Dual Building Up Marine Presence

By Joseph Palenchar On Feb 28 2012 - 10:49pm

HEATHROW, FLA. – Dual is expanding its marine audio selection and offering such new features as direct USB control for iPods/iPhones and SiriusXM-ready capability.

Other new features include 7-channel NOAA weather band tuner, stereo Bluetooth with AVRCP, and basic control of select Internet radio apps on iPhones and other smartphones is also new. The latter feature is available for iPhones connected via USB and for iPhones and other smartphones connected to the heads via Bluetooth AVRCP.

 

 

Mother Nature No Friend To Remote Start This Year

By Lisa Johnston On Mar 26 2012 - 4:00am

NEW YORK — The 2011-2012 winter was not a good one for kids longing for snow days, snow plow owners longing for seasonal work, or — not surprisingly — the remote-start industry.

Despite an early freak snowstorm in the Northeast in late October, which prompted some retailers to load up in anticipation of another brutal winter, the remote-start category wasn’t given any help from Mother Nature. This was doubly unfortunate for a category that’s already often viewed as a luxury item in the soft economy.

Bluetooth, NFC Potential Seen In Aftermarket

By Joseph Palenchar On Apr 23 2012 - 4:01am

NEW YORK — Bluetooth and nearfield communications (NFC) technologies could become the technologies of choice for aftermarket mobile electronics suppliers that want to offer new convenience features to consumers.

Multimedia, Marine, Connectivity Get Dual Focus

By Joseph Palenchar On Jan 10 2012 - 6:01am

LAS VEGAS — Multimedia A/V head units, marine audio products, and stereo Bluetooth connectivity to smartphones are among the key features that car audio manufacturer Dual Electronics is promoting here at ICES.

At the show, the company:

• is adding the first A/V head unit and first in-dash navigation system to its Axxera-brand series of aftermarket products sold exclusively to 12-volt specialists;

• expanding its marine audio selection with a completely new line of products offering new features;

Kenwood Makes More In-Car Smartphone Connections

By Joseph Palenchar On Jan 11 2012 - 12:56am

LAS VEGAS — Connectivity is the key to Kenwood’s 2012 automotive head-unit lineup.

In launching 46 new products other than accessories, the company is expanding the number of CD receivers that control Pandora Internet radio on a USB-connected iPhone to 15, from nine, starting at a suggested $140.

Hot Features, Technologies

By TWICE Staff On Dec 19 2011 - 6:01am

TWICE: What features or technologies were in highest demand in 2011, and what do you expect for 2011?

The Distribution Landscape

By TWICE Staff On Dec 19 2011 - 6:01am

TWICE: Did you notice any share shifts among distribution channels in 2011?

Pioneer Technology Creates In-Car DJ Mixes

By Joseph Palenchar On Dec 19 2011 - 6:01am

MIAMI – Pioneer wants to put a DJ in your car with the launch of Mixtrax technology, which creates multiple playlists from music stored on a PC or iPod for playback through select Pioneer car audio systems and through the company’s Steez portable audio products.

The technology could also appear in home audio products.

Roundtable: The Outlook For Mobile Electronics

By Joseph Palenchar On Dec 19 2011 - 6:01am

NEW YORK – The mobile electronics aftermarket grew modestly in 2011 despite the slower-than-expected economic recovery and parts shortages caused by Japan’s tsunami and nuclear power-plant disaster, but what aftermarket segments enjoyed the most growth, and where are the opportunities for 2012?

To assess where we’ve come from and where we’re headed, TWICE asked key 12-volt companies to assess the market’s past and future performance.

Outlook For Sales Growth

By TWICE Staff On Dec 19 2011 - 6:01am

TWICE: How did the combined mobile audio, mobile- A/V, and navigation aftermarket fare in 2011 at the retail level in unit and dollar volume? And what is the outlook for 2012?