by Bob Archer | Feb 13, 2026 | Blog, Meridian Audio, SONOS
Summing up this week, it could be said the week of Feb.9-13 is the calm before the storm. Fresh off the heels of the successful ISE 2026, the custom electronics industry will focus on the KBIS/International Builders’ Show in Orlando on Feb.17-19 and Lightapalooza 2026, which takes place in Austin, Texas on Feb.16-19.
From the perspective of earth-shattering breaking news, there were no big news items this past week, but there were several interesting items that we’ll get to in the KMB Comm Technology Week in Review.
The Residential Market Looks back at ISE 2026
The feedback from various industry pros throughout the custom installation and commercial AV markets was the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2026 show was a terrific event.
For example, Residential Systems did a recap of some of the best products exhibited at ISE 2026. Topping the publication’s list was the new Sonos Amp Multi. Other items to make the magazine’s highlights include Meridian’s DSP750 and DSP 730 in-wall loudspeakers 2026 edition products.
Speaking of trade shows, back in the fall of 2025 in the Lenbrook booth, DALI showed its affordable KUPID bookshelf loudspeakers. For its latest product review Future Audiophile looked at the latest product from the Danish home audio company.
Without giving the point of the review away, let’s just say the writeup is worth reading. To check out the review, go here.
Peeking at some news from the commercial side of the electronics industry, SCN magazine posted a video on how Disney Imagineers utilize “Pepper’s Ghost,” which is an old amusement park technique.
KMB Comm Technology Week in Review National News Items
Shifting gears, the KMB Comm Technology Week in Review’s first national news story is from LinkedIn. The social media platform is reporting that Apple is poised to release several products this year including a reasonably priced iPhone 17e.
Another item from LinkedIn reports that Spotify shares jumped after the news that it had set a record for the most users added during a quarter. The story says the streaming media service added 38 million users from October to December 2025 spurred by its “Wrapped” year-end summaries, and an expansion of its free services.
Closing the KMB Comm Week in Review out is news from Yahoo Finance that job hires had exceeded economists’ expectations. According to the story, the U.S. added 130,000 new jobs, which far exceeds the 50,000 jobs figure from the previous month.
KMB Communications hosts a podcast called AV Trade Talk. Listeners can check out the podcast to learn about the latest happenings in the custom installation electronics industry. To listen to the KMB AV Trade Talk Podcast, click here.
by Bob Archer | Feb 12, 2026 | News
Carlsbad, Calif. — February 12, 2026 — Nice North America, a leader in Smart Living Solutions, will exhibit its premium sun shading portfolio at the upcoming Lightapalooza 2026 show.
The smart home trade event takes place February 16–19, 2026, at the Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in Round Rock, Texas, and the show offers lighting education and networking opportunities for integrators, designers, architects, manufacturers, and other professionals in the custom integration channel.
Attendees are invited to visit the Nice booth on the curated exhibitor show floor to discover how Nice Sun Shades combine modern design, advanced motor technologies, and seamless smart-home integration to offer users comfort, style, and energy management in residential and commercial spaces.
Intelligent Sun Shading Enables Comfort and Control
Nice Sun Shades bring together premium fabrics, proprietary motors, and intuitive controls to create a modern standard in shade performance. With options ranging from custom interior roller fabrics to durable exterior screens, the Nice portfolio allows designers and integrators to tailor light modulation and thermal comfort while enhancing aesthetic appeal. Every system is engineered for whisper-quiet operation and integrates smoothly with leading smart-home and automation platforms to offer effortless control via mobile apps, voice assistants, or centralized automation.
“We’re excited to engage with the custom integration community at Lightapalooza,” says Chris Lynch of Nice North America. “Our Nice Sun Shades reflect Nice’s commitment to marrying design excellence with cutting-edge technology — and events like Lightapalooza give us the opportunity to demonstrate that combination live to professionals who foster more user-friendly home and business spaces.”
