by KMB Communications | Nov 16, 2020 | Blog, Podcast, PR & Communications Tips
When a custom home builder in Dallas, TX needed a high-performance home theater installed into a luxury show home in less than a month, he contacted Thoughtful Integrations, a tech integration firm well-versed in the process. Whereas home theaters with all the bells and whistles typically take several months to design, engineer, install, and calibrate, this one was done in a matter of weeks and with award-winning results. Tune-in to learn how they created a room that accommodates all ages and interests, including sports, movies, gaming, music, or any other entertainment choice. Brands mentioned include Rayva, Anthem, Triad, Sony, Kaleidescape, Control4, Screen Innovations, Jaymar, D-Box, Dolby, ISF, CEDIA, HTA, and builder J.Anthony Homes.
by KMB Communications | Nov 10, 2020 | Josh.ai
Powered by Josh Core, Josh Nano reimagines user experiences in the smart home.
Josh.ai continues expanding the power of artificial intelligence in the home with the launch of Josh Nano and Josh Core, the company’s new product ecosystem that works together to provide an integrated voice automation experience. Josh Nano is the world’s first Architectural Microphone — a beautiful device that seamlessly blends into any design aesthetic. Josh Core is the whole home processor, doubling down on local processing to ensure that every client’s data is private and secure. After raising $22M in funding earlier this year and establishing itself as a leader in voice control, Josh.ai continues to deliver intuitive, simple, and magical user experiences.
While mass-market voice assistants are physically becoming larger and positioning their speakers as focal points in a room, Josh Nano has been purpose-built to integrate into its surroundings. Josh.ai worked closely with the architecture, design, and professional installation communities to rethink how voice control should perform in the world’s most luxurious homes. Measuring only 0.1 inches thin and 1.6 inches in diameter, Josh Nano is installed flush on a wall for an impeccably discreet voice experience. With an optional paintable cover, Josh Nano becomes practically invisible as part of the home’s interior design.
Josh Nano is equipped with a four microphone array featuring advanced far-field listening, a privacy switch that physically disconnects the microphones when toggled, and a capacitive touch sensor for contextual touch control. There is also a full RGB LED light ring that disappears when not in use, and a remote temperature sensor that can be used to trigger advanced automations.
At the heart of the system, powering every Josh Nano device, is Josh Core. An elegantly designed server that acts as the central brain, Josh Core communicates with all of the connected devices and localizes control processing, further emphasizing the company’s commitment to user privacy.
Josh Core utilizes Josh.ai’s proprietary VoiceCast™ and VoiceLink™ technologies to send Josh.ai’s responses through the home’s built-in audio system, which gives the magical effect of the home actually speaking back to you. This can be done wirelessly or hard-wired through input / output audio ports built in to the device. Josh Core can also span VLANs for properties with complex networks — an industry first for systems with voice automation.
“We decided to launch Josh Nano and Josh Core at our first ever Josh Keynote, an event not only aimed at the integrator community, but at architects, designers, home builders, and homeowners alike,” said Alex Capecelatro, CEO of Josh.ai. “In addition to featuring our own products, we wanted to highlight our strong partnership with brands like Lutron, Sonos, and Crestron, in a world-class environment. Filmed at an $80M spec home designed and built by Arya Group in Los Angeles, the event features a hidden sushi bar that rises from under a table, hydraulic walls and ceilings that open up to transform their environments, advanced lighting, and AV features, and more, installed by integrators Powerfull Systems and Roberts AV. The goal is to show people what’s possible, not just with voice control, but in a beautifully designed and professionally installed home.
In the three years since Josh.ai’s $8M funding round in 2017, the company designed, built, and shipped its first hardware product, Josh Micro, an all-in-one smart home processor and hands-free voice assistant. The Josh.ai software features a custom natural language processing engine that can handle multiple requests in one command, deep-linking with AV distribution, room, and contextual awareness, as well as a proprietary natural language scene creator through Fiji OS. Clients can walk into their family room, for example, and say, “turn the lights on, raise the drapes, play classical music, and watch The Weather Channel” in a single utterance, and Josh.ai will handle all the smart home control and content routing to that room. Users could just as easily tell the system “Good Morning” as a custom scene, which could activate that text sequence, making for a powerful yet simple command.
