Category Archives: Uncategorized

Episode 33: Sonance’s Ari Supran on Reinventing the Invisible Loudspeaker Category

November 17, 2020Uncategorizedresidentialtechtalks

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In this episode, Residential Tech Today Executive Editor Jeremy Glowacki chats with Ari Supran, CEO of Sonance, iPort, and James Loudspeaker in San Clemente, CA. Jeremy and Ari have known each other for more than 15 years, going back to Ari’s days at Lutron. They’re both New York Yankees and Georgia Bulldogs fans, which is a pretty rare sports combination. Despite the temptation to do so, Jeremy doesn’t turn this into a sports podcast because he really wanted to discuss an impressive new “invisible” style speaker from Sonance that he heard demo’d recently at a local AV integrator’s showroom near his home in the Indianapolis area.

Learn more about Sonance at https://www.sonance.com/

Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Ring | Smart Home Security

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Episode 32: Alex Capecelatro on the New Josh.ai Nano and Core Products

November 10, 2020Uncategorizedalexa, google dot, Residential tech, Residential Tech Talks, smart devices, Smart Homeresidentialtechtalks

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In this episode, Residential Tech Today Executive Editor Jeremy Glowacki chats with our first second-time guest, Alex Capecelatro, founder and CEO Josh.ai, the natural language voice control system catering to the custom integration channel. The reason for the rare return visit? On the day that this podcast drops, Alex and his team hosted a much ballyhooed virtual Keynote in Los Angeles, where the company’s executive team revealed a pair of new products designed to appeal not only to custom integrators and their clients, but also architects and designers looking for a way to blend residential tech with a more elegant aesthetic.

Learn more about Josh.ai at https://www.josh.ai/

Today’s episode is sponsored by Sony USA | Electronics, PlayStation, Movies, Music, Products & More.

Visit https://www.sony.com/

Episode 31: Heather Sidorowicz on Tech Writing and Purchasing Her Fathers Business

October 26, 2020UncategorizedA/V, Audio/Video, Family Business, home automation, Res Tech Podcast, Residential tech, Residential Tech Talks, smart home technology, Southtown Audio Videoresidentialtechtalks

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In this episode, Residential Tech Today Executive Editor Jeremy Glowacki chats with Heather Sidorowicz, owner of Southtown Audio Video in Hamburg, NY. Sidorowicz, who is also a former CEDIA board member and current contributing writer to Residential Tech Today, discusses the challenging early years of running her tech integration business after purchasing it from her father, where she acquired the proper business acumen to drive innovation within her company, and how those experiences opened the door to become a respected industry writer.

Read Heather Sidorowicz’s latest tech article at https://restechtoday.com/showdown-apple-homepod-mini-vs-amazon-generation-4-echo-dot/

Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by WhyReboot | Smarthome Networks

Visit WhyReboot.com

Episode 30: Michael Heiss is the CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

October 21, 2020Uncategorizedresidentialtechtalks

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In this episode, Residential Tech Today Executive Editor Jeremy Glowacki chats with Michael Heiss, a Los Angeles-based contributing editor to Residential Tech Today, former audio and video product and marketing executive, and this year’s CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award winner. As a product and marketing executive at Harman International, Michael was responsible for many breakthrough audio and video products. On the entertainment side of the business he was a promotion manager at NBC and was key to the development of hotel in-room movies and created the first nationwide movie rental service for Beta and VHS cassettes.

Read Michael Heiss’ latest tech article at https://restechtoday.com/apple-launches-homepod-mini/

Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by RING | Home Security Systems & Smart Home Automation

Visit Ring.com at https://ring.com/

Episode 29: Private Cinema Designer Dennis Erskine is the 2020 CEDIA Fellow

October 13, 2020Uncategorizedresidentialtechtalks

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In this episode, Residential Tech Today Executive Editor Jeremy Glowacki chats with 2020 CEDIA Fellow Dennis Erskine, founder of Erskine Group, a Colorado-based private cinema design/build firm. Dennis helped shape several significant aspects of the residential technology integration industry and CEDIA as a global organization, serving now as chairman of the CEDIA Certification Commission. He has been a dedicated volunteer and home theater design subject matter expert for years with the organization, holding key leadership positions, including a two-year term as chairman of the CEDIA Board of Directors and multiple stints as a board member. He has been instrumental in the development of standards and certifications as a volunteer for CEDIA.