Standing out within a crowded marketplace, Nice’s portfolio of shade solutions not only offer custom print options to allow the products to blend into any home or office environment, but its inventory of fabrics, which ranges from 16 to 20 materials, is always in stock. Always having inventory available means that Nice can support integrators and other design professionals without delaying project timelines. As part of its custom shade program, integrators and designers can match print shades based on samples such as a Pantone chip or the RAL color chart to perfectly complement interior color schemes. Further supporting smart home professionals, the shades are offered in a choice of wired AC or DC; RG and lithium battery power choices to help integrators unobtrusively install the products into interior spaces.
Experience Nice Sun Shades In-Person at Lightapalooza 2026
During the four-day event, representatives from Nice will be available to discuss product features, smart-home integration strategies, and how Nice Sun Shades can complement lighting design, energy control, and holistic home automation. Make sure to stop by Nice Booth #538 to get hands on experience with Nice Sun Shades and integrated control features.
In addition, Lightapalooza also offers extensive educational tracks and CEU opportunities focused on lighting, natural light optimization, and smart system design to help industry professionals bolster their skills.
To learn more about Lightapalooza 2026 or to register, visit https://lightapalooza.com.
Founded in the early 1990s, Nice is a global leader in Home Management Solutions, offering a complete range of integrated solutions for gate automation, garage doors, solar shading systems, parking systems, wireless alarm systems and home security, for residential, commercial and industrial applications; smart and connected systems for residential and commercial applications, for the security, access control, AI (Artificial Intelligence), comfort & wellness, control and power/AV sectors. Nice has embarked on a strategic path of expansion and extension of its portfolio of connected solutions and platforms, to offer a wide choice of customizable solutions and ease of use for the end user. This is complemented by strengthening and expanding in markets with high growth potential, as well as a renewed branding activity to compete in new market segments. Today Nice can rely on an organization of over 2,000 people on 5 continents, boasting a wealth of different skills and cultures, as well as 15 R&D centers and 15 production plants serving its partners and customers in over 100 countries worldwide.
Nice North America, LLC, a subsidiary of Nice, is one of the largest manufacturers of smart residential, commercial, and industrial solutions in the world, providing integrated smart living experiences. They offer seamless and easy-to-install technology for smart home control, security & automation, perimeter access and protection, including hostile vehicle mitigation, sunshade solutions, power management, and entertainment. Based in Carlsbad, CA, at the heart of Southern California’s innovation corridor, the company drives innovation through a network of advanced R&D and manufacturing centers across the region, with major operations in Kent, Olive Branch, and Montreal, Canada. Supporting professional integrators, dealers, and distribution partners, the company offers award-winning programs, hands-on technical support, field training, and CEU-certified education initiatives designed to help accelerate business growth. Nice North America lives out their mission of creating environments where individuals truly feel unbounded, safe, and free through smart solutions – an impact exemplified by its support of the Gary Sinise Foundation R.I.S.E. program for wounded veterans – and strives toward building a brighter and more sustainable future.
Nice North America Media Contacts
For interviews, reviews, and more information please contact Katye McGregor Bennett of KMB Communications at (406) 446-1283 or katye@kmbcomm.com.
Nice North America Corporate Contact: Holly Tessmer, Sr. Marketing Manager, Events & PR, Nice North America: holly.tessmer@niceforyou.com
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
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by Bob Archer | Feb 11, 2026 | News
CONCORD, CA – February 11, 2026 — D-Tools, the leading provider of end-to-end business management software for electronic systems contractors, today announced that G Paul Hess has been appointed Chief Executive Officer as part of a long-planned leadership succession. After more than a decade as CEO marked by strong, consistent growth, Randy Stearns has chosen to “downshift” from the role while remaining actively involved to ensure a smooth, orderly handoff and continued momentum for the business.
Over the past ten years, Stearns has led D-Tools through a period of substantial expansion and modernization, transforming the company from a traditional on‑premises software provider into a dynamic SaaS leader for the electronic systems channel. Under his leadership, the company launched D-Tools Cloud, strengthened its focus on recurring revenue and scalability, and delivered exceptional, double-digit annual recurring revenue growth establishing D-Tools as the clear category leader and a trusted, long-term partner to systems integrators and industry suppliers worldwide.
