Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/236859
W e d n e sd a y, Ja n u a ry 8 , 2 0 1 4 C o n su m e r Ele c tro n ic D a ily N e ws EMPORIA AND ODIN MOBILE OFFER SERVICES FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED Emporia, a world market leader in the manufacture and sale of mobile phones for seniors and the visually .impaired, has teamed up with Odin Mobile to offer the nation's first mobile service specifically engineered for the visually impaired. The service, launched in September, is operating on the T-Mobile network. A huge, under-served segment of the American population will soon know the ease, safety and joy of wireless communications. It's a natural fit for Emporia, which was founded after the owner designed a communication device for his 90-year-old mother. "Our passion is making mobile communications simple and affordable for everyone," says Greg Foley, President and CEO of Emporia USA. "We're proud to collaborate with Odin Mobile, to put our devices to work for millions of Americans once locked out of the mobile world." Robert Felgar, Odin Mobile's General Manager, said, "We are excited about our partnership with Emporia. The Essence is exactly the type of mobile device necessary to meet the needs of a vastly underserved population." The Essence was designed to STANDZOUT BRINGS NEW PRODUCTS TO CES In business, the ever-present mantra is always "grow or die," and is increasingly true in today's constantly accelerating tech market. Mobile accessories company Aspire Innovation LLC (dba Standzout), creator of the Standzfree iPad floor stand, knows this well and has tripled the size of their main product line this year. We were doing reasonably well with the Standzfree, but we knew that we had to be looking to the horizon," says Brandon Barnard, Chief Executive at Aspire. "The original Standzfree appeals to a limited portion of the tablet market, so we wanted to add to the line to have something for everyone." The first addition to the lineup was a Universal Holder that will fit onto any of their tablet stand products, designed from the ground up to be easy to use and durable, without sacrificing function or aesthetics. It's not like other Universal Holders on the market. The action is smooth and natural and it will fit virtually any tablet, with or without the case on. It even will fit smaller devices like a cell phone. We're proud of the way it looks, too; it's sleek and stylish, which most other holders just aren't," says Barnard. The Universal Holder became the cornerstone for the rest of the product line. Of course, the company's flagship floor stand, the Standzfree is now available with the Universal Holder, where the previous version had a mount that would only fit the 10-inch iPad Generations 1-4. SENNHEISER INTRODUCES MOMENTUM An interview with Keith Kranepool, VP Sales and Marketing, Consumer Electronics, Sennheiser Electronic Corp. CEDN: What do you anticipate to be your greatest challenge in the year ahead? KK: As online marketplace commerce continues to develop, global boundaries no longer exist. While this presents great opportunities for sales and brand expansion, pricing instability and compression has increased exponentially year over year. CEDN: Describe your company's current marketing strategy. KK: The current Sennheiser marketing strategy builds upon the legendary heritage and sound DNA of our Tier 1 headphones, including audiophile, wireless, gaming headsets and sports. However, the focus is to introduce a new breed of products targeting the next generation with a groundbreaking family of lifestyle products called Momentum. CHARGEPOINT OFFERS ELECTRIC VEHICLE DRIVERS CONVENIENCE, FLEXIBILITY ChargePoint, the inventor of smart charging, is driving the electric vehicle (EV) industry forward by integrating with auto companies in a way that's never been done before. For the first time ever, automakers are integrating ChargePoint's network of real-time data directly into the cars they manufacture. ChargePoint is the world's largest and most open EV charging network with more than 15,000 places to charge. ChargePoint's network delivers real-time data via the ChargePoint mobile app allowing drivers to locate and navigate to emphasize simplicity and ease of use with such features as large buttons with great tactile feedback, wide easy-toread screen and enhanced speaker phone. Through the collaborative efforts between Emporia and Odin Mobile, this phone has been enhanced with voice announcement for numbers entered or deleted, call initiation and completion, battery status, the user's position on the home screen and even the time of day – all with the simple press of a button. These features have positioned the Essence as one of the most important communication tools for the visually impaired. The American Foundation for the Blind says it is very pleased to see Emporia and Odin Mobile step forward to offer affordable mobile phone service and accessible devices for this market. "This is especially important in meeting a With the design change that came with the announcement of the iPad Air and the popularity of the iPad Mini, we knew we were going to have to change," says Barnard. "What's more, we wanted to give customers using other brands of tablet the same experience that iPad users had come to love with our product." The design team at Standzout saw a need for a functional, visually attractive desk mount that could easily and quickly be attached and removed without using special tools, and they created the Surmount Tablet Clamping Mount. The Surmount mounts quickly and discreetly, without leaving unsightly hardware sticking out, and features a flexible gooseneck to hold the tablet, allowing for virtually endless possibilities for where to place the tablet. CEDN: Where is your current product emphasis? KK: Sennheiser continues to shape the future of established headphone categories such as sport, wireless and audiophile. However, the current product emphasis is deeply entrenched within the lifestyle category of the Momentum family. CEDN: What distinguishes your products from the competition? KK: Sennheiser is a great family brand name, like no other, that has its roots in the pro music industry, but without a doubt our build and sound quality is unrivaled. Our products have to be seen, an available charging station. ChargePoint is the first EV charging company to partner with automakers and provide this real-time data through to an EV's in-dash navigation system. Drivers of the BMW i3, i8 and Nissan LEAF can get hands-free, turn-by-turn direction to an available charging station right from their car's navigation. Drivers get even more with the BMW i3 and i8, as these vehicles come with a ChargePoint card in the 31 need for individuals with vision loss who are also often living on fixed income, but who could benefit so dramatically from accessible and affordable mobile phones," says Paul Schroeder, American Foundation for the Blind's VP for Programs and Policy. About Emporia Emporia is a leading mobile device manufacturer focused on simplified communication. Based in Austria, the company has developed research-driven, highquality, easy-to-use mobile products for more than 20 years. Emporia devices are available in more than 30 countries through leading carriers and retailers all over the world. For more information, visit www .emporiatelecom.com, call 201-962-5550 or email foley@emporiatelecom.com. Finally, they created a wall mount called the Wallmate. The Wallmate allows the user to place several mounting sockets on the walls, then use one Universal Holder to move from socket to socket. We find people wanting to use their tablets hands-free in every aspect of their lives," says Barnard. "With the Wallmate, you can use your tablet in the mounting socket in your bathroom while you are getting ready, then take it to the one in the kitchen and catch up on the news while you're making breakfast. It really makes it easy to be productive anywhere." Standzout is exhibiting at CES 2014 in booth 6720. Standzout products are available online at standzout.com. Call 855-STANDZOUT (855-782-6396) to contact Standzout. heard and touched to be fully appreciated. CEDN: To what do you attribute your company's success? KK: The success of Sennheiser is based upon people. People that crave our products and recognize them as the best in class. The people who make up our company and are invested to ensure the Sennheiser heritage, innovation culture and passion for excellence continues to grow. For more information, visit Sennheiser at booth 20606, go to www.sennheiserusa.com or call 860-434-9190. glove box at time of purchase. This allows a driver immediate access to charge their car at any available ChargePoint station. With a simple tap of your ChargePoint card on the station's card reader, a driver can release the connector and plug-in to charge the car. "Integration of real-time charging data and a ChargePoint card into the cabin of a car provide immediate and lasting value for an EV driver," Continued on Page 34