Visit https://www.erskine-group.com/ to learn more about the Erskine Group.

Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by WhyReboot | Smarthome Networks
Visit https://whyreboot.com/

Episode 28: Sean Weiner on His Roles as Bravas CTO and Baltimore Branch GM

October 6, 2020Uncategorizedbusiness development, entrepenuer, integration business, integration companies, marketing, Residential techresidentialtechtalks

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In this episode, Residential Tech Today Executive Editor Jeremy Glowacki chats with Sean Weiner, former owner of Starr Systems, a Baltimore-based custom integration company that is now part of the Bravas network of independent custom integration companies. Weiner has unique insight, having served as CTO of Bravas when it launched a year ago and now as head of the Baltimore branch after the departure of its former GM.

Visit Bravas.com to check out the latest developments from Bravas.

Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Sony
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Episode 27: Leon Speakers’ Noah Kaplan is Steeped in Audio and Design

September 29, 2020Uncategorizedcustom soundsystems, custom speakers, home audio, home automation, home improvment, Home Tech, Leon speakers, Residential techresidentialtechtalks

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:14 — 76.0MB) | Embed

In this episode, Residential Tech Today Executive Editor Jeremy Glowacki chats with legendary Leon Speakers Founder Noah Kaplan, who recalls his early artistic upbringing and shares the little-known fact that his dad is an infectious disease specialist who went to college with Dr. Anthony Fauci at Cornell and was one of the early pioneers in HIV research in New York City. Also, learn how Leon is adapting to the current COVID reality and what the company has in store for its new Leon Live concept.

Visit leonspeakers.com to check out the latest developments from Leon Speakers.

Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by WhyReboot

Visit whyreboot.com or accesspointmount.com/

Episode 26: Scott Newnam on Audio Advice’s Free, Online Home Theater Design Tool

September 15, 2020UncategorizedAudio Advice, home theater, home theater design, Residential tech, Smart Home, Smart Home Podcast, tech tools, theater design toolsresidentialtechtalks

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In this episode, Residential Tech Today Executive Editor Jeremy Glowacki chats with Audio Advice CEO Scott Newnam about his company’s recently launched online home theater design tool, which is free for consumers and professionals anywhere to use. With a Harvard Business School, Wall Street, and Silicon Valley background, Newnam came to the home integration business later than most, but with no less passion or dedication. He has been instrumental in his company’s successful blend of brick-and-mortar and e-commerce retail success in Raleigh and Charlotte, NC.

Visit www.audioadvice.com to check out the home theater design tool.

Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by SONY

Visit SONY.com

Episode 25: Sense Labs’ Mike Phillips on Bringing AI into the Smart Home

September 1, 2020Uncategorizedenergy management, energy monitor, Residential tech, Smart Home, smart home energy, tech talks podcastresidentialtechtalks

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In this episode, Residential Tech Today Executive Editor Jeremy Glowacki chats with Mike Phillips, CEO and co-founder of Sense Labs, a Cambridge, Massachusetts company whose Sense Home Energy Monitor provides real-time insights into home energy consumption. He was a researcher at MIT before going on to co-found two companies (SpeechWorks and Vlingo) that brought speech recognition capabilities to call centers and to mobile phones, including the technology that would go on to power virtual assistants across hundreds of millions of phones.

Visit https://sense.com/ to learn more.

Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Ring | Smart Security Systems & Home Automation

Visit https://ring.com to make your home & neighborhood safer.

Episode 24: John Sciacca is President of the No-Shirts Club

August 25, 2020Uncategorizedhome automation, home theater, home trends, internet of things, Live music, Residential Tech Talks, Smart Home, Taylor swiftresidentialtechtalks

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In this episode, Residential Tech Today Executive Editor Jeremy Glowacki chats with one of his favorite custom home tech writers who, in his day job, is co-owner of Custom Theater & Audio in Myrtle Beach, SC. In this especially candid conversation, Jeremy and his good friend John recall how they met while on a trip to Microsoft headquarters, how they ended up rooming together at trade shows and discovered a shared fandom for Taylor Swift and Disney World. Eventually, they discuss smart home trends, as well.

Visit to learn more, visit https://www.customtheaterandaudio.com/ and check out John’s articles at www.residentialsystems.com.