“With the company performing at a high level and our strategy, team, and capital all aligned, this feels like the right moment for me to step back from the day-to-day CEO role and pass the baton,” said Stearns. “I’m incredibly proud of what our team has built—the strength of the business today, our dominant position in the market, and the massive opportunity in front of us as we invest in innovative ways to better serve the channel. G Paul is the right leader to guide D-Tools into this exciting next chapter.”
Hess brings decades of experience in the electronic systems industry, beginning his career as an integrator and later holding senior and executive leadership roles across product, sales, and marketing at organizations including Snap One and ADI. Having worked closely with integrators, manufacturers, and channel partners throughout his career, Hess has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the electronic systems community and how D-Tools’ platform can unlock greater efficiencies, profitability, and growth.
“I’m honored to build on the extraordinary foundation Randy and the team have created,” said Hess. “D-Tools is financially strong, strategically focused, and backed by the resources and talent to accelerate innovation in ways that will excite integrators and the broader channel. My priority is to listen to our customers, empower our team, and thoughtfully scale the strategy already in place as we unleash the company’s next wave of growth.”
Stearns will remain engaged with the company throughout the transition period, serving in an active strategic and advisory capacity to support Hess, the leadership team, and key customer and partner relationships. D-Tools’ product roadmap, customer commitments, and laser focus on the electronic systems integration community remain central priorities, with new energy and the freedom to leverage investments to expand the value and impact of its solutions for the channel.
About D-Tools, Inc.
D-Tools, Inc. is a global leader in business management software for system integration firms. Its System Integrator (SI) and D-Tools Cloud platforms streamline sales, design, project management, and service operations. Serving over 8,000 companies in 90+ countries, D-Tools helps integrators increase efficiency and drive growth.
For more information, visit www.d-tools.com or follow D-Tools on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts:
Tim Bigoness, D-Tools — (925) 270-4102 — timb@d-tools.com
Katye McGregor Bennett, KMB Communications — (406) 446-1283 — katye@kmbcomm.com
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
# # #
by Bob Archer | Feb 11, 2026 | Blog
If you love defense, the just completed Seattle Seahawks vs New England Patriots Super Bowl featured lots of defense and notably—a dominate performance from the Seahawks.
The Seahawks would go onto beatdown the Patriots 29-13, and the only thing left as the game concluded was to see which advertiser had the best commercial. Unlike the game, which determines winners and losers through competition, the best commercial is a matter of opinion and there are likely to be some differences of opinion.
Following the game, the New York Times did a ranking of Super Bowl commercials that includes a list of more than 50 commercials.
Do you agree with the New York Times, or do you have a different choice? A quick poll of the KMB Communications team finds Lisa Montgomery pointing to the Lay’s potato chip commercial as her favorite commercial.
“My favorite was the Lays potato chip commercial. As a farm girl, I could relate to the woman reflecting on her childhood experiences with her dad harvesting potatoes,” comments Montgomery.
“The moment he retires and hands the “keys” to the farm to her brought tears to my eyes … and a hankering for potato chips.”
Bob Archer, the newest member of team KMB Communications, says the Dunkin Donuts commercial with Ben Affleck, Tom Brady and Jennifer Aniston, was his favorite.
“The 1990s-influenced ‘Good Will Hunting’ parody was fun with several nods to classic sitcoms including ‘Friends,’ ‘Family Matters,’ ‘Seinfeld,’ and ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,’” notes Archer.
“I thought the commercial was creative and funny.”
America Picks its Favorite Super Bowl Commercial
Polling the country, USA Today runs its Super Bowl Admeter to determine America’s favorite commercial.
According to the Admeter, the top commercial, which is determined by surveying television viewers during a live poll is the Budweiser commercial entitled, “American Icons.” Following the Bud commercial is the Lay’s commercial that Montgomery cited as her favorite, with Pepsi’s, “The Choice” rounding out the top three advertisements.
