.

NanoLumens, a five-year-old privately-held corporation based in Norcross, Georgia, designs and manufactures patented, ultra-lightweight, energy efficient Flex LED displays in virtually every size and shape that conform to fit the shape of any surface. The technology promises to shatter the traditional usage limitations of large format displays. NanoLumens Flex display technology makes any wall, column, ceiling or window the perfect marketing and video display vehicle.

“In receiving the 2011 American Technology Award for our NanoLumens Flex display technology, we are proud to be recognized as an innovative company with a breakthrough product,” said Rick Cope, President & CEO of NanoLumens. “By combining our ability to produce flexible LED displays in any shape and size with a lower cost of ownership, reduced energy consumption, simplified installation procedure and infinite usage and placement possibilities, our Flex Display Technology represents the future of display technology for all commercial and governmental applications.”

The American Technology Award is the latest honor bestowed upon the company and its Flex Display Technology, which was also featured in Entrepreneur magazine as a 2011 future-proof tech trend and was cited by the Wall Street Journal in its 2010 Technology Innovations Awards.

First introduced in 2010, the NanoLumens LED Flex Display remains the only solution of its kind. It conforms to fit any surface, is thin, lightweight, and energy efficient, and can be mounted as easily as a work of art. The revolutionary NanoLumens LED Flex Display shatters the traditional usage limitations of large format LED displays.

According to Cope, the company’s flexible LED displays eliminate the structural requirements and limitations of traditional large format displays because they are so lightweight, and they are bright enough for any application while consuming significantly less energy than other display technologies.

NanoLumens’ LED Flex Displays can conform to concave and convex surfaces and even wrap around columns. They are made from seamless modules that introduce for the first time the possibilities of displaying in shapes other than squares and rectangles. At less than two inches thick, a 112-inch display weighs less than 90 pounds, making installation as easy as hanging a wall tapestry. By simplifying installation and lowering energy consumption, NanoLumens displays can drastically cut the cost of adding and maintaining a large format display for any application. And because all NanoLumens displays are sealed, fan-less, waterproof and dustproof, they are robust and durable. Compared with other current display technologies, LED technology is brighter, offers higher contrast and saturation, has a longer lifespan and can be repaired much more easily.

NanoLumens Flex Displays offer retail outlets, corporations, hotels, A/V rental companies, malls, transportation centers, stadiums and arenas of all sizes the world’s first lightweight, energy-efficient and completely configurable flexible display solution. The displays are the ideal solution for creating effective out-of-home advertising, exciting and unique trade show exhibits, and turning walls into digital architecture in corporate lobbies or at hotels and airports.

The company’s select installations include a curved-wall installation at NASCAR Media Television Studios in Charlotte, North Carolina, and an outdoor display at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. In addition, the company’s technology has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a 2011 future-proof tech trend and was cited by The Wall Street Journal in its 2010 Technology Innovations Awards.

For more information about NanoLumens LED Flex Displays, please visit www.nanolumens.com or call (678) 421-9694.

NanoLumens® Appoints APG Displays As Its Exclusive Canadian Distributor

NanoLumens®, the pioneering Norcross, Georgia-based company that last year introduced the world’s first large format flexible LED display technology, today announced the appointment of APG Displays, of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, as its exclusive Canadian distributor, effective immediately, according to an announcement made by Rick Cope, President & CEO of NanoLumens, Inc. At the same time, NanoLumens announced that it was expanding its product line with the production of flexible LED displays in virtually any shape and size to meet customer requirements.

“APG Displays has two decades of experience supplying high impact display solutions for the temporary rental and permanent installation of innovative large screen video displays throughout Canada, which is a very important market for NanoLumens,” Cope said today. As Canada’s most complete professional audio-visual services provider, APG Displays delivers a complete solution, from the initial design and specification process right through to on-site technical assistance and troubleshooting. This is exactly the kind of commitment and support that will help drive our market growth in Canada.”

According to David Weatherhead, Vice President of APG Displays, “NanoLumens LED Flex Displays deliver a truly unique value proposition to both our rental and sales customers. NanoLumens' thin, lightweight displays represent years of research and development by some of the brightest minds in the global display industry. The result is a product without compromise whose unique attributes create a range of exciting new possibilities for integrators. Their technology is literally changing the face of our industry.”

First introduced in 2010, the NanoLumens LED Flex Display remains the only solution of its kind. It conforms to fit any surface, is thin, lightweight, and energy efficient, and can be mounted as easily as a work of art. The revolutionary NanoLumens LED Flex Display shattered the traditional usage limitations of large format LED displays.

According to Cope, the company’s flexible LED displays eliminate the structural requirements and limitations of traditional large format displays because they are so lightweight, and they are bright enough for any application while consuming significantly less energy than other display technologies.

NanoLumens’ LED Flex Displays can conform to concave and convex surfaces and even wrap around columns. They are made from seamless modules that introduce for the first time the possibilities of displaying in shapes other than squares and rectangles. At less than two inches thick, a 112-inch display weighs less than 90 pounds, making installation as easy as hanging a wall tapestry. By simplifying installation and lowering energy consumption, NanoLumens displays can drastically cut the cost of adding and maintaining a large format display for any application. And because all NanoLumens displays are sealed, fan-less, waterproof and dustproof, they are robust and durable. Compared with other current display technologies, LED technology is brighter, offers higher contrast and saturation, has a longer lifespan and can be repaired much more easily.

NanoLumens Flex Displays offer retail outlets, corporations, hotels, A/V rental companies, malls, transportation centers, stadiums and arenas of all sizes the world’s first lightweight, energy-efficient and completely configurable flexible display solution. The displays are the ideal solution for creating effective out-of-home advertising, exciting and unique trade show exhibits, and turning walls into digital architecture in corporate lobbies or at hotels and airports.

The company’s select installations include a curved-wall installation at NASCAR Media Television Studios in Charlotte, North Carolina, and an outdoor display at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. In addition, the company’s technology has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a 2011 future-proof tech trend and was cited by The Wall Street Journal in its 2010 Technology Innovations Awards.

For more information about NanoLumens LED Flex Displays, please visit www.nanolumens.com or call (678) 421-9694.