Josh.ai is a professionally installed home automation platform with integrations that include smart lighting, shades, music, HVAC, AV, security, appliances, and more. Dozens of top integrations and partnerships have been forged with industry leaders such as Lutron, Sony, Sonos, Samsung, Comcast, Dish, Bosch, Ecobee, SnapAV, IC Realtime, Roku, AVPro Edge, Atlona, Meridian, AudioControl, Barco, Sonance, LG, Pioneer, Philips, Sound United, Yamaha, 2N, DoorBird, and more. In addition, Josh.ai integrates with other high-end control systems including Crestron and Control4.
In addition to advanced voice control, the Josh.ai iOS and Android apps offer unparalleled control over the entire home. With the app, users have the ability to check cameras, see the state of devices, easily create scenes, and control everything with voice or a beautiful GUI, from anywhere in the world.
The new products, Josh Nano and Josh Core bring Josh.ai one step closer to the ideal smart home experience – one that is simple to use, private and secure, and immensely powerful.
About Josh.ai
Josh.ai is a Denver based company with offices in Colorado and California. The company launched in 2015 and creates products and platforms that enable true natural interaction with technology in everyday life. With a focus on AI, machine learning, and design-first hardware, the mission at Josh.ai is to transform how we live in our environments. For more information, please visit www.josh.ai or email press@josh.ai.
by KMB Communications | Nov 10, 2020 | Blog, Podcast
Josh.ai CEO Alex Capecelatro shares details about Nano, the world’s first Architectural Microphone, and Josh Core, an elegantly designed server that acts as the central brain for this truly remarkable voice-automated home technology ecosystem. This changes the voice control and automation game entirely and offers a fun way to interact with your home, in a manner that’s safe, secure, and maintains your privacy. Tune in to learn about this fascinating new tech offering.
by KMB Communications | Nov 5, 2020 | Blog, Podcast
Feel good fodder: As families across the nation struggle with economic hardship, the holidays can be particularly difficult. To help make the holidays a little brighter, Access Networks is spearheading a fundraiser being facilitated by The Boys & Girls Club to provide children across the country with a pair of brand-new Nike shoes. There’s a fundraising goal of 1,000 pairs of shoes between now and the end of December. That’s a small sum to bring a big smile to someone in need, so, let’s DO this, everyone! Bryce Nordstrand, CSO, shares details in this quick ‘cast. Please, download, listen, and share. Thanks for your support!
by KMB Communications | Nov 2, 2020 | Access Networks
Positioned as an industry-wide fundraiser, the Access Networks’ Nike Kicks for Kids Shoe Drive invites fellow vendors, integrators, and friends to contribute from Nov. 2 until the end of the year; Access Networks will match each pair of shoes donated.
LOS ANGELES, CA (November 2, 2020) – As families across the nation struggle with economic hardship, the holidays can be particularly difficult. To help families in need, Access Networks is bringing the entire integration community together for a fundraiser to provide children across the country with a pair of brand-new Nike shoes. To ensure that the donated shoes go to children who need them the most, they have teamed up with the national organization The Boys and Girls Club.
Access Networks has set a fundraising goal of at least 1,000 pairs of shoes. For every $30 a pair of shoes can be donated, and for every pair donated by industry friends, Access Networks will match that generosity.
The Nike Kicks for Kids Shoe Drive runs from November 2nd until the end of the year, and contributions can be made to a GoFundMe page. Details can be found on the Access Networks website www.accessnetworks.com/kicks-for-kids/.
“In times when there are so many less fortunate than us, let’s band together as the powerful community that we are to make a difference. Not only will each donation help keep a child’s feet stay warm, but it may also be their only holiday gift and it will give them something to take pride in,” says Access Networks director of business development, Haley Patterson. “Let’s end the year with something that brings us together and gives us something to feel good about.”
Individuals interested in donating to the Access Networks Nike Shoe Drive can visit https://www.accessnetworks.com/kicks-for-kids/.
About Access Networks
Access Networks is the premier enterprise-grade networking solutions provider for the modern smart home. We design and maintain sophisticated network solutions based on a simple premise: keeping our customers connected. Access Networks assists custom integrators by working to specify, select, source, and configure the networking gear before it is shipped to the project site. From design and deployment to service after the sale, we are here to ensure our network solutions meet the bandwidth demands of today’s AV and control components and enhance the overall technology experience. Visit and follow Access Networks at www.accessnetworks.com, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Media Contact
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