Going deeper into America’s favorite commercials based on Admeter results, here is the rest of the top 10 commercials:
- “Good Will Dunkin” from Dunkin Donuts
- “The ULTRA Instructor” from Michelob ULTRA
- “Jurassic Park… Works” from Xfinity (Comcast)
- “Relax Your Tight End” from Novartis
- “Champion” from the National Football League (NFL)
- “Keg” from Bud Light
- “Alexaaaa” from Amazon Alexa
Here is the complete list of USA Today’s Admeter ranking of Super Bowl commercials. If you would like to share your favorite ad from the big game, LinkedIn is asking site visitors to submit their commentary.
KMB Communications hosts a podcast called AV Trade Talk. Listeners can check out the podcast to learn about the latest happenings in the custom installation electronics industry. To listen to the KMB AV Trade Talk Podcast, click here.
by Bob Archer | Feb 6, 2026 | Blog, KMB Communications
If you love football and you work in the electronics industry, your news feeds may be full of NFL and Integrated Systems Europe (ISE 2026) items, but there are other things happening and the KMB Comm Technology Week in Review has you covered.
This week there are notable items from the residential market and several interesting national stories related to the electronics industry. There is one little Super Bowl story in the week in review, but it has nothing to do with Drake Maye, the Patriots or the Seahawks.
Is the Video Display Market Shifting Gears?
Starting the KMB Comm Technology Week in Review off is an item from Tech Radar on reports of LG ceasing production of 8K OLED panels.
In the story, the website points out that 8K may be going the way of 3D, which was a fad that peaked in between the HD video and 4K formats in the late 2000s and early 2010s. According to Tech Radar, if market conditions change, the company may restart production, but for the time being, LG joins TCL and Sony, as manufacturers leaving the 8K television category.
Another big news story that broke that may impact the smart home industry is Texas Instruments’ (TI) acquisition of Silicon Labs. A story on LinkedIn says TI acquired the chipmaker for $7.5 billion, and the announcement follows a strong earnings report from the diverse chip manufacturer that is known for its digital-to-analog converter chips and its DLP video technologies.
Focusing on the audiophile side of the home electronics industry, Ecoustics posted a story on a new low-output moving coil (MC) phono cartridge from Sumiko.
The story states the new Sumiko cartridge carries a retail price of $1,699 and it will compete against popular products from Audio-Technica and Dynavector. Ecoustics adds the new Oriole phono cartridge is made in Japan and it features a Shibata stylus that is mounted directly to the cantilever.
Another audiophile item from Ecoustics that posted this past week is the news that Fidelity Imports is the exclusive U.S. distributor of Cambridge Audio.
The story asserts that product quality has never been the issue for Cambridge Audio and now with a new product line, the brand is set to move forward in the U.S. Cambridge Audio joins a Fidelity Imports brand roster that includes Unison Research, Matrix Audio, Perlisten Audio, and Primare.
KMB Comm Technology Week in Review Look at National News
More news from LinkedIn during this past week includes a story on the challenges Apple faces as the AI wars crank up.
In the post from LinkedIn, the author states that Meta, Google and OpenAI have passed Apple in the AI race. The article notes that AI companies are fighting to dominate the memory chip market, and as they take more market share in the memory chip category they are driving prices up, which is hurting Apple’s revenues.
One last item to close out the KMB Comm Technology Week in Review: Since the big game is all set between the Patriots and Seahawks on NBC in the U.S. on Sunday Feb. 8, it means it is also time for the year’s biggest advertisements to run during the game.
The post on LinkedIn says NBC Universal has sold several 30-second ads for the game for more than $10 million, according to Adweek. The item goes on to state that NBC Universal’s sales strategy involved linking Super Bowl ads with its Winter Olympics coverage to help attract additional interest to the ad spots.
KMB Communications hosts a podcast called AV Trade Talk. Listeners can check out the podcast to learn about the latest happenings in the custom installation electronics industry. To listen to the KMB AV Trade Talk Podcast, click here.
